Their struggles and tuition

This is solely my own personal opinion and experience as a mother.

I believe every parents and children have a love-hate relations with tuition at any point of time. Personally I am not against sending children to tuition (I had been to tuition myself while my other siblings had none; and now my children are in one).

I am against those parents that over-loading their children with so many tuitions or classes that cause the children to have less ample rest and playtime. I think it is important for children to have a life balance of learning, development as well as playing and resting. After all they are children once and how fast they are growing up.

It is hard on parents to decide on what tuition is right for their children - is this tuition centre good, can the teacher teach my child and can my child learn something from the tuition centre. We, parents always want the best for our children but some how we are unable to help our children academically so we have to rely on tuition centre to help and fill that empty post to teach them. Some parents expected their children to excel in exams after attending the tuitions and put the blame on the tuition if their children did badly in exam! Sigh!

From the children's perspective, either he or she loves the tuition teacher or the other way. Back in Sibu, both Jan and Jay were very fortunate to have a good and loving tuition teacher. She will give them some kuihs (as her mum make and sell kuihs) to her students and when it is Teacher's Day or last day of school, she will organise a party and each students have gift to bring home. And both Jan and Jay loves to go to her tuition till to the extend they requested me to send them 30 minutes earlier before the tuition starts. Jan's marks also improved while Jay able to finish his school works without me worrying about it.

It is hard to find home-based tuition teachers in Kuching and even if there is any, it would be very expensive. Tuition is a serious business nowadays. Few years ago I did dreamt of open up a tuition centre but alas. Those were the days.

It just happened hubby's cousin recommended me this tuition centre called MEB the other night when she came to visit us. It is a language enrichment programme and their teaching method is 1 to 1. I like that as each student's needs and learning levels are different. 

Jay is a slow learner or you can said, currently he still does not know how to write his full name (He only knows his first name) and recognise words! In 5 months time, he is turning 6! Yes, that bad. I worked so hard last year on him that he able to write all the 26 alphabets and know addition and substraction. I am happy to say that he does show some improvement in spelling this year. Last year I would only get him to memorise 2 words out of 10 words but this year I get him to memorise 5 out of 10 words. And he got those 5 words correct!

I know boys are usually late bloomers than girls but I feel that I must push him more this year. When he goes to Primary 1 next year, it may be slightly late and he may not be able to cope with school well by then. So you can guess that I am a little panic for my 2nd child. Now and then, I am trying to communicate Chinese with him and correct his English but he can be a very stubborn and rebellious boy.

The tuition teacher did assessment on Jay and suggested to me on using soft approach to teach him. He needs encouragement and incentive to learn. Not hard approach as scolding, reprimand or punishing him for not been able to learn. Sounds good to me. I think I did make the right choice here. And Jay was happy to go to tuition by himself on Thursday.

As for Jan, like past years, I bought some revision and exercise books for her early this year so she can learn and revise when she has the times. I could teach her English and BM myself. She is easier to coach than Jay, who gave me the headache and test my patience. I do not overload Jan with more tuitions as I knew that her weaknesses is her Chinese. So I am sending her to Chinese tuition only.

The tuition teacher agreed with me as after her assessment, Jan's Chinese is one level lower than what she is supposed to be now. No problem with English and BM. And she has her piano class as usual. That is her interest and she loves it very much.

I asked Jay the other day whether he would want to learn music but he told me he does not have interest. So I did not push him further.

Personally I think that would be enough for my children for time being. I enrolled them to tuition based on their needs and I being a banana, feel it is necessary (and without much choice!) to let the tuition guides them in Chinese.

I hope no one would ask me to enrol them in this and that classes. I know some parents do but not me. I just want my children to lead a happy childhood; not been thrown into those "kiasu" world and have "no life" during their childhood.