How Home Tuition Helps Working Class Parents in Singapore

Home tuition is a quick growing sector in Singapore. Tuition agencies have emerged delivering a ready availability of tutors for home coaching. The main reason driving this particular rise in the need for these companies is because in many households both parents are service holders. This means they rarely have time to teach their children. Additionally many parents feel that specialized teachers are better prepared to help their children improve their scores.

Tutors are available for students of every level. This means that even if your kid is just a toddler you can actually find someone to coach him. However it goes without saying that tutors who coach students of higher classes charge much more compared to those teaching nursery or primary sections. Many of these tutors are experienced professionals who can simply identify areas that require more focus and guides students for improvement. Day by day step by step guidance aids students to conquer the difficulties through multidimensional approach.

The advantage of home tuition in Singapore is that the student studies in the comfort of their own home. Furthermore the learning schedules don't clash with activities that students have to undertake. Many of these tuition agencies hire teachers who have experience. Reputable home tuition agencies employ a rigid verification procedure for tutors. Coaching is also provided for teachers from time to time. The courses arm them with tips to handle the specific and various requirements of students. Furthermore the agencies follow a strict code of conduct which implies you are able to leave your kids without worry at the capable hands of the teachers.

Classes in Singapore are full of students. The huge number of pupils in each school is frequently detrimental to the pupils who're lagging behind. It is because schools rarely give individual attention to students. Private tuition is definitely a blessing in disguise for these weak kids. If your kid is lagging in a particular subject, you could ask for the agency to send a tutor who has knowledge to deal with the issues of that particular subject. Direct interaction with the teacher helps the students in identifying areas that require improvement.

There are ways to select the perfect tutor for your child in Singapore. All you have to do is select a few respected agencies and have face-to-face meetings. This will give them a fair share of suggestions in what exactly that you are searching for. You will have to share more about your kid's shortcomings otherwise the agency will not be able to find you the perfect person for the assignment. 

Home tuition is essential given that they supply the child with the determination to make an effort and achieve ambitions that would otherwise looked a far-away dream. Teachers help their pupils discover their hidden skillsets and encourage them in several ways and help them to sharpen their skills, thus giving direction for their future and careers.

Tuition Agency Tips for First Time Tutors

Due to the rise in education standards, home tuition has become more popular in Singapore. There are more tuition assignments available on the market than before, and many tutors get to teach more students. Once a while, we do get first time tutors who wish to start their career in tutoring. However, they are unsure of what to expected of being a tutor. What are some of the things you should look out for to do well as a tutor? Today we take you step by step on what are the things you need to prepare to succeed as a tutor.

Do your preparation before the first lesson. You do not want to realize you have forgotten something in the middle of a lesson. Common items that you should bring for the first lesson are your transcripts for verification, assessment books, and of course, a pencil box. Depending on your style of teaching, you might want to bring extra items for lessons. Some tutors bring test papers for assessment purposes, while others bring treats as incentives for their tutees. If you have not figured your teaching style yet, just be sure to bring the mandatory items we have stated above.

Be well groomed for lessons. Spend some time the night before your tuition lesson to ensure that you look presentable. The best tutors not only teach well, they also dress well.  Tutors who dress well leave a good impression on parents and tutees. Studies have shown that teachers who look more authoritative capture the attention of their students better, and as a result, teach better. You should use this same principle to your advantage. Many tutors get rejected on their first lesson as parents complain that tutor looks sloppy. Some of these tutors could be great at teaching, but because they didn't look the part, they didn't get the job. Do not let this happen to you.

Prepare a lesson plan for the first session. A lesson plan is a schedule of what you plan to accomplish for the lesson. This should include the materials that you are going to use and activities that you are going to do. The lesson plan ensures that tuition time is productive and efficient. It also allows you to keep track of the progress of your tutee towards achieving his academic goals. Some tutors use the first lesson to establish the standard of their student, while others use the first lesson to do goal setting. Find a style which you find most comfortable. However, it is essential you plan your lessons before you conduct your lessons.

Finally, be friendly and break the ice. The first person you are probably meet is the parent of your new student. Smile and introduce yourself as you present your transcripts. This would probably be a good time to ask about your new student and share your teaching methods. This is gives parents a sense of security in the handing over of their child. However, keep the niceties to a maximum of a few minutes and get the lesson started.

With that, you successfully survived the first lesson! It not that difficult and like you, many thousands have gone through it without much of a problem. You get to enjoy the process and reap the fruits of labour as your student improves day by day.

How to Make Your Child Want to Study: The Carrot and The Stick

Today, tuition in Singapore is an necessity. A Straits Time report indicates that some 97% of the Singaporean student population today have some form of tuition. Tuition can come in the form of tuition centres, or enrolling your child in a tuition agency.

How we choose to reward and punish our children will definitely have the biggest impact on how well they are going to do in school, and ultimately, how they turn out as people. Without doubt, this is going to be the most important aspect of parenting. So the dilemma arises, just how tight should you hold on to your kids?

It is important for parents to understand the concept of the reward and punishment system. Your child should recognise that there is always a consequence for his action. It may be good or it may be bad. For example, he gets a reward if he displays good behaviour and gets punished when he displays bad behaviour. This must be adhered to strictly.

It is common knowledge that children learn 3 times faster than adults. They are curious about the world and are quick to pick up what mistakes would cost them, and what mistakes they can get away with. For example, if you buy him a toy despite him failing his exams, he would start thinking it is okay to not to try his best in studying. If you scold him despite putting in all his effort, he would think it is pointless to study hard.

At a young age, children would most certainly not recognise the importance of studying. This does not mean studying is not important; it is what they are going to do for the next 20 years or so! The kind o grades they achieve now would definitely affect their quality of life in the future. Therefore, achieving good grades is of paramount importance. This is where the parents come in and play the role of the compass, steering the child in the right direction until he is old enough to make intelligent decisions for himself.

You can do that by making your child recognise the importance of studying from young. The way to do that is to put a direct correlation between his school work and needs. All children have needs which will need to be met. This includes food, play time and love. For example, you could give your child more play time if he does well for the exams. This teaches your child the concept of delayed gratification, which would be priceless in life later on.

The “marshmallow experiment” is a well known experiment conducted at Stanford University. In this experiment, 4 year olds were given a plate with a marshmallow placed in front of them. If they were able to resist eating the marshmallow for 20 minutes, they would be given another one. Some were able to wait, others were not. Children who resisted understood the concept of delayed gratification.

Research done on these four year olds many years later was astounding. It was found that the same 4 year olds who practiced delayed gratification scored significantly higher in exams and generally did better in life.

It may be painful not to do, but pampering your child would hinder his development. The responsible thing to do would be to do whatever it takes, even the occasional scolding to make sure your kids are on the right track. Hopefully in the future, they would be useful individuals to society and be thankful for their upbringing.

The author is a full time tutor in Singapore, and gives free advice to parents on how to help improve their children's grades. To view other articles like these, please visit our blog today.

The Necessity of Home Tuition

Home tuition or enrichment classes after school three days a week. Sounds familiar? That is the lifestyle of many school children in Singapore today. We have placed a high importance on an education with brand name schools and outstanding grades. This is in hope that it will potentially lead to good jobs, salaries etc. Intense competition in society has come to a point where it is a given to have private home tuition.

Is home tuition a must? Necessity or not depends on the individual’s motivations, abilities and of course, parents. We want what is best for our children, hoping that he/she will be a top student and do better in life than us. It is understandable to push our children through home tuition and enrichment classes. The question is... how much is too much?

It is a fine line between having home tuition which is beneficial and being way too burdensome on the child. Once crossed, our children will feel over exhausted by these extra activities and lose interest in their studies. It removes their interests in acquiring knowledge and instead, are forced to engage in rote learning to do well in examinations. Overloading them with lessons three to five days a week would not make them brilliant at once. Instead, it is about taking a measured approach to their learning and providing home tuition as a guidance and especially, in moderation.

Home tuition should be used as a tool to supplement what has been taught in school or to enforce a little discipline in our young ones. It will be beneficial for weaker students who need more guidance in their school work. A tuition agency can help find a private tutor who can help to instill discipline in our children to complete school work on time. If a student is able to cope well with the school curriculum, home tuition is not a necessity. A performing student should be given opportunities to pursue activities that he/she like and be given ample space to develop themselves.

Let them explore their environment and play while they are young. This will give them memorable experiences which will be meaningful to them. Our children will be grateful to us for that.

Looking back at our education, we did not rely on home tuition as much as it is today. Have times changed? Has competition increased? Times certainly has changed looking at how our country has transformed into a knowledge-based economy where human capital is our only resource. Competition has increased as we have become a global city and an ideal location for expatriates to establish their career. The education stakes have been upped many folds and failure is not an option. However, there are many aspects to life than just being a top student and getting the best job. Consider that and weigh our life priorities. Home tuition is an important aspect of our education system but it certainly is not a need as perceived by many.

3 Things Every Tutor Should Avoid Doing

In order to be recognised as a professional and experienced tutor, it is important to portray an image that is appropriate. Why is it important to portray such an image? Studies show that teachers who can present themselves as role models teach more effectively. Moreover, parents put their mind at ease when their child is in the hands of a responsible tutor.

There are many bad tutors on the market that spoil the name of good tutors who are provide a necessary service to society. These tutors view a tuition assignment as a mere job and are prone to committing mistakes. Some of these tutors get rejected after a few lessons. To avoid getting yourself in this situation, you should avoid doing the points outlined below.

Do not be late for tuition, unless you have a valid reason. By being late, you are setting a very bad example for your tutee. As a result, parents would also doubt your ability to teach as a tutor. Most tutors are rejected because they are constantly late for lessons.  If a tutor is always late, it shows he/she is unreliable.

Do not change your tuition sessions frequently. One of the key things to success in examinations is consistent effort. This applies to tuition sessions as well. Regular sessions teaches your tutee the importance of regularity and consistent effort. It would make your lessons easier in the future. Usually, tutors who reschedule lessons frequently have tuition only when they have the free time to do so. This leaves a very bad impression on both parents and tutees.

Do not discourage your tutee when he/she fails to do well. Most children need tuition because they receive negative feedback about how they study. It can come from their parents, friends and even teachers. This lowers their self confidence and ability to perform. This is where you can make a difference. If you are able to teach your tutee that studying can be easy and fun, half the battle is already won.

Do not drill information into your tutee. Most tutors think that their tutees would understand if they present information to them. More often than not, inexperienced tutors would  teach lessons in ways which are difficult to understand. You should always step into your tutees shoes to see if the lesson is effective.

Some questions you might want to ask yourself is how would you like to be taught if you have no clue of the topic at all. Always question yourself if you can make your lesson easier to understand. Although this is a simple concept, even the best tutors lose track of this at times. Therefore, it is important to ground yourself from time to time.

Being able to teach effectively is only one aspect of a great teacher. What makes great teachers great is the example that they set for their students. As it can be seen, it is definitely not easy to be a good tutor. However, with consistent effort, it will all pay off in time to come.

If you would like to find tuition jobs in SIngapore, it is important that you learn how to be a good tutor.

Is Home Tuition only for Poor Students?

Many parents have the idea that home tuition is only for poor students who are slow in learning. As a result of this stigma, many of them only resort to home tuition when all other options fail. Typically, students who are enrolled for home tuition are students who are on the verge of failing or have been failing their exams.

So why do parents seek the help of home tutors when their children's grades are failing? This is because home tutors can provide students with the 1 to 1 specialised attention that they need.

Would good students not benefit from this 1 to 1 attention? The answer is no. In fact, students who are already doing well in school achieve even greater results with the help of a private tutor. Outlined below are ways a tutor can help your already performing child.

Tutors can offer a custom curriculum designed for your child. This is seen time and time again with home tuition. The attention that your child gets from the tutor is customized to his/her need. This is contrary to the classroom environment, whereby a one size fit all approach applies Should he be good in certain chapters, a tutor can choose to spend less time on it, vice versa. This ensures the most efficiency in time spent on where your childs needs it the most.

Home tutors can provide intensive revision sessions. The consummate student will tell you that practice makes perfect. This universal law applies for examinations too. The more your child is familiar with exam settings, the better he/she will do. With the help of a home tutor, your child can be sure to receive much more revision than what he can receive in school. Schools take typically 2 weeks to complete and go through an exam paper. With home tuition, papers can be marked and feedback can be received by the student in a matter of two sessions. Intensive revision is really what separates the above average students and the smart students.

Your child can get ahead of his/her peers by having extra help on school work. Students can consult tutors almost anything on any subject This applies with school work as well. Typically, tutors would also try to cover topics ahead of syllabus. In this way, students would already have been taught topics in tuition before going through them in class. This is beneficial as the lesson in class would be considered 'revision' for your child. Concepts taught in class would also be reinforced during lessons.

We have seen how some home tuition can help your already performing child. We would like to point out that the best performers of any field, all have personalized coaching to help them achieve the high level of success that they desire. With the proper utilization of your home tutor, even the your child can scale even higher heights.

How to Find a Reliable Tuition Agency

As parents, we always face the same frustrations when exams are weeks away and just can’t find a responsible tutor for our child. A reliable tuition agency can help shorten that process and identify these tutors that we have been looking for. How then can we know if a tuition agency can be trusted to do the right thing and deliver?

Here we will identify key factors in partnering the right tuition agency

Experience
Always partner a tuition agency with a large amount of experience in this industry. With experience, the tuition agency will be in a better position to understand your requirement and needs. This will help you to identify the right tutors to fit your requirements. A good gauge of experience would be of at least three years in operations.

Network of tutors
Engage a tuition agency with a large network of tutors. You will then be able to leverage on this network, be recommended the best pool of tutors and select only the most suitable one. With a wide selection of choices, you will then be able to compare the tutors’ teaching experiences and make a better informed decision.

Ethical practices
Work only with tuition agencies that engage in ethical practices. Blind recommendations of tutors and overstating of teaching experiences are some of the unethical practices that tuition agencies can engage in. You have to be comfortable speaking with the tuition coordinator and ensure that the coordinator provide complete information on the tutor’s commitments and teaching experience. To put your mind at ease, request that the tuition coordinator arrange a phone interview between you and the tutor.

Price
If something is too cheap, it probably isn’t good. Be wary of hiring a tutor at a cost that is too good a deal as the qualifications or experience might be not what you are looking for. If the price is too high, ensure that it is justified by the tutor’s experience and track record. Highly qualified tutors with good experience are in good demand and these tutors do charge a slight premium for their services.

We are here to help
Choosing the right tutor can be a daunting task. Partnering a reliable tuition agency will be essential to achieve your objective. We are here to help and to provide as much information as you need. From the challenges of the school syllabus to the type of tutor that may suit your child, TuitionKing is here to ensure that your problems are solved.

We have been in this business since 2010 providing intermediary services between our clients and teaching professionals. We seek to put the needs of our clients’ first and to engage in ethical practices which will create value for our clients. Please feel free to contact our friendly coordinators to explore how our services can help you today.