As a result, we simply removed the feature and now the activation process simply requires our tutors to type in the email address and password registered with us.

Features of the Facebook App:

• View and edit all aspects of your TuitionC profile straight from Facebook.
• View daily updated  tuition assignments. The tuition assignments can be viewed from 3 modes:  map, table and grid.

TuitionC will continue to improve our site and Facebook App. More features for both tutors and students  coming up soon…. so keep a look out!

In certain cases, we have came across private tutors who have previously agreed to take up tuition assignments but later on, gave us reasons to reject the tuition assignments. Reasons such as other school commitments are common.

We could certainly understand the circumstances our private tutors are in because we were all students before. Private tutors who are undergraduates may have school activities and examinations going on or coming up now and then. But it certainly makes more sense that if the tutors have examinations or important activities to handle, they should be focusing on their school work instead of accepting tuition assignments.

Hence, we hope that private tutors can consider seriously before they simply say “yes” to a tuition assignment. Private and home tutors should consider the tuition rate offered and their potential commitment level to the tuition assignments. Other factors such as travelling time play an important role as well. If our registered private tutors have any difficulties, they should voice out rather than to back out at the last moment.

In order to commit ourselves better to serve customers, we are currently looking for full-time tuition coordinators to help us out during this period to handle the rise in the number of tuition assignments.

Tuition coordinators can expect to work fully from home using our advanced online tuition assignments management system. Having said that, tuition coordinators do not necessarily have to stay at home 24/7. As long as there is Internet connection and a laptop or computer around, tuition coordinators can perform their job of matching tutors to students and handling tuition assignments. In Singapore, free wireless connection is becoming more common, so tuition coordinators do not have to worry.

Some qualities of a tutor to look out for:

• Experience

  Another way to determine whether a tutor is competent enough is to find out how experienced he or she is. There is a saying that “Practice makes perfect” and there is certainly truth in this statement. A tutor who has taught a subject for a long time will most likely teach better. So how do we do that? Parents can observe the tuition lesson and the manners and behavior of the tutor. From the way the tutor speaks, parents can roughly gauge whether the tutor is confident enough to deliver a proper lesson. Also, observe whether the tutor is nervous or calm.

• Knowledge and Understanding of a Subject

  A good tutor should be able to help solve many of the problems encountered by a student when doing homework. The tutor should also be able to impart his knowledge and problem-solving skills effectively to the student, and help him understand certain topics or problems. This is especially crucial in subjects that require much logical thinking like Maths and Physics.

• Education Background and Qualifications

  Tutors who have studied before the same subjects and have gone through similar examinations, have probably more to share with their students. If a tutor had excelled before in similar examinations, such as the A-Level, that his student is going to sit through, valuable tips and strategies can be passed on to the student. Success breeds success and there are certainly tonnes of examination tips and techniques the tutor can share.While having good grades is an important criteria in looking for a suitable tutor, one should not neglect the fact whether a tutor can teach well or not. Good grades and the ability to teach well do not always come together.

• Teaching Methods

  More often than not in the area of Maths, nothing is more useful than a diagram well drawn and explained. Not presenting steps and solutions in a clear, concise manner only leads to more confusion from the student. A tutor may know how to solve a problem, but to effectively present the solution in a clear manner to the student, demands skills that not every tutor has. Furthermore, a tutor who is not very sure about the solution may have to “lie” his way through, introducing unnecessary steps that complicate matters more. Parents are paying for quality service, not someone who beats around the bush and arrives at the conclusion that the child is not smart enough. A qualified tutor should practise good teaching techniques.

  However, it takes two hands to clap. No matter how good a tutor is, if a student cannot get used to the tutor’s teaching methods, all efforts will come to nought. It is therefore more important to find tutors whose ways of teaching are acceptable to the student.

• Commitment

  It is best to employ a committed tutor or one who knows how to manage his time well. Not only that, a tutor should show care and concern towards his students’ performance at school and especially so during the examination period. Usually in such a period, students will be very stressful and a good tutor should provide moral support and guidance. It would be even better if the tutor can help his students to destress.

Now that we have enlightened you with some of the things to look out for when choosing a tutor, finding a good tutor is no longer a headache. You may now search for tutors or request for a tutor from us. We will assist you in finding suitable tutors for your child.

Written by,
TuitionC

Do not copy, modify, distribute, or use this article without prior permission from the author.

• A Tutor’s salary may not be the most important of all, but it is significant.

  Tutors who take up a low paying assignment may not commit for a long period. A tuition rate that is $10-15 less than the market rate may be acceptable to your tutor. However, if a parent pays about $50 less than the market rate, the tutor will most likely not commit for long. He or she may even feel unmotivated towards teaching as well.Teaching is a well-respected profession, and MOE teachers nowadays are well paid by the ministry. So our advice to parents is that: give the tutors out there the rewards they deserve. The well-known saying “Good stuff comes at a price” applies in this case as well.

• Location

  A tutor may settle for a lower tuition fee and may be more committed if his student’s place is near his house, since the tutor is able to cut down on travelling time and thus save on transportation fees.

• Difficult Students

  Usually, tutors want to commit their time to teach a student who is very keen to learn and improve. Our tutors may not be able to help a student who doesn’t wish to help himself. It takes two hands to clap. So before a parent changes tutor, he should first find out whether his child is keen to learn from the tutor. In certain cases, it may not be the tutor’s fault if there is no academic improvement.

Written by,
TuitionC

Do not copy, modify, distribute, or use this article without prior permission from the author.

The Basics

What to bring

1. You original certificates and your identification card - Essential for all first tuition lessons
2. Your own tuition materials or notes for the student, if any
3. Foolscap - to do all your rough work on
4. Dictionary or Thesaurus - if you’re giving language lessons
5. Calculator - if you’re teaching maths or science subjects
6. Stationary such as pen, pencil and rulers.
7. Any other stuff the parent require you to bring

Before the tuition lesson

1. Call up the parent 1 day prior to lesson to confirm the timing, and also to find out what topics you’re required to go through.
2. Revise on your topics to make sure you’re still fresh with your concepts!
3. Plan your trip to arrive 5-10 mins early and leave a good impression. Don’t just try to be on time!
   You can use StreetDirectory, Can.com.sg MapFinder or SLA StreetMaps to search for directions.
4. Plan your lesson briefly: are you going use your student’s textbook or your own materials to teach?
   Is there a need to give homework; if yes, how much? Buy assessment books?

During the tuition lesson

1. Warm up to your student by asking about his school, and how he is coping with the subjects
2. Set one or more academic goals with your student. But be realistic!
3. Be calm and enjoy the teaching experience!

After the tuition lesson

1. Gather feedback from your student. Ask him whether he is able to absorb what you have taught.

Note : The above serves as a reminder only and is by no way exhaustive.
Written by,
TuitionC

Strategies To Help You And Your Child Survive Homework
 by: Linda Bress Silbert, Ph.D. And Alvin J. Silbert, Ed.D.

Is homework wreaking havoc in your home? If the answer is YES, then finding the real causes behind the homework problems, and taking steps to resolve them, will improve both school success and family harmony.

Here are the ten most common causes of homework problems, along with suggestions to help you resolve them.

1. THE HOMEWORK IS TOO DIFFICULT.

If the homework is continuously too difficult, with everything that entails, then a child will try to avoid it. Look into the cause. Begin by having a conversation with the teacher. If the problem is class-wide, hopefully the teacher will evaluate and adjust the nature of his or her homework assignments. If the problem is limited to your child, she may require additional help from the teacher after school, from you, from a sibling, from a teenager you hire, or from a private tutor. If this fails to resolve the issue, then a reevaluation of the type of class, or course level, or teaching vs. learning style, or school may be in order.

On the other hand, the cause of the problem may be a disability: physical, learning and/or attentional. Your child may have difficulty in such areas as: hearing, seeing, reading, processing language, or writing, or she may have ADD or ADHD. If the problem is one of these, sometimes it is easy to resolve. For example, corrective glasses can easily resolve some seeing issues and behavioral therapy and/or possibly medication might help AD/HD, the newer term for the disorder. In many cases, consulting teachers, counselors, or specialists in the appropriate field, might be in order.

2. THE HOMEWORK IS TOO CONFUSING.

When children chronically complain that assignments or directions are confusing, they are likely to become frustrated and/or anxious, eventually avoiding such assignments. Parents usually respond to these children by asking, “Weren’t you listening?” Or “Just read the directions!” The children were listening or reading, but they may not have been able to process the information.

In this case, the cause may be reading comprehension and/or language processing problems. You may need to seek the help of teachers or a learning specialist to help your child learn strategies she can use to overcome or compensate for her disability. For example, she may need to put the words into pictures or graphic organizers. Children who become confused due to problems with language processing, do better when they can see things visually.

And, regardless of who is working with them, be sure they remain actively involved. Children (and adults too) are notorious for shaking their heads “yes” when asked “Do you understand?” even when they don’t understand. Sometimes they are just yessing you and sometimes they think they understand. However, when you ask them to explain or discuss what you were just talking about, they realize that they really don’t understand.

If neither of these areas are the cause of the problem, then you may need to investigate why your child continues to complain. If it turns out it is simply a ploy to get you to do the work with him, then you need to address the reason for that behavior. But wait – before you get annoyed, remember what it was like for you when you were a child. Homework isn’t always fun, and sometimes it’s nice to have a little company. Your child may simply want your company during homework time. Wow! How’s that for the ultimate compliment?

3. THE HOMEWORK IS TOO LOW-QUALITY OR TOO BORING.

Sometimes homework assignments are low-quality boring busywork and children will avoid them simply because they don’t want to do them. Unfortunately, one of life’s little lessons that children need to learn is that sometimes we simply have to do boring things. If, however, every assignment appears to be dull, too easy, or too low-quality, you may need to talk to your child’s teacher to determine the purpose of the assignments. Many teachers do not realize how some of the assignments are coming across to the children; chances are they will appreciate the feedback and adjust the work as appropriate.

4. THE CHILD IS DISORGANIZED.

He brings home the book and forgets the assignment. He brings home the assignment and forgets the book. Or he forgets the assignment and the book. Does this sound familiar? If so, it sounds like you’ve got yourself a disorganized child. The same is true for children who can’t judge time or can’t manage their time. They may have the best intentions to get the homework done, but somehow it gets lost in their time-maze.

It is so difficult for disorganized children to get their homework done that some of them would rather lie, insisting that there is no homework, than be criticized and punished. If poor organizational skills seems to be the issue, there are many books and articles that offer great strategies to help the disorganized child. See, for example, pp 123-127 in Why Bad Grades Happen to Good Kids.

5. THE HOMEWORK IS TOO INTRUSIVE.

It’s a fact; homework cuts into playtime. So what’s the problem? The problem is that in some cases homework time creeps up to the point of consuming the home lives of the children and sometimes that of the family as well. Besides the obvious down side, this may be harmful to children’s intellectual development. Their brains are developing and they need to use all parts, and good quality play provides opportunities to use the “far corners” of the brain that might otherwise remain fallow. So, it turns out that children need to play. Surprisingly, brain research indicates that occasional boredom is good, too, as it forces children to think of things to do — that is, to use their brains to create.

So if homework time seems to have taken over your home, work out a schedule with your child so that he doesn’t have to lie in order to play.

6. TOO MUCH PARENT INVOLVEMENT.

Some parents are overly involved in their child’s homework. Here are the three most common types, all of whom tend to drive their children toward lying and deception. If any of these describe you, then work to change your behavior.

A. The “perfectionist parents.” Perfectionists demand picture-perfect-homework. Their children hate to let them see their homework papers out of fear that they will judge the work unworthy, tear it up, and make them do it again. Besides being tedious and time demanding, in these extreme cases it is downright disrespectful of the child.

B. The “helicopter parents.” These parents hover over their children, making sure that every “t” is crossed and every “i” is dotted. They think they’re being helpful, but here’s the problem: By not giving their children any breathing room, they are delivering the tacit message that their children are not capable of doing the work themselves. Not only does this harm their self-esteem, but it also denies them the opportunity of taking responsibility for their own work.

C. The “Pandora parents.” The children of Pandora parents tend to deny the existence of any homework they don’t understand because asking Mom or Dad even the simplest question is tantamount to opening Pandora’s box. Their well-meaning parents can’t contain their enthusiasm and turn what would ordinary require a short answer into a long-winded treatise on some esoteric detail.

7. THE CHILD IS UNMOTIVATED.

Most children don’t want to do homework. But while they may put up quite a fuss, somehow they manage to get the work done. If they don’t, motivation may not be the problem; they may appear unmotivated, but this may be a convincing protective screen they’ve set up to mask a larger issue.

For example, many children appear unmotivated when in fact they avoid homework to protect their egos. How’s that? Because these children erroneously equate failure with stupidity. Their logic is as follows: If they try and fail, it is a reflection of their intelligence. If they don’t try and fail, it is not a reflection of their intelligence; it is due to lack of motivation or irresponsibility. These labels they can live with; the label “stupid,” they can’t!

8. TOO MUCH HOMEWORK.

Many kids simply cannot keep up with the projects, tests, quizzes, reading and other assignments they are given.

Here is a general guide for the typical amount of time children should be expected to spend on homework each school day. Grades K-2, about 10-20 minutes. Grades 3-6, about 30-60 minutes. Grades 7-12 will vary considerably, depending on subjects, projects due, tests, etc., but a reasonable average is about two hours, with more on weekends, as needed, for major projects and exams.

If your child spends considerably more than this on homework, look into the cause. Begin by having a conversation with the teacher. If the problem is class-wide, hopefully the teacher will make adjustments. If the problem is limited to your child because your child works slowly, or has other issues discussed in this section, talk to his teacher and see what can be done to modify his assignments.

9. THE CHILD IS TOO ALONE.

Some children are lonely when required to do homework in their rooms, and don’t work efficiently in that setting. Some need continuous support and direction. That is, they need someone to help them stay on task or to provide a little assistance when they get stuck. If required to work alone in their rooms, these are the kids who emerge three hours later with little or nothing accomplished. Both groups of children tend to prefer doing homework on the kitchen table. This way they have people around them, either for support or company.

So, if homework causes chaos in your home, look into the reasons. Once you find them, and do what you need to resolve the problems, you’ll be back on the road to school success and family harmony.

(Originally published at the Strong Learning website and reprinted with permission of the authors, Linda Bress Silbert, Ph.D. and Alvin J. Silbert, Ed.D.)

After a few months of hardwork and effort, we have finally introduced several new and exciting features for our tutors and students!

Kindly note that the old forum is no longer in use, and will redirect to the home page when it is accessed. We will post tuition assignments on our assignments map/list instead.

Tuition Assignments Map/List

You are able to view tuition assignments visually through a map! If you have entered your postal code in your profile, you can see the location of your house as well as the relative distance of tuition assignments. 

TuitionC Facebook App

Using our Facebook App, you can now access and edit all aspects of your profile straight from within Facebook. Plus, you can see tuition assignments too!
Add the app now! 

Certificates Storage

You can now save your certificates with us online to back the results shown on your profile. Once your certificates are verified by us, you will earn a icon on your profile.
Upload your certificates nowParents and students can also get to review the certificates uploaded by our tutors

Tracking Requests

Parents and students can now track their requests made through us and see in real-time the list of interested tutors as our coordinators work hard to contact the suitable tutors. 

Search for Tutors

Parents and students can now search for tutors using our tutor search engine. 

Tuition Assignments RSS Feed

Tutors can now subscribe to our tuition assignments RSS Feed. More convenient! Subscribe to tuition assignments RSS

Although news are still displayed on TuitionC front page, very old ones will be moved over here for archiving as we don’t wish to increase the loading time for the front page. Also, only news that we deem to be important will be displayed on the front page.

This Singapore tuition agency is set up because we believe that tutor matching can be made much more efficient. We believe that tuition assignments can be better handled using modern computer technology. Our system is totally online and hence enables our tuition coordinators to work entirely from home. Furthermore, we want to promote the benefits of private tuition as opposed to group tuition. Also we hope to bring more convenience to our tutors and students alike so that they can find tutors or students more efficiently than before.

Parents and students can search for music tutors and teachers using our tutor search engine. Should it be too time-consuming, parents and students can instead request for tutor from us.

Music teachers and tutors who have good teaching experience or qualifications are welcome to register with us. Tutor registration is totally free of charge.

This is perhaps due to the fact that they have effective teaching methods which greatly benefit students.

As a tuition agency, we sometimes offer such excellent tutors to our customers since they are very strong in Mathematics, Science and Chinese, and are able to handle secondary school subjects as well.

Our conclusion is: if students are struggling with the Chinese or Maths subject, they might want to try out these Chinese scholars. Please note that we cannot give any guarantee here. There are many factors that determine whether a student will improve on his grades.