Two recent phone calls from parents I know have made me think a lot about the subject of tutoring and also understand why tutoring is such a persistent concern ineducation .

When your child gets bad grades, what solution do you immediately think of? Is the first thing that comes to mind to send your child to extra classes? Is this really the optimal answer?

When my older son entered sixth grade, he reported that his first-semester math score was only 5.8. Instead of worrying, I asked him a simple question: "Why do you think you got a low score?" For me, the key was to find the root cause and develop a personalized solution.

Ms. Vi Hai.jpg
Ms. Vi Hai has 2 sons, grade 10 and grade 7, currently living in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai . Photo: NVCC

However, I have been "criticized" many times for not letting my child take extra classes to improve his grades because his older child hardly took extra classes. It was not until grade 9 that he asked for extra classes himself.

On the contrary, with my second son, I tend to find a class or a teacher to accompany him outside of school hours in Math. But he completely boycotted and refused to take extra classes, I respected this decision, even though his Math scores were not very good.

From the end of grade 5 until the end of the first semester of grade 7, I patiently accompanied and discussed the meaning of learning, about choices and responsibilities of each decision. When the mid-term exam of grade 7 took place, I also asked the teachers at school not to have any reminders or urges, so that you could face the results yourself - I needed a push to help you realize that you needed to adjust.

Why do I have two different responses to my two children - one who hardly takes extra classes, while the other needs the support of a teacher other than his mother? That's because, as mentioned above, extra classes for me are a tool, a form of supplementary learning to consolidate knowledge or improve skills, not a "magic wand" to solve all problems.

I know my friend's child goes to extra classes every day of the week, some days several times, but he just sits at the back of the class and plays games. His grades are still low, he's still lazy, and he fails the graduation exam.

My cousin once shared: "Because my mother kept forcing us to go to school, we went to the teacher's house to study. The class was crowded and we didn't understand anything, so we invited each other to play soccer or go out." Before deciding whether to send my child to extra classes or not, I always answer these important questions:

What is the root cause of low scores? It could be a lack of knowledge, but it could also be a physical problem, a psychological problem, or an ineffective learning method.

What is your child's learning ability? Does he or she learn best when studying alone, in a group, or with a teacher?

What is the purpose of tutoring? To prepare for a big exam or simply to fill in gaps in knowledge?

Resources and costs for tutoring? Does your family budget allow, and which classes are appropriate?

I understand: It is not always the case that sending your child to a class with a famous teacher or finding a private tutor is the best solution. Large classes, group study, or 1:1 study do not always bring the expected results. It all depends on the parents' personal understanding and educational philosophy.

Also because the view of extra classes is purely one of many tools, to me, it seems to be a more SMART tool when I: Listen to my children to understand their real desires and difficulties; Analyze the causes before giving solutions; Personalize the learning journey instead of following trends; The decision to take extra classes only appears when the children themselves are aware of its importance and feel the joy.

(SMART stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound).

In particular, extra classes do not determine whether children study hard, play less games, or become obedient. I think philosophical and ethical issues need to be solved from the root, and extra classes cannot be used as a miracle solution.

For me, above all, it is necessary to focus on building a clear educational philosophy for the family and developing personalized learning capacity for children, because philosophy, method and companionship are the keys.

Parent Vi Hai (Bien Hoa, Dong Nai)

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Math teacher who used to teach 5 extra classes a day explains why many students 'have to take extra classes' 'Many students are poor students but still go to the next grade, leading to serious gaps in knowledge. If these students want to do well in high school or have the goal of taking university entrance exams, they cannot avoid taking extra classes', the Math teacher shared.