NWR: teachers/tutoring (long-ish)

I have a parent who has been HOUNDING me to tutor her daughter for the month of August.

I told her that I can't get into my room until the 20th and therefore don't have the materials I would need to effectively tutor her daughter.

She persisted, and said she would be very happy if I could tutor her on the 20th and 27th at 11am, basically making me feel like I have no choice...so I said okay.

Now that I've thought about it, I (as a teacher) don't feel like it would benefit the girl much to have two one-hour sessions with me before school...so I emailed the mom and told her that. I offered my services during the school year, saying that I think for tutoring to be effective it needs to be continuous and structured and that I would be more than happy to reinforce concepts during the school year, but that at this time, I don't feel comfortable doing the two August sessions.

NOT TO MENTION that I am busy getting my room ready those days, and doing last minute summer stuff, going to NY to visit my family, etc.

Basically what I'm wondering is, do you think I'm wrong for cancelling the two makeshift sessions??

anyone??

You should in NO WAY feel obligated to tutor this girl. It's not even during the school year! What if she asked you to tutor her daughter during the holiday break?

If school is not in session I definitely would not feel obligated and regardless- tutoring is something you privately set up. If her mother wants to be that persistent, let her find a different tutor Sorry if that sounds harsh, just my opinion....

thanks ladies!! i just started freaking out because i felt like maybe i was wrong to be saying no...but you're right!! it's not even the school year!!

the nerve!

I don't know where you teach, but I think the NYC Dept of Ed has rules about not tutoring a student in your class or even a student in your school outside of school (such as now, the summer). Something about conflict of interest, or favoritism, or something like that. I had a parent who kept suggesting tutoring and I had to refer her to resources that we're given by our administrators.

Maybe you can suggest to her a few books or materials from one of the teaching stores, like Carol's or Lakeshore, and recommend a tutoring place or someone else you know who can tutor her.

ETA: Something I just thought of...... how is this parent hounding you when school is not in session? Unless you see her in your neighborhood, I wouldn't give out your personal email address or phone number to any parents. I tell them if they need to contact me, call the school and someone in the main office will give me the message so I can call them back on a prep.

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Posted by CC11208

I don't know where you teach, but I think the NYC Dept of Ed has rules about not tutoring a student in your class or even a student in your school outside of school (such as now, the summer). Something about conflict of interest, or favoritism, or something like that. I had a parent who kept suggesting tutoring and I had to refer her to resources that we're given by our administrators.

Maybe you can suggest to her a few books or materials from one of the teaching stores, like Carol's or Lakeshore, and recommend a tutoring place or someone else you know who can tutor her.

ETA: Something I just thought of...... how is this parent hounding you when school is not in session? Unless you see her in your neighborhood, I wouldn't give out your personal email address or phone number to any parents. I tell them if they need to contact me, call the school and someone in the main office will give me the message so I can call them back on a prep.

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I'm in MA, so the rules may be different, but DEFINITELY something i should look into!! yikes!!

also, she's hounding me via school-based email. i suppose it's my own fault for checking it in the summer...but i did, and now it's too late :(

im going to check the Dept. of Ed. rules right now!!!