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Mud Pies FAQ
We understand that sending your child off to be taught at an English school raises lots of questions for parents. Over the years we have been teaching children and running schools, we have listened carefully to parent’s concerns. We have listed the most common ones and our answers here for you to read through. We hope that this will show our sincerity and help you to understand that we really have your child’s best interests at heart.
1.
About Mud Pies
About Mud PiesWhy does my child need an assessment?
Before we suggest a class for a student, we must know what level they are. It is not about how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ the child is at English or about what they have been taught in the past, but strictly what they know and what they do not. It is vital that a child is placed in the correct level. When a child is in the correct class, they will learn at optimum speed and will find the classes engaging yet slightly challenging. In the correct class, they will make good progress from the start. At Mud Pies, we do not want to waste your time or money so when we suggest classes they really are the best ones for the students.
I would like my child to have private tutorials. Can you help?
We offer private tutorials at Mud Pies for the following:
- Interview prep
- Specific skills revision
- Extra support
We do not advertise that we offer private tutorials because we believe that the best environment for children to learn is in a small group setting where ideas flow and classes are fun and lively.
I am thinking to hire a private tutor at home. How do I find the right teacher?
This is a difficult topic as often tutors are recommended by your friends or family. We suggest that you hire tutors through a registered school (such as Mud Pies). It is important that you are very clear who you are inviting into your home to teach your children. At the very least, you should read their CV, and take note of their academic qualifications and experience in teaching. We strongly suggest that you obtain at least two references. Also be aware of the prices charged. Tutors often charge a very high price for their service so be sure you are getting good value for money. Talk to them to see what they have taught and what their plans are. Also be clear with them what your reasons are for hiring them and don’t be afraid to follow up!
The children in my child’s class are different ages. Why is this?
Students are allocated to their class based on the outcome of their assessment. Because of this, it is inevitable that we may have students of the same level but of slightly different ages in the same class.
Where can I keep up to date with what is going on at Mud Pies?
Nearly every month we have something going on. It might be anything from a special offer, to a competition or even a fun festive party. We really encourage you to keep an eye on our website or to join us as a friend on Facebook so you won’t miss out on what we are up to!
2.The Care we Take
The Care we TakeTeachers
Are your teachers Native English Teachers?
All teachers at Mud Pies Education are qualified Native English Teachers. We hire our teachers based on their teaching experience and qualifications. Each teacher goes through a tough interview process and a three month probation period to make sure they are suitable for Mud Pies.
How do you insure the quality of your teachers is maintained?
Teaching quality is of paramount importance to us at Mud Pies Education. We assess and feedback to our teachers with regards to their performance on a regular basis.
What happens if my child’s teacher leaves Mud Pies?
By the very nature of the teachers we employ, it is inevitable that sometimes, our teachers will leave to return to their home countries. While we are always sad to see good teachers leave, we always support them to follow their dreams! When a teacher leaves Mud Pies they are requested to give a long period of notice, similar to that in regular schools so that we have time to gently introduce the new teacher to that class. We understand that both students and parents become attached to their teacher so we try to make sure the transition is as seamless as possible. As well as a lot of work going on ‘behind the scenes’, the two teachers will co – teach the class for a period of time so that the students become used to the new teacher.
Can I talk to my child’s teacher?
Absolutely! We encourage parents to build up a relationship with the teachers for the good of the child. While teachers may not be able to talk with parents straight after class, you are welcome to email them, telephone or book an appointment to come and see them at the centre.
Reports and feedback
Do our students get reports from Mud Pies?
Yes. Students at Mud Pies receive reports at different stages. Please see the stages listed below for the different courses:
- Assessments are completed either 1) at the end of a level or 2) if the teacher feels there is a need.
- Reports are written after every assessment.
- The report will be handed to parents and followed up with a telephone call, email or face to face conversation.
- Reports are completed at least six monthly for writing courses.
- The report will be handed to students and parents are requested to read the teachers’ comments and sign the report. The report may be followed up with a telephone call, email or face to face conversation.
- Reports are completed every month for the Academic Skills class.
- The report will be handed to students and parents are requested to read the teachers’ comments and sign the report. The report may be followed up with a telephone call, email or face to face conversation.
How do I know what my child is doing in class?
Often parents are unsure of what their children are doing in each class. We like to keep parents informed in the following ways:
1. Mud Pies Phonics and Literacy and Creative Writing
- We ask students to take their blue notebooks, RWI workbooks and Mud Pies folders home after each lesson so that parents can see what has been done in class.
- We encourage parents to ask their children what they have done and to show them the work that has been completed.
- Parents are welcome to write comments in the students’ blue notebooks for the teacher to read.
- After every writing class, students complete the class record sheet in their blue notebooks. Every week, the teacher will award a grade based on the student’s effort and quality of work. To make this light hearted, we have based our scoring system on the Harry Potter Grading System.
- We ask parents to read this weekly and to sign to show they know what is going on in class.
3. Mud Pies Academic Skills
- Talk to your child. At this stage, students can remember what they have done in class as they will have participated fully. Their level is such that they are also able to feedback to you directly.
- Ask your child what they enjoyed most about the class and what they found most challenging. You may be surprised by their answers!
Feedback
I would like to give the team at Mud Pies some feedback. How do I do that?
At Mud Pies, we are always very enthusiastic to receive feedback from parents. It is the one of the greatest gifts you can give us. Please send us an email or call us and talk with Phoebe, Judy or Liz and we will discuss your feedback in our weekly management meeting. Many parents feedback to us on a regular basis and we love to hear what they have to say. When we receive feedback, it gives us the chance to tweak things and make our courses and student experience that little bit more special. It also really enhances the relationships that we have with our parents. All sorts of great things have come out of the feedback that we have received! A few examples are: The Academic Skills Course, Student’s Class Record and Grading System, Different Reading Record Sheets and many others!
Don’t be shy – give it a try!
My child loves coming to Mud Pies. Can I give a testimonial?
Yes – please do. Much of our business comes from Word of Mouth so we really appreciate you sharing your experience about Mud Pies Education. Please email testimonials to Phoebe, Mimi or the individual teacher and they will be passed on to the team. Encouraging comments from parents makes us smile and keeps us enthusiastic about what we are doing.
I am not happy about something. Should I tell the Mud Pies team?
We try very hard to make our student, parent and teacher experience fantastic all the time. The reality is that we cannot please everyone all the time. If you are unhappy about something, we really encourage you to tell us. Although it may seem uncomfortable for you to raise your issue with us, please do. If we know what is bothering you, we can take steps to rectify any problems. We pride ourselves on our level of commitment to students and service to parents and would really appreciate if you can share your concerns with us.
3.General Academic
General Academic Phonics
Isn’t Phonics just for babies?
Definitely not! Phonics The idea that phonics is simply for small children is a mis-conception. Phonics and Linguistics can be highly complex and is often studied at university level and above.
In school aged children, a strong foundation in elementary and intermediate level phonics is of paramount importance to their development in English. It improves pronunciation, reading, spelling and in the long run, writing.
I want my child to attend a writing class why have you suggested the Phonics and Literacy class?
The class we suggest for each student is based on the outcome of their assessment. If there are gaps in their knowledge or they are not completely confident then it is essential we get that right first.
Phonics and Literacy means ‘Reading and Writing’. The two go hand in hand. There are four levels in our Phonics and Literacy course.
Level 1 Chatterbox – A beginner course that develops communication, and introduces basic phonics and practices writing letter formation.
Smart Readers – Levels 1, 2 and 3 - Here the focus is on learning and revising phonetics, reading and responding to short stories, and starting to develop creative writing using appropriate punctuation and spelling.
Reading
My child will not read. Can you help?
This is one of the most frequent questions we hear parents ask. What seems to be a natural hobby for some children (usually other people’s) can be such a tedious task for others! We aim to try and help take the stress away from parents. If you feel that your child has a dislike for reading or simply doesn’t do it, talk to your Mud Pies teacher and let them know your concerns. We can help by setting a reading goal, encouraging students to complete a reading record and most importantly by recommending books that are both appropriate and challenging.
My child is unable to read difficult words. Is there anything I can do to help?
Certainly! Take long and challenging words step by step. If students have attended the Mud Pies Phonics and Literacy Course they will have learned all of the sounds they need to read even the most complicated of words. The general rule is, break the words into individual sounds (if the word is less than two syllables). If it is longer, break it into syllables first then have a go at sounding those syllables out. We call this “Fred Talk” it allows students to hear the sounds then they can blend them together to make up the word.
How do I know that my child is reading appropriate and challenging material?
If you are unsure about the level of books that your children are reading, please ask the teacher. Often our teachers write comments on students’ Reading Records so keep an eye on that too! If you need help in choosing books, let us know and we will suggest something either from our library or a series of books that your child might enjoy.
Spelling
My child always makes careless spelling mistakes. Can you teach them to spell correctly?
There are two issues here. The first is carelessness. Often students in primary school rush through their work as they want to be the first to finish. At Mud Pies, we encourage students to take their time and to get it right. We always insist that students read through their work carefully before handing it in and allow them the time to correct their own work.
The second issue is learning to spell. We teach children a system to learn to spell correctly. In the elementary stages, children spell phonetically and we give praise for doing that. As the children get more advanced in English, they are expected to learn that there are different ways of spelling certain sounds and they must learn the correct one to use.
Speaking and Communication
My child is very shy. How can you help to build their confidence?
Most children go through stages where they are shy. For some it may be when they are very young, others when they start primary school and for others it may be when they start secondary school. Shyness is often very frustrating for the students as they have great ideas and things to contribute to class but are simply too afraid to speak up. It can be equally frustrating for parents who see their bundles of joy chattering away at home but freezing up as soon as anyone else talks to them. At Mud Pies, our classes are small and friendly. We encourage all students to join in class discussions without putting students ‘on the spot’ or intimidating them into talking. We work with patience and care and gently build up the student – teacher relationship so that eventually the student will feel comfortable and will feel confident to speak up.
Writing
What is Creative Writing?
In creative writing students are given challenging stories to read and comprehend. The focus is on developing ideas and elaboration skills. In addition, students in the creative writing classes are taught to:
- Build sentences using colourful and challenging vocabulary
- Express their ideas creatively
- Spell correctly
- Use grammar correctly
- Write well organised and thoughtful pieces of writing
Please see our website for more details our courses.
Do you have a grammar course?
We do not offer a grammar only course at Mud Pies. Grammar is a part of any language and therefore we teach it as part of our regular writing classes. As we correct student’s writing, we correct their grammar. Grammar classes on their own are great if you want to have your child drilled into learning structures. However, if you would like to have your child know what looks correct when they read their own work and how they can use different tenses effectively, this must be done in line with writing classes. If you are concerned about your child’s grammar and would like some suggestions of what to do, we have a selection of very good books that we can refer you to.
If you have nay questions that have not been answered here, please do contact us and ask your question at info@mudpieseducation.com. We will do our best to answer any questions you might have.
Kind Regards,
The Mud Pies Team.
