Even the best designed educational programs do not meet the needs of ALL pupils. Often times, students need more individualized instruction and personal attention to realize their potential. That is what the IDMANN Private Tutor Program (PTP) provides: One highly trained teacher, working with one child all day, every day. Where multiple instructors are needed for different subjects (e.g. high school classes) they are provided to ensure the best outcome for the student. IDMANN PTP supports children in many countries where the language of instruction is English.
For certain students, GROUP classes may not be the most effective way to realize the best tutorial outcomes. Those include:
- Younger children (typically age 4 ~ 10): For most children in this age range, an online class of 10-15 is simply an impossible proposition since they are unable to concentrate for long enough to benefit from a group online class. Their attention spans simply cannot support that kind of learning for prolonged periods (which defeats the purpose of signing them to an online program in the first place).
- Children with special needs: Learning online is hard enough. Children with special needs or learning disabilities can find the added pressure of remote learning to be even more challenging. The perceived competitive pressure that may come from other children in the class combined with the limited attention of a group online instructor can hinder the learning of children with special needs.
- Highly gifted children needing a specialized tutorial curriculum: Group instruction aims to cater to the broad needs of the class. Certain students show interest or unique aptitude in a particular subject area or elective. A private tutor can support the unique of the student in a way that is simply impracticable in a group class, no matter how well intentioned the group instructor might be.
- Families with unique scheduling needs: There are those instances where family circumstances limit the ability of students to participate in group classes. Private tutors come with the inherent flexibility to schedule sessions at the convenience of the student.
The Private Tutor Program (PTP) creates and delivers a specialized online tutorial program to serve one child exclusively. Each child has a teacher (or teachers) exclusively dedicated to their instruction in the given time slot. The curriculum (based on the Common Core standard for the grade in question) is customized to meet the specific needs of this one student. The PTP is available for children from the kindergarten and 1st grade through the 12th grade.
Children in kindergarten and the elementary classes have assigned one instructor, while children in middle and high school have one instructor per subject during the day. The early childhood education support covers the following:
- Reading
- Writing
- Arithmetic
- Motor Skills
- Handwriting & Penmanship
- Basic Keyboard & Computer Skills
The support for middle-school and high school students covers the following:
- Mathematics
- English Language Arts
- Social Science
- Science
- Electives
The student may choose from one of the following electives:
- Consumer Science (dressmaking/fashion or nutrition/wellness)
- Computer Programming (programming with Python)
- Engineering Science (electrical technology, robotics & mechatronics)
- Digital Art
The PTP can augment the efforts of parents who seek to home-school their children by providing additional tutorial resources to support the children, where permitted. Many parents choose to home-school their children and use the PTP as a supportive resource.
The PTP is based on the following simple guidelines:
- Given the target age-range of the PTP, classes are held with generous breaks between blocks. Classes MAY run five days a week, from Monday to Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Nominally classes start by 9a.m. and end by 3p.m.
- Even though classes are held online with a tutor, parents must provide continuous and responsible adult supervision for their children (who participate from home) throughout the sessions. Tutors cannot be expected to "keep an eye" on kids over a video-feed from possibly hundreds of miles away. Parents are responsible for the safety and well-being of their children who remain in their homes at all times. Tutors are there only for the provision of tutorial instruction. Furthermore, students will take breaks between tutorial blocks. Parents are expected to supervise their children during these breaks, and to ensure they return back to the tutorial session at the appointed time.
- Subjects covered in the PTP derive from the Common Core Standard for the grade in question and typically include the following: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Where there are upcoming state-mandated assessment tests for a particular grade, the requirements of those tests are incorporated gradually into the tutorial process.
- Given the age of the children in the PTP, parents may be provided a secure "digital access window" that enables them to occasionally "look into the classroom" and observe how their children are doing in class. There will be limits to the frequency of the "drop-ins" but we extend this service to parents to provide added comfort to those that might be anxious about leaving their children for the first time, or worry about their integration into a new learning environment.
- It is important to point out that tutors cannot play the role of childminders or babysitters. Classes end with a hard stop at the prescribed time. (Instructors are parents too!) Parents should ensure that their domestic arrangements provide for appropriate supervision and suitable engagement of their children at the end of each class.
- As in any other educational or tutorial endeavor, parents have a critical role to play. Parents are expected to closely monitor and actively support the progress of their children. This includes following up to ensure the completion of homework, assignments, and exercises in a timely manner. At the end of the day, young students NEED the reinforcement of the adults in their lives - at home - to focus and make the most of their educational journey. Parents will be provided confidential updates on their children so as to support this process.
- Tutors in the PTP are trained early-childhood educators, and are screened properly before being assigned to support our precious children.
The curriculum of the PTP is based on the Common Core Standards for the grade in question. Instructors are trained and experienced early-childhood educators who are dedicated to teaching the students in the PTP cohort. Their focus is on supporting the students to realize their full potential. Tutorial plans are developed and delivered with the goal of supporting the instruction and curriculum followed by the child's [home] school. As part of this design, tutorial instructors endeavor to challenge students with material they may encounter in the coming term or academic year. These stretch goals help identify areas where students may need additional support. Instructors also provide ongoing support as students begin to prepare for upcoming standardized tests.
The same subjects covered in the standard CPA tutorial plan are reflected in the PTP curriculum:
- English Language Arts:
- This is based on the English Language Arts curriculum defined by the widely adopted Common Core Standard for English Language Arts.
- Our English language blocks run for one hour, five times a week.
- The focus is on providing revision and tutorial support for students so that they concretize the concepts learned during the school year, and improve their mastery of the language through reading, writing and grade-appropriate exercises.
- The goal is to support students to become well equipped to pass their mandated language proficiency tests.
- Mathematics:
- This also is based on the mathematics curriculum defined by the widely adopted Common Core Standard for Mathematics.
- Our mathematics blocks run for one hour, five times a week.
- Our focus is on providing revision and tutorial support for students so that they concretize the concepts learned during the school year, and improve their mastery of key mathematical concepts as demonstrated by completion of grade-appropriate exercises.
- Science:
- This is based on the science curriculum specified by the relevant state educational guidelines. Even though there is a lot of commonality across jurisdictions, every effort is made to ensure that critical concepts and areas of pre-emphasis mandated by a state are reflected in the tutorial experience. This is another reason why it is important for students in CPA to come from the same or similar jurisdictions.
- Our science blocks run for one hour, five times a week.
- Social Studies:
- This is based on the curriculum specified by the relevant state educational guidelines. Even though there is a lot of commonality across jurisdictions, every effort is made to ensure that critical concepts and areas of pre-emphasis mandated by a state are reflected in the tutorial experience. This is another reason why it is important for students in CPA to come from the same or similar jurisdictions.
- Our social science blocks run for one hour, five times a week.
For questions about PTP you may send an email to .
Classes are typically held daily starting at 9a.m. and ending at 3p.m. on weekdays (in the time zone for the student). They are held in LIVE, interactive online sessions led by highly experienced instructors. A highly simplified timetable for a single student is shown below.
To ensure that the online learning experience is devoid of tedium, students have at least a break after each learning block. Students are expected to return in a timely manner after each break as the classes are programmed for a hard-stop at the end of the allotted time. Even though blocks are allocated an hour, it is reasonable to expect that younger students (e.g. 1st grade & 2nd grade) will use less than an hour in actual tutorial work, with the rest of the time dedicated to intellectual stimulation.
The following scheduling information is helpful for parents seeking to form a cooperative alliance for their children:
- Students with special needs are welcome to IDMANN PTP. We are happy to develop customized programs for students with special needs. Parents may send an email to to discuss their children's special needs and how we might be able to provide the least restrictive learning experience for the child as part of the PTP.
Application & Registration Fees:
- PTP fees are payable in advance, monthly.
- Discounts on the program fees are available for families registering multiple children at the same time. (Email us or contact your Educational Outreach Associate for details.)
Application Fee $350 (or equivalent) Tuition (Monthly) Contact the registrar for specific costs as well as tuition assistance. Eligible for IDMANN Challenge Bursary? Yes (See conditions) Eligible for National Service Bursary? Yes (See conditions)
