Recently, there was an article in the New York Times that discussed an Asian-style cram school preparing students to take the Hunter College High School entrance exam. Although the article was generally favorable and the school sounded reputable, I nevertheless found the whole thing a bit disturbing.
Before going any further, let me state clearly that I value academic excellence and I believe in stretching kids intellectually. I am not afraid of hard work and I think it is important that children learn its value. However, I also strongly believe in the value of free time, play, daydreaming, sports, and arts. That goes for everyone, but most especially, it goes for children. Cram school may have academic value, but at what cost?
My approach to tutoring children for the Hunter High School entrance exam (and other tests such as the Anderson School Entrance Exam, SCAT, SHSAT, and ISEE) is much more moderate. On the one hand, I give my advanced students sophisticated, stimulating material. Often, it is the most challenging material that they have ever been exposed to. I also give homework. On the other hand, I don’t want my students to study excessively. In the long run, excessive studying is harmful because it pushes out too many other valuable activities and, in its most extreme form, it can even be cruel.
Moderation is key. I vary the amount of work I expect from each student depending on his or her other commitments, goals, and abilities. In test preparation situations, this usually breaks down to one (perhaps two) lessons per week and one to five hours of homework spread out over the course of a week. This regimen gets results without sacrificing childhood or risking burnout in the process.
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