People living here in Hong Kong are very aware of the important role that tutoring plays in a child’s education. A new book by Christina Ho - Anxiety and Aspiration - takes a look at the increasing importance that tuition is playing in Australian schooling.
Tutoring is becoming more important than school for some students, as it teaches them concepts well ahead of the curriculum and leaves them bored in class, according to Ho.
She found some who did many hours of tutoring after hours no longer took school as seriously, and sometimes "mucked up" in class, because they had already covered the material. But other tutors said that, while this was occasionally the case, tutoring played an important role in complementing the material learned in school and extending gifted students.
Dr Ho also spoke to students who did not do tutoring, and felt they were left behind when the class moved quickly through concepts because most of the students had already learnt about them.
Karen McDaid, president of the Mathematical Association of NSW, who also works as a tutor, said most tutoring involved helping students catch up to the curriculum, rather than get ahead. But in some cases, students ended up well ahead of their classmates.
What it shows is that parents can challenge and/or supplement rigid systems of education but as with so many behaviours the outcomes can be many and varied and sometimes surprising.
What seems certain is that private tuition is a proven method to help students improve their grades.
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Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.