Frequently Asked Questions by Parents

P1. Is tuition useful? Will my kid's grades really improve after tuition?

From our experience of the interactions with parents who have used our matching service in the past, many parents are satisfied with our recommended tutors. More than 80% of these parents observed an improvement of 1-3 grades in their children school work.

Getting a private tutor has the following advantages:

• A tutor can impart knowledge that may not be taught in sufficient details in school.
• A tutor can go through materials that your children is too embarrassed to ask in school.
• A tutor can customise his teaching to specific weak areas of every individual student which a school teacher is unable to do due to the student-teacher ratio.
• A tutor can share street smart exam techniques, topics to focus on and tips on how to remember certain formulas

This recent article from 7th Feb 2009 Straits Times indicates that 97 students out of a surveyed 100 students in Singapore are having tuition. According to the article, studies have shown that private tuition does help children do better in school. Individual one-to-one tutoring benefits students lagging behind or those with learning disabilities.

 

P2. What are the different categories of tutors? Which category of tutor should I use to get the highest return on investment for my child?

There are mainly these four types of tutors in the market:

• Polytechnic/Undergraduate student Tutor: These are students still pursuing their education and are best able to relate to the academic stress and conditions your child is faced now since these tutors probably just went through what your child is undergoing. The quality of tutor in this category varies widely. The good ones are most cost effective due to their lower charging rates while the below average polytechnic or undergraduate tutor may lack the professionalism and teaching skill sets of the other categories of tutors. Parents seeking out for polytechnic and undergraduate students do typically have to undertake a higher level of risk.
  
• Part-time Tutor: Part-time tutors are holding full-time jobs, often in different disciplines and fields. Part-timers typically are only available for tuition on evening and weekends. Generally, part-time tutors may already finish their education and many of them are university graduates. Part-time tutors are generally more mature in age, and will be able to share real-life working experience with the child. In terms of charging rate, part-time tutors command different prices depending on the number of years they have been tutoring and the type of qualification these part-time tutors are holding. Typically part-time tutors only teaches 1-2 child at any one time.
  
• Full-Time Tutor: Full-time tutors give tutoring as the main job, thus full-time tutors watch the time closely, as they may need to move off to another teaching assignments. Experienced full-time tutors often have the ability to quickly identify the weak area faced by most children and are very familiar with the syllabus as they teaches the same subject and topic often multiple times to different students.
  
• Ex-Teacher/Current Teacher: Teachers who give tuition are the most valued after tutors, commanding the highest rates. As they are intimately familiar with the changing trends of education in Singapore, some good current teachers may even be able to spot potential questions that are highly likely to come out in this year examinations. Both ex-teachers and current teachers have underwent rigorous NIE training, and thus possess better teaching and communication skills than the other group of tutors. Ex and current school teachers who are willing to give tuition outside their demanding school schedule sells like hot-cakes. Typically, it may take quite some time to get a school teacher to be a tutor. Furthermore, the rates (often over $100/per hour for JC students) may not be in the affordable budget range of parents.

 

P3. How does the Match Tutor service offered by Education Haven ensures that I get a qualified tutor who can help my child?

Upon a find tutor request from our valued customers, our matchmaker run through our proprietary tutor matching algorithm. This stringent head-hunting algorithm takes into account of distance between the tutor and student, experience of the tutor in the specific subject, the education qualifications of the tutor. We also take into account heavily of the feedback given by other students on the tutor in performing the selection.

Upon selected by the algorithm, our hard-working match-matchers will contact these computer highlighted tutors for telephone interview.

Tutors engaged through Education Haven match tutor service are required to show you the original certificates on the first lesson for your verification purpose.

 

P4. How do I have to pay Education Haven for the tutor matching service?

There is no additional charge for the parents to engage our services. The parent basically still pays the same amount of tuition fees in the first month. The 50% first month payment commission becomes payable immediately to Education Haven upon the start of the first lesson. Student/parent will pay the remaining 50% to the tutor upon completion of the first month lesson. Beyond the first month (defined as 4 weeks), Education Haven will no longer collect any fees.

Our preferred mode of payment is by online Paypal/VISA/Mastercard.

By Paypal

Our tuition co-ordinator will provide you with a payment id to enter into this page to make the payment online.

By Direct Bank Transfer

• Our DBS current account number is 005-901942-1. Bank code is 7171 and branch code is 005.
• Our OCBC current account number is 591281399001. Bank code is 7339 and branch code is 591.

You can choose to do direct bank transfer into either account.

During bank transfer payment, please quote your assignment number for reference purpose.

By Cheque

Another mode of payment is by cheque. Please send the cheque to "Education Haven Pte Ltd" and mail to "Blk 302C, Anchorvale Link, #08-40, Singapore 543302".

Please quote your assignment number and your name at the back of the cheque.

P5. Should I get a personalised home tutor or enroll my child in a Tuition Centre?

The main advantage of home tuition is one-to-one attention. With one-to-one tutor to student ratio, the tutor will be better able to focus on the specific weakness of your child and the difficulties the child meets with in school. Home tuition also offers less travelling time for the parent and student as the venue for home tuition are typically at the student's residential home. Schedules changes are also more flexible. However, the fees for home tuition typically costs more than tuition centre classes.

Tuition centre teaching is in between home tuition and school classroom teaching. Tuition classes typically have 4-12 students per tutor. Depending on the maturity of the tuition school, the tuition centre may provide a customised set of materials and proprietary teaching techniques. These special materials and teaching techniques are the main attraction point for good tuition centres. The social setting of a tuition centre may also encourage school children to practise their socialisation skills. However, parent and student may find it a hassle as it takes travel to the tuition centre.

If you are unsure of whether your child should go for home tuition or enroll in a tuition centre, give Education Haven a call at 6219-1272. We provide free consultation services, and we are able to link you up with both home tutors or tuition centres.

 

P6. What if the recommended tutor by Education Haven is unable to meet my expectations?

The terms of assignment is for a minimum duration of one month. Unless there are prior arrangements agreed by both the parents and tutors, parents typically allow the assigned tutor to finish the first 4 weeks of tuition before discontinuing the service.

Education Haven "Match Tutor" service will be happy to offer free replacement matching services up to 2 changes if the assigned tutor do not meet the parent expectations.

 

Frequently Asked Questions by Tutors

T1. How do I prepare myself for the first session?

A tuition job is not unlike any other professional job. It requires preparation from the tutor in order to do a great job. You should get yourself familiarised with the subject syllabus in which you are engaged to teach. Spend sometime figuring out how to get to the student's house, catering some additional buffer time to make sure that you arrive on time. On the actual day, bring along your education certificates for the parents to verify. Our section "Tutoring 101" will contain more tips and useful online resources to prepare you to be a good tutor.

 

T2. How do I whether I am successful for an assignment that I apply for?

Due to the large number of assignment matching we do daily, we will only be able to inform successful applicants. Tutors who have not heard back from us within 3 days of application should assume that their application is unsuccessful. Do make sure that the mobile number that you have given us in your Tutor Registration is correct as SMS and phone calls are the primary means in which we contact our tutors.

 

Frequently Asked Questions by All

A1. Why am I not able to reach the number 9296-1316 by voice call?

Our SMS hot-line is connected to an back-end computer for short messaging purpose only. Thus it is unable to handle any phone call.