Private Tuition or Tuition Centers

Which one should you choose: tuition center or private tuition?

This article goes out to parents out there who are deciding between sending their kids to tuition centers and getting them a private tutor.

When deciding where to send your child for tuition, tuition centers will seem to be an attractive option. But, are they really good? Let’s find out.

Benefits of sending your child to a tuition center

Price is usually the main factor that spurs you to consider sending your child to a tuition center. Sending your child to a once-a-week, two-hour tuition at a tuition center costs you only a little more than half the price of getting private tutor.

Furthermore, tuition centers usually promote themselves as hiring only qualified teachers to teach in their centers, which makes them more attractive. On top of that, certain tuition centers are often integrated with after-school care services, which enable you to leave your child in the hands of an experienced care taker after tuition classes.

You may visit pros and cons of group tuition for more details about group tuition

Benefits of getting a private tutor

On the other hand, getting a private tutor has its advantages too. Even though private tuition costs significantly more than tuition centers, private tutors can undertake a more targeted approach to address the needs of your child, whereas tuition centers are more like miniature government school classes, where 15 to 20 students come together to practice under the supervision of one qualified teacher.

Private tutors also offer you and your child the flexibility in choosing the time, duration and location of lessons that best fit your busy schedules, instead of having to accommodate to the fixed timings of the tuition center classes and to go out of the way to send your child to the tuition centers for tuition. You will also be given a say in which subjects and topics the private tutor should focus on to suit your child’s needs, as compared to a generic lesson plan at tuition centers that caters to a general audience.

Engaging a private tutor for your child also provides you with the opportunity to observe how the tutor interacts with and guides your child, something that is not possible if you send your child to a tuition center.

Considering both sides of the coin, you can now make an informed decision on where to send your child for tuition – to a tuition center where your child gets a chance to do additional practices on a subject with a smaller group of peers, who might or might not be of the same level, or to a private tutor at the comfort of your home, where your child learns under close guidance and follows a curriculum that matches his or her progress.

At the end of the day, it all boils down to what your child needs to achieve from tuition. If he or she just needs more practice, he or she could get it at tuition center or even alone at home, under your occasional supervision. But if your child needs help to understand what is going on in class, it would be wiser to opt for a private tutor. In the end, you must remember this – you only get what you pay for.

You may visit pros and cons of private tuition for more details

Which learning method suits your child most?

While most of us rely on the schools and the Ministry of Education (MOE) to develop and adopt the best learning methods for our children, it is difficult to come up with a one-size-fits-all learning method that every child is comfortable with. In order to teach efficiently to a large group of students, schools tend to adopt the learning method that best suits learning in a big group. One such method is lecturing, where school teachers teach and the students listen and learn passively. Though this method ensures that the teachers can finish teaching the allocated syllabus within the stipulated time, it may not be the best method to help students internalize the knowledge taught.

Most children cannot learn just by listening; they need to see and do it themselves to fully understand. This is why schools and enrichment centers are now adopting creative learning methods that encourage hands-on activities, where children are given the chance to understand through the use of various senses, instead of just listening.

In the recent years, Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) has developed to become a popular and effective model for identifying effective learning methods for students. NLP is a behavioral model that studies how excellent individuals think and communicate to become successful. From there, NLP develops a series of tools and strategies to identify and remove ineffective behaviors and to encourage effective ones.

Here are some of the learning methods that you could consider using for your child at home to stimulate learning:

Graphic stimulation

If your child finds it difficult to remember concepts in his or her textbooks, try using graphics! Mind mapping is a good way to help them. It allows your child to summarize important points of a topic on a single piece of paper using different colors, graphics and keywords, and to arrange them in a manner that helps them to remember better. Summarizing also allows them see the bigger picture and understand the concepts better.

Music-aided learning

Some children cannot concentrate when it is too quiet around them. For these children, playing relaxing and soothing music quietly in the background while they are studying can help them to learn better. However, do take note of the type of music used. Try using classical music or jazz and avoid using music with lyrics, so as not to create unnecessary distraction.

Show and tell

Instead of teaching on paper, try and engage your children by making their lessons ‘come alive’! For example, when teaching them about plants, bring them to the Botanical Gardens and show them the plants! Let them have a chance to see, touch and smell the plants. Such hands-on lessons enable the children to remember and relate better to the information taught in their textbooks and also help to increase their learning interest.

By identifying and adopting a learning method that best suits your child’s learning pattern and interests, you child will be more inclined to study and will become a more effective learner in time to come!

Is Mother Tongue important?

As a full-time tutor, I often take on tuition assignments that cover English, Mathematics and Science, but very seldom for Mother Tongue. Whenever I ask parents why they do not want to get a Mother Tongue home tutor for their children, I will often get the answer ‘Mother Tongue is not important’.

Parents tend to rank the importance of a subject according to its weightage in schools. Generally, technical subjects like Mathematics and Science are perceived to be more important than language subjects as these subjects are the ‘scoring’ subjects. English is added into the package not only because it is one of the ‘scoring’ subjects, but also because it is the language medium used to teach all other subjects except Mother Tongue. This leaves Mother Tongue in an awkward position.

Language subjects used to be as important as technical subjects in the eyes of the education system and in that of the parents and students. But ever since the society becomes more and more English-oriented, people are slowly losing interest in and exposure to their Mother Tongue, which they deemed unnecessary.

The education authorities responded by changing the teaching approach for Mother Tongue, especially for the Chinese Language, to a ‘more enjoyable’ one, where students do not need to be worried about reading and writing the complicated Chinese characters at the beginning, and only need to focus on oral communication and word recognition.

Little did they know that not only does this encourage students to lessen their focus on Mother Tongue as a subject, it also prevents them from building a solid foundation in their Mother Tongue. As these students move from oral to writing stages, they realized that they have big shoes to fill within a short time. The steep learning curve further discouraged them from learning their Mother Tongue.

As time pass, students become more and more ‘westernized’. They have forgotten how to read or write in their Mother Tongue. Some Chinese students do not even know how to write their Chinese names! While this is a worrying trend, many parents chose to overlook this fact as they think that Mother Tongue is not crucial to their children’s future. However, many failed to realize that this is no longer true.

With the rising of China as a global power, many native Chinese are streaming into the rest of the world to work and to do business. As a result, Chinese is fast becoming an important language to learn when dealing with China companies. There is now increased demand for bilinguals who are good in both English and Chinese to do the necessary business translations. This used to be an edge that Singaporeans have over others. However, with the declining Chinese standards in Singapore and the increasing English literacy rates in China, native Chinese are fast overtaking Singaporean Chinese in terms of bilingual ability.

If our students continue to disregard their Mother Tongue, they will very soon be phased out of the race and eventually lose their competitive edge in the workforce. So, is Mother Tongue really that unimportant?

This article was written by Vivien. Vivien is a full time tutor who is teaching at the western area of Singapore. She taught English, Math and Science for Primary School student. If you are a parent who is looking for a full-time home tutor at the western area of Singapore, you may give us a call or submit your online home tuition registration. Our friendly staff will call you as soon as possible.

Despicable Me Movie Review

Parents often look for a film they can take their child to, and not have to worry about language and sexual innuendos. The creators of Despicable Me took that information to heart, and created a fun and powerful film.

In this film, there are many lessons your child can learn, along with having a great time! Ultimately, the story is about impressing your parents and finding that no matter what you do, their love for you will remain. Of course, because of the title, we find those means are through two of the top super villains in the world.

Gru, who is played by Steve Carrel, goes through a number of changes during the movie. When it first begins, he is outright evil with no hint of having a heart. But as it progresses, he finds love and has a family. He quickly learns that in the end, the most important thing is the love of your family. For children who have big ambitions, this may have them stop and think about the priorities in their life.

Teamwork is another important part of the film. Children will learn that everything that goes on with Gru wouldn’t be possible without his little yellow minions. Of course, parents should guide their child that a person cannot have minions, rather friends who are there to help them reach a goal together.

Loyalty is another very important theme in the film. When the chips are down, the friends of Gru continue to pull together and help the final goal be reached, and it may even leave a few parents with tears in their eyes. The film is powerful in its messages, although some of them may be presented in an obscure way.

One such odd way is the power of family theme. During the film, you understand the closeness that the family has in general, but some of their outrageous antics make you wonder what their true motivations are. Still, the obvious change is at the end of the movie, when the entire family bonds strongest for one final challenge that faces them as a group.

Perhaps the most important lesson parents can help their children find in this film is self worth. While every movie directed at families may touch upon this theme, Despicable Me teaches the evil doctor Gru that he is worthwhile, and that there are people who are going to love him as a regular person or a superhero. This should also show children that love is the most important thing, and no matter what we accomplish in life, we should focus on our relationships over other items.

Some good questions to ask your child after viewing the film:

• Why do you think Gru wanted to impress his mom?
• Would you choose to be evil still, or focus on your family?
• Were the yellow monsters good or bad?

Remember there are no right or wrong answers here. Encourage your child to think about what they saw in the film, and let them use that for stronger analytical skills.

Getting Kids Hooked on Science

Many parents recognize their children won’t love every subject that is presented to them. But when a child is struggling enough, the active parent should step in and teach them the fun that a certain topic can have. One of the toughest subjects your child will encounter is Science, but if you make it fun for them, they will succeed!

Think about what you loved doing in science as a child. Most likely, you remember the exciting experiments that your teacher let you do! To get your children interested in their science course spend some time doing some simple experiments that will get them laughing and having fun.

To begin with, use summer vacation as a time to help your child’s passion for science grow. There are several options you can do, and they’ll love each one! To begin with, plant a garden and discus why the different plans and vegetables grow.

Weather is another interesting area of science that you can get your child interested in. Begin to talk about the sun and clouds and why it rains sometimes. Depending on the age of your child, you can adjust the depth of the topic, but any questions that have be certain to answer!

Baking is another great way to teach your child about science. The next time you make cookies with them, take the time to show them why you mix things together. Explain that while on their own some of the ingredients don’t taste good alone, together they can turn into something different and make a chocolate chip cookie.

While in the kitchen, let them perform several different experiments as well. For example, place four cups with different colored water in them on an easily cleaned floor. Next, have your child fill four spoons with different amounts of baking soda. At this point ask them which will bubble up the fastest and the highest, then step back and find out!

This process allows the child to understand that different combinations will result in different outcomes. In addition, it will give them an insight into the fun part of science and begin having them ask new questions as to why this happened. You can explain to them about the reasons that the baking soda lead to the eruption in the different cups as well.

Encouraging your child to explore is another way to get them excited about science! When they ask questions and you can turn it into a project, choose to go that route instead. This way they can learn how to do valuable research that will aid them later in life, while finding the answer to a question they have been desperately having.

Another great option is to encourage participation in school science fairs. When you learn that one will be happening sit down with your child and ask them what they might like to do. Don’t discourage any project ideas they have, instead think about how you can turn it into something that will work for them at their grade level.

Getting your child excited about science can be easy and rewarding. Take the time to explore the world with them. In addition, ask questions and let them seek out their answers as well.

The Karate Kid Movie Review

What began as a cute little movie in the 80 has become a cultural icon to many. Anyone who has ever felt beaten down by a world full of bullies could identify with the Karate Kid and his thirst for vengeance. What he received however was an education from Mr. Myiagi on the importance of self-control and discipline and wax on wax off become a household phrase. The question for most is will Jayden Smith be able to fill the shoes of Ralph Macchio and can Jackie Chan steal your heart the way Pat Morita did?

For lovers of the first film The Karate Kid 2010 edition will have some marked differences such as the setting for the film. In both cases, there is a traumatic, for the teen hero anyway, move from everything they know and love. However, instead of moving halfway across the country Dre and his mother move halfway around the world to Beijing China. In this colorful but foreign land, Dre encounters the bane of every teenager’s existence, the bully. Dre’s bullies are rougher than most, thanks to their Kung Fu training. The key to enjoying this movie is not to compare it scene for scene to the original but to accept it for what it is a new way to look at the lessons of life.

Fresh Perspective
You must give The Karate Kid time to get started, in the beginning you may think it is a tired remake with very little going for it, however at the point where Dre finally learns the meaning of “jacket on, jacket off, throw it on the ground, pick it up and hang it up” you gain new found respect for the creators of this movie and the messages behind it. When Mr. Hahn explains to Dre that Kung Fu lives in everything you do, from taking off your jacket to how you treat people it is a truly aha moment, for the characters and the audience.

The View
One of the most spectacular things about this version of The Karate Kid is the wonderful imagery. Ancient and modern elements of China explode off the screen in all their colorful splendor. Sweeping landscapes, gorgeous architecture and historical references are enough of a reason to see this film even if you are not a huge martial arts fan.

Moral of the Story
There are many lessons to be learned from Dre and Mr. Hahn, not the least of these is the idea that when life knocks you down you have the choice to get back up again. Movie aficionados will recognize this from Batman Begins but it still rings true in the latest installment of The Karate Kid. Other key character lessons include respect, vision and dominating the things you fear most.

Conclusion
You may go into this movie with many preconceived notions of how it should play out, but if you will open yourself to simply experiencing The Karate Kid for a new generation, you will leave with a smile on your face and a deeper appreciation for the struggles that everyone faces. This was a feel good movie about a young man’s enlightenment and journey toward a deeper understanding of life, love and endurance.

Awesome Tuition Agency Can Arrange Professional Tutors for Your Children According to Their Requirements

The Awesome Tuition Agency has launched a program to refer home tutors to the parents of children who need a little extra help with their schoolwork. An alternative to trying to teach the children themselves, parents now have a new choice. Instead of battling with the ever changing school syllabi, the difficulties of getting children to listen and the lack of time to teach them, the need for after school tutoring has been answered.

Parents like the one-on-one home tuition that allows students to develop their full potential. Classrooms today are crowded and one teacher with a limited amount of time and many students cannot provide personalized instruction. This is why the Awesome Tuition Agency has implemented a program that helps by providing tutors that allow children to progress at their own pace, learn the techniques needed to study effectively, build their confidence and improve grades.

The tuition agency refers tutors to all grade levels from kindergarten to JC and Poly students. All core academics are eligible for tutoring including foreign languages.

See what satisfied parents are saying about the Awesome Tuition Agency:

“Merely a note to express gratitude for a fantastic job by referring my child a good tutor. My son has improved drastically, from E8 to a B3. In the past, my son has been continuously failing composition assessments and exams. He has had group tuition for the past 2 years at different tuition centres – all with very little effects. Home Tutoring is truly a best choice to my son.”

In addition, parents are not the only ones benefiting from the launch of this new program. The tutors benefit as well because they do not have the time or the funds to advertise their skills. Awesome Tuition Agency matches tutors to the children they are most proficient in tutoring. Each tutor has a specialty they would like to utilize to help children. Some home tutors would prefer to teach students that are working to catch up to their fellow students. Others would prefer to teach the kids that have many problems keeping up with the class.

Thus both the problems of the parents and the tutors are solved by Awesome Tuition Agency. Saving parents time by providing a service that is affordable and helps their children. The tutors are referred to jobs that are just right for them and they receive their pay from the parents of the students. The parents do not have to pay a fee to the tuition agency. The tutors pay the agency and everyone gets an affordable price.

If your child is having problems in school and needs the expertise of a tutor, contacting Awesome Tuition Agency can help. With tutors in a wide range of subjects, the agency will provide a tutor that an work with your child and get them up to par on the subjects in which they need help. Visit http://www.tuitionagency.com.sg and find the tutor who can best help your child.

Toy Story 3 Movie Review

Toy Story 3 takes us on a journey about what happens when we grow older, and begin to decide that things from our past have a different value to them. While our perceptions begin to change, our loyalty and love for others never changes.

Children will learn about the value of friendship during the course of the movie. Buzz and Woody are again the stars as Andy heads out to college to start a new chapter in his life. As he is leaving he boxes up some of his stuff, and a misunderstanding happens that directs the course of the movie.

This film is well written with humor directed at young children, but with alternative messages that will be caught by you and your teenagers. The importance behind this is that even the off color humor won’t leave a lasting impression on your child, and in turn nothing offensive will come from it.

Loyalty is another theme that runs very true in this tale as well. During the course of the movie, Woody finds that although he is loyal to Andy his other friends are deserving of this as well. In the process of growing, he begins to realize that those we love are all equal to us and we need to care for them and place their needs first when they are in trouble. Children will benefit from learning this concept as it introduces them to an important characteristic that they can recognize in themselves.

For young children that tend to destroy their toys, a scene is involved that shows the pain that the toys feel and how scary it is for them to go through this process. With that in mind, children will likely pick up a new respect and love for their toys and may take better care of what they own. Because during the course of the film, there is still an appreciation for everything from Andy’s childhood and we learn that his affection never left for any of them as he grew older.

Small children may find some areas of the movie very scary. When you bring your child you may have to comfort them during a couple of exciting scenes that can be intense, although each results in a positive outcome.

To get the best overall benefit from the film, you can use the movie as a way to discuss with your child what they may have learned from the film outside of the general tale.

Ask your child some of the following questions:

• Why do you think Woody loved Andy?
• Would you treat your friends the way Lottso treated his?
• Do you think Andy misses his friends?
• How did Woody deciding to stay with his friends make you feel?

These questions can help your children to discover the movie a bit more in depth and have them think about what they just watched. You can of course ask other questions as well, just make sure they remain appropriate for your child.

Overall this film is well done and appropriate for the majority of your family. Take the time to make it a family outing and put a focus on the values of friendship, loyalty and love that are apparent in the film.