I don't feel like I am learning anything from my English tutoring... (1 Viewer)

[Maybe2004]

Hello,

Halfway through this year I decided to get English tutoring because my marks were not going higher than a B (at a non selective school) for English Advanced. After more than 10 weeks of tutoring, I have noticed that I haven't actually improved in English. My tutor reads my drafts and completely changes them to "better essays" which I submit to the teacher and most of the time, I can't even tell what I was arguing for anymore. However, my school teacher is now very proud of me as my English as improved significantly (and I feel upset because I didn't even do much to become better). Also, my parents are very worried about my ATAR and my performance in English. They don't feel that it's a big deal that the work I am submitting is not really my own but I feel the need to actually improve and get marks deserving of my talent. I also know that nearly everyone in my grade gets their essays polished by their tutor but should I really be continuing this cycle of submitting work that I don't even understand myself just for high marks and the satisfaction of my parents? Also if I talk about leaving the tutoring service, my parents most probably will not let me because they don't care about whether I learn, they only want to see high ranks and grades. What should I do??

 

[idkkdi]

Hello,

Halfway through this year I decided to get English tutoring because my marks were not going higher than a B (at a non selective school) for English Advanced. After more than 10 weeks of tutoring, I have noticed that I haven't actually improved in English. My tutor reads my drafts and completely changes them to "better essays" which I submit to the teacher and most of the time, I can't even tell what I was arguing for anymore. However, my school teacher is now very proud of me as my English as improved significantly (and I feel upset because I didn't even do much to become better). Also, my parents are very worried about my ATAR and my performance in English. They don't feel that it's a big deal that the work I am submitting is not really my own but I feel the need to actually improve and get marks deserving of my talent. I also know that nearly everyone in my grade gets their essays polished by their tutor but should I really be continuing this cycle of submitting work that I don't even understand myself just for high marks and the satisfaction of my parents? Also if I talk about leaving the tutoring service, my parents most probably will not let me because they don't care about whether I learn, they only want to see high ranks and grades. What should I do??

the best compromise is getting a new tutor if ur not learning anything and still need high grades while needing to learn how to make a good essay imo.

 

[Maybe2004]

the best compromise is getting a new tutor if ur not learning anything and still need high grades while needing to learn how to make a good essay imo.

This does seem like a valid idea, however, my parents are fed up with me constantly changing tutoring centres, they think something is wrong with me and not the services other people provide (I'm starting to think so too). Is there a way that I can keep my tutor but manage to learn how to write good essay so that the tutor at least doesn't change every sentence?

 

[5uckerberg]

Hello,

Halfway through this year I decided to get English tutoring because my marks were not going higher than a B (at a non selective school) for English Advanced. After more than 10 weeks of tutoring, I have noticed that I haven't actually improved in English. My tutor reads my drafts and completely changes them to "better essays" which I submit to the teacher and most of the time, I can't even tell what I was arguing for anymore. However, my school teacher is now very proud of me as my English as improved significantly (and I feel upset because I didn't even do much to become better). Also, my parents are very worried about my ATAR and my performance in English. They don't feel that it's a big deal that the work I am submitting is not really my own but I feel the need to actually improve and get marks deserving of my talent. I also know that nearly everyone in my grade gets their essays polished by their tutor but should I really be continuing this cycle of submitting work that I don't even understand myself just for high marks and the satisfaction of my parents? Also if I talk about leaving the tutoring service, my parents most probably will not let me because they don't care about whether I learn, they only want to see high ranks and grades. What should I do??

If you are getting B on your essay then it seems to me you know what is happening in an essay. Really speak up about what you want in it. Don’t be like Taylor Swift pre rewritten songs and let your tutor know what you want in an essay.

 

[O01x]

Ask your tutor what they changed in the essay and why they changed it? You'll learn more because then you know the mistakes you make when writing your own essay and patch up with the new stuff you learnt from the drafts they return back to you.

 

[Maybe2004]

Okay this makes it a lot more clearer thank you! Overall I'll just ask the tutor why she changed what she did. If I don't like it after that, I'll speak up and to make sure that I speak up about things that are actually wrong with my essays, I'll spend the holidays properly learning everything about essays.

 

[icycledough]

Hello,

Halfway through this year I decided to get English tutoring because my marks were not going higher than a B (at a non selective school) for English Advanced. After more than 10 weeks of tutoring, I have noticed that I haven't actually improved in English. My tutor reads my drafts and completely changes them to "better essays" which I submit to the teacher and most of the time, I can't even tell what I was arguing for anymore. However, my school teacher is now very proud of me as my English as improved significantly (and I feel upset because I didn't even do much to become better). Also, my parents are very worried about my ATAR and my performance in English. They don't feel that it's a big deal that the work I am submitting is not really my own but I feel the need to actually improve and get marks deserving of my talent. I also know that nearly everyone in my grade gets their essays polished by their tutor but should I really be continuing this cycle of submitting work that I don't even understand myself just for high marks and the satisfaction of my parents? Also if I talk about leaving the tutoring service, my parents most probably will not let me because they don't care about whether I learn, they only want to see high ranks and grades. What should I do??

What you may want to do, instead of changing tutors (which may be inconvenient for yourself and your parents), can be to strictly tell the tutors what you want from them. They should be teaching to your standards and exactly what you want, not the other way around. If they are taking too much control over your essays, tell them that you appreciate their feedback, but that it would be better for you if they could walk through the changes they are making, so you can also understand their point of view.

 

[nourished.]

Hello,

Halfway through this year I decided to get English tutoring because my marks were not going higher than a B (at a non selective school) for English Advanced. After more than 10 weeks of tutoring, I have noticed that I haven't actually improved in English. My tutor reads my drafts and completely changes them to "better essays" which I submit to the teacher and most of the time, I can't even tell what I was arguing for anymore. However, my school teacher is now very proud of me as my English as improved significantly (and I feel upset because I didn't even do much to become better). Also, my parents are very worried about my ATAR and my performance in English. They don't feel that it's a big deal that the work I am submitting is not really my own but I feel the need to actually improve and get marks deserving of my talent. I also know that nearly everyone in my grade gets their essays polished by their tutor but should I really be continuing this cycle of submitting work that I don't even understand myself just for high marks and the satisfaction of my parents? Also if I talk about leaving the tutoring service, my parents most probably will not let me because they don't care about whether I learn, they only want to see high ranks and grades. What should I do??

The good news is, your marks are improving, and there's something your tutor is definitely doing that's helping you do that. See if you can get your tutor to deconstruct their analyses and why they chose certain ideas over others.

Here's what I've found, I really don't think you need to fully understand everything about your text. Knowing the gist of your texts, and what the techniques you've chosen do is good enough to be able to let you adapt the essay in an exam.