Long exam season is already in full swing and by now, most mothers have already enrolled their kids in tutorial services, if they have not already done so at the start of the school year. Whence before tutoring holds a stigma, it has now become a trend. It is not just the “bottom scrapers” who get the additional help, almost everyone does (those who can afford that is), including those running for honors.

But does tutoring really help kids learn or does it just teach them to depend on other people to do their work?

For most working moms like Sylvia de Mesa, it is a convenient way to fill a gap. “With me working full-time, I don’t have the time to teach my kids or help them with their assignments. Having a tutor who can come to the house every day is very convenient… for all of us. It’s what most stay-at-home parents do with their kids after class. I’m just making sure that my kids have the same advantage even if I am not there to give it to them,” confesses the mother of two elementary students, Kayla and Lawrence.

Other parents get tutorial services for the most conventional reason: failing grades. In fact, some teachers even recommend a tutorial service for those who need to get a certain grade to pass the subject. Some parents don’t even wait for the red mark. When they see their kids struggling with a subject, they instantly hire a tutor. Of course, “failing” is not the only reason. Competition is another. Parents of kids who are in the honor roll hire tutors to help them stay on top.

Sylvia believes that with young kids, tutoring can help because it helps children focus on their schoolwork. It is no worse than parents helping their kids with their assignments. The only difference is, she got professionals to do it. “They are kids. They would rather play than study. Having an adult to remind them of schoolwork is a great help. I don’t plan to hire tutors until high school, just the first few years of elementary.”

Basically, there are two kinds of tutorial services in the market: subject-based and skills-based. Subject-based tutorial services are conducted regularly, often after class. Lessons are based mainly on what the kids learn in class. Sylvia’s kids, for instance, get subject-based tutorial services. Their tutor helps them with their assignments and prepares them for upcoming quizzes. Usually, kids who avail of this kind of service have problems with a specific subject like Mathematics or History and they get help only for those subjects. These are also kids who just need focus on their schoolwork.

Skills-based tutorial services are different. Lessons are not focused on the subjects kids have in school but on a particular skill like reading or calculating. Enrollees will have to pass certain skills levels before they can advance to higher levels. And unlike subject-based tutorial services, lessons in class are often not discussed. If they are, it is either in context of the skills being learned or as extra help to the struggling student.

According to Rico Bautista, CEO of Tutoring Club Philippines, skills-based tutorial services zero in on the problem areas of the child and help them acquire the skill they need. “There are basic skills that kids have to learn. Once they have mastered those skills, they will not have a problem with subjects that require those skills. For instance, History... English are subjects that depend on a child’s reading and writing skills. Mathematics and Science require number and analytical skills. Develop those skills and kids will know what to do. What we have here is not a band-aid solution.”

Pauline Sevilla, who had two kids enrolled in Tutoring Club, thinks skills-based is better because it helps kids with their studies without fostering dependence. They do their own homework and study alone. The only difference is: it is now much easier for them to study because they already have the necessary skills. In fact, her son, Santino even made it to the honor roll after taking the program.
“Some parents hire tutors so their kids can get higher grades. For me, that should not be the main objective. Honors are just the bonus. Without learning the basics, they will always have a problem. They will always need tutors,” says Sevilla.

Tutoring Club has 11 franchises in the country. For more information, you may call 856-7660 or 09188188867. You can also check their Facebook page: Tutoring Club Philippines.