A Guide On How To Choose A Suitable Math Tutor
Mathematics can be considered highly technical. In fact, it is said to be its own language due to having its own unique symbols, rules, and problem-solving skills. It’s even more so when your child reaches secondary school because it comes in two forms: Elementary Mathematics (E Math) and Additional Mathematics (A Math).
Hence, understanding this subject, in general, can be tricky, but it’s harder for even school teachers to make it simple to comprehend.
That is why a good mathematics tutor must have the ability to make this subject simple to understand. Whether you are going for online lessons or in-person tutoring, you should look out for how the tutor can customise their lesson plan and how they can accommodate your child’s learning ability. Moreover, they should be innovative and accountable.
How a Good Mathematics Tutor Makes the Difference
Here in Singapore, we have an abundance of options for PSLE Maths Tuition. Whether they are private or group tuition, part-time or full-time, or for students from primary schools or secondary schools, they are literally hundreds to thousands of choices available. The pool of tutors is equally diverse, ranging from university graduates to former MOE teachers.
This can be a little overwhelming, and it’s understandable that many of you may end up taking the most convenient choice. However, it’s important to recognise that convenience doesn’t always equal to the best fit for your child.
While this seems like a trivial issue, it can hurt in the long run because incompatible tutors can spell trouble for your child’s ability to excel in the subject. Worst-case scenario, your child might develop math anxiety and hate the subject.
Why Hiring An Incompatible Tutor Can Be Detrimental
Many PSLE math tuition centres will use their own teaching methods, and some of them may follow the old-school style. This may include pumping out mathematical concepts like a mass production factory. Their main goal is to swiftly lead students to the correct answers, often emphasising pure repetition and memorisation in their lesson notes.
While this can be a feasible method to achieve the next letter grade, this learning process doesn’t help in making the weaker students interested in learning more about the subject, and neither does it sound like an engaging lesson. Moreover, it gives little room for most students to explore, question, and understand what the formula or concept is for.
At first glance, witnessing our children’s math grades surge within a short span might convince us that private math tuition is indeed effective. However, this method can stress out your child. They may become frustrated with this subject and could miss out on how practical it can be in the future.
How Do I Choose A Good Math Tutor For My Child?
Whether our children are in primary school or secondary school, finding a suitable math tutor is no easy task. After all, there are multiple factors that can decide the effective learning relationship between a math tutor and a student.
When it comes to the ideal math tutor, we must seek out someone who understands your child’s needs, has the patience to tailor a teaching style that resonates with their learning of math concepts, and someone you feel comfortable with.
There is no “perfect” tutor out there. This is because every child is unique, and the same applies to math tutors. That is why tutoring is a rich and diverse career path. Here are some key factors you should look out for if you want a suitable tutor for your child:
1. Effective Teaching Approach
When it comes to math tuition lessons, effective teaching means that the math tuition teachers must convey the key concepts in a way that students can comprehend without a problem. More importantly, an experienced tutor should be able to implement engaging lessons that require critical thinking skills.
Good math tutors should have the teaching experience to ‘lower themselves’ to the student’s standards and make the subject easy to understand and explain abstract concepts clearly.
Take Jimmy Math’s teaching methodology, for example. As an established private maths tuition centre, Jimmy Maths focuses on the K-C-A method, which helps identify keywords in questions, simplifying and linking to the related Math concepts and applying them to various challenging questions.
To achieve this objective, Jimmy Maths utilises engaging tuition sessions in order for young students to put their problem-solving skills to the test.
2. Exam Preparation & Resources Provided
When exam time is around the corner, the lessons should be structured specifically to revise previous topics, so that your child will be prepared for what questions they will be facing in the paper.
This is because sometimes, in exams, they may change the question slightly just to throw your child off. If your child is not well-versed enough in the topic, they may be jarred at trying to figure out how they can solve the problem.
If students struggle to change their way of thinking, that is when you know standard lesson structures will not suffice; they need something to put their knowledge to the test. That something is an engaging tuition session.
Moreover, they need more than just simple class notes and textbooks, because not all students learn well with those alone. For instance, some students may learn better with an interactive online learning portal, while others learn better via listening to videos. Should you want your child to show improvement in the long term, it’s best to find a math tuition centre that can provide the resources your child will learn best from.
Jimmy Maths has many free math e-books and resources which can help your child with their math exams.
3. Past Testimonials & Reviews
When it comes to choosing mathematics tutors, you should consider their experience and qualifications. One thing to look out for is to find out whether this tutor has taught students that have similar learning needs as your child, and how they aided that student to succeed academically.
That is when testimonials and reviews come in. They give you a good idea of how competent this tutor would be in helping your child improve their weaknesses and reinforce their strong points. In addition, the website should also mention the school the tutor has attended, and if they had any teaching credentials or knowledge of the subject (e.g. Mathematics Degree).
Do note that even if the math teacher has stellar experience and qualifications, it doesn’t always mean that they would be right for your child. There are other factors that you need to take into account too.
4. Pricing & Availability
When selecting a good tutor for your child, you should set a budget and determine the available days your child can take the maths tuition. More importantly, that tutor should be teaching a lesson on the day you’ve decided on. After all, some may not be available for the days you want.
It’s easy to check on when the tutor is available, since they almost always have a fixed schedule, whether it’s private tuition or group tuition. It’s also your decision as to how much you’re willing to fork out for your child’s tuition.
While it would be ideal to find the closest tuition centre to your house, it may not necessarily be the best option. Hence, you may get stuck choosing between the best or what is closest to you.
However, this can be a moot point if the tuition centre provides online learning since it’s more convenient for your child. Moreover, you can save on travel expenses too!
Choosing the Suitable Math Tuition In Singapore
When it comes to Mathematics, it’s essential to build the foundation from a very young age. This is because the subject can get complicated, especially if your child is striving to take this subject to the junior college level (and build a good foundation for H2 Math). That is why a suitable math tutor is essential in your child’s educational journey.
Should your child need that educational support, Jimmy Maths is here to help. Having taught mathematics for over a decade, Jimmy Ling, the founder of this tuition centre, aims to help students remember and refresh themselves on maths concepts through online courses and smart learning platforms.
Moreover, we focus on helping students apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in class, so that they can maximise their learning potential. Homework help is also available at any time.
Sign up for a class today via the links below:
