Tutoring/Coaching for Year 7 (& Onwards) Student at a Public/Selective School in NSW

Unified on 07/02/2021 - 11:39

Hi OzBargainers,

Hope everyone is staying safe and well. It's time for me again to seek the best and effective advice on education for Year 7 and onwards students. The student just started Year 7 at a Public/Selective School in NSW who scored moderate in his selective test and made it into the school which is halfway in NSW ranking. He is a student needs regular push/monitoring and can do well, hence I am thinking of enrolling him to a tutoring or coaching so his continuation on performing well is maintained. He is active in sports with no push required. I have done some basic lookup and below is the findings so far:

a) 1-to-1 in-person Tutoring is available but hard to find good teacher as they are better off at a tutoring centre (may be) earning more - cost per hour tutoring range between $30-$50
b) UPLIFT Coaching - Moderate for English - teaches to School specific class/groups to keep students from the same school and sometime from the same class. I find this doesn't give the students to explore what other school students are learning/excelling: On-campus coaching cost around $330/10-lessons
c) NGO&Sons - Moderate for Maths and Science and don't know about English - $330/10 classes
d) MATRIX Coaching - top of the range for all subjects and does mix students from all schools: On-Campus coaching cost $580/9-lessons

Please feel free to share your feedback/comment/experience for the above or add/advise if something I haven't found yet.

Hope this will help others who may be in the same boat as mine for a balanced learning experience for their children who can grow in a positive manner.

Take care and many thanks in advance.

Education & Work

Comments

  • jaejae69 on 07/02/2021 - 12:02
    +7

    For a “balanced” learning experience I would consider letting your kid find their feet in school first before immediately starting tutoring in year 7.

    If a few terms in you find their marks are slipping or consistently low then it may be time to look for outside help but if their marks are consistently average or better then I would say to let them be kids at least for years 7 and 8 and consider some other after school activities that doesn’t involve more textbooks.

    • Unified on 07/02/2021 - 16:27

      Thanks, in fact I was against any tutoring but what we experienced that during his selective prep, he attended tutoring which helped him to do better than he himself expected. It's more than we as parents, he thought by attending some regular tutoring, he will be able to maintain his studies besides regular soccer, cricket and swimming.

      • POSITIVEVIBESONLY on 08/02/2021 - 23:46

        I found tutoring just made me to not pay any attention during school hours. All learning at school was pointless if I've already done it at tutoring. Also if it hasn't changed only year 12 matters for HSC so just start tutoring in year 11/12. I would focus on opportunities on teaching your kid on how to learn and study, being curious about the world and sports/other interests.

  • ihbh on 07/02/2021 - 12:36

    He is a student needs regular push/monitoring and can do well, hence I am thinking of enrolling him to a tutoring or coaching so his continuation on performing well is maintained

    What are his interests? What is his learning style? Do you want the tutoring so he can a pursue a career in an area you approve of?

    E.g. friends have son who played hooky a lot. They've enrolled him in a boarding school where he's really enjoying the metal work and wooding. We had suspected he was a more kinesthetic learner and will probably pursue a manual career and probably do much better than if he was sent to tutoring to do whatever.

    children who can grow in a positive manner

    What do you mean by this?

    • Jugganautx on 07/02/2021 - 15:09

      If son no doctor then son bring great shame to family.

    • Unified on 07/02/2021 - 16:37
      +1

      He is pretty balanced boy but loves and plays sport well mainly in soccer and cricket. Very good in maths and wants to excel in other subjects but often finds himself distracted and later running around. When openly asked him how would he like to tackle the situation, he is the one have me all the sites and I just checked the prices. He thinks of attending on-campus attending so he can compete and see his position against others than attending online/virtual classes he feels alone also easy chance for him to get distracted.

      I am in 100% of supporting whatever he likes hence want to support him the way he wants and guide him where doesn't know or I have little knowledge.

      • mjwills on 08/02/2021 - 09:17
        +2

        I'd argue against tutoring - particularly in year 7 (and particularly at a selective school). The payoff isn't there (unless the child is struggling and needs assistance - i.e is behind).

        In year 10+ you could argue it could be useful - but less so for Year 7.

        I'd wait until the report cards come in before deciding what to do. If he is behind - sure, consider tutoring / coaching. If not, let him be a kid for a couple of years. If he really wants to do "extra stuff" encourage extra curricular stuff like chess club, maths olympiad etc etc.

      • ihbh on 08/02/2021 - 11:41
        +1

        attending on-campus attending so he can compete and see his position against others

        Perhaps start getting across the idea of learning for interest and personal development rather than competition. When he gets to uni for example, unless he's very bring, he'll find himself in the middle of the pack and hopefully won't get depressed, etc.

        Also, when he gets into a work environment, it's about cooperation rather than competition.

        Finally, do you want him to work long extra hours when he's working to offset distractions, etc. Tutoring can be an arms race that doesn't really benefit anyone apart from the fees paid to the hiring company and tutors.

    • Unified on 07/02/2021 - 16:39

      I think it's too far to think what is he going to be in the professional career

  • Willco88 on 07/02/2021 - 15:19
    +1

    Wow let the child live without such pressures

    • Unified on 07/02/2021 - 16:43

      Whether individually or collectively before this becomes a pressure, hence I turned to this great community for honest advice.

    • Unified on 07/02/2021 - 16:41
      +1

      Very good point, this as parent we are worried hence often have open conversation.

      • Willco88 on 07/02/2021 - 16:42

        Yes please open honest communication very important

        • Unified on 07/02/2021 - 16:46

          Agree with you 100% and trying our best as a parent hence open for contractive feedback/advice is most welcome as we as a parent are learning as well

    • SBOB on 07/02/2021 - 18:59
      +3

      Sex, drugs, lesbianism

      That's a hell of a marketing campaign slogan.

      Pretty sure private schools have all those…just generally more expensive versions of each ;)

      • Techie4066 on 08/02/2021 - 16:42

        They definitely do, some way more than others. But drugs and alcohol across the board.

      • What is rrp on 09/02/2021 - 10:25

        and sexier?

    • Lastchancetosee on 08/02/2021 - 08:39
      +2

      Problems with unprotected or non-consensual sex and drug-taking are not the preserve of public schools. As for lesbianism, you might have missed it, but in Australia it is legal, as is same sex marriage, so I'm sure not sure what point you're trying to make.

    • ozbjunkie on 08/02/2021 - 14:20

      Check out the begs from peeps with no sense of humour.

      He said lesbianism people.

      Clearly a joke.

      Everyone loves lesbians.

  • megadeth on 08/02/2021 - 00:57

    My daughter has also just started year 7 selective. We have enrolled her in one to one tuition for English and Maths, but these are online sessions. My wife and I think that one on one sessions are working okay for her in terms of individualisation and customisation of the teaching material by the tutor and can better respond to any areas of weakness when spotted. My wife used a web site (name escapes me unfortunately) to find the tutors who are professional teachers and do tutoring during evenings. So far so good.

    • Willco88 on 08/02/2021 - 09:03
      -2

      Tell her to be careful of boys, they like to say whatever it takes to get what they they from the girls, even worse you get seniors talking to the new kids in year 7 so be careful

    • Unified on 08/02/2021 - 17:14

      Do you have the name of the online sessions where one to one is currently offered? Please share the website if possible where you can find the tutors.

  • OzHunterNSW on 08/02/2021 - 10:30
    +1

    The best pedagogical approach would be to speak with their teacher. Your child would do better to understand what is given by the teacher in class than some extra curricular that may be irrelevant.
    Alternatively, there are teacher's aids who assist students in their learning.
    Speak with the school.
    Save your money.

    • Unified on 08/02/2021 - 17:11

      Good point and already in my mind to speak to the class teacher once kids are bit settled in. Many thanks

  • POSITIVEVIBESONLY on 08/02/2021 - 23:50
    +1

    I feel the school covers all the normal subjects perfectly fine regarding english, maths and science. Public and selective school generally miss the extra circular activities regarding proper sports, music or languages. I think meeting different people and finding other interests early in life are way more important than skills that everyone will develop naturally.

    • Unified on 09/02/2021 - 10:14

      Thanks for insightful suggestion towards the end of your comment. That's what my intention was but peer pressure to me and continued talk my son may have had from his classmates.

      It's eye opening for me as well.

  • Geekomatic on 09/02/2021 - 00:29

    My son tutored his friends ($20 hr) from yr 9 onwards. He did it in uni, too.

    Maybe ask the maths teacher for your son's class if anyone is offering tutoring?

    One of his regulars ended up a very well-paid nurse at a large hospital in Perth.

  • fossilfuel on 13/02/2021 - 17:56

    I think the biggest detriment with tutoring is that kids are taught "what" to learn rather than "how" to learn. Rote learning content might result in good grades for one semester report but that's it. We don't remember most of the stuff we learn in high school.

    It might be worth looking into what motivates him to do sport and see if you can apply it to his studies. E.g if he can tell you reasoning behind certain strategy in a soccer game, then maybe apply the same concepts to solve a maths equation.

    Having strong foundational skills is essential for learning so rather than look pushing him to get good grades, look at where his learning needs are. If he needs help with learning how to write, then work on that. Writing is crucial across all subjects. e.g In Geography, he can learn all the concepts about urban development but if he doesn't know how to write an effective response to "Argue against rapid urbanisation of Sydney" and just regurgitates information, then he'll be getting C's instead of A's.

    This is a good list of essential learning skills: https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-learning-ski… and TBH, if kids develop these skills effectively, they will take control of their learning and there won't be a need for tutoring.

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