George Hawkins, Director , Step Ahead Tuition
There is an old maxim : "Give me the child until he is seven, and I will give you the man.”
It is thus with tutoring – we are often asked about the optimum time to start – and the answer is the younger the better.
What are the benefits of starting young?
Some parents wait until their youngster is approaching prelims or specific examinations, often at the age of fifteen or sixteen, but that can be way too late, especially if a study plan and firmly established study habits have not been encouraged over the preceding years, especially whilst at the primary school stage.
It is all about good habit-forming, about providing a rigour, by putting in place a regular and clear pattern of work and study, an insistence on achieving and maintaining a level of work which will make all the difference when the time comes during secondary education for important exams.
That is what good one-to-one tutoring is all about. The starting-point is the selection of the most suitable tutor for each and every pupil – in order to ensure a close on-going tutor-pupil relationship.
This is followed by an appropriate and specifically prepared individual programme which will both help develop self-confidence and realise true potential through regular one-to-one sessions. A consistent and continuous approach to learning is backed up by work given for at home – often related to that being done at school.
What advantages do having a tutor bring?
In school a child works in a class or in a group within a class. Do you remember when you struggled with a subject in school or couldn’t understand something in a particular lesson or subject? Did you always put your hand up or tell the teacher? Invariably not – you kept silent – perhaps for fear of embarrassing yourself in front of your friends or because you were unsure of the teacher’s reaction, and you pretended that you understood, sometimes getting upset later at home. If this went on for some time you risked losing out on chunks of learning, often foundation stones which were needed to be understood later on in your school career, but not learned or understood properly, putting you at a subsequent disadvantage.
Anyone including adults, can benefit from help or advice on an individual basis – for example learning to cook or bake a particular dish in the kitchen or repair a faulty part in a car or improve a skill in playing a musical instrument, and so on.
Equally, one-to-one tutoring – which is done in your own home or, if preferred, in a tutor’s (not in a centre with others or through using computer programmes) - allows the tutee to work at her/his own level and at a speed suitable to the individual, unlike in a school class or group situation.
Does one-to-one tutoring help in getting a place in an independent school?
The best independent schools are in constant demand and can pick and choose whom they accept. There is usually strong competition for places, and at some age-groups there are a limited number of places on offer. Most expect youngsters to compete through entrance tests which can be quite stressful and demanding if a youngster is unprepared.
Few children attending state schools have experience of the range and depth of work involved and have rarely faced the issue of requiring to be concentrated for what can be several hours of exacting tests. The correct support and preparation from an experienced tutor can enhance one’s chances, whilst similarly boosting confidence and self-assuredness, qualities often required to be successful and to ‘find one’s feet’ in a new and exciting environment.
Readers can email relevant questions - regarding the above article to us at The Nursery and School Guide, and we shall forward them on to George at Step Ahead who has graciously agreed to supply answers which we shall then publish here in the 'Learning and Development' articles section.
| George Hawkins
Step Ahead was established in 1997 by George Hawkins, the Director, who brought a wealth of teaching experience, including headship in both the state and independent sectors, and over 30 years of working with children and young people in a variety of settings.
Now after more than fourteen years of Step Ahead and after four decades of working with children, parents, teachers and other professionals from a variety of locations and social demographics, George has developed his belief in the power of motivational, inspiring and tailored individual teaching that rarely fails to recognise the potential of all students..
www.stepaheadtuition.com
|
 |
