I have to admit, I had a preconception of who a “tutor” was. I pictured a new teacher – perhaps straight out of teachers’ college and tutoring as a side income and to gain experience. Well, after almost a decade of teaching in the classroom, I took on some tutoring clients for the first time this summer…and I now realize that tutoring is a fulfilling experience for a seasoned teacher. Tutoring has renewed my passion for teaching and has proven to be a satisfying means of earning an income and gaining control over my schedule.
I became a teacher because I love teaching. I love the whole process, from planning fun and engaging lessons, working with students, and watching them progress and learn. However, when teaching in a classroom of 20-35 students, lessons are constantly interrupted. These interruptions can come in the form of a knock at the classroom door, a student arriving late, a conflict arising between some students, and even a medical emergency. With a full classroom of young learners, anything can happen at any time, and you have to be ready to deal with it. And unless you are fortunate enough to have an educational assistant in your classroom, you are the one and only adult in the classroom and you are responsible for the safety, well-being, and education of every student in front of you. A knock at the door might seem like a very minor distraction but any teacher knows how much effort it takes to gain the attention of 30 students for a whole group lesson. When that is interrupted even for a moment, a teacher has to re-focus the entire class all over again.
Tutoring one-on-one has been such a contrasting experience to teaching in the classroom. There are virtually no distractions when tutoring and if your student’s focus drifts, a simple redirection is sufficient. My tutoring students are excited to learn and with an uninterrupted hour dedicated to targeted teaching, we get through so much material, and I see progress in my students after just a few sessions. During the first tutoring session with a new student, I focus on building a rapport with the student, getting to know their interests, their learning style and assessing their level. From there, every lesson is tailored to exactly what my student needs so there is no wasted time. Teaching in the classroom, a teacher must plan lessons that meet the many different levels, personalities, and learning styles. Naturally, tutoring one-on-one or in small groups is incredibly efficient compared to teaching in the classroom.
After having no say in my schedule as a classroom teacher, the autonomy I now have over my time and income has been a welcomed benefit of tutoring. Tutoring has so many options as students are usually scheduled outside of the school day. Tutors have the option of setting their own rates, choosing where to work, and choosing which days and hours to teach. I have chosen to tutor in person, walking distance from my home. I can also set my tutoring schedule around my other commitments. If I were to tutor virtually, this would mean even more flexibility to take on clients who live farther away and eliminate my commuting time entirely. The real benefit though is the independence and control over your life that you can claim by being able to set your own hourly rate and your schedule. I am thoroughly enjoying my tutoring experience and only wish I had starting tutoring earlier on in my career. What are you waiting for? Start your tutoring business today…I have a feeling you will love it too.
