I can't tell if my private tutor is helping? (1 Viewer)

[Lilabear]

Hey guys,

i'm having a bit of a dilemma here. So i have 1 on 1 eng adv tutoring however i can't tell if my tutor is actually good, especially compared to other tutors.

The only other place i've gone is The Brain but that was group. My current tutor helps me with essay skills 90% of the time and rarely teaches me the actual texts. She also doesn't provide any resources at all and when i have asked she said that if it would be better for me to find my own techniques.

I have nothing to compare her to since i've only been tutoring before once and i have yet to do any assessments. But since i'm already in year 12 i know that i need to quickly find a tutor that helps me. Two of my friends go to her and they think she's really helpful but i'm not sure. Also, its $80 an hour so quite costly.

Opinion on my situation would be appreciated
Thanks!

 

[phat_tar]

$80 is VERY expensive for a service you're not sure has much value. Try a lesson with some other tutors and see if it is any different.

 

[Squar3root]

80$/hr is ridic

u can pay less and get the same or better quality

look on some bos threads and some other sites

try to avoid coaching academies if ur more keen on getting 1on1 tutoring

 

[Lilabear]

80$/hr is ridic

u can pay less and get the same or better quality

look on some bos threads and some other sites

try to avoid coaching academies if ur more keen on getting 1on1 tutoring

Thanks for the reply, but i've looked up a lot of tutors and asked many of my friends, and believe it or not, $80 is actually one of the cheapest i could find. The price isn't really an issue, my parents are willing to pay as long as it helps. Also i'm trying to avoid uni student tutors.

Just wondering for anyone who go english tutoring, what are you mainly taught during lessons? The texts, essay skills etc. Also, generally do they provide a lot of resources and/or provide you with techniques and analysis? Thanks!

 

[the_matrix]

when i went english tutoring my tutor and i worked on analysing texts and writng essays together - the essay was more of me writing it up and my tutor would edit it and suggest improvements until it was at a good standard. They provided me resources like sample texts and examples of band 6 responses, as for techniques - i would try to identify and analyse the technique first, if i could identify and/or analyse then they would help me.

May i ask whats so bad about uni tutors? They're quite fresh so they know the recent texts quite well and probably have their own good essays which they can share with you. At the end of the day, unless you're an english freak uni students aren't so bad. You just need to have a good essay (improved over time with the help of your tutor) and memorise it and use it for your trials and externals and whatnot.

Sorry if there are any typos i'm typing on an ipad..

 

[30june2016]

Just wondering for anyone who go english tutoring, what are you mainly taught during lessons? The texts, essay skills etc. Also, generally do they provide a lot of resources and/or provide you with techniques and analysis? Thanks!

I went to an $80/hr english tutor in Hurstville/Penshurst, and she was prettttyy good. She would go through the rubric, and the main themes and concerns with the text. She also focused a lot on essay skills.

The lessons generally went like this: 5 minutes of writing (to practice on the spot analysis + writing speed), going through feedback from last week's homework, talking about the text/module and its ideas and interpretations, finding techniques and analysis (I would be doing this part on my own), then we would make an essay scaffold together so I can continue writing at home (Wrote thesis, topic sentences, TEE in bullet points w/ tutor).

Tutors generally won't be spoonfeeding you with quotes and techniques - that's mostly your responsibility, because you need to be able to do this to tackle unseen texts anyway. Instead, it would make more sense if they help you go in the right direction of analysis. If tutors found the techniques etc for you, then it would be more like their essay, not yours.

I think the most valuable part of english tutoring is more about being able to get feedback - because half the stuff they will teach you about the text will already be mentioned at either school or in a textbook guide somewhere (also, there are many interpretations of different texts!). So maybe instead of expecting tutors to spoonfeed you more on the texts, try and write more and ask for more feedback I guess? Hopefully that helps your situation!

 

[Lilabear]

when i went english tutoring my tutor and i worked on analysing texts and writng essays together - the essay was more of me writing it up and my tutor would edit it and suggest improvements until it was at a good standard. They provided me resources like sample texts and examples of band 6 responses, as for techniques - i would try to identify and analyse the technique first, if i could identify and/or analyse then they would help me.

May i ask whats so bad about uni tutors? They're quite fresh so they know the recent texts quite well and probably have their own good essays which they can share with you. At the end of the day, unless you're an english freak uni students aren't so bad. You just need to have a good essay (improved over time with the help of your tutor) and memorise it and use it for your trials and externals and whatnot.

Sorry if there are any typos i'm typing on an ipad..

Thanks for the advice! Definitely agree with what you wrote about the positives of a uni tutor, but personally i prefer tutors who have a bit more experience in teaching. I'm also aware that uni students also have their own studies to focus on (my previous maths tutor was a uni student).

 

[Lilabear]

I went to an $80/hr english tutor in Hurstville/Penshurst, and she was prettttyy good. She would go through the rubric, and the main themes and concerns with the text. She also focused a lot on essay skills.

The lessons generally went like this: 5 minutes of writing (to practice on the spot analysis + writing speed), going through feedback from last week's homework, talking about the text/module and its ideas and interpretations, finding techniques and analysis (I would be doing this part on my own), then we would make an essay scaffold together so I can continue writing at home (Wrote thesis, topic sentences, TEE in bullet points w/ tutor).

Tutors generally won't be spoonfeeding you with quotes and techniques - that's mostly your responsibility, because you need to be able to do this to tackle unseen texts anyway. Instead, it would make more sense if they help you go in the right direction of analysis. If tutors found the techniques etc for you, then it would be more like their essay, not yours.

I think the most valuable part of english tutoring is more about being able to get feedback - because half the stuff they will teach you about the text will already be mentioned at either school or in a textbook guide somewhere (also, there are many interpretations of different texts!). So maybe instead of expecting tutors to spoonfeed you more on the texts, try and write more and ask for more feedback I guess? Hopefully that helps your situation!

Thanks!! I used to go to The Brain and they would pile us with loads of resources so i think i've gotten a bit complacent haha.

Also, my class teacher occasionally assigns practise essay for us to hand in, and the feedback i receive from her is quite different from my tutors. My tutor is usually a lot harsher while my school teacher tells me that my essays are pretty good and rarely advises me to make corrections. I'm not sure who's advice to take? I go to a top 25 school so i don't think they would mark too leniently, however my teacher isn't very experienced (we're her first ever class).

 

[unforlornedhope]

TBH, $80 is A LOT for this type of service. It seems like a rip off. Is your current tutor a school teacher? Uni students aren’t that bad, especially for state rankers, as they know what to do to get the top marks and can give specific analysis and feedback. You can seriously find a cheaper rate and a better service.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lilabear]

TBH, $80 is A LOT for this type of service. It seems like a rip off. Is your current tutor a school teacher? Uni students aren’t that bad, especially for state rankers, as they know what to do to get the top marks and can give specific analysis and feedback. You can seriously find a cheaper rate and a better service.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My tutor works as a sub (? not sure what exactly her role is) at my school. Tbh most of my friends go to tutors who charge $80-110.

 

[Chos]

I know an excellent tutor who placed 8th in NSW in English Extension II (50/50). IMO $80 is too expensive. She charges $60/hour and offers a free first lesson + has heaps of resources. If you would like her contact details, feel free to email me: nathan_reidy@hotmail.com

 

[jeenad]

I went to an $80/hr english tutor in Hurstville/Penshurst, and she was prettttyy good. She would go through the rubric, and the main themes and concerns with the text. She also focused a lot on essay skills.

The lessons generally went like this: 5 minutes of writing (to practice on the spot analysis + writing speed), going through feedback from last week's homework, talking about the text/module and its ideas and interpretations, finding techniques and analysis (I would be doing this part on my own), then we would make an essay scaffold together so I can continue writing at home (Wrote thesis, topic sentences, TEE in bullet points w/ tutor).

Tutors generally won't be spoonfeeding you with quotes and techniques - that's mostly your responsibility, because you need to be able to do this to tackle unseen texts anyway. Instead, it would make more sense if they help you go in the right direction of analysis. If tutors found the techniques etc for you, then it would be more like their essay, not yours.

I think the most valuable part of english tutoring is more about being able to get feedback - because half the stuff they will teach you about the text will already be mentioned at either school or in a textbook guide somewhere (also, there are many interpretations of different texts!). So maybe instead of expecting tutors to spoonfeed you more on the texts, try and write more and ask for more feedback I guess? Hopefully that helps your situation!


Hi
Can I get the contact number of your tutor.Would be great help.
Thanks

 

[jeenad]

Hi
Can I get the contact number of your tutor.
Thanks

 

[goldmedals]

I went to an $80/hr english tutor in Hurstville/Penshurst, and she was prettttyy good. She would go through the rubric, and the main themes and concerns with the text. She also focused a lot on essay skills.

The lessons generally went like this: 5 minutes of writing (to practice on the spot analysis + writing speed), going through feedback from last week's homework, talking about the text/module and its ideas and interpretations, finding techniques and analysis (I would be doing this part on my own), then we would make an essay scaffold together so I can continue writing at home (Wrote thesis, topic sentences, TEE in bullet points w/ tutor).

Tutors generally won't be spoonfeeding you with quotes and techniques - that's mostly your responsibility, because you need to be able to do this to tackle unseen texts anyway. Instead, it would make more sense if they help you go in the right direction of analysis. If tutors found the techniques etc for you, then it would be more like their essay, not yours.

I think the most valuable part of english tutoring is more about being able to get feedback - because half the stuff they will teach you about the text will already be mentioned at either school or in a textbook guide somewhere (also, there are many interpretations of different texts!). So maybe instead of expecting tutors to spoonfeed you more on the texts, try and write more and ask for more feedback I guess? Hopefully that helps your situation!

Can I have the contact details of your tutor too please.

 

[iStudent]

Go for uni students dude. The people who know how to score band 6/state rank are the band 6/state rankers people themselves - not the english teachers (who probably got through high school with at low-mid 90 atar and low band 6 in english if you're lucky)

 

[goldmedals]

Go for uni students dude. The people who know how to score band 6/state rank are the band 6/state rankers people themselves - not the english teachers (who probably got through high school with at low-mid 90 atar and low band 6 in english if you're lucky)

Thanks, mate.