What Parents Need to Know About Supporting Their Child's Education

Even the most involved parents can struggle to support their child’s education effectively.

You want to help. You're doing your best. But Singapore's education landscape can feel like a maze. In a system this complex, it's easy to feel lost.

Helping your child succeed is about more than buying books or signing up for tuition. Parents play key roles at home, with teachers, and with tutors. But most don't know how to make each role work.

This post breaks down the three biggest areas where parents can make a real difference, and why they're so hard to get right.

Partnering with Teachers and Schools

School is your child's second home, so teachers play major roles in their learning and growth. But many parents aren’t sure how to work well with teachers. Should you reach out? How often? What should you ask?

As MOE teachers, we've worked with thousands of students and families and seen it all. Some parents came to every meeting with long lists of worries. Others stayed quiet, afraid to bother us. When parents and teachers work together, students do better. But it's not always easy to know how.

Many parents struggle with:

• Raising concerns politely and clearly

• Feeling confused by report cards and unclear comments

• Wondering how much they should follow up after parent-teacher meetings

  
  

For example, many parents worry their child is falling behind but don't know how to raise it. Some ask:

"Why aren't you helping my child more in math?"

Blaming a teacher is likely to backfire. A better way might be:

"I've noticed my child is struggling with math homework and seems less confident. Can you tell me how they are doing in class and what I can do at home to help?"

Another common problem is when a report card says something vague like:

"Needs improvement in reading."

Of course parents are left guessing what that means. A useful follow-up could be:

"Could you share which part of reading my child finds hardest, so we can work on that at home?"

We know it's hard to ask the right questions. It's even harder to know what help the school can offer. Some parents step back completely. Others get too involved. Neither works. But with a few simple tools, you can build a partnership that helps your child progress.

Home Learning: What Helps and What Doesn't

Many parents step into the role of teacher, especially during exam season. But few feel confident. It's not that parents don't want to help. They just don't always know how.

Some recall their own school days: dictation drills, rote memorising, endless assessment books. Others enforce strict schedules, turning evenings and weekends into long study sessions.

These methods might feel productive. There's a belief that more is more. But they often backfire. Children get tired, frustrated, or bored. Tension mounts at home.

The real problem? It's not too little effort. It's too much of the wrong kind.

One parent we met asked their son to transcribe a five-page essay to build vocabulary. The intention was good, but it felt like punishment and didn't help. The child learned little.

Better ideas might be:

• Letting the child choose a book to read

• Playing a word game

• Listening to a podcast that introduces new words in context

  
  

Many parents focus on getting work done. But true learning happens when children feel curious and motivated, not just when they complete tasks.

More common mistakes

Another trap is mimicking the classroom at home. This rarely works. Home should feel flexible and personal. That way, children stay engaged without feeling like they are always "in school."

Parents can also push too hard. Many believe success comes only from hard work, so more hard work means more success. But breaks, play, and down time help children focus and absorb more.

The hidden pressure

We see how stressful this is for parents. Many feel pressure to get it right, but don't have the tools.

More common struggles include:

• Not knowing how to explain things in a way their child understands

• Losing patience when their child zones out or gives up

• Feeling guilty when they can't help because of syllabus changes

What's usually missing is structure and strategy. These are the tools teachers are trained to use, and they make a big difference.

Tuition: How Much Is Too Much?

Tuition feels like a rite of passage in Singapore. Almost every child has it. But parents feel lost.

The MOE's long-held position is that its curriculum and school system are designed so students do not need external tuition. Yet the tuition industry keeps growing, as parents fear their child will fall behind.

How can parents navigate this confusing, sometimes predatory market?

• Is tuition really necessary, or am I signing up just because everyone else is?

• How young is too young to start?

• Should I choose group tuition or private lessons?

• How do I know if a tutor is good?

• How much should I pay, and what results are realistic?

  
  

Once tuition starts, many parents struggle to find the right level of involvement. Some micro-manage, asking for weekly updates, sitting in on lessons, or even trying to guide a tutor's curriculum. Others step back completely, hoping the tutor will handle everything.

Good tuition is not a "set it and forget it" solution. It works best when parents monitor progress, support at home, and keep open communication with the tutor.

We've seen how tuition centres can prey on fear. A polished brochure and high fees don't always mean high-quality teaching. Sometimes, the best tutors are quieter professionals who build strong connections with students and focus on long-term growth, not quick fixes.

A good tutor should be able to explain clearly what they are working on and why. But progress takes time. We often see parents expect rapid improvements in grades or test scores after just a few sessions. When that doesn't happen, they grow frustrated and blame the tutor, or their child.

In reality, learning is a process. The best tutors build foundations first, then guide steady progress over time. Parents who understand this and maintain open communication with the tutor set their child up for success.

Where Do You Go From Here?

No one shows parents how to navigate all this. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you aren't alone. Understanding these challenges is the first step to becoming a better partner in your child's education.

Stamford Classroom understands these struggles deeply because we've faced them ourselves. As Singapore's top tutor training academy staffed exclusively by MOE teachers, we equip educators with proven teaching strategies. Now we're sharing these insights directly with you.

Our upcoming workshop, “Parents as Education Partners,” addresses these exact issues and provides clear, practical strategies you can use right away.

In this 3-hour online session, our MOE-trained instructors will help you:

• Know when to step in and when to step back

• Apply MOE-aligned techniques to improve home learning

• Partner effectively with your child's school and tutors

• Understand how to make smart tuition choices

  
  

You'll also receive our Parent Resource Pack, including flowcharts, checklists, and templates to support your child's learning.

You don't have to navigate this alone. Let's tackle these challenges together.

Sign Me Up for the Workshop →