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How I approach my tuition
Schools and teachers are doing a tremendous job in helping children to achieve their potentials. Without the hard work of teachers in school children would have found it difficult to make their grades, and therefore become useful citizens of our community.
Having said the above, there is still room for children to accomplish most of the requirements of the curriculum, and move on. That is where home tuition comes in as an important part of the child’s education.
Paperwork and workload have made it almost impossible for teachers to deliver the curriculum to the best of their ability. Not only that, unruly behaviour and indiscipline thwart teachers’ efforts in helping children achieve their potential.
In order to initiate the support, there are several things to consider which will help generate the method whereby I can help my tutee. One method which is a fundamental factor is assessment of both the curriculum and the tutee. The Government has created the curriculum but, without teacher input, it would be dormant. The stage the tutee is in the curriculum would therefore give me some information about him/her in terms of age and general expectations in the learning/teaching process.
Assessment of the tutee in relation to his/her school (and the curriculum) would require progress report from the school which would enable me to make assumptions about their abilities particularly in terms of the three Rs, including speaking and listening. This would ensure that there is continuity in the learning/teaching process between my support and that of the school. Further, I would informally assess the child just to confirm the statements of the school’s progress report.
In the next stage, in view of the progress report, I would develop a program or a structure to guide the tutee in his/her learning, enabling me to provide remediation where necessary. Some of the structures I’ve been developing include scaffolding (e.g. in reading and writing). In the absence of ostensible weaknesses or gaps, I would develop strategies to allow for extension further still.
Children need adults who care and understand their educational needs to help them succeed academically. And it is upon this that I have decided to be a home tutor to give one to one support to children outside school hours. This will help them to grow emotionally and mentally into mature young people and it is this that I want to be a part of.
