There are now more children receiving private tutoring in the UK than ever before, yet there can still be a stigma associated with it. This kind of attitude is especially prevalent in working class and inner city areas where educational levels aren’t the best. It may be that you are yourself a victim to this kind of abuse and are unsure of why exactly you are picked on and how you should deal with it.
A bully’s problems
Bullies tend to pick on others as a way of deflecting attention from their own shortcomings. So if they are bullying you for receiving private tutoring it could be that they are conscious about their own level of intelligence in a certain area. It could even be that their parent doesn’t give them the support that they require in terms of their schoolwork and that they are jealous of the fact that your parents do.
Dealing with bullying
If you are just about to embark on the road of private tutoring and are worried about how your peers will react, then it could be wise to just keep it to yourself and avoid anyone finding out. If you have already begun your tutoring sessions and it is common knowledge, then ways with dealing with any problems depend on how severe things have become.
If you are victim of a small amount of teasing or name calling, then try to shrug it off or even laugh along with them. A bully is looking for a reaction and if they don’t get the one they are looking for then they will soon get bored.
Taking things further
If you are a victim of more serious bullying such as physical abuse or if the verbal abuse has become too much to bear then it is time to involve a third party. Speaking to a teacher that you know will be sympathetic, or raising the issue with your parents is the most sensible course of action to take.