Tutoring is how I make my paltry income, folks. For those not in the know, tutoring involves giving private lessons to students of a variety of ages, in a variety of locations, for money. I’ve been tutoring on-and-off since I was 15, and have a fairly good handle on what it’s all about.
Step one is identifying your own academic proficiencies. Though I suppose it is not out of the realms of possibility for someone to tutor practical skills like carpentry or plumbing, I don’t have much experience in this area. So, if you’re good at keeping tally of figures, think about tutoring accounting. If you’re superb at science, have a university degree in Physics or Chemistry, etc etc, think about tutoring science as a subject. And it goes on.
Step two is identifying your target range. If you get along well with children, then consider tutoring primary school kids. From what I’ve seen, the market is smaller (less parents asking for tutors for their kids) but also less saturated on the supply side, as most tutors seem to prefer dealing with high-school children and above. If, however, you feel you can best associate with university graduates, then consider them as a market. Some caveats: the younger the child, the more patience and general niceness you need to have: the older the graduate (in the case of university tutees), the higher the level of qualification you need. If you’re aiming for tutoring Masters students, you’ll need a PhD, and in that case you should probably looking for other avenues of employment.
Step three is getting pupils. This is obviously the most difficult stage. There are several avenues that one can explore: advertising at educational institutions (using flyers, or better yet those notices with tear-able strips); signing up with a tutoring agency that does the legwork for you; or using contacts and word-of-mouth to find students. Annoyingly, and against all concepts of a neutral meritocratic society, word-of-mouth pulls through again and again. Make friends with school or departmental secretaries, get in tight with the counselling department of your target institution, smuggle grade-A heroin for their disaffected, chain-smoking cousins... whatever works for you. But it’s these people, at the hub of the educational communication network, who are your best bets.
Step four is of course the actual tutoring. Firstly, get your hands on subject textbooks, research materials, and study guides, if you have the time and money. For university and high-school going children, try and get exam papers on the subject in question. Many times these papers can be found on governmental websites, which is convenient, and are usually free to download. Familiarise yourself with the material, and don’t assume that just because you have a degree in Physics that you will be able to immediately recall all your schoolwork and be able to teach it perfectly. Secondly, organise a time and a place to do your tutoring. Conventional wisdom in this field insists on a regular time slot and constant weekly or daily meetings. For school kids especially, and I speak from experience, regular meetings help to cement the information they learn from you, and the regular meetings get them into a pattern of devoting an hour or two a week to a specific subject, usually with good results. So, when you acquire a new pupil, try and make sure that you can arrange a regular schedule of meetings with them, and that you both commit to that schedule.
Finally, some parents and maybe even their children will want extra help during the exam period, often increasing the number of weekly visits. Be careful, if you have several pupils, not to double-book sessions, which will just alienate your paying customers. Another important consideration is not to push too many lessons onto them, especially for younger kids. Remember when you were a child – you had a limited concentration span and a fairly low tolerance for strangers forcing you to do homework. This will come into effect in a big way if you try to make the lessons too long – rather keep to one hour or 45 minute sessions where possible. Anything over that and concentration levels begin to wane, tempers start to flare, and you’re not going to get anywhere.
Also remember that being a tutor does not turn you and your student into relentless automata. Make a personal connection – ask about their hobbies, sports they play, or things happening in their lives. If you can find a common interest this will help immeasurably in creating a more relaxed atmosphere. Remember, being a tutor and being a teacher are not the same thing – you have been employed because you can offer a more personal, one-on-one education.
Now for the practical considerations: location and payment. It is best, where possible, to tutor in an environment that your pupil finds comfortable, or at least academic. Ideally, one should tutor at their house or school, or possibly a third-party academic location such as a university. It is best not to tutor at your own residence for the simple reason that transport might be difficult for your tutees, and they will likely be less comfortable, and thus less susceptible to learning, especially for the first few sessions. Ideally you will have your own transport and can be at a location specified by the person paying you, frequently their home or at school. As for payment, work out a contract before hand, preferably written (but don’t come into your first session pushing paperwork into their faces). Establish a single pattern of payment that suits you both. Some are willing to pay in cash, but some prefer not to hold onto large amounts of cash at home, or are unwilling to shoulder the responsibility or having to draw cash on a weekly basis to pay you. Cheques and internet transfer are other means they may be more comfortable and/or familiar with. Try and make the process as easy as possible for your employer, and they are more likely to pay on time and with a minimum of fuss.
Final final final point – treat this as a job, folks. Be professional, prompt, and polite. Do your research before hand, and really try and make a difference. Not only is this basic human kindness but it will also help immeasurably by spreading word-of-mouth info about your tutoring talent. Go forth and make some money.
