Tutoring and extra classes in the US

TP - Having worked as a teacher in the US for 10 years, I've never once had the opportunity to tutor my children. I came to the US when they were in 2nd and 5th grade, but even after graduating from high school, my children never attended any extra classes, and I never had to hire a tutor for them.

TP - Having worked as a teacher in the US for 10 years, I've never once had the opportunity to tutor my children. I came to the US when they were in 2nd and 5th grade, but even after graduating from high school, my children never attended any extra classes, and I never had to hire a tutor for them.

Is it because my children are smart? No, when my children first arrived in America, their English was fairly good, but only at a conversational level. School language and science subjects were completely new to them. But instead of hiring a tutor or teaching them English at home myself, all schools in America have programs to support newly immigrated students or American students with language learning difficulties. During the day, the teachers take them to a separate class for extra tutoring, not only in language but in all subjects if they haven't caught up with their classmates.

High school students in the US don't attend extra classes; instead, they typically dedicate their time to sports .

Music , art... In the photo: A Vietnamese-American student (second from the right)

Art exhibition at the school. Photo: Ngo Tam

This program spans the United States and extends from preschool through 12th grade. All schools have dedicated special education teachers to support students who are struggling academically, have psychological issues, or even have mild autism or Down syndrome. These students attend regular classes, but a special education teacher is always present to provide support and write reports to parents and the school about the student's progress.

When I first came to the US to study for my master's degree in education, and throughout my studies, I always dedicated two days a week to internships at schools. I witnessed students receiving special attention from the school and society without their parents having to spend a single penny.

In the US, from elementary school through high school, parents don't have to pay tuition or buy any books for their children. Everything is "free" at school; even low-income families get free breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snacks, including transportation. It's free, but not truly "free." Parents pay various taxes, including education taxes, for every hour of work they earn.

Therefore, tutoring and extra classes are virtually non-existent in the US; hiring a tutor for children is a luxury for parents. Perhaps only students from some private or specialized schools in the US, and a significant number of students studying abroad from Asian countries, especially China, hire tutors to teach them how to write college entrance essays or prepare for SAT exams.

Neither of my children nor any of their friends attended any extra tutoring. Before entering university, they had a team of teachers and counselors at school who provided guidance and taught them how to write and take exams to get into their preferred universities.

One significant difference between the US and Vietnam in the final year of high school is that Vietnamese students study day and night to prepare for graduation exams and university entrance exams, while in the US, the senior year is the most relaxed year for students.

Why is that? All 12th-grade students apply to university by November at the earliest and February at the latest of their final year. And usually, they've already written their essays beforehand, and their grades from all four years are updated by the school and included with their online application.

So in the US, whether or not to study is a choice children make from the moment they enter 9th grade (the first year of high school). If they decide from the start that they want to pursue a vocational career, they can choose easier classes, with each subject having four levels: 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the higher the level, the more difficult the class becomes. When my child entered 9th grade, she was already studying some subjects with 12th-grade students. My daughter even took most of the required 13th-grade subjects in 11th grade, so in 12th grade, she took mostly elective courses and some college-level courses to save money later. Because while a course might only cost $100 USD in high school, the tuition for that course can reach thousands of dollars at university. And usually, 12th-grade students spend most of their free time working to earn money to prepare for the most expensive college education in the world.

When deciding what they want for their future, my children choose that path themselves right from their high school years. Although they don't attend extra classes, their knowledge is incredibly solid. I only compare my children now to my high school days in Vietnam, back when university entrance exams were as difficult as the old-fashioned imperial examinations. Now, my children have a much broader and more comprehensive knowledge than I did, even more so than I do now.

When my children finish university, I will return to Vietnam, where I was born and raised and where I am always proud to have my parents and family, to do something for Vietnamese students.

Ngo Tam (From New Hampshire, USA)

Source: https://tienphong.vn/day-them-hoc-them-o-my-post1694032.tpo