Maths Tutor or a Maths Coach?
Is there a difference?
A Maths tutor is similar in role to a teacher in that the tutor goes through with a child questions that he may be unfamiliar with. The tutor may have experience in schools and may also be MOE trained too.
A Maths coach on the other hand, in addition to imparting in students key exam skills and concepts, or what we term as hard skills, is also adept in identifying mindset, motivational and other emotional issues that may be affecting the child. The coach works hand in hand with parents to ensure that prompt feedback is provided and that the child is utilising his study time to work on a Maths plan that is relevant for the child’s level of study.
How then does one choose a Maths coach?
Is it just by hearsay or by research?
From our experience, hearsay is common for :
Primary students -> parents hear their friends out to decide on a program.
Secondary students -> students get influenced by peers to decide on a program.
Even though some parents jump into a coaching program simply by hearing what others say, I encourage you to do your due diligence in researching about a program.
Here are 5 key factors to choose a Maths coaching program.
Being NIE certified teacher is certainly a plus point. However, coaching has a majority element that includes passion and you should also decide if the coach is dedicated to your child’s Maths cause.
(2) Remarkable Results.
Has the Maths coach walked the talk? What’s the grades of the Maths coach? Was it a C or a B grade? Was it an A1 grade? If it were A1, were the distinction grades consistent?
This is indication of whether the coach has content knowledge and key exam skills.
(3) Reviews.
Check the results of former students. Were there remarkable improvers? What do these ex students have to say about the program?
Has the program been featured in news? This is indication of credibility.
The news outlet protect their image by doing background checks on any feature.
How are the program materials structured? Are the notes easy to understand? Is there any out of class support for a child who does not know how to answer a certain question?
Having hearsay is a good start but do your own research. Seek for a trial session so that your child is able to experience the session before committing to a working partnership with the coach.
All the best!
Irfan Musthapa