Tutoring gifted and talented students

 Tutoring gifted and talented students

Tutoring is often associated with students struggling to keep up with the curriculum.

But what about those exceptional, bright minds at the top of the class?

Parents also seek tutoring for gifted and talented students in a bid to open their minds to academic abilities and opportunities.

Tutoring can assist gifted and talented students to reach further than the classroom lesson plans at their school and stimulate their inquisitive minds to tackle more challenging aspects of the curriculum.

Sydney mathematics tutor Richard Stevens says it’s important to give gifted and talented students the opportunity to extend themselves sideways – not upwards – in the curriculum.

“For me, in mathematics, that’s exploring numbers and getting a better understanding and a deeper and richer understanding of how numbers work and some of the things you can do with numbers,” he says.

“The benefits are that they get to study some mathematics at a much deeper level.”

With 47 years of teaching under his belt, Mr Stevens is a private tutor who also provides voluntary maths education to gifted and talented students at a Sydney school as part of its gifted and talented program.

Mr Stevens says he recently worked with Year 5 students, extending their knowledge of numbers, through exploring triangle numbers.

“We were getting the students to try and identify the pattern that makes triangle numbers – so what is the pattern, and then we looked at getting them to explore how would you arrive at a particular one along the way.

“I got them to explore a quicker way of doing that and they discovered how you can do it.

“They discovered to get the 10th triangle number you multiply 10 by 11 and halve your answer and they worked that out – I didn’t show them.

“We were building on basic mathematical skills as well as deepening knowledge,” he adds.

“They understand numbers and how they work a lot better, and along the way they pick up really useful skills in the basic operations.”

Sydney tutor Farah Ghazale says students may be academically gifted across several areas but excel in one, main area – often the subject they’re most interested in or passionate about.

“I had a student who was excellent in English but was a genius in Maths. His mind was like a calculator,” she says.

“He was able to solve really hard mental maths operations and problems in just a few seconds – he was only seven years old.”

Tutoring can also assist any bright students who are being overlooked, because they don’t require as much help from the teacher.

Ms Ghazale, who has taught gifted and talented students and also provides tutoring through her business Miss Farah, says tutoring can help students who are not receiving encouragement and support from their school or family.

“The tutor will challenge the gifted student and help him/her work on other areas like listening, sitting still, handwriting, etc,” she says.

“Sometimes the student is too focused on one subject that he/she neglects others and that’s when a tutor is required unless followed up by parents or teachers.

“Tutors can also provide enrichment activities to help the student develop their passion.”

Mr Stevens says parents can explore if their child is academically bright through gifted educational providers such as GERRIC, located at the University of New South Wales.

“Unfortunately today most parents think their children are really special and a cut above just about everybody else,” he says.

“But I would encourage parents to really explore if their child is gifted and talented, and in what area, and to just support their children and give them opportunities to explore that skill further.”

 

PRIVATE TUTORING

 

All children learn differently and working directly with a teacher who understands your child’s learning style is essential.  Gifted University will work closely with your family and child to identify the right teacher for your child.  Parents may incorporate private tutoring into your child’s customized after school program or meet with your child’s tutor as needed based on the family’s schedule.  Now families can avoid waiting on a table at the library or trying to fit in meeting a tutor at home amidst the rest of the family’s schedule.

Prices vary depending on subject and tutor. Monday- Friday