Did your child perform below expectations for the year-end exams or the PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination)? 

If your child received tutoring support throughout the year, it can be perplexing and disappointing when hard work doesn’t translate into improved grades. What you’ll need to do is take some time to fine-tune your child’s learning strategy: Could the preparation process have been more effective? 

It’s possible that your child struggled with understanding basic concepts, didn’t sufficiently review mistakes, or relied excessively on rote learning. Negative feedback, such as repeatedly being labelled “careless,” might also have affected your child’s confidence. Or perhaps the issue was burnout from doing too many practice papers.

Below, we’ll discuss key considerations for deciding whether to hire a new tutor or switch tutoring centres, and provide guidance on how to choose the right support that aligns with your child’s unique learning needs and goals.

Tutoring Does Not Guarantee ‘Good’ Grades

It’s not uncommon to hear of bright students scoring AL16 and above for the PSLE, and these are students who have had tutoring for more than one subject. 

Before you decide to invest in a more expensive class or tutor, have a good think about what you hope to gain from the tutoring. For instance, one of our KSP members hired a teen tutor to converse with her son in Mandarin, about six months prior to the PSLE. This was to allow her son’s ‘main’ Chinese tutor to focus on the written aspects of the exam. With the extra effort, her son’s Chinese grade improved from AL6 to AL5. Is this worthwhile? That’s something for you and your child to assess.

On the other hand, we have also heard of students with packed tuition schedules faring worse for the PSLE, compared to the prelims. The lesson in this is that tuition is not a miracle cure. If you do decide to go down this road, focus on getting the process right, but bear in mind that the end result can be unpredictable.

When You Should Look for a New Tutor or Tuition Centre

If your child is failing a subject after a year of tutoring, you should consider a change — unless you trust the tutor’s methods, and observe that the tutor has a good rapport with your child. 

Other obvious issues are frequent lesson cancellations and unprofessional behaviour, such as a tutor constantly checking their phone during lessons.

What if your situation isn’t as clear-cut? Here are some subtle warning signs to look out for:

• The tutor repeatedly notes that your child is making the “same mistakes,” without offering a strategy to address these issues.
• Insensitive language is used by the tutor when discussing your child’s progress, such as saying your child “did badly” on a practice test.
• The tutor lacks subject expertise and professionalism, evident in errors like the misuse of complex words or providing materials with numerous typos.
• Your child is overloaded with homework that doesn’t consider their overall weekly schedule.
• Beyond supplying practice questions, the centre or tutor doesn’t have a broader learning plan for your child. 
• Your child shows reluctance or dread towards lessons.

Although it can be time-consuming to hunt for a new tuition centre or tutor, it’s better to cut ties before more precious time is wasted. If you need a diplomatic explanation, you can always cite a schedule clash or use the results from the year-end exams as a reason. Thank the tuition centre or tutor for the time and effort, and close the relationship on an amicable note.

What to Ask a Prospective Tuition Centre or Tutor

To find a suitable class or tutor for your child, ask these questions:

Question	Rationale
“How do you adapt your teaching methods to different learning abilities and styles?”	This question assesses the tutor’s flexibility and understanding of diverse learning needs. A skilled tutor should be able to tailor their approach to suit the learning style of each student.
“Can you provide one to two examples of how you’ve helped students overcome academic challenges?”	By asking for specific examples, you can gauge the tutor’s experience and effectiveness in addressing and resolving academic difficulties.
“How do you keep students motivated, especially during periods of low academic performance?”	This question helps you understand the tutor’s strategies for maintaining student motivation and confidence, which is crucial for long-term academic success.
“What is your approach to communicating progress and setbacks with both the student and parents?”	This question reveals how the tutor plans to keep you informed and involved in your child’s progress.
“How do you incorporate real-world examples or practical applications into your teaching?”	Understanding how the tutor connects academic content to real-life scenarios can indicate their ability to make learning relevant and engaging.
“If my child is unable to understand your explanation or repeats mistakes, what will you do?”	The answer to this will reveal if your tutor has a backup plan to deal with these common challenges.
“If my child finds a task daunting — e.g. completing a homework assignment or memorising a passage — what advice will you give?”	Good tutors will suggest breaking up an assignment into more manageable parts.
“How will you help my child to set goals, with a step-by-step plan for improvement?”	This will help you to gauge if a tutor’s approach to goal setting is aligned with yours.
“Are you comfortable dealing with introverted children? How will you break the ice with my child?”	Some kids take a long time to warm up to a tutor, so a tutor’s ability to build rapport will become essential.
“In the event that my child’s grades do not improve, what would be your course of action?”	This question is crucial for understanding the tutor’s plan when the desired outcomes are not met. It also shows the tutor’s commitment to your child’s improvement.

Want to chat with Singapore parents about tuition? Join the conversation on the KiasuParents forum!