15th November 2010 9:00
By Blue Tutors
There is a new phenomenon in the world of private tuition, that of a ‘homework helper’. In a report on a New York website, a number of tuition agencies were asked what exactly the difference is between this type of tutor, and what we usually think of when we hear the term ‘private tuition’.
The motivation for getting a tutor has long been thought of as a student struggling to come to terms with particularly difficult concepts at school, but homework helpers were borne from different problems. An increasing struggle for some parents is to actually persuade their children to start work, regardless of whether or not a child is capable of the work. A homework helper is seen as someone to teach organisational skills and to sit with a student to ensure that they work for that period of time.
An example was given of a tutor working in New York, who would sit with a student while he reeled off answer after answer from his maths homework. The tutor was there to help if the young student had any difficulties, but her main job was seen as ensuring that the student continued to work, and deciding what assignments to do when – tutoring organisational skills. The student’s mother described the tutoring service as a lifesaver, and said that it preserves some tranquillity between her and her son after he has finished his work.
The idea of a homework helper, rather than a tutor is not confined to just one tuition agency in the US, but it is a relatively new concept, with some states not yet offering the service, and instead sticking to traditional private tuition. However, some experienced tutors have expressed concerns over the service, suggesting that it’s a role which should be filled by parents, and that it provides a crutch for students, which they may not learn to cope without.