MagiKats Blog
Tips and advice for parents
"My child just doesn't want to do school work with me!"
If I had a penny........ Seriously, this is mentioned in most (if not all) the enquiries I get for MagiKats. So, if you think it makes you abnormal, think again!
Coping with the stress of a new school
I’ve been so proud this week to see the new school uniforms on some of my students; to see them growing up. Some are beaming but most look tired!
Is tutoring your child for entrance exams “abhorrent”? One private school head thinks so!
A recent article in The Telegraph led with the headline, “Private tutoring is abhorrent says private school head.” (read it here) The position taken by the piece was that if a child needs tutoring to get into a school, then the school is probably not for them. I agree – to a point.
How old were you when you started school? We debate the school entry age.
How old were you when you started school? I was five, having had my birthday in August. Back then nobody really went to school any earlier so I was very much the youngest in my class.
Tuition for your child - who to choose?
Are you one of those parents who, without realising it, has been quietly mulling over the comments made either in your child’s report at the end of last term or at the parent teacher meetings you recently attended?
What are the maths and English changes in the UK National Curriculum?
There have been lots of headlines created by the press about the forthcoming changes to the UK National Curriculum – but how does the average parent find out the facts?
Just admit it - you do want the best for your child!
And what is wrong with that? I actually want even more! I want the best for every child – which is much harder to achieve. “I'm not a pushy parent.” That statement followed by ‘but’ forms part of almost every conversation that I have with a parent who gets in touch with a view to bringing along their child to see me about a boost in their maths or English.
Forward into summer - and backwards with learning
It’s like one of those GCSE maths questions that attract publicity for their complexity.
Tutoring - is it the answer?
A headline caught my attention! It said: “Ignore the fads: teachers should teach and students should listen.”
The culture of coaching
I've just read an excellent article by Alice Pung in today's Weekend Australian and The Monthly magazine. My favourite quote from that article is this one: "Even private schools are beginning to acknowledge a coached student may not necessarily have the type of rounded, inquisitive mind that they are after.