How to start working as a tutor? Personal experience. How to be a good tutor
Pauline
Russian language tutor
“I was studying with a student, and everything seemed to be fine, but one day I came, her brother opened the door, with the words “Come in, but Masha is not at home.” I pass by and see their mother, who is trying to find Masha. After half an hour and about a dozen unanswered calls, an SMS arrives: “So today is it really? Tomorrow?” What amazes me most about stories like this is the students themselves. Each time I ask them to write down the class time in their notebooks and set a notification on their phone. How do they manage to survive until grades 9–11 with such irresponsibility? We worked with her for a short time. The last straw was the situation when I arrived at her class, as usual, and she opened the door in a dressing gown: “Didn’t your mother call you? I'm sick." It’s not entirely clear why she herself was unable to call or write.”
Irina
tutor in English language
“There was a not very adequate woman who wanted me to work with her five-year-old child. At the same time, she taught me how to conduct a lesson, she was going to attend the lesson and bring the children of her friends to it - that is, it was no longer an individual lesson, but a group. The most fun thing about this was the payment: 350 rubles for half an hour, despite the fact that they had to study at their home, which was still a bus ride from the metro. In general, I refused under the pretext of a busy schedule.”
Susanna
Italian language tutor
“I studied with two sisters: the eldest was 20 years old, the youngest was 12. Initially, it was agreed that I would teach only the eldest, and then I was confronted with the fact that both would study. There is a significant age difference between them, and here you need absolutely different approach, but no one began to listen to me. Since I was just starting, I didn’t dare refuse. They were strange, in class, like first-graders, they laughed at in Italian words. And once a class was canceled five minutes before the start - considering that it took an hour and a half to get to them (by metro, then by tram and then on foot), and it was quite late in the evening.”
Not every person who knows English can teach it to other people. But if you have set yourself the goal of becoming a tutor, then this can be achieved if you follow some rules and put in some effort.
A tutor is significantly different from a university teacher or school teacher. His teaching method is based on the skills and knowledge of the student he has taken on at the moment. Since all students are different, this leads to a lot of nuances in the work. Therefore, today we will try to understand them and answer the question of how to become an English tutor.
At the beginning of your journey, you shouldn’t offer a bunch of programs for everyone. Novice tutors can usually perform well in working with school students. But if you like working with adults, then start working only with them.
Cost of education: From 80 rub/hour
Discounts: Bonuses, seasonal discounts
Training mode: Online
Free lesson: Provided
Online testing: Not provided
Literature: -
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Linguatrip
Cost of education: From $35/lesson
Discounts: Not provided
Training mode: Online/Skype
Free lesson: Not provided
Teaching method: Determined by the teacher
Online testing: Provided
Customer Feedback: (4.4/5)
Literature: Determined by the teacher
Address: Mountain View, California
Each age category requires an individual approach. Children, for example, cannot concentrate on learning for very long. And adults really don’t like being corrected, criticized, or pointed out when mistakes are made. And almost everyone hopes for quick results. This is one of the main problems.
business man in start - racing position
You need to use all the techniques. By the way, the word of mouth method works like a charm. Post the news on your social media page. network that you are recruiting students. Offer the first free lesson, organize promotions, etc.
People are inert by nature, so they are unlikely to write to you asking you to teach them English. But literally every one of your friends or their friends dreamed of learning English at least once. If you want to learn how to become an English tutor, you first need to learn how to advertise your own services.
You can send messages to your friends like: “Hi. I started giving English lessons. I will be happy to become your tutor! The first lesson is free =) Also, maybe you know some of your friends who would like to learn English?
Ask your acquaintances, relatives, friends, advertise in the newspaper and on your social media page. networks. And if you plan to work via Skype, then you have a lot of opportunities for advertising yourself on the Internet.
As practice shows, almost no one is interested in your diplomas and titles. Even many years of experience does not inspire such confidence as simple recommendation friend. If you know how to present the material, then there is often no need for a diploma.
But it is worth considering that a diploma is a confirmation of your knowledge. If you are going to prepare people for international exam, but have never taken it on your own, then most likely your students will be disappointed in you. Therefore, to teach complex English courses, certain papers will still be needed. Well, a diploma will always be a definite plus for your authority in the eyes of your students.
PuzzleEnglish
Discounts: 7 days free
Training mode: Online
Free lesson: Provided
Teaching method: Selfeducation
Online testing: Provided
Customer Feedback: (5/5)
Literature: -
Address: -
Cost of education: From 590 rub/hour
Discounts: Purchasing activity packages, inviting friends
Training mode: Online
Free lesson: Provided
Online testing: Provided
Literature: -
Address: -
Tutorials
The good old “Bonk” from 2001 is simply a wonderful textbook for all times. But often (especially adult students) they are indignant: “Why do I come to you and pay money, but they teach me according to the old curriculum, just like in a regular school?” It is worth noting that such claims do exist.
A tutor differs from a teacher in that he must introduce variety and original ideas V educational process so that the student really sees that he is buying quality services. For some, “Bonk” is quite enough, but for others it will be much more interesting to study according to Murphy, Upstream and others.
Lesson planning is an integral part of teaching English. It gives you and your students structure, continuity and confidence in the quality of the service you provide. There are as many variations in planning as there are teachers and students. What you will find in this article is an example of practices that can be used and adapted to achieve the goals set by the tutor.
Select system
Whether it is PPP (Present, Practice, Production) or ESA (Engage, Study, Activate) or something else, then choose a system that suits your learning style and philosophy. This will allow you to figure out what works and reduce wasted time. Whichever system you choose, you need to include the following steps:
- Topic Submission
- Controlled Practice
- Free-form practice
Note : The steps can be interchanged, but ideally they should be included in every lesson.
Use technology to your advantage
Some sections of the plan may be repeated (headings/student information, etc.). Such entries take the most time, so it is better to use technical methods for their processing. To do this, select or create a template that will be convenient for you to work with. Try using EverNote for lesson planning. Then you can access records both online and offline from a computer, tablet or mobile phone.
Sections you can add to your lesson plan:
- Name and age of the student
- Name of material or textbook used + level
- Lesson topic (textbook section or topic requested by the student)
- Each stage (estimated time) and details of what you intend to cover
- Notes
Take notes for yourself
Leave a comment box in your lesson plan, try filling it out immediately after the lesson. Include what worked/didn't work and why. If your student makes comments or you notice that he is bored or doesn't understand, write it down. Don't trust your memory, the information will be lost as soon as you get home. The notes will be a valuable indicator of professional progress and parents will appreciate that you are actually working with each student individually.
Rework and adapt
If you're in the mood to work for an assessment, a textbook, or an exam, consider naming your lesson plans accordingly and organizing them in a notebook or Evernote. This doesn't mean using the same 10 plans for the rest of your career, but it does give you the opportunity to rework and improve some of them through notes.
Don't create a lesson plan at the last minute.
Even if you work from a textbook, don't tie it to your lessons—use the planning process to adapt the material to suit your students' needs by changing the order of activities. At first, planning classes takes a lot of time - this is normal. Over time, the process becomes shorter and you'll create lesson plans with incredible ease. Do yourself and your students a favor. Give yourself time to think through activities that suit the student's learning style and interests. Such an experience will be the best for everyone involved in the process.
Always carry extra materials with you
Sometimes, even with a well-planned lesson, nothing happens. This can happen to the best of tutors. Understanding this will help you in the long run. If this happens in the middle of a lesson, a couple of additional materials prepared in advance will save your lesson, and you will not fall into a stupor and frantically search for something to fill the time. You will remain confident and finish the lesson with flying colors.
Perhaps every student, and not only students, has thought about earning extra money as a tutor. But for a person without experience, it is not always clear where to start, where to look for students and how to create a program.
For those preparing for the main school exam
I have been teaching Russian to schoolchildren for 4 years. First of all, you need to understand that tutoring is difficult, responsible, and at first the process itself will take a lot of time. More often than not, the children who get a tutor are not very strong and sometimes are not even interested in your subject. Do you need for a short time(sometimes this can be just a few weeks) lead the child to a certain result.
1. Start with practice
Before looking for students, try to “work” as a teacher for some time. younger brother, sisters, children of neighbors or friends. In my first year, I helped an eleventh-grader I knew prepare for the Unified State Exam in Russian free of charge: I gave some advice, explained the theory, and checked essays. As a result, the girl received 98 points and entered the philological department of Moscow State University, and I was inspired by her success and decided to become a tutor.
2. Ask your friends
Ask your friends: there are probably people around you who have been tutoring for a long time. Find out what difficulties there were when they first started working, listen to their success stories.
3. Study the literature
Scroll through school books, go to a bookstore and see what demands are placed on schoolchildren today. If you graduated a couple of years ago, then remember how you yourself prepared for the exams. Read books on child psychology and pedagogy manuals to better build relationships with students. Marina Chibisova’s book “Psychological preparation for the Unified State Exam” or Robert and Jean Bayard’s “Your restless teenager ( Practical guide for desperate parents)".
If you are planning to prepare your children for final exams, take a look at the FIPI website: there are open task banks, demo versions exam options, plus published last news on changes in the OGE and the Unified State Exam. I recommend visiting this site at least once a week.
It is more difficult to immediately begin preparing for entrance exams to specific universities - for example, for the internal test at Moscow State University. But if you are a student or graduate of this university, have taken the entrance examination yourself and understand its specifics, then why not try.
4. Think over a general work plan
It is better to develop programs directly for specific children. Before you find them, formulate general scheme work, for example, for graduate classes. Think of some tricks that will diversify your lessons. For example, my students memorize exception verbs and roots with alternating vowels in the form of short poems, and junior schoolchildren They teach the rules in the form of a fairy tale.
5. Start looking for students
Start searching for students in early August. By September, at least a few people will be found, and you will have time to develop a program in a month.
It is best to find your first students through word of mouth. Tell your mom or aunt that you decided to tutor, for example: they will tell their neighbors, colleagues and girlfriends at the fitness center about it. You can publish an ad in the “Services” section on Avito, write posts on social networks - on your pages or in groups where tutors are looking for students, and students are looking for tutors. Try to succinctly talk about what you can do, about your educational and scientific achievements. And if you already have some teaching experience, be sure to write about it.
Another option is special websites for finding tutors, but they most often ask for a fee for their services. If you have a good relationship with teachers at your home school, you can cast a bait there too: there are probably students who are looking for a tutor.
Some parents are not eager to place their child in the hands of a student. But I believe that work experience in tutoring is not the most important thing. A student who has entered a prestigious medical school and passed biology perfectly, knows the subject at a level at which he can explain it and prepare a future graduate for the exam. So advice to parents: don’t be afraid of a young tutor! I think even after talking on the phone you will understand whether this person can become a teacher for your child. If in doubt, try scheduling a free trial lesson.
6. Choose a place to study
Tutors in major cities many options. You can conduct lessons at your place or go to your students, study in quiet cafes or anti-cafes (there you will pay not for tea or coffee, but for the time spent; the average price per minute is two rubles). You can think about coworking - a kind of office in which you rent space for a certain period. Tutors in small towns most often work from home or visit students. Another way is lessons via Skype, but I resort to it in extreme cases, when, for example, a student is ill and cannot study live. Still, live communication plays an important role in learning.
7. Rate your services
Explore the offers of other tutors in your city and specifically in your area. Pay attention to work experience: of course, an experienced tutor will have a higher price per hour of lessons than a beginner. In addition, the cost of an hour of a lesson may vary depending on the conditions: the tutor studies at home, travels to the student, conducts a lesson on neutral territory or remotely. After you analyze everything, set a price. You don’t have to indicate it in the ad, but write to those who respond.
8. Do a trial lesson
So, you have found your first student. A trial lesson is often free. You can invite parents to it: they will be able to look at you as a teacher and understand whether they can trust you with their child. If you like the child, and he likes you, if you realize that you can cope with the task, then it’s time to think about the frequency of classes. Typically, tutors work with children twice a week, but everything is individual. The duration of the lesson depends on the age of the student, his level of knowledge and the purpose of the lesson.
Discuss the child's gaps and problems with the parents and keep them informed of his progress. At the same time, try to establish contact with the student himself. I continue to communicate with many of my students who have already graduated from school. In my opinion, a tutor should be a kind but fair mentor for a child. He should not be afraid of you, but he must understand that he needs everything that you ask him.
Remember that if you truly love the subject you teach, chances are your student will fall in love with it, too. And if you build a program correctly and adhere to the work plan, the desired result will not be long in coming. At the same time, we must not forget that some people catch everything the first time, while others need to explain the rule several times. Learn to feel your child's working pace. I recently rejoiced: a boy who came to me a year and a half ago with a grade between a two and a three received a solid A on the Unified State Examination. Children's victories are always your victories.
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 What I can give is LOVE for my 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, additional manuals or printouts), laptop (if you use training 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 classes are going, whether there is progress, whether the student completes his 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 due to 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 New Year's holidays and long-awaited holidays, I just can’t congratulate you happy New Year and wish you all the best!
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