Tutoring is one of the most popular jobs among students all over the world. And it is easy to understand why. It pays well, it is flexible and allows you to work around the college curriculum, and it usually doesn’t require any certifications.
It also looks pretty good in the resume as it shows commitment, entrepreneurial skills, and excellent knowledge of a specific subject. Of course, it requires patience and great communication skills among other competencies.
And it is a perfect option both for those who want just a side hustle or view it as a possible career. And nowadays there are many ways to work, you can choose both online tutoring and in-person meetings or to write paper for students yourself. It all depends on personal preferences. If you want to know where to start from and how to get into this profession, this article is for you.
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What to Start With
Before you start promoting your services and looking for opportunities, you need to do some preliminary work. These are not difficult but necessary steps to be more professional and attract more pupils.
Decide on the Subject
The first thing to do is decide what subject you are going to teach. The less the better – one can focus on one particular thing, whether it is math, language, or physics. Do not try to teach everything. It won’t look believable and may polarize your efforts.
Usually, people look for best essay writing service or a specific specialist, someone that can prepare them for a test or exams or help with French. Choose a subject you are good at. If it is your major in college, it is even better – you’ll get paid for strengthening your knowledge.
Choose the Age Gap
Even if you do not have experience in tutoring, you probably suspect that teaching elementary school kids and high-schoolers is very different. It requires completely different methods, materials, and levels of preparation. Smaller kids do require more attention and patience from the tutor’s side.
The client will also appreciate the specialization on a specific age as it means that you have experience with this group of students. And the more you focus on something, the better you’ll get in the process.
Research the Curriculum
Now it is time to get yourself educated with the curriculum these students are dealing with. You can look up online the books and materials the majority of schools use. And also look up what levels of knowledge are expected from kids this age. If you know someone working, in education you can consult with them.
Draft Your Curriculum
Do not be afraid, you do not need to create a year-long program. Just draft the major steps in tutoring. You’ll need to:
- Evaluate the level of knowledge (prepare a test for that).
- Plan a lesson (draft the assignments you are going to do together).
- Give homework (it is optional and depends on the pupil but you can draft a couple of exercises).
Overall, it is better to choose a book or program to follow together. Or you can mix a couple of them. Now, you are ready to know how to find your clients and start tutoring.
Where to Find Clients
Overall, there are three ways to get into tutoring – join a local tutoring center, register on an online tutoring platform, or work individually. Let’s review each option in detail.
Joining Tutoring Center
Working with a local provider has several benefits:
- They’ll probably find the clients for you.
- There is an established place to teach, usually.
- The payment options and the rates are determined for you.
- Some centers offer books and other learning materials.
So, a lot of worries will be taken care of by the center. But there are also several drawbacks. The major one is that you’ll give the center a percent of your earnings. And the schedule might not be as flexible as working alone. Some centers require signing a contract that you’ll teach only there.
Also, not every location has such a center, and not every center looks for new tutors. So, it is a valid option, but not the perfect one.
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Register on Online Tutoring Platform
The next option is to join one of many online tutoring platforms. There are tons of them and they are usually pretty easy to start with. The benefits include:
- You’ll teach online, which is often more flexible and comfortable.
- The clients will come to the platform themselves.
- There is often more payment security with legit platforms.
Some resources will need you to do a test to show your knowledge. Generally, registration is free. You can set your hourly rate and look for clients. The drawback is that you’ll still have to share the payment with the service. And it is not as easy to stand out of the competition on the website. You’ll still have to promote yourself.
Working Individually
This is the most flexible but also the most demanding way to get into tutoring. You can choose to work alone and find your clients yourself. It means that you are completely in charge of everything, from the place and curriculum to the payment.
Here are several ways to find clients:
- Create your website with a blog and promote it.
- Post proposals online, for example on Craigslist.
- Post in local social media groups on Facebook.
- Ask relatives and friends for recommendations and word of mouth.
- Post on online forums.
- Print out flyers for notice boards (to put in schools, shops, libraries, community centers, etc).
You can also utilize your social media, for example, LinkedIn or Instagram profile. Define that you give lessons and promote the services with a well-written pitch.
In Summary
Teaching others is a great goal in life and a nice way to earn some money for students. Not only do you get to share the knowledge and deepen it yourself, but also test your entrepreneurial skills. You can choose one of three ways or combine a couple of them.