Do Tutors Lead to Success?

WITH only a few weeks left until school starts, the tutoring business is gearing up. And it is one industry in America that seems immune to recession. More parents are paying for tutors for their children.


More: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/21/your-money/21wealth.html?pagewanted=all

As with everything, tutoring should be taken in moderation. It can certainly help students who are falling behind, but I don't think the tutoring madness we see in HK really helps.


There's the question of priorities. Extremely knowledgeable but with a lack of real insight and analytical thinking, or a balanced individual? Tutoring in the HK seems to provide knowledge without really encouraging creative and original thinking. Of course the exams seem to want rote learning anyway...


As a parent, I cannot believe that cramming information down the throat of my children will somehow make them better able to handle adult life. It takes way more than that.


A tutor can be excellent when he/she teaches in a good way, but I think a lot of parents expect tutoring to equal success without much thought about the process.



Interesting quote from the article:

"This has reached its absurd extreme. Ms. Bass said most private schools in New York had started to discount the Early Childhood Admissions Assessment, more commonly called the E.R.B. after the Educational Records Bureau, the company that administers it, because parents hired tutors to coach their 4-year-olds on acing it.


While this is one way to spend your money, it may not be the best way to teach children the long-term skills they will need after they get into that top kindergarten. It may also hinder them more than help them. "

"I experienced to be a tutor from kinder and high school students when i was in the Philippines before.So I know how it is going on"

- (Kindrgarten & high school? The learning needs are vastly different as is the knowledge required.)


2)"...when i was tutoring, "


And both of you tutor English? If so, I rest my case and a good part of the original question.

Given the nature of the topic, I should hope so sir.

Er... ja!

Moving on...

I agree. I employ a tutor for my son as he will be taking his exams next year. I would like to think that his tutor of English can spell, use grammar correctly and write clearly. This is what the exam requires.

From what we have been reading in the local press lately, more likely to lead to pregnancy and mental trauma!