Exams are right around the corner, and your teen might be feeling the pressure. So if you’re worried about them, you’re not alone. Lots of worried parents have reached out to our tutors for support.
The good news is–there’s light at the end of the tunnel! This was the case for 5 families who shared their teen’s success stories with us. Here, you can find out how tuition helped these teens build confidence, boost their grades –and reach their potential.
- ‘He feels confident and clever–like he can achieve anything.’- Lucy, Seb’s mum
- ‘He got the highest mark in his year, when it had been his weakest subject.- Lola, mum of two
- ‘With tutoring, she’s learned how to learn.’– Stacey, Casey’s mum
- ‘It’s not just tutoring, it’s mentoring. Something they can aspire to.’ – Karina, Hannah’s mum
- ‘Tutoring has encouraged their love of learning.’-Vikki and Jeremy, parents of two
‘He feels confident and clever–like he can achieve anything.’– Lucy, Seb’s mum
It’s completely normal for your teen to lose a bit of confidence if they’ve got gaps in their learning. This was the case for Seb who’s in Year 5. But in his 1-1 tutoring lessons with Jake, he asked questions he was too shy to ask in class and got up to speed in Spelling and Maths. He learned at his own pace, with his tutor encouraging him every step of the way. And now, his mum Lucy says that he’s like a different child. ‘He’s been empowered and he feels kind of invincible.’
‘He got the highest mark in his year, when it had been his weakest subject.’ – Lola, mum of two
Of course there’s more to learning than just grades. But grades are important if your teen’s set on getting into competitive courses at their top uni choices. Mum Lola tells us about the huge turnaround in grades for her sons Jimi and Johnny. ‘Without his tutor Emma, Jimmi would not have got an 8– there’s no two ways about it.’ And Johnny finished with top grades in his year–in his weakest subject too. ‘I’m not sure he would have even passed Physics without his tutor’s input and help,’ Lola says.
Whether it’s turning a D into a C, or a B to an A– our tutors help their students get their best grade. MyTutor students, like Jimi and Johnny, improve on average by a whole grade in 12 1-1 lessons.
‘With tutoring, she’s learned how to learn.’- Stacey, Casey’s mum
Our tutors are university students themselves so they know how to revise, what it’s like to sit exams–and what it takes to get top marks. Mum Stacey says education shouldn’t just be about learning the subject information. It should be about learning study skills too. ‘Before tutoring, Casey didn’t really know how to revise. But with her tutor, she knows how to answer questions to get the most marks.’ Knowing how to learn is a skill that’s a huge help in school–and certainly after.
‘It’s not just tutoring, it’s mentoring. Something they can aspire to.’ – Karina, Hannah’s mum
The small age gap makes it easier for students to relate to their tutors–in a way that would be tough with a teacher. Teens can be themselves with their tutors. Karina says, ‘When you’re being mentored by someone who’s close to your age, they become your role models.’ And teens can see what’s possible for them, if they keep at it. It’s not at all unusual for teens to ask their tutors about their degrees, and how they got into their uni. Like in Hannah’s case, the relationship with a mentor tutor can make them aim higher.
‘Tutoring has encouraged their love of learning.’-Vikki & Jeremy, parents of two
Vikki and Jeremy’s daughters Faith and Eve both raised their grades in subjects they were struggling with. And at the same time, they developed a love of learning. ‘They’d come out of their sessions with their tutors, rattling off some Biology or Chemistry,’ Vikki says. For her family, learning isn’t just about getting top grades on exams. Learning is about inspiring curiosity. An added bonus is that the girls’ excitement and love of learning changed the way they talked and shared as a family. It brought them closer together, and they had lots to chat about over dinner. We’re so happy to say that both Eve got into her top uni choice, and Faith got 9s in her Science GCSEs–congrats girls!
It’s amazing to see the difference tutoring can make in the lives of teens and their families. What’s clear is that they always had the potential in them, and just needed that extra bit of support to help them shine. And with exams just a few weeks away, a tutor can coach your child through their nerves, help them with exam technique and fix any problem areas they struggle with.
For more on how tutoring can help your teen boost their grades and confidence, have a read.