UNDIVIDED ATTENTION
Busy classrooms tend to be dominated by the most confident, needy and
attention-grabbing students. Quiet pupils and individuals who plod along
with little fuss can often get overlooked by the teacher, until exam results
reflect a lack of understanding – at which point, it can often be
too late. Shy students may also be unwilling to ask for or except help
in a classroom setting, and if they do, their time will be likely be limited
to a few minutes. Home tutoring gives your child the luxury of exclusive
attention to work through problems, ask questions and talk over approaches
in a relaxed and focused environment, without the distraction of other students.
CONFIDENCE BUILDING
Bad behaviour and poor achievement can often be linked to a lack of confidence
and self belief. With feedback time limited in schools, it can be de-motivating
if a child regularly receives poor test scores, low grades and written
work or maths pages that are riddled with red pen and corrections. A personal
tutor can help individuals recognise their strengths and celebrate their
achievements, no matter how small. By setting achievable targets and taking
small steps, a student can slowly build confidence and enjoy a journey
of success and progression, rather than get continually knocked back.
PERSONAL LEARNING STYLES
Every individual has their preferred way of working, whether that means
talking through a task and discussing their ideas out loud, or writing
down their thought process independently. Good classroom lessons are designed
to cover a range of learning styles but this isn’t easy for teachers
to do consistently. A private tutor tailors the learning program around
the individual needs of each student to unlock their full potential. They
can also help improve your child’s ability to work in a range of
different learning styles, or help them to recognise the ways they learn
best. As well as boosting their understanding, this can also help them
to enjoy and get more out of the school day.
RENEWED ENTHUSIASM
It’s a sad fact that many school curriculums are restricted to fairly
narrow schemes of work. If an individual doesn’t engage in the topics
they’re covering at school, they can soon lose interest in a subject
and start to disengage. A private tutor can help inject new enthusiasm
into a subject by making it seem relevant to your child. A ‘boring’
topic like ‘weather’ in Geography could be linked to something
exciting like outdoor expeditions, skiing or sailing, for example. Reading
comprehension in literacy could be developed by reading books and articles
about football or space; and maths problems can take on a whole new meaning
if they’re given relevance to real-world business. Whatever your
child’s passion is, a private tutor has the flexibility to appeal to it.
FLEXIBILITY
Students may require extra support during particular times of year, especially
if they have exams looming. Private tuition can be on-going or can be
focussed in short and intense bursts, depending on what suits the student
best. Many tutors can offer sessions at different times of day. If your
child is too tired for after-school tutoring, then Saturday mornings could
be an alternative option, or you may find that a series of focussed sessions
during the school holidays is more effective.
