Private tutoring

#1

Is anyone a private tutor here? If so, can you offer any tips and advice on becoming a private tutor and being a successful tutor at that.

In my career I’m not currently using my degree (English Language and Literature) and I would like to by providing English tuition. I was privately tutored in English as a child and I would like to give something back. I enjoy teaching but could never be a teacher - was on the verge of enrolling on a Primary PGCE - so instead I’d like to go down this route.

So yeah, any advice and tips from any tutors on here would be appreciated.

#2

What age are you looking at tutoring for?

As a teacher the most annoying thing about tutors is when they’re ex/disillusioned teachers teaching old methods for stuff (particularly maths) eg moving kids that are like 7 onto column methods of multiplication when they’re simply not ready. Basically learn the curriculum and current methods being used would be my main tip.

It seems you can charge absolutely loads though - like £30 an hour for GCSE maths and science which seems ridiculous

#3

I charged £25/hour 10 years ago so you should get at least that now. Buy the course books and learn the syllabus (find out what exam board the schools are using). Know what your clients want, I mostly didn’t teach the subject but drilled them how to cope with the exam questions. Advertise on local websites / newspapers.

#4

In the region of years two to six, so ages 6 - 10, and I won’t be teaching anything other than reading and writing, utilising my English degree.

Apart from sporadic classroom assistant experience, will it be a problem having no prior teaching experience when advertising my services?

#5

The Primary English curriculum is tough. I think a good route in could be teaching grammar specifically, as expectations on grammar knowledge is huge and a lot of kids find it tough.

#6

I don’t really know tbh, a lot of kids at my school have tutors but I’m not too sure what all of their backgrounds are.

I reckon the grammar stuff as @stupidsexyflanders said is a good idea, the amount they have to know these days is stupid and the GPS test in year 6 is definitely something that children can be drilled through. Maybe focusing on inference and refering to the text for evidence is also a good idea for year 6/SATs prep

#7

Think I’m gonna look into this myself for a bit of extra cash while I’m back studying. Probably looking at GCSE/A Levels though.

Been getting a few online ads for agencies, but not sure. Don’t really know how easy it is to get started?

#8

I started off by being asked to do it for a friend’s kids, then the rest came from word of mouth through them. So posting a few ads online or on noticeboards should get you started and then you can build from there.