Kip McGrath English and Maths Tutors – Why Choose Kip McGrath Education Centres?

Is a Tutor Qualified & Regulated to teach children?

This may seem such a simple and logical question but you may be very surprised to know that the tuition business is unregulated and that anyone can advertise their services as a tutor.  Many tutors offering their services call themselves “instructors” and this applies to both private tutors as well as multi-national tutoring centres.  The majority of these “instructors” are not qualified teachers.  Many do not have the qualifications or skills to prepare lesson plans and actually teach your children.  If they are not a qualified teacher, how can they possibly assess your child properly and work with the teaching curriculum? Many international tutoring centres offer repetitive worksheets which parents mark.  This may be fine for some students who need help with their times tables but for most children who are falling behind, this just isn’t enough.

Is a tutor qualified?

In addition to being unqualified, private tutors can also set up a tutoring business without undergoing an enhanced disclosure check or declaring their income for tax purposes. You would not entrust your child with an unregulated childminder or without taking references out  so why should tutoring be any different?

How can you make the right choice when choosing a tutor for your child?

Here is a check list to help you make the right decision as originally posted by my Kip McGrath colleague in Lisburn.

• Is the person a member of the General Teaching Council of Scotland?  Ask to see their certificate of registration as this is also proof that they have been properly police checked.
• Can they conduct an assessment to allow them to gauge exactly where your child’s strengths and weaknesses lie?  This is essential to ensure that the tuition is targeted at the correct level to enable the tutor to bring your child up to a level that is appropriate in their class or for a test.  All children are different and come to tuition with different levels of ability and therefore the starting point is never the same.
• What feedback will the tutor provide me?  One of the benefits of having your child tutored should be that unlike school you receive detailed feedback after each lesson.  This allows you to discuss their progress and any areas that your child is struggling in.
• What resources will the tutor be providing?  Make sure the resources that are being used are up to date and appropriate for the curriculum that your child is following.  Will the tutor be able to cater for the specific learning needs of your child – a wide range of resources should be available including professionally designed worksheets, modern textbooks, computer software and multi sensory learning aids.  If you are having your child tutored for a test ask about the types of past papers being used and the other materials used to reinforce this.
• Where will the tuition take place?  Will the tuition take place in your house/their house – in which case you will have to make sure that the area chosen is quiet and without distractions.  Or will the tuition be provided in a professionally equipped tuition centre?
• Is the tutor paying their taxes?  Ask no questions and I’ll tell you no lies is not always the best policy!  It is easy to turn a blind eye and say this doesn’t matter, however please bear in mind that tax is paid by you and I so that money is available to spend on public services used by everyone and that this year the government is having a crack down on tutors that do not pay their taxes.

At our Kip McGrath Education Centres in Scotland we provide parents with peace of mind.  Our tutors are:

• Fully qualified and registered with the General Teaching Council of Scotland.
• We provide a FREE assessment that enables us to identify any strengths and weaknesses and develop a programme of study designed to target these areas and bring your child up to a level that allows them to be comfortable in their class or to achieve their academic goals.  Assessment is ongoing and embedded in every single lesson.
• We provide detailed feedback after each lesson.
• Our centre is professionally equipped with a wide range of resources including professionally designed worksheets, modern textbooks, computer software, multi sensory learning aids, a wide range of past papers and appropriate stationary.
• Tuition is provided in a professionally equipped centre where every care has been taken to create an atmosphere conducive to learning.
• We are professional tutors and that means that as well as being fully qualified, highly experienced and well equipped, we also pay our taxes.

Finding a Kip McGrath Centre in Scotland

To find a local Scottish Kip Centre, either click here, choose from the list of centres on the right or use our postcode finder.  To read more about the programmes in English and Maths we offer, please click here.

Scottish Children’s Book Awards – Children Choose the Best Scottish Books

The winners of the Scottish Children’s Book awards 2011 were announced yesterday in Edinburgh in a hall packed full of Scottish Children.   I watched the highlights on STV News (click to watch video) and how I wished I could have been there to see so many children take delight in their love of reading!

What is even more wonderful is that all of the books nominated were read and voted for by 23,000 children in Scotland,which is up by 42% on last year. Let’s hope that number will increase again for next year’s vote and inspire many children to develop a true love of reading!

The winners were:

Bookbug Readers (Category 0-7)

Dear Vampa by Ross Collins is a beautifully illustrated book about a family of vampires.  The little boy vampire writes to his Grandpa and is amazed at the strange new family who have moved next door.  They are very different! They even stay out all day in the sunshine.  Perhaps he shouldn’t have passed judgement too quickly because they may not actually be as different as he thinks.  Definitely a book for the older kids in this category.

Young Readers (Category 8-11)

Zac and the Dream Pirates by Ross Mackenzie -Everybody dreams. That’s the problem. Good dreams are sweet. Bad dreams are scary. But what happens when the worst sort of nightmares take over? Zac Wonder is about to find out. On the stroke of midnight, he follows his mysterious grandmother into the worst blizzard for fifty years, and winds up discovering an extraordinary world on the other side of sleep. Is he still dreaming? Has he gone nuts? Or is he really meant to save us all from the devious dream pirates who threaten to hijack our dreams…and turn our lives into a waking nightmare?

Older Reader Catgeory (12 – 16)

Jack worships luck and decides his actions by the flip of a coin. No risk is too great if the coin demands it. Luck brings him Jess, a beautiful singer who will change his life. But Jack’s luck is running out, and soon the stakes are high. As chance and choice unravel, the risks of Jack’s game become terrifyingly clear. An evening of heady recklessness, and suddenly a life hangs in the balance, decided by the toss of a coin. In the end, it is the reader who must choose whether to spin that coin and determine: life or death.

Congratulations to the winners.  To read the nominees and further details, please click on the main Scottish Book Trust Website.

My Opinion

As a teacher, parent and grandparent, I have always tried to encourage book reading from an early age.  It is so important for our children’s education and to develop good literacy skills.  I feel so disheartened when a child comes to Kip McGrath who is struggling at school with English, particularly in basic reading and writing and I discover that they do not read any books at home. There was an article recently which I blogged about that according to the National Literacy Trust  4 million children in the UK don’t own a book and I posted a few book ideas for reluctant readers.

Having said that, I am so encouraged by yesterday’s Scottish Book Awards announcement and love the fact that so many Scottish children read and were discussing characters in the books with each other.  What a great incentive and I hope this is rolled out to many more children in our schools this year.  Wouldn’t it be fabulous if instead of swapping Moshi Monster cards at play break, children could be swapping books!!

Tips for Parents of Reluctant Readers

No matter how clever a child is, parents and teachers must encourage children to read for the fun and love of it.  If your child is reluctant to pick up a book what can parents do?

• Try focusing on what interests they have and not what you think they should be reading
• Do they watch particular television shows or films?  Many shows also have a series of books or annuals.
• Let children read what interests them.
• Arrange a visit to the local library and let them pick a book that interests them on any subject at all.  Let them make the choice (as long as it is age appropriate)
• Ask your child to write a very short book report or even to choose a time when your child can tell you about the story giving your undivided attention.
• Ask questions and be positive! Give lots of praise and attention.
• Why don’t you choose a child appropriate book to read also and do the same?  Make it a regular fun event.
• Let your children see that you also love to read
• Buy book tokens for gifts

Is your child struggling with reading?

If you think that your child is not just a reluctant reader but is falling behind at school and perhaps struggling with reading and English, then perhaps there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.  At Kip McGrath Education Centres, our qualified teachers will assess your child’s abilities in a free educational consultation and will advise you of any weaknesses.  This may just give you peace of mind but if there is a problem, we will create an individual learning programme that your child will follow in conjunction with the school curriculum to help them catch up.

To find a local Kip McGrath Tutoring Centre in Scotland, use our postcode finder tool to find your local centre.