CNY Musings.

Happy CNY to one and all (it's still CNY, albeit the last day) I hope that amidst the gloom and uncertainty of this economic recession that we have managed to find some bit of festive cheer this year.

For students, I hope that a sufficient quantity of hongbaos have come your way. We've already come to the end of the 5th week of the academic year (the 1st week for JC1 students) and by this time, you should already be settled comfortably into your classes and have a sense of familiarity about your curriculum. If you are having difficulties with your subjects, the first person you should ask is your subject teacher. However, if you feel that he/she does not have enough time or is unable to provide comprehensible instruction, only then should you take the next step and consider tuition. However, if your parents have already made tuition arrangements for you, then consider yourself lucky that you have another channel of instruction to learn from.

For parents, if your are considering tuition for your children, you should keep in mind that tuitions are meant as a compliment to lessons taught in schools and not as a replacement for them. Also, tuitions should not add to, but rather reduce the stress on a student by making him/her feel more comfortable and confident about his/her subjects. That said, having more tuition does not necessarily guarantee the academic success of a student. I have seen students who have performed dismally in spite of having 1 tutor per subject. Rather, it is the motivation of the student to take charge of his/her learning, that is the best driver for academic success.
This is a factor that I notice is not understood by some academics. One may be brilliant in his studies, but may fall short when it comes to passing his knowledge on to others. If a tutor is needed, parents should not just simply look for one with the best qualifications, but rather, one who can motivate and push his/her students to their potential. This is the essence of motivation in tuitions, and the topic will be discussed in my next posting.