Are tuitions really efficient?

Compared to my last visit back home to Kuala Lumpur 1 year ago, today I see many new tuition centres opened up. Home tuitions are also mushrooming. Almost every housing estate has a few home tuition centres run by school teachers, retired teachers, university students or housewives.

This indeed has become a very popular trend now. Many working parents choose to send their kids to these home tuition centres. Unlike in school, these centres teach children in smaller groups. They ensure children finish their homework before the end of each day’s lesson and answer queries that children have in their studies.

This is a great relief to working parents indeed.

But, I always have this question in my mind. Do these tuitions really effective?

If YES, then why do parents nowadays tend to be busier and more nervous when approaching their children’s term exams?

If NO, then why do parents still send their kids to tuitions?

I don’t know, I guess it is because everybody is doing it!

Yes, there is lots of homework indeed. But, instead of spending money to have someone watch over our children doing homework, isn’t it better to educate our children the benefits of study smart? Yes, I totally agree that it is easier said than done no doubt but it is not impossible!

Try following these steps, you should see some improvements:-

1. Think of the favourite thing our child like to do. Ask him / her “How many days in a row you didn’t get to play your computer games?” for example.

2. Ask them whether they know the reason why they don’t get to play computer games?

3. They will have all sorts of answers. Mummy won’t allow me to. Some smarter kids would know that it was because they couldn’t finish their homework. Some may said that it was because teacher gave them too much homework. Most of them would say I don’t know.

4. Next, ask our child this: “Do you think the school time is very long?” The answer is usually YES!

5. I did a simple arithmetic below for my daughter, just to prove one point::-

– school 7am – 1pm. 6 hours.
– lunch.
– FREE TIME 2pm – 6pm. 4 hours.
– dinner.
– FREE TIME 7pm – 9pm. 2 hours.

School Time = Free Time

Of course, literally they will not have exactly 6 hours after adding in bathing time, tea break time, chit-chat time etc. But, the idea is to make them believe that they have!

And, what is 6 hours? It is as long as the school time!

Now, the question is where has the 6 hours of FREE TIME gone then?

6. We need to explore with our child what they have been doing during the 6 hours of FREE TIME? Let’s do a list of what our child did yesterday. Homework? Long eating time? Throwing tantrum? Day dreaming? Slept on the writing table?? Don’t know where to start? Not sure?

7. Then, ask our child this: “Do you like going to tuition after school?” The answer is of course NO!

8. “Do you want free choice time after school where you can get to do anything during this time?” YES of course!

9. I ask further: “Do you know why mummy needs to send you tuition?” The idea is to arrive at the fact that if our child picks up the trick of learning smart, doing homework fast and efficient, they actually can skip tuition all together and at the same time get their free choice time!

Important School fo Taughts

Whether they are angry, sad, upset or frustrated, the homework will never go away.

Going holiday is a happy occasion, that’s why it is always short and sweet.

Time passes very fast when they play with friends because they enjoy it!

So, the change of mindset is utmost important!

Think of the benefits of completing the homework fast …….

Can play computer games, go to the park to play, watch TV, read story books, take a nap, no need to go tuition etc…

So, We need to educate them to think out of the box.

Street-Smart-Tricks

Lastly, the street-smart tricks to educate our children in completing homework:-

– Start with their most favourite or confident subject.
– Next, focus on writing exercise first. Not much thinking required. Just speed.
– Take a break. Drink water, have some snacks, hug their favourite bear, go to toilet etc.
– Continue with more difficult tasks like comprehension, building sentences.
– When encounter difficulties, remind them not to stare at the question, pass and move on.

– Revisit after complete the rest. Seek advice if they still can’t solve the problem.

Such approach will mould independent, self-organized, problem solving thinker. Unlike the conventional ways of going tuition, children tend to be more dependent on others in completing their tasks.