Here are some reasons tutoring is a priceless investment in the future:
1. Getting an education is like building a house. First, a strong foundation must be established. Tutoring can help ensure that foundation starts out strong and remains that way throughout a student's life.
2. Learning takes on "the snowball effect" either in a positive direction or negative direction. Once a student begins to have difficulties, the building blocks for future learning can become more and more precarious with time. Conversely, if the snowball begins to grow in a positive direction, the stage can be set for continued future success.
3. Success in school can build a child's self-esteem and confidence. This goes a long way in motivating a student to take risks when it comes to learning. When students come to Math Magicians for help in math, oftentimes their grades improve overall.
4. Students say that they like math when they get it. A strong sense of security and motivation can be built by the extra support a tutor can offer. I appreciated the innumerable opportunities I had to ask a tutor a question about one single concept. This was not something I was comfortable doing in the classroom. I always felt like everybody else was getting it, and I was the only one that was struggling. At Math Magicians, we try not only to remediate weak skills, but if we have the opportunity, we like to preteach concepts that haven't been taught in the classroom. This makes the student feel empowered and excited about learning.
5. College acceptance and acquisition of scholarships is becoming increasingly competitive. Investing in a tutoring service allows students to obtain that competitive edge that helps them to excel and stand out from the rest of the applicants.
6. Mentoring relationships are established that can have a powerful effect on the lives of the young people that walk through our doors. When students come into Math Magicians, they see that not only do the tutors dress like them and speak their language, but they are motivated and driven to succeed. We see students change their attitudes about school and their future as they become a part of the culture and community that we work hard to foster at Math Magicians.
7. Math Magicians is a haven for enrichment that parents find invaluable. Some students aren't challenged enough in today's classrooms. Teachers are laden with oversized classes, unreasonable standards-based curriculum objectives, and behavior management issues. Extracurricular tutoring becomes a supplement that prudent parents understand will reap substantial benefits in their child's future. I spoke to an ophthalmologist from Thailand once, and he told me that tutoring is a regular part of life for students in his country. He said, "Everybody attends tutoring in Thailand after school."
8. Investment in education from early on pays off in the long run. Gone are the days of employment that offered long-term job security, pension plans and benefits with only a high school diploma. More and more, without a Bachelor's degree, the ability to move into management positions is becoming increasingly rare.9. The perceived value of tutoring versus the cost of entertainment, electronics, clothing, etc., is sometimes out of order. When considering whether to enroll your child, or yourself for that matter, in a tutoring service, consider the following:
For what it costs to buy the latest pair of sneakers, you can purchase four hours of self-esteem for your child.
For the price of a night out with dinner and drinks, you can purchase 10 hours.
For about half of what the latest game system will put you back, you can purchase 20 hours of tutoring.
In six months, the sneakers will be full of holes, the dinner long digested, and if the game system isn't broken, it will be driving you crazy. But the knowledge, skills, and confidence that children gain from tutoring will stay with them for a lifetime.
You do the math.
