Singapore's education system has been ranked amongst the top in the world, and it's no secret that the academic pressure here is high.
Like most parents, you want to see your child succeed and excel in her studies and you want her to go to a good school and receive the best education so that she can have a bright future.
But what happens if she needs a little extra push and some help to guide her in the right direction? What if she is struggling in certain subjects and you are worried she might be falling behind?
You might want to consider finding an experience private home tutor to help your child through her academic struggles and give her the confidence to push herself to her full potential. Read on to find out some tips on getting your child the right kind of home tuition in Singapore.
What are you looking for?
Before you begin searching for the right private home tutor for your child, there are a few questions you should ask yourself to help you find the perfect one:
Home Tuition Singapore Tip #1: What are the specific needs?
If your child has a specific need, such as preparing for the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS), then you will need to make sure that the private tutor you engage should be familiar with the procedure and able to guide your child to achieve positive results.
The tutor should also fully understand your concerns and be experienced in this specific field.
Home Tuition Singapore Tip #2: Why does your child need private home tuition?
Is she struggling in any particular subject(s)? Does she need extra help doing homework and completing her assignments? Is she preparing for an upcoming test or exam? Is she falling behind in class and needs someone to help her revise what she has learned so far?
Figure out what are your goals and the exact areas you feel she can improve in, so it is clearer for you to explain it to the tutor.
Home Tuition Singapore Tip #3: Does the private home tutor have good credentials?
There are a lot of tutors to choose from in Singapore, so it might be overwhelming for you to figure out how to narrow down your search.
It is recommended that you carefully check out the private tutor's credentials and read up on testimonials from other parents about their services.
Ask around for recommendations, or have a chat with the tutor before making your decision to ensure that you have made the right choice for your child.
Home Tuition Singapore Tip #4: Are the fees within your budget?
It's difficult to put a price tag on quality education, so it's important to look at the value of the private home tutor and what they have to offer, rather than restricting your choices according to cost.
If you have found a good private home tutor you feel would fit well with your kid's academic needs, try to work out a flexible payment plan which both parties are comfortable with so that your child does not have to miss out on this opportunity to improve her studies.
Home Tuition Singapore Tip #5: How long will the tutoring last for?
What is the length of time that your child will require a private home tutor? 6 months, 1 year, or longer?
Is there a specific goal that she is working towards, such as an upcoming exam or an entrance test, and when exactly is it?
This is important for the tutor to create an appropriate customised programme for your child and also allows them to set a schedule so that your kid is on track.
How did other parents choose the right private home tutor for their child? Go to the next page to find out more
We spoke to Karen Yiu, whose daughter, Kelsey, was preparing for her AEIS to join a local school, so they engaged the services of Ann Tutor to help achieve positive results.
Q1: Which aspect of the AEIS test was your daughter struggling with?
Karen: Maths and English -- she had a hard time answering questions at her level.
Q2: How was the assessment carried out to help identify your child's weakness?
Karen: We called Ann and she asked us to have a diagnostics test for her to assess her level of proficiency in the various subjects.
Q3: What was the most challenging experience your daughter has gone through during this period
Karen: The pressure was very high because we pulled her halfway out of school back home and we just moved here to Singapore, so she had no school to go back to -- so she really had to pass the (AEIS) test or she would lose a year of her education, so it was very crucial for her. Another thing that was also crucial was to cram and study all the concepts in barely two months!
Q4: What did you do before this to help your daughter out?
Karen: She took the first exam but unfortunately she did not pass, so what we did before was to buy exam papers from the book stores and I just taught her myself -- but it wasn't enough, so we had to look for outside help.
Q5: Why did this tutor stand out amongst others when you were choosing a tutor for your daughter?
Karen: I found Ann's online website when I was looking for tutors in Singapore and the testimonials seemed very good as they said that she is professional and knowledgeable, so I called her and when we spoke, my first impression of her was very positive.
So I found out more about her teaching methods and her approach to tutoring my daughter -- from there I realised that I really made a good choice.
Q6: How did the tutor work together with you?
Karen: I am happy with Ann because there is a partnership between us. Initially, the pressure was really high so we expressed our concerns, what was really stressing us out and what was stressing Kelsey out as well, especially with the limited timeframe, so she told us what we needed to do and explained all the steps we needed to take.
She also shared with us what her plan was and slowly we started trusting her more and let her take the lead as we stayed in the back while giving her our support.
Q7: How long were the classes with Ann?
Karen: It started off as 1.5 hours per day, but it increased to 3.5 hours per day and eventually it became 4.5 hours per day. It was really intensive!
Q8: How many times per week?
Karen: Initially it was three times a week, but as it was nearing the exam, it became daily.
Keep reading to find out how Kelsey improved after receiving help from a private home tutor
Q9: Tell us about the ways in which your daughter improved after working with Ann?
Karen: I'm happy to announce that she passed the test and I was informed that the vacancies were very limited and the competition was very tough so it really boosted her confidence -- I was actually sharing with other people that we really didn't know that our kid has such potential to do so well and she was studying concepts which were far beyond what even we know.
So now that she has a school to go to, thanks to Ann, she has already reached 100% for Maths and even with the limited time that she had, she was still able to catch up with the other students, especially in English and Maths -- it was really impressive!
Q10: How do you feel about the tuition structure and how it benefits your daughter?
Karen: Ann told us what we needed to do and that we should trust her to let her go with her tuition plan to help boost my daughter's confidence and help her grasp concepts easily -- so now that she's in school I don't really tutor her anymore, she does her homework by herself and during Parent Teacher Conferences when we go to meet her teachers, they us that Kelsey is very good in Maths and English, requires minimal supervision and was able to easily catch up.
Q11: How well did your daughter do after being tutored by Ann?
Karen: She recently got her school report card and she received 100% for Maths and 86 or more for English, which we were really pleased with especially because I'm a working mum so I don't really have time to tutor her anymore when I get home from work so I just leave everything up to her -- luckily she is able to manage the workload on her own now.
Q12: Would you recommend Ann Tutor to your family and friends, and why?
Karen: Yes, definitely. Ann has been great, she's been more than just a tutor and she's become a very good friend.
She shows genuine concern for my kids' welfare and even the whole family by assuring us that we don't have to worry as she's going to help us out -- that really played a huge part for us to help our daughter on this whole journey, so big thanks to Ann!
About Ann Tutor
Ann is a private home tutor with more than 15 years of experience whose passion for teaching has kept her motivated throughout the years.
A form tutor with Mendaki Tuition Scheme and an ex‐tutor in a reputable tuition centre (Mavis Tutorial Centre), Ann was also an English lecturer at the International Business School where she was responsible for tutoring students from different parts of China.
Ann's method of teaching has been beneficial to below average as well as average graders and her personal philosophy has always been to provide excellent and targeted learning which addresses specific learning challenges that her students are currently facing; Allow them to learn strategies and techniques that enable them to achieve and succeed in their subjects; And more importantly, to encourage and motivate her students to learn by recognising that when they enjoy their subject, they are more likely to experience success.
“The programme was tailored to my child’s needs and learning pace,” one parent says. “Ann adapted the teaching and learning accordingly by understanding what my child’s learning style after an observation session. I like that she does not do things by the book and encourages my child to arrive at the answers and to think on her own.”
-Emilie Yeo, mum of Ashleigh and Andrew
For testimonials from other parents and to find out more information about Ann Tutor, visit her website: www.anntutor.com