SHOULD I HIRE A LESSON TEACHER FOR MY TEEN/PRETEEN?
Whether you hire a private lesson teacher depends on some specific situation, considerations and goals. My observation in many cases is that it’s not the solution to the problem a parent is trying to solve.
So here are some factors to consider:
LEARNING STYLES.
If you and the lesson teacher do not understand the learning style of the child, you’re going to keep getting the same result. Understanding learning styles and how they affect your teen/preteen will help you provide the targeted instruction and feedback that is necessary for your child’s improvement.
If your child is struggling with a particular skill such as time management, problem-solving, or resilience, hiring an extra lesson teacher will not improve their performance.
There are also specific study skills that aid academic performance. These skills help young people to do well in the subject lessons and not the other way around.
Let’s say your child is struggling with time management, taking extra lessons can, in fact, worsen their output rather than help them improve.
So the point is to identify and clarify what the goal is. If the challenge is with the subject mater, then you may consider getting a lesson teacher as you dim necessary.
But let’s see other factors…
The other thing to consider is AVAILABILITY.
A lot of parents are actually over scheduling their children. A child is a child and not an adult.
Allow your child to focus on the most important activities that aid their success, including PLAYTIME.
Your preteen/teen does not have to join you for all the burial and wedding functions in the village. Those are adult affairs.
Your preteen/teen may not need to join you for the 6 powerful Sunday services in your church.
All things are lawful, but all things are not expedient.
If your child’s schedule does not include recreation and play, you’re not helping that child. Your child might be suffering from burnout. Adding extra lessons will just be a waste of time.
[Have you joined Thrive 3.0? Early bird discounts are going away soon.
I have curated some critical tools to help your teen/preteen improve their academic performance, and we’ll share these tools with them during the Bootcamp.]
RESOURCES
Have you considered whether you have access to the other learning resources that the child needs?
In providing personalized learning instructions, there are also learning materials that must go together with the lessons in order to deliver results. Textbooks, workbooks, interactive learning materials, practical tools, etc.
A private lesson teacher without incorporating appropriate learning materials will not deliver the desired results.
HERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES YOU CAN CONSIDER APART FROM EXTRA PRIVATE LESSONS:
- Group learning.
Encouraging your teenager to join a study group or start their own can provide the needed support and motivation for academic success.
Study groups provide accountability in a fun and non-threatening way.
- Peer tutoring.
If your teenager/preteen is struggling with a particular subject, paring the child with a classmate who excels in that subject will help.
The other child, however has to be willing to provide the additional support and guidance. This is where relationship skills come in.
These first two options come with the added benefit of building healthy relationships, confidence, and self-esteem while helping your child improve their academics.
- Self-directed learning.
Help your teenager to take responsibility for their own learning. They will find the resources they need, they will invest the time required and they will improve their performance.
- Parental support.
If a child is struggling with the relationship with their parents, school work will naturally suffer, and no amount of extra lessons can solve this.
The home environment has a lot to do with academic performance, and you as a parent are responsible for this.
Questions? Ask.
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This is not to discourage the use of private/extramural lessons, it’s only necessary that you make the right choice and get it right for you and your teen.
In my next post, I will share some WRONG REASONS FOR HIRING A PRIVATE HOME LESSON TEACHER.
