6 Questions to Help You Answer – Does Your Child Need Tuition?

Do these phrases sound familiar?

• Does my child need tuition?

• Isn’t my son too young to start extra classes after school?

• Maybe I need to spend some time with my kid to teach her math.

If you are unsure whether your child needs tuitions, you are not alone. Every parent who considers enrolling their young child for tuition for the first time tends to go back and forth about their decision to hire a private tutor.

Parents realise that the academic competition is far more intense for our children than it was for them when they were growing up. Apart from admitting their child in the best possible school, hiring a private tutor seems to be the second-best option for helping children reach their full potential.

On one hand, you want to hire a private tutor to help your child do better at school, on the other hand, you worry that you may be putting extra pressure on your child. It is estimated that 50 percent of children in the UAE already attend private tuition lessons. But that’s just a standalone statistic.

To know if your child needs the help of a private tutor, you can consult an education expert. Also, evaluating answers to the following six questions will help you reach a decision that is best for your family.

1. Are you concerned about your child’s conceptual understanding of the school syllabus?

Is your child cramming up the course material, without grasping the implications of what they are being taught? If the answer is yes, then it is a matter of concern. Anyone can pass through school through rote studying, but for the learning to stay with your child through until their adult life, they must be clear on core concepts. Understanding the why, how, and when will help them at a later stage when they prepare for higher classes as well as for competitive exams and college admission interviews. An experienced private tutor can provide your child with an overall understanding of concepts and teach them in a manner so that the learning stays with them.

2. Why do you want to hire a tutor for your child?

Dig deep into why you want to hire a private tutor. Are you hoping that your child excels at academics, regardless of his/her abilities and interests? If that’s the case, then you need to re-look at your expectations. Setting too ambitious a goal may demotivate your child, and no amount of tuition will deliver the results you want. Hiring a private tutor is a step in the right direction only if you want to push your child beyond their comfort zone, and create a stimulating improvement for academic performance.

3. How much time can you devote to helping your child study and revise the course?

You have established that your child needs help with homework and studying for exams. Can you or your spouse help with the studies? It’s not just about spending one hour at the table with your child ensuring that they complete the work. What’s more important is, do you have the patience and the ability to teach concepts to children in way that they will understand? If the answer is no, then the only option is to hire a private tutor.

4. Is your child herself/himself asking for additional help?

These days children know from a very early age what they want; they are go-getters. Sometimes, it is not the parents, but the child who raises the need for a tutor. Perhaps they want to attempt a competitive exam such as the Mathematics Olympiad, or they want to improve their performance to be the top student in class. In such a case, an experienced tutor can help your child identify which areas they need to work on and how they can together achieve their goals. The key then lies in you choosing a tutor that has both the skills and the experience to deliver results.

5. Will your child be heading to college in a few years?

Even if you are satisfied with your child’s academic performance, you must be cognizant of the tough competition that lies ahead. Getting admission into an undergraduate program in a college of your choice is made easier if you have a stellar academic record backed up with proof of extra-curricular activities. Depending on your child’s interests, you could consider hiring a tutor to learn a new language, or gain exposure to tech fields such as robotics or aero modelling.

6. Does your child have time to take on extra classes?

It’s possible that your child is already busy with extracurricular activities such as learning martial arts, and dance. While studies are important too, enrolling your child at a private tutoring centre may not be the best option. Instead consider an online tutor or home tutor who can teach at a time and day of week that is convenient to your child

Answering these crucial questions to determine if your child really requires tuition and the type of tutoring help needed. Although most children start tuition in the 7th or 8th standard, there is no set age for starting with tuitions.

If you feel that your child who is much younger is not focused on studies, or if you find that you are unable to give the time your child needs, a home tutor or an online tutor can be an excellent idea. See the results of tuition for a month or two before committing to pay in advance for private tutoring services.