It’s back to school and the school bag will once again be a little heavier at 3.15pm on a Monday than it was at the beginning of the day. Homework beckons. Increasingly though parents are looking to the experts to help with their children’s education.
Before becoming parents, we look forward to some milestones; first steps, finally letting go of the saddle when our little ones ride a bike, the first day of school. And thereafter, we imagine the joy of sitting down with our children, helping them learn. Imparting our knowledge.
But if your children are anything like mine, the merest whiff of difficulty during homework, results in an immediate belief that they are useless and unable to complete the tasks. There may also be the occasional pencil thrown across the kitchen table. How do we combat their struggles? Tutors.
Tutors used to be reserved for those destined to achieve. Now, tutoring is for all – those needing support at exam time, children who have additional support needs, or like me, for parents simply struggling to help their children understand parts of the curriculum. Westender spoke to two specialist tutors about what their services look like in 2024.
Mrs Reid Does Maths
Susanne Reid taught Maths at Jordanhill school for 13 years, moving to City of Glasgow College in 2017. During lockdown she created a bank of video lessons for all the college Maths courses taught. Since then, her bank of resources has allowed her to offer these, not just to her own students but to the wider public. Susanne says ‘Not every child needs, can afford or can relate to a weekly tutor and not every tutor is an experienced teacher, so I decided to create a huge resource to fill that gap.’
Susanne’s maths resources range from level 3 up to higher Maths. Therefore, her demographic is wide ranging. ‘Some students just want to catch up on a particular topic that they missed or struggled with in a test, others want to race ahead at their own pace whilst some want to repeat lessons until they are confident. Many parents say that their children feel more comfortable watching videos than asking questions in class’. Susanne agrees that it’s not always that easy for parents to help. ’Families can often clash when it comes to helping with Maths homework and revision as some parents don’t feel confident about their own maths whereas others might have found maths easy but struggle to explain concepts in a way that doesn’t result in eye rolling.’
Susanne has also devised a bespoke assessment tool, designed to help students who don’t know where to begin or where to focus. ‘My bespoke assessment tool is a test that covers the entire National 5 or Higher courses.’ Following the assessment, Susanne sends out fully worked solutions and a mapping grid to create the student’s unique study plan to fill gaps and ensure the course is 100% understood.
With Susanne’s videos designed specifically with the Scottish school and exam system in mind, her terminology and teaching methods are familiar. Happy kids, happy home?
‘If parents and children sit down and watch my videos together (clashes) are resolved and peaceful family relations may resume’. And with Education Scotland recently referring to her digital Maths resources as a ‘sector leading practice’, it’s a win-win situation.
Mrs Reid Does Maths level 3 and 4 material is available free to Scottish school pupils through The West OS app on their School Glow account allowing pupils to get familiarised with the resources early on.
w: learn.mrsreiddoesmaths.com
Jane Stratton Biology Tutor, S.O.I. Certified Cognitive Learning Specialist and Tutoring Consultant
Jane Stratton has many strings to her bows. Initially falling into tutoring by accident, she had been studying for a medical degree but had had to leave due to ill health. Jane continues. ‘Someone bumped into me at the shops and asked me if I could help their dyslexic son with biology. That was 32 years ago, and the rest is history! My family is full of neurodivergence, and I have extensive experience as a mum, of navigating the education system as it is today.’ Jane says that this lived experience is something that most certainly has enhanced the empathy she has for her clients, and her desire to make a difference.
Jane specialises in Biology tutoring, children with ASN (additional support needs), and gifted learning. She explained the kinds of services she offers and the kind of students who benefit from her tutoring. ‘The demographic for tutoring is mainly 14-18 years old following SQA courses, but I also tutor HLP (Higher Learning Potential) children which I love. A huge proportion of my clients are ASN, but not exclusively.’
Structure of Intellect
As a Cognitive Learning Specialist, Jane is the only person in the UK able to assess Structure of Intellect. I asked her why parents might be interested in their child being assessed using this ethos and whether there is a specific cohort of students that this assessment is useful for? ‘Literally ANYONE from aged 5+! The youngest I have is 6 and the oldest is 57. This can be individuals self-referring, school/employer referrals. Parents would generally come to me because their children are struggling at school and often are not attending or on a part-time timetable. The best idea would be to approach me as soon as any difficulty arise to prevent things spiralling downwards. Often, (those referred) are neurodivergent, but they do not need any diagnosis to access this unique service.’
It sounds like an extremely specialist area for individuals who learn differently. Following assessment students and their families are given a framework to help their learning, designed from areas of strengths found in your SOI assessment. Jane says ‘I work through a bespoke program with them to improve their weak cognitive skills, using their stronger ones. They are also given hints and tips for home, including good ways to practice the skills we are working on. It truly is life-changing for everyone involved. I have an eBook available for clients and those who express an interest. This is full of great hints and tips, and an outline of the process. It is a global program, but I am the only SOI Systems practitioner in the UK.’
Jane offers a range of ways to learn – e.g. one-to-one, face-to-face, online and group tutoring. She is also launching four subscription services for SQA courses next month too. Does she see any differences in outcomes depending on learning method? No! ‘Each service is exceptional and person-centred. As part of the on-boarding process, I ask questions around hobbies, interests, learning needs and aspirations, so that I can make sure I include these in every session, even the groups. One-to-one is the traditional method but due to getting so full, I started groups. These are so successful because there is peer support, and the pupils learn from each other too.’
Jane’s enthusiasm for her work is clear. She says ‘I truly have the best job in the world! To see someone’s life change through tutoring or SOI is such a privilege. I often liaise with schools, families and places of work, to ensure the best outcomes for my clients. Without fail, I see huge improvements in confidence and self-esteem; what a great thing to be part of!’
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