Kumon tutoring? Please help me!

[Princess Nancy]

My DD11 has some learning disabilities. She is on an IEP at school. We have always done hours of HW.

This year in 5th Grade, the math is just getting too hard for me to explain. Probably because I can do it, but can't teach it. I cannot even begin to understand this everyday Math stuff.

I have in the past taught her a traditional method only to have her home the next day with the paper to do over "the correct way".

So this year her resource teacher was tutoring her on Mondays after school. Some crazies on the school board complained that the teachers cannot tutor anymore at school.

So I am looking at some other options.

There is a local Kumon center. Can you tell me about your experiences? There is a Huntington but it is much father away. 20 minutes vs 5.
Can you tell me about cost and what I can expect?

Thanks sooo much.

 

[finz2left]

My DD11 has some learning disabilities. She is on an IEP at school. We have always done hours of HW.

This year in 5th Grade, the math is just getting too hard for me to explain. Probably because I can do it, but can't teach it. I cannot even begin to understand this everyday Math stuff.

I have in the past taught her a traditional method only to have her home the next day with the paper to do over "the correct way".

So this year her resource teacher was tutoring her on Mondays after school. Some crazies on the school board complained that the teachers cannot tutor anymore at school.

So I am looking at some other options.

There is a local Kumon center. Can you tell me about your experiences? There is a Huntington but it is much father away. 20 minutes vs 5.
Can you tell me about cost and what I can expect?

Thanks sooo much.

To be honest, I have found them overpriced. It isn't a lot of tutoring, but a lot of WORKSHEETS.

Do you have any college students, even honor society high school students in your area? Ask around for recommendations. Teachers might now of local tutors.

Kumon generally uses local college students and they get $8 to $12.00 an hour while you are paying $30.00 an hour or so-- when you look at time spent with a person -- not just with a cubby and pencils on worksheets....maybe even more....DH said more like $50.00; tuition was $150.00 a month and DD saw a tutor less than 10 mins a session.

 

[Fyrefly]

I don't know anything about tutoring centers, but if she has an IEP shouldn't that mean she should be getting the extra help she needs through the school? Regardless of what the "crazies" say, an IEP is an IEP.

Perhaps you should talk to the school personnel and see about getting the IEP reevaluated or see what can be done there?

If it turns out that doesn't work out, I hope someone else with experience can help. Kudos to you for getting DD the help she needs and deserves. I have a cousin with Aspergers and his mom refuses to acknowledge it so he's never gotten an IEP or therepy. He's getting worse every year. So when I see somebody doing the right thing it gives me warm fuzzies.

 

[akcire]

My cousin is a reading recovery specialist for primary grades. Basically that means she is an elementary teacher with a Phd. and lots of specialized training (can you tell I am not a teacher). Her regular job is with a school district (where she is very well compensated), but she often took after-school jobs at the tutoring places.

She ALWAYS complained about other tutors. She finally stopped working for these companies--when she realized how much families were paying; and how much the companies were profiting on her. She was being paid $8-12 an hour (she didn't care--her husband didn't get home from work until 7pm) and the families were spending a crazy amount.

Now she tutors a couple afternoons a week at the local library. She still get's paid the same, it's just that instead of a family paying $30-40 a half hour, they are paying $5.

OP--I would look for a teacher in your area willing to tutor at the library or in a home setting. Even if you have to pay $15-20, it will be much less than dealing with a company, and you should be able to get personalized help for your daughter.

 

[B714210]

An elementary teacher chiming in here. Have taught every elem grade except 1, and currently teach 4/5 with some students whose parents are paying $$ for Kumon. I teach in a very academically competitive school, where parents send their children to Saturday school to learn Chinese, send them to Kumon, hire private tutors, etc. Kumon is a fine program for kids who want repetition on basics, and moves them sequentially when they "pass" a level. It is NOT traditional tutoring, where they help students with math homework so I think you would continue to get work home with "do the work correctly" comments.

My children's school did Everyday Math, and even as a teacher I had trouble figuring some of the things out. Turnaround facts? I had never heard that before or since.

Anyway, I second the poster who suggested getting a HS or College student to tutor. Much more personalized and flexible. Did the school board say teachers couldn't tutor at all, or they couldn't tutor at school? We have several teachers in our building who tutor on their own time at their homes, students homes, library, Panera, etc.

Personally I would not pay $ to a corporate tutor. Sylvan is bankrupt, and I'm not sure how other places are making it in this economy, either.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

[angwill]

Everyday Math sucks. I too have a child who had such a hard time with the everyday math. They started with touch math and changed the kids over to everyday math in
2nd grade. I would pay a private tutor as well.

I would also explain your situation to the school special needs coordinator and request they send you directions on how to do the everyday math so you can help you daughter. This is what I did and had to teach myself in order to teach my son.

When my DS went on to middle school I was told that the middle school math teachers were never trained in and didn't understand the everyday math method so if he needed help there he would not be helped with that method. Over the summer between 5th and 6th I taught my son the old way that I learned. He understood that method right away and then just practiced it all summer and was ready for 6th grade and would get help he understood if he needed it. Sadly, our school system really dropped the ball when it comes to Math and have been on the no child left behind list for math for years. You might want to question what method they will be using in 6th grade because I am pretty sure they will tell you that it will be up to your daughter to use the method she finds easiest then. Maybe just giving her help in the one method she finds the easiest will help her finally understand math.

Good luck in getting your daughter the help she needs and deserves.

 

[2girlsR2good]

Do you have a college nearby with an education program? I used to tutor, and I started when I was in graduate school. I actually paid the university for the opportunity to tutor students behind a mirror for class credit That only cost the parents about $10 a session--they had to commit for the year. The grad students would tutor the kids, then we would gather together with our professor and watch the videos and critique each other and analyze what the kids were doing to try to understand them better. The kids made a lot of growth (that was reading tutoring).

I also tutored on the side in reading and math for grades 1-7. When I was in grad school I didn't charge much, maybe $25/hour. Once I had my masters, I charged a lot more, but not for existing clients.

Good luck. Everyday math is a good program, but it is a little funky. It pays off in HS when students actually understand the concepts instead of just knowing how to solve a problem. The kids in EM do well in advanced math classes.

A thought--Is the teacher sending home the parent letters to you? You are supposed to get one of those for every unit showing you how to help your child. If you aren't getting them, check here: http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/family_letters/

Good luck! Your willingness to help your daughter is much more valuable than a canned tutoring program.

 

[disneyqueen500]

I have a son on an IEP in 6th grade. The school also uses Everyday Math. Some of the calculations can be confusing with the different methods used in the book. I had written into my son's IEP that all calculations for addition, subtraction ect.. would be done the traditional way. I also have an extra copy of the math book at home to help me help him with homework when it gets too challenging. The everyday math program does teach different approaches but children should use the method they feel comfortable with. I would speak to your daughter's resource room instructor or special education liasion about incorporating this change to the IEP. It has worked out for us over the years.

 

[Princess Nancy]

An elementary teacher chiming in here. Have taught every elem grade except 1, and currently teach 4/5 with some students whose parents are paying $$ for Kumon. I teach in a very academically competitive school, where parents send their children to Saturday school to learn Chinese, send them to Kumon, hire private tutors, etc. Kumon is a fine program for kids who want repetition on basics, and moves them sequentially when they "pass" a level. It is NOT traditional tutoring, where they help students with math homework so I think you would continue to get work home with "do the work correctly" comments.

My children's school did Everyday Math, and even as a teacher I had trouble figuring some of the things out. Turnaround facts? I had never heard that before or since.

Anyway, I second the poster who suggested getting a HS or College student to tutor. Much more personalized and flexible. Did the school board say teachers couldn't tutor at all, or they couldn't tutor at school? We have several teachers in our building who tutor on their own time at their homes, students homes, library, Panera, etc.

Personally I would not pay $ to a corporate tutor. Sylvan is bankrupt, and I'm not sure how other places are making it in this economy, either.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

Thank you for your suggestions. The school board said no tutoring at school. I asked her teacher to come here or meet somewhere. She is tutoring at the Library, but they also told them they cannot tutor their own students!?!? The school board decision is recent and is actually under alot of scrutiny right now so we are hoping for changes, in the meantime, I have to do something for my kid.
I will definitely call the Jr High and ask about 6th Grade Math.

Do you have a college nearby with an education program? I used to tutor, and I started when I was in graduate school. I actually paid the university for the opportunity to tutor students behind a mirror for class credit That only cost the parents about $10 a session--they had to commit for the year. The grad students would tutor the kids, then we would gather together with our professor and watch the videos and critique each other and analyze what the kids were doing to try to understand them better. The kids made a lot of growth (that was reading tutoring).

I also tutored on the side in reading and math for grades 1-7. When I was in grad school I didn't charge much, maybe $25/hour. Once I had my masters, I charged a lot more, but not for existing clients.

Good luck. Everyday math is a good program, but it is a little funky. It pays off in HS when students actually understand the concepts instead of just knowing how to solve a problem. The kids in EM do well in advanced math classes.

A thought--Is the teacher sending home the parent letters to you? You are supposed to get one of those for every unit showing you how to help your child. If you aren't getting them, check here: http://everydaymath.uchicago.edu/parents/family_letters/

Good luck! Your willingness to help your daughter is much more valuable than a canned tutoring program.

Thanks for all of your Fabulous suggestions. I am going to call the local UNIV.

No I do not get the letter. I will definitely check out that website!! Thanks!

Finally, I am thinking about calling my Principal and asking if I can start a tutoring database and help Tutors and Kids match up. I am disgusted at how difficult it is to find this info. Wouldn't you think there are plenty of people nearby who understand this stuff and would love to make a buck teaching my kid? Sheesh!

 

[quentina]

I had some friends who had amazing luck so, I took my daughter (she also has learning disabilities). Anyway, they never taught her anything. She wa given worksheets and they timed them. All the work was for the parents (worksheets, listening to cds etc).

I did not find it worth the money at all....I switched to a local tutor for 35$ an hour that the school recommended. One on one, full attention, much better.

 

[clh2]

My sister found a tutor for her son (also with an IEP) through Craigslist. The tutor was a college student, majoring in education. The tutor was really a male role model, as he was also interested in sports - but college was his "back-up" plan. The tutor was very reasonable, $10 or $15 per hour, and came to the house.

Downside...the tutor graduated and got a "real" job, and was unable to continue tutoring.

We had a private tutor for DD, specific for her ACT test. Wasn't cheap, but wasn't too expensive (from what i've heard some programs charge). Worth every penny IMHO -as DD had a HUGE increase in her score form the 1st to 2nd time she took the test. We got this tutor's name through word of mouth.

To the OP - are there any SAHM's or SAHD's that have a teaching background? Some of them do tutoring too as a way sto supplement the family income.

I think you will have better luck with a private tutor, than a program. JMHO.

 

[princessCKL]

It's been my experience that it is standard procedure that a teacher cannot tutor for pay in the school where he/she is employed as a teacher and that a teacher cannot tutor his/her own current students for pay. It is considered a possible conflict of interest. I have been a teacher in public schools for over 30 years and have taught in two states. Teachers can and often do volunteer to tutor their own students and that is fine even on school property as long as the teacher is not being paid to tutor.

Often retired teachers will tutor. The parent coordinator or guidance counselor at your child's school may have a list of tutors.

 

[fac]

My child also has an IEP, I went through similar process.
Bottom line is that when a child has a disability, it may or may not be benefical to hire a college student as tutor.

It has been discussed in this thread. You may want to take a look.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2556115

 

[MinnieForMe]

I have a child with a similar history except he's in 7th. Kumon is individual study. You will just be adding to your childs workload. They teach by sending worksheets home every day. So it is repetition of facts until you know them instantly. It does work but I don't think it's what your child needs.

Do you have a relationship with a past years teacher? My son is getting tutored by his 6th grade math teacher and it's made a huge difference. Does your school offer a free homework club? How about a high school student who wants to teach someday?

I would first sit down with your special ed coordinator and brainstorm.