An Open Letter to Parents

It is normal for parents to want their child to do well at school. Each parent will have their own definition of the term ‘well’.   Whilst some parents expect their child to excel, others just hope that their child does not suffer the frustration and the lack of self-esteem that they experienced at school. Many parents and students find coaching is a method of assuring that their best expectations are met.

However, how do you, as a parent, assess a coaching organisation or a tutor.

Firstly, you should look for someone who has been registered with the Australian Tutoring Association (ATA). Also, that person or organisation should have a plan for your child.

Secondly, you need to consider whether tuition or professional coaching is best for your child.

Do you think a private tutor, perhaps a known teacher who has already worked all day in a subject area at school is best?

Where do you do this tuition, in your home or theirs with the accompanying daily noises and distractions? There are obvious ethical and moral dangers here as well as a whole host of insurance issues that could leave both parties vulnerable. Again, many parents do this, with greatly varied results.

What about the well known coaching centres? Some organisations subscribe to the cram method of more is better, and this does bring the right result most times, particularly early in the coaching. However, most educators and psychologists agree that cramming leads to an unbalanced childhood.

At Master Coaching we find that we can achieve outstanding results with as little as one hour per week in coaching using experienced specially trained staff. Also our coaching centres are purpose-built to maximise the learning environment. Further, we have found that coaching in one subject, such as mathematics, will lead to improvements in all the students other subject due to our expertly designed programs and specialised coaching sessions.

How can we do this?

Our very experienced coaches, over many years of teaching, have learnt what educational researchers are now starting to confirm: That a child’s level of achievement is generally linked to their own subconscious evaluation of themselves. Raise a child’s level of expectation and their performance level will improve dramatically in every direction.

For this reason, Master Coaching is much more than a coaching centre.

Motivation is very much a part of the strategy used in our tuition. We have created this letter to inform you, as a parent, as to our general approach and to encourage you to interact with us if you feel that we are not reaching our stated commitments. We do not make wild guarantees of success by our coaching systems, but we do promise that we will follow the guideposts to success outlined below. Your feedback at every stage is always welcomed and appreciated. Parents know when things are not going well with their child, but by using the Master Coaching systems you can be confident that your child will not only have the skills taught expertly but the motivation, attitude, and confidence will be used in every session to maximise how well your child is achieving.

Guide Posts to success.

The aim at Master Coaching is to help students to achieve to their maximum potential in their schooling. However, while this is a stated aim we are realistic enough to appreciate the many factors involved in pursuing this goal – some of these factors are beyond our control and fall within the sphere of the family and the child’s own personal ambitions. Some of the more important guide-posts to success are:

1 Self Image.

Any child will only achieve the results that he or she realistically expects.

Parents should take advantage of every opportunity to raise a child’s level of expectation. Genuine praise and encouragement given liberally by a parent can often work miracles whilst sarcasm and/or negative comments can destroy a child’s confidence and ruin many hours of study and application no matter what the level of expertise the child is working at.

Master Coaching is always mindful of the importance of self-image and actively promotes this at coaching.

2 Goals and Objectives.

Children should aim for excellence in all their endeavours and to be continually moving towards the achievement of this goal. In pursuit of this ultimate goal many other more attainable goals can be set and reached in the process. (eg “achieving in the top half of the class,” or ” being promoted to the class above, “etc).

3 Homework

Homework is an important part of learning – often the ideas and concepts explained at school or at coaching are only fully mastered and understood by children later. Recall of work done previously is central to true learning. Every child should do some homework regularly.

All students enrolled at Master Coaching have the opportunity to take homework each week to reinforce the coaching lesson. In mathematics the homework takes the form of revision assignments which are marked and help to provide valuable information you, as a parent, will receive on your child’s Report Card.

4 Study Habits, Routines and Setting

It is important that children develop a good work-study, recreational routine, which allows them to make the best use of their available time.

Often much valuable study time is lost because students cannot organise their study notes or their study habits.

Neatness and correct setting out procedures are especially important in mathematics (and very important in every other subject as well). A child’s workbook is their study book and should be developed as such. Your child will remember and organise what they have learnt through one of , or a combination of , these three learning styles. There is the reader, about 60% of the population, who learn primarily through reading information. However, 40% of people, and your child may be in this large group, who cannot learn and retain information through reading. Most are auditory (hearing) learners, who need to hear the information. Have you noticed your child reading or mumbling when reading orally. Perhaps they need to be encouraged and learn auditory learning techniques. There is also the kinaesthetic learner who needs to manipulate the information in order to remember and learn.   Master Coaching sessions involve all three methods of learning so that your child will experience the learning style(s) which will best help retention of information and learning. Many of our centres will conduct specialised study techniques courses to maximise exam results.

Television, radio or loud music are unwelcome distracters when studying. (Soft background music may actually help if it doesn’t intrude into the conscious state). Television or loud music can render study time to less than 20% efficiency. Other tips your child will learn are things like, people who cross their feet in examinations can make up to 20% more errors! Our coaching sessions not only deliver the learning, but how to maximise this learning to achieve their goals- like better marks in assessments and exams.

The guide-posts discussed above are the main criteria that lead to successful schooling. However, each child is different and quite often individuals have problems requiring unique and personal solutions. If you, as a parent, or your child, require individual counselling or advice then this can also be arranged. Please feel free to get in contact to discuss in more detail.

Remember, at Master Coaching We really care about every student entrusted to us for coaching

Yours Sincerely,

HARRY ATHANASATOS.BSC.(CHEMISTRY)

MASTER COACHING HURSTVILLE