How to start working as a tutor? Personal experience. How to start working as a tutor: secrets of the profession How to start working as an English language tutor

Good day!

I'm on a course in Singapore with young teachers from whom I learned to think outside the box

This post will be dedicated to those who in the future, and maybe even now, are planning to become an English tutor!

At one time, when (working individually), there was no opportunity to ask anyone about all the intricacies of the work. I did everything as my intuition and books suggested.

Of course, I studied teaching methods at the institute, but until you come across reality, you won’t understand all the points.

And even more so, many are simply afraid to start working individually with a student (what if it doesn’t work out? I or the student don’t like it?)

Due to my great interest in the subject, I began to explore the field of private tutoring in more detail, read a lot and get acquainted with the experience of other tutors.

I have been doing private lessons for 8 years. During these years, I studied the features and subtleties of working one on one, attended webinars, and bought literature on this topic. I wanted to know everything about it. I'm interested. It's not as easy as many people think.

Tip #1

Love for the subject is the main thing!

If you decide to become a tutor, the first and most important advice I can give is to LOVE your subject. If you love the subject you are going to teach, that's it! You will definitely charge your student with your energy and help him overcome all his fears of a foreign language!

If you view tutoring only as an opportunity to make good money, it is not good, you will not get pleasure and self-satisfaction from the process, and you will not last long. Under no circumstances should you allow money to control you! If you work with pleasure, you will get results and people will ask you for money))

Tip #2

How to write an ad correctly?

If you decide to advertise your services, then remember that a well-written advertisement for tutoring is half the success. From my own experience, I can say that ads with a photo get more views than those without. Therefore, a photo is desirable! In the text itself, be sure to indicate:

Full name

The subject you teach (do not write many subjects at once in one ad, this turns off many)

A little about yourself (education completed, your titles and achievements in the subject)

What services do you provide (for example, preparation for the State Examination and the Unified State Exam, do you work only with schoolchildren or vice versa with adults, teach spoken English, etc.)

Lesson price and duration (be sure to indicate academic or astronomical hour). I’ll make a small reservation about the price: I don’t recommend setting the price too low or high. Be sure to research the price market in your city.

Do you work with or without travel (must indicate the area or metro)

Do you work remotely (for example, via Skype).

Contacts (indicate as many ways as possible to contact you - mobile, Email). This is only suitable for advertisements without intermediaries.

Tip #3

Get your student interested in English!

Try to make your first lesson with your student memorable! Of course, you don’t need to dance in front of him, but you must make him interested in your subject. Of course, it all depends on the student’s goals. But in any case, every tutor can find interesting tricks or secrets on how to 100% surprise a student!

Tip #4

If you work on the road, then never be late and never arrive too early (in case the student is eating or busy with some other business). Be sure to bring your own educational materials (books, supplementary manuals or printouts), and a laptop (if you use educational programs or videos). It’s strange if a tutor comes without anything and immediately does everything. Looks unprofessional.

Tip #5

Learning English should be fun!

Don't let the student get bored! Use different types activities. Explained the material, did the exercises, spoke some English interesting topic, listen or watch an excerpt from some entertaining one, consolidate the material using some interactive program.

And most importantly, your voice should not be quiet or monotonous. I believe that the ability to control one’s voice is one of the main qualities of a successful tutor, along with knowledge of the subject and the ability to explain it. So you definitely need to work on your speech.

Tip #6

Contact with parents is very important!

Be sure to contact parents if you work with schoolchildren! Keep them informed about how the classes are going, whether there is progress, whether the student is fully completing homework whether he attends all classes. It often happens that parents gave their child money for a lesson, but he did not come, saying that he was ill or could not attend. family circumstances. It is in your best interest to verify the accuracy of the information.

These are the points I wanted to focus on. I wish you successful teaching and smart students!

If you want to become a tutor or are already one, then do not miss the following articles on this topic.

P.S. And, of course, on the eve of the New Year holidays and long-awaited holidays, I simply cannot congratulate you happy New Year and wish you all the best!

Soon!!! (my successes, discoveries, bright events)? Do not miss! Subscribe to updates to keep abreast of the events of the Kazan teacher and just a good person!

Letters to the editor

Do you dream of working for yourself, but are hesitant to set out on your own just because you are not sure how you can be useful to the world? Start small: take a pen and a piece of paper and list all the skills you have. If proficiency in at least one foreign language is on this list, hooray, you have an excellent platform to start with.

Wait a minute, but all my life I worked as a manager selling household appliances, you say, and I only used the language from time to time to communicate with clients. You're wrong: there are a ton of benefits to be gained from this.

There are two ways to start making money from your knowledge of a foreign language as a freelancer:

1) start teaching it,

2) engage in translation activities.

In both cases, it is important that your level of knowledge of the language is really high. You can check this by passing an entrance test at any language school that prepares students to take exams to obtain an international certificate. Using the English language as an example: if the test shows that you are below the Advanced level, then it is better to start investing in your own training, and then only start transferring knowledge to others.

In the case of the second point, you need to immediately make a reservation: you are unlikely to get by without a specialized education. Translations, especially technical ones, require a truly excellent knowledge of the language and specific terminology. Of course, no one is stopping you from getting this education while you are already free.

WITH pedagogical activity With regard to language, the situation is simpler. Let's remember what distinguishes a good teacher from a bad one?

Firstly, the ability to explain and convey a thought to the student so that he not only understands, but also remembers.

Secondly, endurance and patience.

Third, ease of communication - no one likes “monsters with a pointer”; everyone enjoys gaining knowledge in a friendly and comfortable environment.

Fourthly, a certain knowledge base.

Fifthly, the ability to find an individual approach to each of their students.

At sixth, sincere interest in your business.

Seventh, confidence in the student and a burning desire to achieve results together with him.

Let's assume that you actually worked as a sales manager and used a foreign language. The client is the same student, only more capricious, wayward and often intractable. Therefore, if you managed to demonstrate good results or even lead an entire team under the company’s banner, rest assured that you possess the above skills and abilities to a certain extent. Another thing is important: to develop and strengthen them by setting out on a new path. Those whose activities were not associated with constant communication should not despair either. The main thing, as in any business, is your desire to succeed and knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses.

Where to begin?

So, you are determined to develop as a teacher. Main mistake which you can do, provided that you do not have a teaching diploma, start advertising yourself as a licensed specialist. Availability various kinds diplomas and awards are easy to check, and if you are caught in dishonesty, your reputation will come to an end. You shouldn’t embellish, but you shouldn’t underestimate yourself in advance either. After all, the level of teaching skills is not always measured by the number (and availability) of diplomas and certificates. An important point: the level of language for teaching must be high.

Positioning yourself as a foreign language tutor, in this case, is the surest option. Here it’s worth remembering your career as a “sales person” (or someone else), and realizing that you are not just a tutor, you are a person who can offer a student knowledge not only general, but also to “skill” him in a specific area.

The next step is to explore your surroundings. Think (a piece of paper, a pen, a phone book and a list of friends in in social networks to help you), which of your friends might need your help as a teacher, and unobtrusively offer your services.

People and money

Create a thematic page on the same social networks - this could be your personal profile as a teacher, or a thematic group. In your profile header, briefly and succinctly tell us about yourself and the services you offer. Make sure that the page is visible and don’t neglect it. The information that appears there must be strictly on topic and to the point - forget about pictures with kittens, there is nowhere to hide from them on the Internet. When you feel that the page is not enough, start a website. Of course, this can be done at the same time, but it will require more time and effort. At first, as a rule, competent work with the audience of social networks is enough.

When starting a tutoring activity, and without being a “pro,” do not inflate your prices. People are generally reluctant to part with money, and even more so, they are not ready to pay “some self-taught person.” Therefore, conduct a price analysis on the market, estimate your costs, and set a reasonable price that will not be extortionate either to the students or to you. It should be increased gradually, and not earlier than after a year of work, when you have gained not only experience, but also positive feedback from students.

Speaking of reviews, don’t be shy about asking a student to write a review of your work. If you approach your work in good faith, then you won’t have to worry about negative opinions. Constructive criticism is only beneficial.

Place and time. Or maybe online?

The main advantage of a tutor is that he is not Language school, which you want or don’t want, but you have to go to classes. A tutor is essentially a mobile version of a teacher. The degree of mobility is determined by him himself.

There are four options for organizing classes:

At the student's home

At the teacher's home

On neutral territory(cafe, library, coworking….)

Online format (Skype, Facetime….)

Practice shows that the majority - both students and teachers - choose the last two learning formats. Homeschooling, whatever one may say, is an invasion of personal space. In any case, the first meeting with a student should be held on neutral territory, in a quiet place where you can study calmly. Choosing a home learning format is only possible if you both feel comfortable, and no one has to overcome cosmic distances in order to get to your destination. The online format, despite its convenience, is still a good addition or periodic replacement for face-to-face classes. The monitor screen significantly interferes with the oral perception of language, especially at the initial stages. On the other hand, online lessons allow you to maintain contact with students even during your absence from the city/country, and, after some time, free you from being tied to a specific place.

It is clear about the unclear

The best format of classes, especially at first, is individual. In this case, it will be easier for both you and your student: for you to understand what kind of person is in front of you, how he or she learns the material, and where he or she is noticeably “limping”; for the student - to overcome the inevitable nervousness, overcome the language barrier and not feel stupid in case of mistakes.

During the introductory lesson, it is imperative to find out what goals and objectives the person has come to you with, and to adequately assess the situation. Don't bother if you're asked to cover three months of material in three days before an important exam or interview. Remember that you are not God, and disciples can also be careless. Unfortunately, your desire to help in such a case will not lead to success, but will only harm your reputation.

The main components of your success:

Find a way to explain so that the person understands;

Check to see if he really understood;

Repeat in different modes until he understands;

Create a friendly atmosphere;

Make your lessons varied. First ask the student about what he does, what he is interested in, what he is interested in - and then you will definitely be able to “hit the bull’s eye”;

Don’t forget to focus on the student’s level and needs;

PRAISE, even for small achievements;

Motivate;

Raise your level and expand your horizons: read, study, purchase manuals and textbooks, regularly check your level of knowledge.

And finally, praise yourself, because now you are doing what is really necessary - helping people become better, be more successful, and climb higher. That feeling when a grateful student wholeheartedly says “Thank you!” - it will stay with you for the rest of your life, and will illuminate it better than any shining career prospects in a large corporation. Good luck in this difficult, but such a bright teaching field!

Before meeting a student, it is very difficult to understand what level of knowledge they have, what teaching aids to use, and so on. Therefore, it is important to ask as many questions as possible before class. If you have a lesson with a schoolchild, ask the parents how long the child has been studying English at school, what grades he has, whether he has any difficulties in doing homework, whether he has ever studied with a tutor before. Be sure to ask what textbooks your child uses at school, this will help you figure out which topics the student is currently studying at school and which ones have already been covered.
If you are going to study English with an adult student, the most important thing is to find out the purpose of the study. Maybe a person has got or is going to get a job where English is required, perhaps even preparation for passing some kind of certificate is necessary. In this case, you will need to focus on grammar and writing. If a person just wants to improve his language a little for traveling, then the main time of the lessons should be devoted to conversational practice.
When preparing for the first lesson, try to select as many diverse tasks as possible to test the student’s knowledge in various aspects. You can even create a short test with tasks for listening, reading, writing and grammar. Then you will have a better chance of understanding the student's level of knowledge.
When you first meet a student, try to get in touch with him right away. Behave kindly and attentively with your child, ask what problems he has in learning English, look at his textbooks and notebooks to understand how the child studies at school. With an adult, you can start the lesson with a short interview, during which you can find out more about the person’s work, hobbies, and goals for his education. This will help you relax, and at the same time give you more information to prepare for further classes. If the student’s level of knowledge allows, it is better to speak English, at least partially.
If your student is a preschooler or elementary school student, try to prepare the first lesson in such a way that it contains more interactive material: educational videos, songs, cards, games. Grammar assignments for students of this age should also be submitted to game form, explain the rules using cards, books with beautiful attractive pictures. This way the child will immediately develop an interest in English language.
At the end of a lesson with your child, be sure to give him homework for the next lesson. Immediately explain to the student how important it is independent work, and that this way he will be able to achieve success in learning English much faster. Adults can print out a book to read, for example from the Cambridge English Readers series. Usually these are either detective stories or small exciting stories. At the next lesson, it will be possible to discuss the chapter read in the form of a retelling and questions about the text. This is excellent conversation practice and an opportunity to learn new words.
A properly conducted first lesson will create a positive impression of you. Further in the learning process, the main thing is not to lower your standards, continuing to select interesting materials for both adults and young students.

If you have a good knowledge of English and think about a part-time job, the idea of private lessons often comes up. But then the next question arises: how to start English tutoring? Nowadays, the services of a tutor are in great demand and with proper planning of your activities you can count on a good income.

There are many methods for learning English, but they are all based on five principles:

Naturalness. The student should receive and assimilate knowledge in a comfortable environment, so he will progress faster.
Interesting. One of the main tasks of a tutor is to awaken interest in the language. If this is not done, then the student may form a stereotype that English is boring.
Subsequence. You need to start learning from the basics. You need to pay attention to all aspects of the language in every lesson: grammar, speaking, reading.
Persistence. Sometimes, students do not do what is required of them. In such cases, you need to be strict, but not go too far.
Game form (more relevant to children). Play is the main learning tool for a child. With its help, it is the easiest way for children to learn English.

To plan effectively and create strong motivation (weak, beginner students especially need this) you need to:

Teaching aids for classes

choose the right literature for different levels of training;
find out the purpose of language learning before starting classes;
determine an individual approach for each student. Lessons should not be boring, especially given the possibility of choosing different textbooks, manuals, and online resources;
draw up an individual lesson plan in advance;
supplement the lesson topic with audio and video materials;
compile a dictionary of new words for each lesson. During the lesson, it is better to immediately use them in dialogue, so the words will be remembered faster and more reliably;
take away necessary exercises to practice grammar rules;
include several stages in one lesson: repetition of material already covered, learning new grammatical rules, new words, applying acquired knowledge in practice, dialogue on various topics. This way, attention will be paid to all aspects of the language.

Work planning and continuous self-development

If a tutor wants to be successful, he needs to constantly engage in self-development in different directions, both professional and personal:

Professional. It is necessary to improve skills and knowledge of the English language by studying specialized literature, attending seminars, conferences, and participating in experience exchange events.
Methodical. You need to constantly meet new people pedagogical technologies, forms, methods, and teaching techniques.
Psychological and pedagogical. Improving knowledge in modern psychology and pedagogy will help to quickly establish and maintain contact with students and their parents, and cope with non-standard situations that arise during training.
Psychological. To maintain the psychological well-being of a tutor, it is important to know what professional burnout is and timely prevent it.

Job search, or how to find a student

Classes with students

There are several main channels for finding students:

Services with a database of tutors, as well as recruitment sites. When searching for students on the Internet, you must take into account that tutors who do not have reviews are chosen less often, so it is better for a novice tutor to set a lower price.
Acquaintances, friends. You can tell everyone you know about your new one, especially those who have relatives or friends school age.
Announcement. It can be hung in a university (or school), or published in a newspaper: schoolchildren, applicants or freshmen often need help preparing for English language exams.
Familiar teachers. If you know teachers, you can ask them to refer students to you.

Choosing a place to study

The choice of place of study must be taken seriously. Lessons can be organized in four ways:

Distance learning (Skype)

Becoming increasingly popular distance learning(for example, in ). To use Skype, you must have a computer with high-speed Internet access, a webcam, headphones and a microphone. Advantages of training via Skype:

no restrictions on place of residence;
saving time - no need to spend it on the road, just turn on the computer;
prices for lessons will be lower than for on-site classes;
a comfortable, “native” place for lessons for both teacher and student;
the ability to choose any time for classes.

Disadvantages of distance learning:

Studying in your own apartment

If the tutor lives alone, and constant visits from clients do not cause inconvenience, then you can conduct lessons in your apartment. If possible, then you need to allocate a separate room for such activities and arrange it there. workplace, eliminate distractions and create an environment educational process.

On-site training (visiting the student)

This training option is most suitable for children, as parents are concerned about safety and want to control the process. Before the first on-site lesson, you need to figure out how to get to the student. It is worth asking in detail about which transport to choose so as not to be late for class. On-site classes are best suited for beginner tutors. Over time, it is better to set up a workplace at home or in a special study room. This will save the tutor from having to carry a lot of educational materials and waste time on the road.

Special room for training

With adult students, classes can be conducted on neutral territory. For example, you can rent a room for lessons. This could be an office or a small apartment. In this case, you can fully equip the tutoring room: bring optional equipment(TV or projector for video materials, tape recorder for audio materials), hang up maps, posters, reminders. All necessary training materials can also be left at the training site. However, this method is quite expensive and will not be available to beginner tutors.

How to successfully deal with an unruly or low-ability student?

Students are different, you need to find each one mutual language. If you find yourself naughty, there are several ways to interact with such people:

Moderate neglect. It is necessary to reconsider your reactions to this student: remove emotions, speak to him lower and quieter than usual, encourage him in the same tone as you reprimand him.
Incentive and reprimand policy. Such a student should be praised for something every lesson (naturally, to the point). This can be done individually and publicly.
Make tasks more difficult. You can try to give such children tasks that are a little more difficult than they can complete; recall moments in which they performed well.
Creativity. With such children, the lesson needs to be planned creatively, using different interesting ideas to captivate them. You can come up with ideas yourself or find them on the Internet.
Variety of techniques. You can also use different programs for teaching English online or offline.

How much does a tutor earn?

A tutor's flexible schedule allows you to combine tutoring with other work. But at the same time, the total income will be unstable, since in the summer it is significantly less people want and can learn. During preparation for exams, there are more students.

The tutor's fee ranges from 5-7 dollars per hour in the regions, in major cities averages up to $40 per hour. It should be remembered that the price of a lesson depends on the location of the lesson (for a distance lesson the price will be lower than for an on-site lesson or for a lesson in a specially rented place), on the duration of the lesson, on the experience and merits of the teacher. The price of a lesson also depends on what materials the tutor uses, since sites with a good base of educational materials are often paid.

Pros and cons of work

Any job has its advantages and disadvantages, and the work of a tutor is no exception. The advantages of tutoring are as follows:

free planning of work schedule and load distribution throughout the day or week;
absence of a leader;
building training using our own methods. A tutor can make the learning process flexible, adjust it to each student, and thus achieve better results;
good pay (provided the tutor has enough experience).

The main disadvantage of tutoring is seasonal work: in the summer, schoolchildren interrupt classes, adult clients go on vacation. Other cons:

Mutual understanding is the key to success

busy schedule with travel (during off-site classes), irregular working hours;
work on weekends (Saturday, Sunday), because children are completely free only on these days;
independent search for students, an especially serious disadvantage for beginning tutors;
unstable income in case of sudden cancellations of classes;
lack of career growth;
lack of social guarantees: unpaid leave and sick leave.

To work as a tutor, it is enough not only to have knowledge in the chosen subject, but also to be able to share this knowledge. Professional education in the subject certainly helps, but it is not the only significant factor.

One of the first steps in tutoring is posting an advertisement for your services. The ad text must include:

Full name;
the subject you will teach;
information about yourself (education, titles and achievements in the subject);
services provided (for example, preparation for exams, working only with schoolchildren, teaching spoken English);
the price of one lesson and the duration of the lesson (you must indicate an academic (45 minutes) or astronomical (1 hour) hour);
work on-site, at home or remotely;
contacts (mobile, email).

You can also highlight a few more tips for beginning tutors.

Conducting a trial lesson

First of all, before starting the training course, it is necessary to conduct a trial lesson with the student. A trial lesson is an introductory lesson, during which an acquaintance with the student (and his parents, in the case of a school student), an explanation of working methods, and an introduction to educational literature takes place. Then it is necessary to identify and formulate the learning goal.

English for children

During the trial lesson, it is necessary to conduct testing, oral and written, to determine the level of language proficiency. Based on the test results, you can select the necessary literature and develop a lesson program. Also, at the first lesson, it is necessary to discuss the rules regarding cancellation of classes, failure to complete homework, and price increases.

No guarantees should be given

The tutor cannot guarantee that the student will master all the necessary knowledge and successfully pass the exam or improve his grades at school. Often clients think that if they paid money, then the result must be 100% guaranteed. However, if the student is idle and uninterested in learning, the class is useless. It is especially important to explain this to the student’s parents. They must clearly understand that the tutor's job is to provide knowledge to the student, and the student's job is to accept and assimilate this knowledge.

Develop your own system

Even before the start of classes, it is necessary to formulate rules that are common to all clients, and later supplement these rules with points that are constant for a particular student. For example, it can be recommended to have several notebooks at the very first lesson: for recording theoretical rules, for tests, for homework and for a dictionary of new words and expressions. Moreover, they must be taught to the student at every lesson.

The student needs to be taught order: to write down new material in your notebook, don’t ignore it homework, work on errors. You can also recommend that the student keep a special folder for handouts.

You should definitely start a diary for yourself: it will be convenient to write down the material covered, homework assigned, topics that you should work on next time, and you can also create a learning plan for a specific student.

In the plan, you must definitely specify what exactly you will do during the lesson and how long it will take you to complete each item. The materials of the plan should be carefully repeated before the lesson, several ways of explanation should be noted, possible difficulties and ways to overcome them, possible questions from students and answers to them.

Look for an individual and creative approach to each student

If you are just starting to teach, then most likely you have not yet developed a library of textbooks and teaching materials. Different students have different goals, objectives, problems, so different materials for learning must be used.

Before starting classes, it is necessary to search for and pre-evaluate the materials that are required to achieve the goals of a particular student. You can create a catalog of available resources to later make it easier to find the right material on a particular topic.

Start with distance teaching

Beginning tutors always feel uncertain and nervous during their first lessons. Off-site classes further enhance the experience. An alternative option is distance learning (via Skype, Adobe Acrobat Connect, OpenMeetings, BigBlueButton). Distance learning allows you to recruit a good base of students and gain invaluable experience.

Keep in touch with parents when working with children

When working with school-age children, it is imperative to contact parents. At the first lesson, it is important to clearly and clearly inform parents about the cost of classes, determine the days and times of lessons, and communicate the position regarding the cancellation and postponement of classes. In the future, when working with a student, it is necessary to keep parents informed of how classes are going, whether there is progress, whether the student is doing homework and whether he is attending all classes.

Don't be afraid to abandon lazy and ill-mannered students

Under no circumstances should you raise your voice at a student; you must remain calm and professional despite unpleasant situations that arise during the learning process. You can make comments and warnings that classes will be stopped if the student behaves badly. If this does not work, then you need to talk about the current situation with your parents.

When even a conversation with your parents does not bring results, then you should not force yourself to work with unpleasant clients. With such a student, the goals set will not be achieved, and if the child does not achieve the planned result at the end of the course, then his reputation can be ruined. Therefore, we must boldly refuse such a student.

Raise your prices

When novice tutors enter the market for tutoring services, they are forced to establish enough low price to attract clients and gain the necessary experience. However, when you already have experience and clients show certain results (for example, several students passed an international exam in English or entered a top university), you can safely increase the price of services.

Tutoring is a good way to earn extra money. If you want to make it your main source of income, then you need to analyze whether it is possible to work in such conditions, because at first it is quite difficult to find students and develop your own effective technique conducting classes.

You will learn about the important nuances of a tutor’s work and where to look for students from the video.

Article announcement:

Tutoring – private lessons at home or remotely. How to start English tutoring, how to develop your own teaching methodology, which teaching method to choose - read all this in our article.

To realize your desire for teaching, it is not at all necessary to get a job at a school where you will have to be exposed to constant stress for a small salary. You can choose a quieter and more profitable alternative - tutoring. But, before you try yourself in this area, you need to study the requirements for tutors, as well as decide on a number of organizational issues.

Who can become a tutor

You can successfully give private lessons for a fee if you meet the following requirements:

Availability higher education, corresponding to the taught discipline. It is not necessary to finish pedagogical university- it is enough to have a profession that involves in-depth study any discipline. For example, graduates of the Faculty of International Relations can teach foreign languages, and “techies” - mathematics or physics. You can engage in tutoring even with incomplete education, starting from your student days.

Ability to establish contact with children. The tutor will need inexhaustible patience, balance and friendliness.

The younger the students, the greater the requirements for moral qualities teacher.

Constant desire to improve your knowledge. To stay competitive, you need to regularly learn new information on your subject, as well as study textbooks published annually.

Punctuality, on which your reputation and the number of clients directly depend.

Tutoring has many advantages over employment in a school. This includes higher earnings, a free work schedule, and the opportunity to refuse a student with bad behavior. But this activity also involves a greater amount of responsibility, because your income will depend entirely on your activity in searching for students and on the results they obtain during the learning process.

Where to begin

Starting a tutoring activity involves solving several organizational issues. Let's look at them step by step.

Subject selection

First of all, you need to decide what you will teach. Ideally, this should be one subject, or 2-3 related disciplines. For example, you can teach algebra to high school students and at the same time - higher mathematics for students. This approach will allow you not to spread yourself thin and provide the highest quality services.

Determination of student population

It’s good when a tutor knows how to work with any age group. But if he has classes in a row, first with a high school student, then with a student primary classes, and after it - with the student, this can negatively affect the quality of teaching, and will also require more effort from the tutor himself.

How to start working as a tutor: secrets of the profession

Students of different ages require a completely opposite approach. Thus, in classes with a primary school student, you will need not so much extensive knowledge of the subject as the ability to find mutual understanding with the child. And teaching knowledge to a high school student requires higher qualifications and the ability to present complex concepts in simple language. Therefore, to increase work efficiency, it is worth forming a client base that is homogeneous by age.

Selecting a location

Tutoring sessions can be organized in four ways:

conduct lessons at home;

visit students’ homes;

rent a special room for classes;

teach remotely via the Internet using Skype.

As a rule, tutors go to students’ homes only at the beginning of their activities, until they have built up a reputation and there is a problem with finding clients. Over time, it makes more sense to set up a workspace at home. In this case, you save a lot of time and get rid of the need to carry a huge amount of teaching material with you. When arranging a workplace, it is worth eliminating all distractions and creating an environment that is familiar to the learning process. Ideally, this should be a work office, and not a living area of the apartment. It is necessary to remove from it all kinds of souvenirs and other unnecessary items that will interfere with concentration in class. Soft chairs that promote relaxation are also not welcome - it is better to replace them with simple chairs. For effective organization The educational process requires the following minimum things:

bookcase for teaching aids;

two chairs;

spacious work desk;

a computer with Internet access for viewing media files, educational games and other electronic materials.

It is equally important to agree with your loved ones, who in no case should distract you from the educational process, or disturb you with music or noise from the TV. It is also worth isolating the office from pets, to which students may be allergic. Organizing the educational process at home requires a lot of effort, so many successful tutors rent separate offices for these purposes. Distance tutoring is no less popular. This option is convenient for both the teacher and the student.

How to start working as a tutor: secrets of the profession

Online classes save travel time and also provide psychological comfort due to the familiar home environment. To organize training, you need a computer, stable high-speed Internet, a webcam, microphone and speakers (headphones).

Studying methodological literature

To have a good understanding of your subject and how to teach it, you need to study as many sources of literature as possible. Over time, you will develop your own methodology, but you still need to keep your finger on the pulse and monitor regularly released manuals. Additionally, you should study the textbooks that your students use in school. Literature sources are not limited to textbooks. The educational and methodological complexes usually also include:

a book for teachers with tips on organizing the learning process;

workbooks for practical classes;

audio and video materials.

To save money on textbook purchases, you can look for used copies on free classified sites or in newspapers. You can also ask people you know who have school-aged children. You can also borrow literature for one-time study from the library.

Determining the rate

The cost of services provided by a tutor depends on several factors:

Reputation. This criterion can be measured by the number of students who independently find you based on recommendations from friends. This also includes Thanksgiving letters, which you don’t have to be shy about taking from clients who are satisfied with your work.

Place of training. If you go to a student’s home, and at a remote distance, you can safely ask for a bonus for this.

How to recruit students

Once you have an idea of how and in what form you will conduct classes, it’s time to start looking for students. This is done by placing advertisements about your services in as many sources as possible. Among them:

Newspapers and magazines with advertisements. Not the best effective way, since many people associate advertisements in free newspapers with deception. The likelihood of finding students through print media increases if you live in a small town.

Street notice boards. The best places will be bus stops, entrances to residential areas and surrounding schools. But it makes no sense to post notices in the schools themselves because large quantity competitors in the form of teachers.

How to start working as a tutor: secrets of the profession

The advantages of such advertisements are the absence of financial costs for their placement, a huge target audience, as well as the ability to describe your services in more detail, which print publications do not allow.

Another profitable option is cooperation with a tutoring agency. For a small fee, usually equal to the price of one lesson, such an agency will independently select a student for you. It is important that the fee is charged only after the first lesson has been completed and confirmation of further cooperation has been received.