The need for private tutorship has become part of the education system of Nigeria. For some parents who are not properly oriented on the importance of getting a private tutor for their wards, they believe that the classroom lessons are enough to equip the child with all the knowledge needed for optimum performance. Some parents know that their kids are in dire need of a private tutor but have been handicapped by lack of finance to sponsor such project.
The truth is that you may be a qualified educationist but if you do not have the time to train your children at home then you need to get a tutor. Classroom lessons are not enough to cater for a child’s academic needs. The curriculum is very vast and a lot need to be covered within a very short period of time. This makes it challenging to meet up, hence the need to get a tutor for your child. Also, some kids learn faster when they have all the attention of the teacher. This may be a herculean task for a classroom teacher.
Due to the busy schedule of parents at all levels, from the civil servants in private and public sectors to the those in business either in large and small scale levels, teachers been encumbered by kids returning to school with unfinished take home assignments. Children at the primary levels in this generation are highly sensitive to entertainment, so they tend to play a lot. Of course this shows that they are kids. It becomes a plaque when there is nobody to guide them through their assignments.
The onions now fall on mothers amidst their numerous chores. Hence, assignments are done in a rush early in the morning. For those in the Kindergarten level or even in some grades levels, their parents or older siblings end up doing the assignments for them. This is unacceptable and is not in any way an encouragement to the child’s academic welfare.
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This brings up the fact that getting a tutor is the panacea to the menace of poor performance in take home assignments among learners at the primary and secondary level. It is important that you get a certified and trained tutor with the adequate technical know-how on how to cater for the present academic needs of your child at various levels. For instance, if your kid is learning how to read and write you need to get a tutor trained in primary education. A teacher who is only conversant with secondary education may not be able to tutor a child whose major academic need is to learn how to read and write. The case goes for the other levels.
Another aspect to talk about is getting an all round teacher or a jack of all trades teacher to tutor your child in all the subjects. You will be sitting on a time bomb if you do this. The reasons are obvious. We have different courses in the faculty of education at the tertiary level because people need to be given the right training in specific disciplines. It is very common to hear parents bargain with a teacher trained to teach mathematics to also teach English Language. The result may not be palatable. This is not advisable for those in the secondary level. At this stage, you need to narrow down your child’s tutorship to subjects where the child is experiencing difficulty.
For those in the primary level the case may be different as most schools have one teacher handling all the subjects. However, there are schools that use specialized teachers to handle different subjects. Whatever the case is, you need to have a talk with the management of your kid’s school. They will help you to identify areas where your child needs tutorship and advise you accordingly.
In addition getting a home tutor will help your child not just to complete given task but to be aware of what he/she is required to know at every level. It is important that you encourage your kid’s tutor by paying them well. Teachers are not crayfish that should be priced. Also, they need your support. Some kids are allergic to learning hence they are very manipulative and may want to pitch you against their tutor. You need to be firm and make your kid understand that the tutorship is to build him/her for a bright future.
When given assignment ensure that your kid(s) attempt them solo. Writing for them or giving them the answer will only make them mentally lazy and the aim of the tutorship will be flushed down the drain. Allow them to do what they can and leave the rest to their tutor. You also need to ensure that your kid’s tutor is doing the right thing by keeping an eye on him/her. If you notice any discrepancy, have a heart to heart talk with your kid’s tutor and if there is no improvement you can always get a replacement.
