wonders:

i think my DD in secondary one needs help in Chinese.. she refused tuition classes. How to help her? how to convince her?

Hi there,

Please refer to my post in the topic of 'Comparing Chinese Enrichment Programmes' recently. The teacher I recomended teaches 1 to 1 for Secondary students as well.

gaagaa:

eugenelee:

I am glad to hear the very positive feedback from the parents, about the teacher I recommended in forum 2 month ago. In fact, most students made good progress even in less than 2 months! More importantly, kids show more interest in Chinese, and no longer scare of Chinese class.


Just understood from the teacher, according to the students feedback, almost all her students making good progress in the recent SA1, average improved 10 marks when convert the full mark to 100. 2 students attend her session since Jan,2014, even got 20+ more marks as compared to end of last year. Of course, if your DD already 1 of the top students in class/school, they just have to maintain their position.

Congrats to the kids and parents! Good teacher really makes the difference!

Hi, are you referring to the very experienced teacher staying in the West?

Yes.

I am glad to hear the very positive feedback from the parents, about the teacher I recommended in forum 2 month ago. In fact, most students made good progress even in less than 2 months! More importantly, kids show more interest in Chinese, and no longer scare of Chinese class.


Just understood from the teacher, according to the students feedback, almost all her students making good progress in the recent SA1, average improved 10 marks when convert the full mark to 100. 2 students attend her session since Jan,2014, even got 20+ more marks as compared to end of last year. Of course, if your DD already 1 of the top students in class/school, they just have to maintain their position.

Congrats to the kids and parents! Good teacher really makes the difference!

How did I choose the teacher/tutor/education centre?


Recently got quite a few pm, asking me how I choose the Chinese teacher/ tutor/ education centre. So I just share here:
1. avoid home grown Chinese teacher/tutor. Why?
a . we used to have very good Chinese teacher in the past, now most of them retired;
b. noticed the Chinese teacher graduated from local U, more than 80% not because they like or good at Chinese, but not that good in other subject;
c. we have no ‘normal school’ locally, so teacher have no enough training on Child psychology and teaching method ( NIE aim to it now but just few months);
d . there’re around 10% local Chinese teacher are really good, but most of them already promoted, or dum busy with school activities, no chance to teach your kids.

2. Only about 10-20% Chinese teacher from China are good. Why?
If you choose Chinese teacher/tutor born in China, below criteria applied:
a. is he/she a teacher in China?
b. is he/she graduated from normal school/college/U（师范院校）？
c. is his/her major in Chinese language (中文系）？
d. does he/she have at least 5 year local teaching experience? in top tution centre ？
e. is the feedback from his/her students/parents good?
f. can he/she speak simple English?

If not fulfil the above, and your kids with him/her already few month but no much progress, I think it’s the time to change. Otherwise, you are not just waste the time and money, more importantly your kid’s confidence level at Chinese might drop.

Just my two cents:)

To those pm me recently: the teacher I mentioned in the forum told me, all her slots had been taken. For those interested, you will have a chance in June. As her O level students will stop the tuition after the exam in early June. Then, she will take a short break around 2 weeks before back to work later in June.


Thanks for your understanding and support. All the best to your kids.

Although we know the big tuition centre with the system in place to pick the qualified teacher, good materials, carefully designed programs, …but in the end, it’s the teacher teaching your kids makes the difference. From my past experience, as well as discussion with other parents, even T.H(天下）where all teacher qualified, only less than 20% are good teachers. So the good teacher is scarce resources. To me, a real good teacher must be able to balance fun and results. Kids need fun and the good results is the puopose after all.


I know a teacher like this. After my son attending her class, he improved a lot and got a A* in PSLE. So I’d like to share with other prents, sometimes it’s not your kids not study hard enough, but just his/her teacher not that good.

This teacher taught 5 yr in China, and 18 yr local experience. But she normally takes only the students in West or North area. In fact, almost all her students had good improvement after 2 months. Among them, many became the top student in the class/level/school. Interested please pm me.

The problem is when child used to such fun class, they might hate the acadamic classes taught in school. Any story to share?

Different centre may have their own focus or selling point. Personal feeling: Jiang’s teacher used to be the best ( at leat 5 years ago); TH’s teacher just about average, but good in material and marketing. I am not sure Berris, but understood more than half of their branches are franchized, they are good to provide ‘fun Chinese’ especially for K1/K2/P1…After all, the teacher with your child is the most important. In fact, I found a tutor is the best so far, best to balance ‘fun’ and results. She used to work in Jiang’s and some other center, then became home tutor after she got vocal nodules.