Hello Parents and Guardians. I wanted to take a few minutes to explain to you something that I've witnessed for the last few years with my students and parents alike. I believe it is important for every parent/guardian to be informed about this issue that other parents have and are experiencing. Please spare a few minutes and take time to read this piece I've put together for you and your family.
Research shows that increasing number of Canadians are seeking extra tutelage for their children after school so that their children can be groomed into a competitive individual in our society (Globe and mail, August 2011). But finding a great Teacher and/or Tutor is not that easy. Parents must realize that some extra work must be put in place when finding a great Teacher for their child. It is not about sending a child somewhere to do "extra work." This is your child we are talking about ~ please don't do it so blindly!
As an experienced educator since 2004, I've worked quite hard analyzing every material I teach my children (students). But I've also taken some time looking into what typical "tutors" do in their own setting that is hindering a child's growth or even worse, scarring them.
Here are some observations I've made in regards to not-so-great tutors.
(1) Workbooks
From my findings, tutors rarely create lesson plans. Their sessions are strongly dependent on workbooks: more specifically MathSmarts or EnglishSmarts! Years ago, I used these books and instantly knew it was something SAEC students will not experience again in my sessions. These books are great in that it instills practice however, it is too depressing. Students get overwhelmed by the enormous size of the book and the amount of workload that is shun onto them because of it. This book is perfect for their own practice at home. But in a session where the child should be actively learning and highly encouraged, I believe it defeats the purpose entirely.
Yes, I do use 'Nelson' or 'MMS" workbooks with my SAEC students. Why? Primarily because it reflects our Ontario curriculum. But my students themselves know that these workbooks do not entirely comprise my sessions. In fact, we refer to it for homework purposes, to work on it for a few minutes or if I'm working with another student they can keep themselves busy by working on the workbooks. It never extends for the full session that they are with me.
(2) Worksheets
This is also highly used by tutors. I have no issues with the actual worksheets but rather the form in which it is given. I've seen tutors give students worksheets without a detailed lesson prior to, during or afterwards, that would help and guide the child when they are stuck at home. Learning happens in various facets: discovery, enjoyment and practice. Skipping everything in between and going to the last step would again, diminish the purpose of learning.
(3) Textbooks
A session should not entirely be based on textbook work. Students should not feel like all they do in class is 'textbook work.' If this is how a child feels, then there is something wrong in the instruction and organization of the classwork.
In my sessions: if students are doing their integer training or algebra training or geometry training then I will first notify my students exactly what our learning goals are. Depending on grade level and the lesson being learned, we do:
a.) Book + Class Notes +Practice Training
b.) KeyNote/Powerpoint Training
c.) Real-life Application Training
My students instantly know that I'm prepared with proper lessons and so they are expected to be prepared as well. I then notify parents about this structure.
(4) Classroom Size
I am in utter shock every time I hear of Teachers and tutoring centres that have students in sessions with more than 12 children in one seating WITH * different age groups and abilities!!!
It is mind boggling to imagine the amount of distraction that can happen in such a short time with this many children who are not in the same level with different gaps. Unbelievably Outrageous!
(5) Classroom Grade Levels
This, out of everything above, really bothers me as an educator! If the tutor or Teacher, claims to teach the child based on the Ontario curriculum, then I believe the students should be grouped with their grade levels and/or students who are working on similar goals and expectations. This mimics close to the real-classrooms in Ontario. Ontario students, according to our laws, are grouped primarily by age.
Students have loads of fun, enjoyment and learning when they are grouped with peers that they can relate to, learn from and talk to. In the few hours that they are in my sessions, I want my children to smile, to actively learn and to be 'present' in my classroom. I don't want them to be distracted and feel intimidated by "older students who know more."
(6) Forms of Punishments
It shocks me when I hear that parents are willing to give another individual the 'right' to punish their child. My children (students) have shared with me through writing journals or oral discussion, how traumatic some tutors have made them feel: from non-stop shouting, to even straining their ears. The list is so long that I rather not put so much light on it. I cannot imagine the psychological scar this had on my children. Regardless, it breaks my heart to hear of tutors being such bullies. Where does learning happen, if the child is filled with so much fear?
Yes, students should know that there are consequences for not being responsible. However, consequences do not need to be so damaging. In fact at SAEC, we have various forms of consequences like
- a colour-coded warning
- a note to parents
- a face to face talk with Ma'am
- parent meeting
- jumping jacks + push ups (yes I have done these! And they work well!)
- loss of points in our point system
(7) Qualifications
As you may already notice from above, I carefully used the words "tutor" and "teacher" - specifically because they are in fact two different words. In my opinion, above many things, a Teacher is someone with proper qualifications, training and experience AND passion. A professional who consistently keeps herself or himself updated about teaching methods, current researches, findings and all other aspects of the education field.
A Tutor, on the other hand, is different. From the tutors I've met and heard about, it's quite obvious that a Tutor can simply be 'anybody' : a high-school student, university/college student, a person from a different country with knowledge of maths and English and the list goes on....
There are some tutors who are not qualified and it is important for parents to seek the best for their children! Parents should ask the following when seeking a tutor or Teacher:
- is he/she specialized in the subject that they are teaching
- do they have classroom and/or teaching experiences
- are they aware of the curriculum details
- how will they be assessing the child's learning
The one that can really harm a child is the fact that many tutors don't understand how to assess their student's understanding and find the major GAPS. There are steps to learning something, and some tutors totally skip the joy of discovering and simply INSTRUCT and FEED their children with concepts that are too overwhelming for their grade level. For example, teaching a grade 1 student about regrouping subtraction without the contextual understanding of subtraction and its meaning can scar the child's further growth in that aspect of math. Teaching division without making sure that a child is fluent in multiplication, makes no sense. Teaching through traditional methods and not showing students other ways of completing a task, diminishes a child's critical thinking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My final thoughts:
We have many students on the waiting list; and unfortunately, sometimes I will never get a chance to work with a child on the waiting list because our classes are in its full capacity.
Hence here are my final thoughts to parents seeking Teacher assistance:
Please seek an experienced and qualified Teacher who has in depth knowledge of the Ontario curriculum ~ all for your child: so that he or she will grow to become life-long learners and not be scarred by an individual person and teaching style.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Thoughts?
Please share your thoughts about this below. I would love to read your feedback, comments and thoughts.
Please note that the above is based on my observations and finding - hence my opinions.
Suji OCT., BEd., HBSc. Mathematics and Statistics.
Research shows that increasing number of Canadians are seeking extra tutelage for their children after school so that their children can be groomed into a competitive individual in our society (Globe and mail, August 2011). But finding a great Teacher and/or Tutor is not that easy. Parents must realize that some extra work must be put in place when finding a great Teacher for their child. It is not about sending a child somewhere to do "extra work." This is your child we are talking about ~ please don't do it so blindly!
As an experienced educator since 2004, I've worked quite hard analyzing every material I teach my children (students). But I've also taken some time looking into what typical "tutors" do in their own setting that is hindering a child's growth or even worse, scarring them.
Here are some observations I've made in regards to not-so-great tutors.
(1) Workbooks
From my findings, tutors rarely create lesson plans. Their sessions are strongly dependent on workbooks: more specifically MathSmarts or EnglishSmarts! Years ago, I used these books and instantly knew it was something SAEC students will not experience again in my sessions. These books are great in that it instills practice however, it is too depressing. Students get overwhelmed by the enormous size of the book and the amount of workload that is shun onto them because of it. This book is perfect for their own practice at home. But in a session where the child should be actively learning and highly encouraged, I believe it defeats the purpose entirely.
Yes, I do use 'Nelson' or 'MMS" workbooks with my SAEC students. Why? Primarily because it reflects our Ontario curriculum. But my students themselves know that these workbooks do not entirely comprise my sessions. In fact, we refer to it for homework purposes, to work on it for a few minutes or if I'm working with another student they can keep themselves busy by working on the workbooks. It never extends for the full session that they are with me.
(2) Worksheets
This is also highly used by tutors. I have no issues with the actual worksheets but rather the form in which it is given. I've seen tutors give students worksheets without a detailed lesson prior to, during or afterwards, that would help and guide the child when they are stuck at home. Learning happens in various facets: discovery, enjoyment and practice. Skipping everything in between and going to the last step would again, diminish the purpose of learning.
(3) Textbooks
A session should not entirely be based on textbook work. Students should not feel like all they do in class is 'textbook work.' If this is how a child feels, then there is something wrong in the instruction and organization of the classwork.
In my sessions: if students are doing their integer training or algebra training or geometry training then I will first notify my students exactly what our learning goals are. Depending on grade level and the lesson being learned, we do:
a.) Book + Class Notes +Practice Training
b.) KeyNote/Powerpoint Training
c.) Real-life Application Training
My students instantly know that I'm prepared with proper lessons and so they are expected to be prepared as well. I then notify parents about this structure.
(4) Classroom Size
I am in utter shock every time I hear of Teachers and tutoring centres that have students in sessions with more than 12 children in one seating WITH * different age groups and abilities!!!
It is mind boggling to imagine the amount of distraction that can happen in such a short time with this many children who are not in the same level with different gaps. Unbelievably Outrageous!
(5) Classroom Grade Levels
This, out of everything above, really bothers me as an educator! If the tutor or Teacher, claims to teach the child based on the Ontario curriculum, then I believe the students should be grouped with their grade levels and/or students who are working on similar goals and expectations. This mimics close to the real-classrooms in Ontario. Ontario students, according to our laws, are grouped primarily by age.
Students have loads of fun, enjoyment and learning when they are grouped with peers that they can relate to, learn from and talk to. In the few hours that they are in my sessions, I want my children to smile, to actively learn and to be 'present' in my classroom. I don't want them to be distracted and feel intimidated by "older students who know more."
(6) Forms of Punishments
It shocks me when I hear that parents are willing to give another individual the 'right' to punish their child. My children (students) have shared with me through writing journals or oral discussion, how traumatic some tutors have made them feel: from non-stop shouting, to even straining their ears. The list is so long that I rather not put so much light on it. I cannot imagine the psychological scar this had on my children. Regardless, it breaks my heart to hear of tutors being such bullies. Where does learning happen, if the child is filled with so much fear?
Yes, students should know that there are consequences for not being responsible. However, consequences do not need to be so damaging. In fact at SAEC, we have various forms of consequences like
- a colour-coded warning
- a note to parents
- a face to face talk with Ma'am
- parent meeting
- jumping jacks + push ups (yes I have done these! And they work well!)
- loss of points in our point system
(7) Qualifications
As you may already notice from above, I carefully used the words "tutor" and "teacher" - specifically because they are in fact two different words. In my opinion, above many things, a Teacher is someone with proper qualifications, training and experience AND passion. A professional who consistently keeps herself or himself updated about teaching methods, current researches, findings and all other aspects of the education field.
A Tutor, on the other hand, is different. From the tutors I've met and heard about, it's quite obvious that a Tutor can simply be 'anybody' : a high-school student, university/college student, a person from a different country with knowledge of maths and English and the list goes on....
There are some tutors who are not qualified and it is important for parents to seek the best for their children! Parents should ask the following when seeking a tutor or Teacher:
- is he/she specialized in the subject that they are teaching
- do they have classroom and/or teaching experiences
- are they aware of the curriculum details
- how will they be assessing the child's learning
The one that can really harm a child is the fact that many tutors don't understand how to assess their student's understanding and find the major GAPS. There are steps to learning something, and some tutors totally skip the joy of discovering and simply INSTRUCT and FEED their children with concepts that are too overwhelming for their grade level. For example, teaching a grade 1 student about regrouping subtraction without the contextual understanding of subtraction and its meaning can scar the child's further growth in that aspect of math. Teaching division without making sure that a child is fluent in multiplication, makes no sense. Teaching through traditional methods and not showing students other ways of completing a task, diminishes a child's critical thinking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My final thoughts:
We have many students on the waiting list; and unfortunately, sometimes I will never get a chance to work with a child on the waiting list because our classes are in its full capacity.
Hence here are my final thoughts to parents seeking Teacher assistance:
Please seek an experienced and qualified Teacher who has in depth knowledge of the Ontario curriculum ~ all for your child: so that he or she will grow to become life-long learners and not be scarred by an individual person and teaching style.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Thoughts?
Please share your thoughts about this below. I would love to read your feedback, comments and thoughts.
Please note that the above is based on my observations and finding - hence my opinions.
Suji OCT., BEd., HBSc. Mathematics and Statistics.