After 20 years of teaching around the world, there is no doubt in my mind that when children have a higher level of confidence, they naturally accomplish more in the classroom. Confidence is the ‘feeling of self-assurance arising from an appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.’
The great thing about confidence is that if you develop confidence in one area, it is transferable to all other areas of your life. So, one of the best things we can do for our children is to get them a tutor to improve their confidence in one subject, thus improving their confidence overall.
If your child is struggling in the classroom, there are a multitude of reasons of course, but one could very simply be that they might be suffering from low confidence. Have you noticed a lack of confidence in your child? You might notice certain signs, for example if they are hesitating to answer questions in class, in case they give the wrong answer.
They might be worried about what other children will think if they answer a question incorrectly. Or maybe your child has a naturally introverted personality and it takes a little bit longer to build up confidence to really express their feelings or concerns at school. Or maybe they have been feeling a bit down lately, or they are feeling like a failure and they have stopped believing in themselves. A private tutor can help with this.
Here are a few ways that tutoring helps to boost your child’s confidence.
1. One-to-one private coaching is an improvement on classroom learning. In the classroom, one teacher has to cater to the needs of many students. However, with private tutoring, one tutor is assigned to one student and will be able to assess their individual needs. Students can also gain from one-to-one tutoring because it can take away the fear that may arise in a classroom situation.
Some students may feel this way in a classroom because of peer pressure. With tutoring, students can ask questions of their tutors without fear of being interrupted or teased by classmates. In turn, tutors will be able to gauge students’ problem areas and focus on these while teaching.
2. A tutor spending concentrated time with a student is going to have more opportunity to learn about the individual likes and dislikes of that student than a teacher in a classroom setting. By knowing this, they can create a rapport with the student and inspire them to progress with their studies and gain confidence in their skills. Students are more likely to be able to talk about their emotions with a tutor in a private setting than in a classroom and open up about their strengths and weaknesses in their studies.
The rapport between a tutor and a student, along with some positive encouragement, will likely increase a student’s confidence levels and self-esteem. Parents are, of course, a vital element to increasing a child’s self-esteem, however a tutor on the outside helps to push children out of their comfort zone, and in turn increases their confidence.
3. It was Richard Branson that said, “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” A tutor helps students learn from their mistakes, and it is failure that leads to success, which in turn boosts confidence.
Private tutors are more likely to be able to help students learn complex concepts than if they were being taught in a classroom setting, and this allows students to fail and try again in a supportive environment. The confidence gained from this trial and error gives students a better chance of improving from past mistakes and succeeding when it comes to exams.
4. An environment free from distractions is all-important when it comes to studying and learning new concepts. This can be difficult to achieve in a busy classroom setting with 30 other children and only one teacher to manage them all.
Alternatively, private tutors can manufacture a space to study that is free from all distractions, giving students the best chance to concentrate on their studies, understand difficult concepts and increase confidence in their skills.
5. The best indicator that a private tutor is worth the time and money is a student’s boost of confidence when they begin to see their ability to attempt new things in class improving after spending time with a tutor. When this happens, your child will feel that they have achieved something and that they are finally being heard, which will be a natural boost of confidence for them.
With higher grades comes a feeling of pride and better opportunities in their future. School should be a place where children develop the confidence to try and the resilience to fail, and the right tutor may well be able to assist with these essential skills.
In truth, all students can find some benefit from private tutoring, especially when it comes to a boost in their self-confidence. For a student struggling in school or finding it hard to really flourish, self-confidence is the key to unlocking the potential within them to excel socially, emotionally and academically.
The secret is finding the right tutor to unlock this potential.
