A Parent's Blog About Parent Interests by our Tutoring Company

Most parents are in a dilemma when it comes to the decision of hiring a tutor for their children. In today’s competitive world, hiring a tutor can be helpful to children. Hiring a tutor does not imply that your child is incapable or academically backward. It is just that the child could benefit from additional help.

Why hire a tutor?

It is a fact that a parent knows the child the best. So then why hire an outsider to help your children with their school work? Teaching children, even your own, requires a lot of patience and tactics. Most parents do not have time, especially if you are a working parent and have to teach your child after your work hours. You lose patience quickly if the child doesn’t respond in the way you desire. Also some children respond better to instructions if it comes from an outsider. In such situations, hiring a tutor can be beneficial to you as a parent and the child.

Benefits of hiring a tutor

A tutor can give his complete attention to the child. He will ensure that difficult content is revised and the concepts are properly understood by the child. This way, the child will perform better at exams and tests. This leads to increased confidence and motivation to do better.

The tutor will be able to provide additional information to the child. This means an extra edge over the other children in the class.

The tutor will be able to help the child with his regular homework. He will explain the content again to the child and thereby the child will be able to do his homework without any struggle.

Some children need individual attention. In today’s over crowded classroom atmosphere, teachers will not be able to provide this. By hiring a tutor, children can benefit from the one to one attention.

A tutor will prepare the child well for class tests and final exams. When the child has a better understanding of the course, he will fare well for the tests. The child will have more confidence in his knowledge of the subject and this will take care of any anxieties he may face. Anxiety and nervousness are a major reason for many poor performances.

Working with a tutor will help the child to develop a study schedule. The child will be more disciplined and organized with his work.

While studying, children easily get distracted with videogames, TV and other activities at home. A tutor will help in minimizing these distractions. The child is constantly monitored and is pushed back into track in case of straying. Tutors will also be equipped with the latest teaching techniques and will be able to give maximum help to your child.

By hiring a tutor, you can shorten the duration of studying time spent by your child. For a child in primary or secondary school, one to two hours of study time is more than sufficient. The tutor will ensure that this time is spent efficiently.

Invest in a tutor today and secure the future of your child.

There are many opinions on this. Two things can happen. If a student isn’t identified to meet the eligibility criteria for special education they might be described by their teachers as a “behaviour problem, slow learner, unmotivated or just plain lazy”. They’ll remain in the general education and will most likely do poorly in school. The probability of dropping out will increase.

If  a student is identified as requiring special education the student will be categorized into a stream that hopefully the teachers will have knowledge and methods to assist the student to achieve. This classification alters the school experience and for this reason many educators criticize this process and claim that it does more harm than good to the student.

Let’s explore advantages and disadvantages of labelling.

Advantages of labelling

1. Labels are required to get funding for special education from the BC ministry.
2. Categories give educators a general idea about learning characteristics.
3. If present categories were abolished then new descriptors would be made to take their place. Humans need “mental hooks” to figure out problem areas.
4. Labelling will create more tolerance towards the minority of those who have a disability.
5. Labelling creates specialized teaching methods, assessment and interventions for behaviour issues.

Disadvantages of labelling

1. Once a child has been categorized this label will be forwarded to every new teacher. The label sticks.
2. There is a stigma of being deficient.
3. Labels shape teacher’s expectations. Studies demonstrate that what a teacher believes about student capability is directly related to student achievement.
4. Labels can exaggerate a student’s actions in the eyes of a teacher. A teacher may over react to behaviour of a labelled child that would be tolerated in another child.
5. Diagnostic labels are not always reliable. Sure they try to be accurate, but they can never be. Human beings are complex and unique.

Is it good or bad? Yes and No. Assigning a student a label for special education is a fateful step that should only be taken when all other options have proved unsuccessful.