Can you be a good tutor?
Tutoring is not a bad kind of part-time job for students. You can adjust your work schedule, no one will ask for a teacher’s diploma, and the school curriculum is not forgotten. Moreover – many parents prefer beginner student tutors for several reasons: a small difference in age (which means you and your student will speak the same language), fresh memories of the USE and university admission, and, what the hell, the low cost. Many are not even embarrassed that a teacher with no work experience or experience in school will come to their child.
But it is not enough just to declare your intention to teach. To be in demand tutor and get a good result from the work, you need:
- Be punctual and responsible. A person who is late for his or her own lessons and does not prepare materials simply will not be seriously considered.
- Be able to find a common language with students. The most frequent clients of tutors are not honours students, but weak students who are not interested in learning.
- Have friendliness and patience. There is nothing without it in usual pedagogics, and during individual work – certainly not.
- Be able to explain the material most simply. Since you will most often have to work with non-successful students, you will have to simplify any information until they figure it out.
And the most important thing is to be able to make a good impression on the parents. After all, they are the ones who decide whether their child needs a tutor or not.
The best time to start
The first year is not the best time to start this kind of work. The freshman himself has just graduated from high school, and cannot teach a child to the fullest extent, as he still knows little. And there is almost no time and energy for part-time work in the first year of university. In the second year, it is more real, but students usually do not want to get a job at this time. But the third year is great. If you feel confident enough and understand that the work of a tutor will not harm your studies, feel free to find pupils.
10 Tips for the Beginning Tutor
Practice on someone you know
If you decide to become a tutor, you have to start with children you know, teaching them for free. Maybe your little brother doesn’t know a foreign language well, or your neighbour’s child is just need help with research paper? This will allow you to get used to the work and make up your mind. Most likely, after the first lessons with younger relatives, you will make up your mind that pedagogy is not your thing.
Ask about other people’s experiences
Perhaps one of your friends or classmates already teaches students. Ask them about their experiences. The most relevant information will be given by guys who teach the same subject as you do.
Choose the right discipline
It makes much more sense to teach a discipline that you love and are passionate about. If you read articles about physics and astronomy in your spare time, and enrolled in programming, dreaming of a big salary – deal with children in physics, not computer science. Otherwise, your children will feel your lack of confidence in the subject, and your unwillingness to study it. It will be much more helpful if you teach a non-core subject that you sincerely love. Well, if the specialty and area of interest coincide – it’s even better!
Remember your high school curriculum
Most likely, you have already forgotten the high school program. So it will not be superfluous to look through modern textbooks and familiarize yourself with the requirements for modern schoolchildren, as many things may have changed.
More complicated is the situation with the preparation for the university entrance exams. Perhaps this can only be done by students of the university where the student plans to study. If the circumstances are so coincidental, then you can take advantage of this. In addition, you can always go to the dean’s office, even at another department, and find out the current rules of admission, which will also bring you benefits.
Make a work plan
Of course, you have to prepare a program for each student: for his or her needs, schedule, and goals. But it is better if you have some kind of work plan for each year of study.
Look for your first students
It’s best to start looking in advance, for example in the middle of summer. Probably your parents have friends who have kids that would be nice to pull up in a subject. A good option is to visit your school and ask former teachers to advise you as a tutor for lagging students. Once you’ve practised with people you know and are confident in your abilities, you can use online services.
Pick a location
Usually, classes are held at the student’s or tutor’s home, but no one limits you to these locations, especially if you live in a dorm and can’t invite a student to your home. You can meet in a cafe, a library reading room, even call via the Internet. The main thing is to have a comfortable workplace with a desk and good lighting.
Set an appropriate price for the service
Start from the average price of tutors in your city. At first, it’s better to reduce the cost of classes: after all, there is no experience. But after a few months, you can raise the price to the average in the city. By that time, there will be an understanding of the work, you will work out study programs, and labour costs will be greatly reduced.
Think through a plan for the first meeting
When getting acquainted, you should not only show your professionalism but also find out what you have to do.
It is excellent if the student will be present at the meeting and will tell you what he or she expects from the classes and what way of training he or she feels more comfortable with. Don’t ignore the prospective student: after all, he or she has to study with you, not his or her parents.
Don’t be afraid of difficulties
Some of the topics in the lessons may be difficult for you. This is unfortunately a frequent occurrence in any pedagogical work. You have to learn to find a common language, to put out conflicts gently, to take the same side with the children. And, of course, repeating the school curriculum yourself.
With such training, you will become a tutor who helps your students. And good grades of your students will be your victories.