No miracles: fix the past first
A recurring warning that tutoring is slow, steady work: going back to earlier grades to repair foundations, attending regularly, and the child doing the work. It is mainly voiced by the guests, with the host echoing it as a parent's reality check.
How it developed: Moves from a blunt warning against expecting fast results to a reasoned plan balancing past gaps with current work, and finally to a cost argument where the child's effort matters more than money.
The thread's title and description are AI-written, drawn from the episodes below. The quotations are verbatim from the episode audio, each linked to the moment it was said.
What was said
“So one thing we don't do is we don't sell miracles.”
“So if they are currently in grade ten, sometimes we have to go and fix grade six or grade seven work, get the foundations right, and build up from that.”
“However, automatically when you go and fix the foundations, the current work will start improving.”
“there is always a long-term goal and a short-term goal, and we're really working at the long-term remediation of the child so that he no longer needs to come back for extra lessons.”
Episodes in this thread
- #00 Where to begin? - Stay calm, we've got this! 6 February 2022
- #01 How do I choose a Tutor? - Assessments 6 February 2022
- #03 Focus on the Individual - Building confidence 6 February 2022
- #09 Fees - What will it cost to help my child? 6 February 2022
All topics and episodes of Understanding Extra Lessons with Kip McGrath