With mocks just around the corner, your teen might be feeling a little overwhelmed. If you’ve noticed a dip in their mood, or if they’re spending hours revising and still feeling stuck– it might be time to get them support. Here, we look at some of the reasons why parents and their teens have picked tutoring, and how it’s made a big difference in their lives.
- ‘Tutoring helped boost my confidence.’ – Faith, A level student
- ‘My tutor understands how I feel and what I’m dealing with.’ – Adam, GCSE student
- ‘I worry less about the future.’ Eve, undergrad student
- ‘Tutoring helps them stay on top of their work.’ – Jeremy, a parent
- ‘My son’s tutor understood his needs and helped him get unstuck.’ – Lola, a parent
- ‘My daughters’ tutors encouraged a love of learning.’ – Vikki, parent
1. ‘It’s helped boost my confidence.’ – Faith, A level student
One of the things we hear over (and over) again from parents and their kids is how our tutors help boost confidence. Getting that 1-1 tailored support with a tutor means your child can fill in any learning gaps. In lessons, they can go over difficult topics at their own pace. And their tutor encourages and helps them believe they can do it.
They’ll take more chances in the classroom. Teens are scared they’ll look ‘stupid’ in class if they give the wrong answer. With tuition, teens like Faith feel more confident, and raise their hands to take part in lessons. When they’re faced with a challenge, they’ll use the skills they picked up in tutoring to find solutions instead of shutting down. They know that they can work through the problem and that if they’re really stuck, they can always ask their tutor in the next lesson space session.
2. ‘My tutor knows how I feel and what I’m dealing with.’ – Adam, GCSE student
Because our tutors are students at top UK universities, they know what teens are going through. Being able to relate to his tutor Antonia helped Adam feel a lot more connected to his schoolwork. ‘No disrespect to the older teachers, but with Antonia being close in age, I felt more motivated, and I tried harder.’
Feeling understood can help motivate teens. The trust that builds between a teen and mentor tutor makes the lesson space a safe place to ask questions. With a tutor who understands (and remembers!) what it’s like to be a teenager, students feel much more relaxed and they can be honest about where they need that extra help. Plus, they’re experts at taking exams since they’re doing it themselves– a huge help!
3. ‘I worry less about the future.’ – Eve, school leaver
With tutoring, Eve was able to get an A in A-level Economics and her sister Faith turned her level 4 into an 8 in GCSE Biology. Options opened up for both sisters, and in fact Eve was offered a place at Exeter University and is enjoying her second year there! Faith is excited to apply for Physics at top universities around the world, with her eyes even set on a PhD.
Tutors can give teens something to aspire to. Our tutors can show teens what’s possible after school. A lot of students are inspired by their tutors’ successes. They think, ‘Maybe I can do this too.’ Because students are learning from someone who’s been through the same exams and UCAS process in the past few years, they’re in a great place to show them what’s possible. They can encourage them to reach further with their ambitions– as we’ve seen here with Faith and Eve.
4. ‘Tutoring helps them stay on top of their work.’ – Jeremy, a parent
It can be stressful for teens to revise for mocks, especially when it’s their first time. Work can start to pile up and it’s easy to fall behind. Tutors are experts with study hacks and can help your teen build healthy study habits. They can show them ways to make revision more fun and manageable (like our star Maths tutor Matt). Helping teens break their work into smaller, more digestible chunks, setting deadlines and checking off their revision to-do list, are just some examples of healthy study habits tutors can help teens practice.
Being organised can help your child feel their best. When your child isn’t faced with an avalanche of work because they’re feeling confident and organised, there’s less pressure on them– which makes for a happier family life. Jeremy Spencer noticed this change in his daughters. How they were both more bubbly and involved in family life since they began their tutoring journeys.
5. My son’s tutor understood his needs and helped him get unstuck.’ – Lola, a parent
Every child is unique. You’ll know better than anyone that your teen has likes and dislikes about everything– from films to music. The same goes for the way they learn. If like Lola’s son your teen is struggling in class, 1-1 support might be the answer. Our tutors plan their lessons to match the needs and interests of each student.
A tutor can help your teen tap into their strengths
When your teen is falling behind in class, they can easily feel like they’re “stupid”. But learning isn’t one-size-fits all. Our tutors go the extra mile to tailor lessons for each student. As an example, we’ve had a Maths tutor use football references when teaching her football-fan student about percentages. We’ve had an Economics tutor use TikTok to look at the laws of averages. Every child has the potential to learn– they just need someone to speak their language and meet them where they are.
6. ‘My daughters’ tutors encouraged a love of learning.’ – Vikki, parent
Exams are only a small part of learning. If your child builds a love of learning, it can help set them up for success in school– and beyond. The satisfaction of solvings a tricky Maths problem can change a teen’s relationship to learning, like it did for the Spencer children. Tutors can bring lessons to life by sharing interesting information with their students. Vikki told us how her daughters share their learning with the whole family, ‘They come out of their sessions with their tutor and they’re rattling off some Biology or Chemistry.’
More than achieving high grades, helping them find a love of learning is invaluable to parents like Vikki who want to set up their children for long term success.
Having a tutor can really be a life changing experience for teens and their families. When children aren’t afraid of challenges, they can approach learning with curiosity. It’s this flexible mindset that sets them up to become lifelong learners.
To find out if tutoring is right for your child, book a call with one of our Tutor Experts and they’ll help you find what you’re looking for.