As more home-schooled students prepare for coveted places at prestigious universities than ever before, Tutors International offers advice for parents struggling to balance work and life commitments with the needs of gifted children.
The number of child geniuses enrolling at elite universities is growing rapidly, and a common factor amongst them is that many are coming from a home-schooling background. This year, Cornell University will take in its youngest student on record, at age 12 [1].
A large number of these children, as young as 10 years old, have been exclusively educated at home by their parents, some of whom willingly sacrificed thriving careers to fully dedicate their time to their gifted child’s education. However, this scenario is not achievable for all families, and educational consultant, Adam Caller, who founded Tutors International in 1999, offers a solution:
“Exceptional, academically gifted children can be born into all kinds of families, in all kinds of situations and circumstances. It can be easy for parents to feel like they’ve failed their child by being unable to drop their work, life, or travel commitments to properly nurture the child’s educational needs. Tutors International has repeatedly seen gifted children thriving with the attention of an exceptional private tutor, in all manner of circumstances, with many going on to gain coveted places at some of the world’s top educational institutions.”
Gifted children are often not fulfilled or enriched in a traditional classroom environment because they learn at an elevated pace, or do not have the same needs or learning challenges as other students. It can be easy for a child to under-perform, lose interest, or withdraw completely if the education they are receiving does not challenge them as an individual or speak to their specific interests and talents.
Mr Caller adds: “Children like this, who do not feel their needs are being met in the classroom, are perfect candidates for individual private tutoring. A well-matched private tutor has the ability to tailor curriculum and teaching styles in order to bring out the very best in their student. They are also able to fit in seamlessly with the schedule of the family. Some of our tutors travel all year round with their students to accommodate their parents’ work schedules, and have still seen fantastic results because they have used this unique learning environment to the advantage of their student.”
For Tutors International, the matching process between client and tutor is crucial to the success of the placement, and Mr Caller prides his firm on its extensive due diligence in order to understand the specific needs of both children and their families and place them with a tutor that ticks every box.
To find out more about the services offered by Tutors International, visit tutors-international.com. Tutors can browse the latest vacancies and submit an application by visiting tutors-international.net.
References:
[1] What all those whiz kids getting into elite colleges at the age of 12 have in common. https://qz.com/756153/what-all-those-whiz-kids-getting-into-elite-colleges-at-the-age-of-12-have-in-common/ Amy X. Wang. Quartz. August 11th 2016
