One of the latest trends sweeping the playground is tutoring. While the school world has always been competitive, many parents are adding private tutoring into the mix. While the act is undoubtedly helpful for some, it does put some students at a disadvantage.
Tutoring is certainly one of the most prevalent fads in the world of education – at least, when parents are involved. Some parents have even gone so far as to schedule tutoring sessions during traditional calls time. Even when the teachers and administration seek to advocate the value of traditional classroom learning, some parents simply hang on to the belief that only a tutor can help a child succeed.
Of course, the tutoring industry is booming in the UK. A recent story stated that tutors outnumber teachers two to one in England, and many parents are aiming to keep those tutors busy. Even parents who are not attempting to bring in tutors during the school day are still supplementing their children’s school time during the evenings or even on the weekend.
It should come as no surprise for most that the real demand for tutors comes around the same time as major exams. Tutors have been prized in many areas of Britain as the keys to success for students, especially amongst parents who hope to see their children pass exams. Tutors have their pick of clients, and this has led to an environment where tutors can be incredibly honest with parents not only about student performance but also potential. Tutors themselves seek to cultivate a clientele that will help them to show success – and to attract even more new clients.
The desire for tutors is in no way limited to the UK, of course. Parents all over the world are looking to give their children a leg up. When parents worry about their children, they tend to induce that same level of worry in other parents – and when they decide that their own children need tutors, it is almost a given that their peers will rush to do the same for their own offspring. That is, of course, so long as they can afford to do so.
Affordability, though, is a problem for many. While many parents will certainly sacrifice to make sure that their children get a leg up on their exams, not every parent is in the position to make that sacrifice. While it might be nice to say that anyone would make the decision to get a tutor, the truth is that some parents do not have that luxury.
That, indeed, is the crux of the problem. Education is certainly not equal, and tutors help to exacerbate an already problematic situation. Those who can pay for tutors add advantages not only for the children of parents who can afford tutors, but also for the schools which those children attend. Even if tutors may help an individual child, the overall impact might be detrimental to the educational system. We all want the best for our children, if you haven’t had any recommendations and are carrying out internet searches for local tutors such as: ‘personal tutor, Bromley’ they should display their accreditations on their website as well as testimonials and possibly information regarding references.
Regardless of the impact, tutors are a fact of life. No matter what happens with the schools, this much is true – parents trust tutors.
About the author
Michael Drayton is a private tutor, Bromley, tutoring children aged from 4 to 16. Drayton has a keen interest in tutoring pupils who may have fallen behind their peers in mainstream education in addition to tutoring more able students whose aim is to maximise their performance.