Comparing English Enrichment Programmes

[cimman]

Jasmine85:

For me qualifications is very important. Passion and enthusiasm is a great personal quality but that alone does mean that teacher has right approach and skills necessary to improve childs english. Teaching, like medical care, is a profession and should be for professionals. Esp if I pay money for such a service.

well, I guess if one is to be particular about qualifications, then the degree should be in something related to teaching children in a particular subject. That would then qualifiy that person to be a professional in the relevant area, after an extensive period of practical experience, of course. One does not get to be a professional with just a degree sans experience.

In Singapore, the number of people taking up teaching as a degree course is very limited. A true teaching professional is even more limited.

You will most likely find tutors wtih non related degrees, and that would place them in the same category, in terms of professional training, as the non degree holders.

It would be nice to get true professional services since as you've said, it is a paid service. However, I doubt the tutoring industry is a professional industry as it is not regulated.

That being the case, I would define a professional as someone with the relevant practical experience with a few good years in the industry. A good carpenter can be deemed a professional in his area of work, a good swimmingl coach can be deemed a professional in his area of expertise, as is a good tutor. They don't need to have a university degree, but that doesn't mean they have not gone through either formal or informal on the job training, and are thus well equipped with the relevant soft and hard skills to do a good job.

The best indicator of a good job is through word of mouth from parents or from personal experience after a trial period and the child's interest in the subject is kindled, with improvements in the academic grades. A paper qualification would be a far from ideal indicator that the person would do a good job.

[shania-m]

quirkymum:

Hi herbie,


Its true what you say that if the teacher is not an exteacher, they might not have skills to mark. However on the other hand, there are current school teachers who do mark inaccurately as they do not mark compos in PSLE. From what I know about TAS, they do regular trainings for all their teachers, I was there on 2 occassions on tuesdays and saw a rather big group of teachers go into a classroom. When I asked the admin person what was it about, she said it was for their regular training and she mentioned that it was a weekly thing as they do finetune their methods and worksheets and she says they find it important for there to be regular training.

I was quite impressed by that as I find that they are progressive. I am not sure about the founder teaching. I think one of the main trainers does teach some classes though.

Anyway for me one sign that they are always progressing is that I heard from one of the administrators that they are coming with grammar and synthesis books for TAS students so that all the notes are put in a book and parents can also use them to go thru with their children at home. I think that would be very useful and I'm looking forward to it.

Perhaps you could ask the TAS teachers how they mark compos to get a better idea?

Hi,

May I know if TAS is going to sell these books only to their own students or will it be available to outsiders?

[jojo]

May I know if TAS is going to sell these books only to their own students or will it be available to outsiders? :D[/quote


They do sell their books to public. U
Must call n check for payment n collection point

[Leanne]

Hi Herbie,


Thanks.Do they have classes for pri six?


Rgds
Leanne

Herbie:

East branch is at Singpost.

[quirkymum]

jojo:

May I know if TAS is going to sell these books only to their own students or will it be available to outsiders? :D[/quote


They do sell their books to public. U
Must call n check for payment n collection point

I heard that for these books, its only for TAS students as its like a
grammar and synthesis textbook for TAS usage only.

[vksmums]

quirkymum:

jojo:

May I know if TAS is going to sell these books only to their own students or will it be available to outsiders? :D[/quote


They do sell their books to public. U
Must call n check for payment n collection point

I heard that for these books, its only for TAS students as its like a
grammar and synthesis textbook for TAS usage only.

Have you heard when these books will be ready?

[jliew]

brucel26:

Hi, i send my son to the creative writing class at Thinkers Education. Its at Roxy Square Marine Parade area. I think the instructor is experienced in creative writing classes. The materials are well organised and useful. Best of all, they teach in a progressive and systematic approach, fron simple sentences to complicated ones, power vocab, proverbs, brainstorming to mindmapping. others i've went to didnt do a really good job as they just ask my son to memorise the words and force him to use it in his composition. I'm currently quite satisfied with this one and i can see significant improvements in my kid's essay writing. Interested, do let me know and i will give the contact details.

Hi Brucel, this is really a good news to me. I've been asking & looking for a good creative writing school near Parkway Parade for very long. Could you PM me the details of Thinkers Education and the name of the instructor that teaches your kid? Thanks in advance.

[jojo]

Leanne:

Hi Herbie,


Thanks.Do they have classes for pri six?


Rgds
Leanne

Hi Leanne, east side p6 class is at 630pm

Herbie:

East branch is at Singpost.

[peterc]

Hi all, I also need referral details at TAS East branch. Thanks!

[jojo]

peterc:

Hi all, I also need referral details at TAS East branch. Thanks!

pls check your pm.