A Good Tutor Should Teach Students On Survival Skills – Both Academically and In Life As a Whole

Time have changed. Even education systems have changed and adjusted to suit future expectations. It is no longer restricted to focus on just the grades on certificates, but is moving towards a more diverse and broad-based education to ensure a holistic development, both in and out of the classroom. Singapore’s education systems hope to nurture young Singaporean to establish a set of sound values so they have the resilience and character to handle life’s inevitable setbacks and that they have the determination to work hard towards their dreams.

If education is constantly evolving, tutors should also continue to improve and upgrade themselves to match the system. Tutors’ task is no longer restricted to just passing down of knowledge alone, tutors today should be equipped with the capability to train their students to learn to be independent, diligent, creative, positive and a dream chaser. In short, Tutors in today’s modern world should adopt the holistic approach as well in order to influence and nurture our next generation.

Thus, does the tutor you have engaged belongs to the above mentioned category or he/she is just an another obsolete “theory passer-down” tutor? Below is a checklist to determine if the tutor is receptive towards such holistic approach and did he/she apply such approach:

Discourage Spoon Feeding

If your tutor applies the spoon feeding approach by teaching them every practice without giving your child a chance to attempt and giving the meaning of vocab your child is unsure of, then these actions are absolutely spoon feeding. Spoon feeding discourage independent thoughts and actions and as a result, your child will rely heavily on others for solutions. Good tutors should make your child attempt every practice on their own, make them think once or twice before stepping in to guide them, this encourage your child to face every challenge with no fear and to attempt to source for solution before giving up easily. Good tutors should ask your child to find the meaning of words they do not know instead of giving them the definition straight away. This can train them to be independent and diligent instead of reliance or laziness.

Embrace Failure

This is a tough nut aspect. From my experience, many parents and tutors are still very conservative towards failure and this is highly likely due to the past education system which allowed no space for failures. Think about it, how do we learn if we do not make mistakes? Allowing failure and embracing it allows your child to learn, they harder they fell, the more they will learn. Talk to successful people, guess 99.9% agree that lessons are learnt through failure. Thus if your child makes mistake, tutors should point out to them and make them learn. A tutor who reprimands your child for making mistakes would only discourage and obstruct the route for your child to learn and as a result the fear in them to try. A quote to ponder “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently” Henry Ford.

Value Diligence

Good tutors should teach your child to be hardworking instead of looking for short cut. Some examples of students who look for short cuts are those who copy answer (with answer sheets) or those who simply do (without answer sheets), both just to be answerable to their tutors. Experience tutors are able to discover these tricks instantly and great tutors should let them know the consequences of doing so and guide them to the correct path by emphasizing that there is simply no shortcut to success. Great leaders embrace learning not just in school but throughout their entire life. Jim Rohn once mentioned, “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom”. Excellent tutor should teach your child the meaning behind every learning.

Inject Positivity

Your tutor should be positive and encouraging instead of negative and discouraging. Tutor’s attitude can greatly affect and influence your child’s mindset and in turn affect his/her learning attitude. A good tutor should be constantly motivating your child by giving sufficient praises, showing and demonstrating to your child yes he/she can achieve better.

If your tutor exhibits the above traits, it is a sign that this tutor is able to transform your child into a better person, both academically as well as in life. Grab on!