How to become a successful tutor
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
Learning has moved beyond the confines of a traditional classroom and into the vast expanse of the internet, making private tutoring jobs more appealing than ever. Teachers can now meet with their classes online in real-time. As the availability of digital services and the internet has increased year after year, so has the potential for online education.
The global e-learning market is expected to surpass $243 billion by 2022. By 2025, it will have grown to $325 billion.
Online tutors have numerous opportunities to expand their businesses and earn a living. This detailed guide from the Workee team will teach you how to thrive in your tutoring career.
What is online tutoring?
Online tutoring, also known as e-learning, is a teaching method in which lessons are delivered virtually. The online tutoring session occurs in real-time, with the teacher meeting with each student individually or with a group of students.
E-learning occurs in a non-traditional setting, such as the Internet, rather than a physical classroom. Distance between instructors and students is no longer an issue when tutoring is done online.
Private tutors can connect with students in different cities, states, countries, and even continents using the Internet. A private tutor with the right skills can reach many students thanks to online tutoring. Another significant benefit is that students can now learn in their comfort zone and at their own pace.
Characteristics of online tutoring
The potential to reach a global audience.
More interactive as you can have a one-on-one discussion with your students.
The advantage of receiving feedback in real-time.
A convenient learning environment for both tutor and student.
The use of different methods to pass a message.
The ability to tailor lessons to suit each student.
You can reach a global audience
Putting your content on the internet means anyone online can consume your content. Nearly 5 billion people are connected to the internet today. An engaging course can reach many people, unlike the traditional learning mode.
You can be as interactive as possible
To become a private tutor, you must learn to be attentive to details and understand patience. Private tutoring involves one-on-tutoring, making the learning experience interactive for the student. Via virtual classes, a student can ask more questions due to the personal nature of the lessons.
Taking on private tutor jobs requires you to patiently identify the individual students' weaknesses. A good private tutor should be able to focus on his student's strengths rather than their weakness.
You can receive feedback in real-time
Feedbacks help you grow and improve on your weakness. It also makes you know what the student wants and how to communicate with them effectively.
You can provide a convenient learning environment
You should be flexible enough as a paid tutor to work around your student's schedules. The learner's convenience is paramount; hence live lessons should be convenient for the learner. In a survey, 41% of US college students reported that online learning was more enjoyable, while 38% said it was the same with classroom learning.
You can use different approaches to teach
An important feature of virtual classes is that teaching is not limited to one method. It could be by Powerpoint presentation or video format, especially when the course involves a practical way of doing things. A video format is always an effective method to demonstrate the action.
You can tailor lessons to suit each student
Unlike traditional learning, where lessons are designed for a large class, private tutoring ensures that lessons are designed to suit a single person per time. Paid tutor jobs are in high demand. Especially tutor jobs for elementary students. The closure of schools during the lockdown prompted most parents to opt for e-learning for their children.
Requirements for tutoring
If you want to know how to be a tutor, or you are wondering how you can get started tutoring, here are general requirements you should know about that would guide your tutoring career. It is important to state that the requirements may depend more or less on your practice location and niche. For instance, becoming a tutor for elementary students may require a different certification.
Education
An undergraduate degree is often required to get started as a tutor. In some rare or specialized cases, a postgraduate degree may be required. There are also cases where high school certificates are accepted, but in the instance that the tutor is already undertaking higher education studies and the degree is in view.
Certifications
For certain specialized niches like IT and even STEM, you may be required to show a professional certification asserting your proof of knowledge in the field.
How to become a tutor
Do you want to learn more about becoming a tutor, especially an online tutor but are unsure how to begin? Or are you worried about handling the technology involved? We have got you covered with this step-by-step guide.
Find your niche
Your niche refers to your area of expertise or a field that is unique to you. It can also mean where your passion lies. For example, you may be interested in teaching children, which means you must acquire skills to become an elementary student tutor. Identifying your strong points is the first step to being a successful tutor. You may also choose to join platforms that advertise private tutor jobs to enhance your prospects of landing a job.
Know your audience
Who exactly are you aiming your lessons at? Business people, art lovers, or upcoming web developers? Your audience will determine the kind of language you will use in instructing your students. For a technical course, understanding that field's vocabulary will help you connect to the students quickly.
Thoroughly research the course
Being a tutor means you are an expert in that field. We recommend that you carry out in-depth research in the course area.
Some of your students might also be experts in that field and are only interested in getting another perspective on that course. Having a poorly researched course is a sure way to lose your audience.
Due to the nature of the internet, it'd be easy to get a second opinion from another tutor on that course in minutes. A well-researched course also adds to your tutoring qualification.
Design your course outline
You want to create the impression that you have the right tutoring qualification. Thus it is important to design the outline as simply as possible. The outline must adequately convey the gist of the course and the contents in simple language.
Learn basic IT skills if possible
Since your course will be taught on the internet, you may require some basic IT skills. Basic skills like making a Powerpoint presentation online, sharing course materials, and designing and interpreting spreadsheets, among others, are pertinent to e-teaching.
You should also be able to operate a webcam to facilitate video communication with your learners.
Choose an effective business management software to host your lesson
Becoming a successful tutor rests on the platform you choose to host your lessons.
One great platform with unique features for tutors is Workee. Workee is an all-in-one platform for tutors. This solution will save you time and money, especially if you are just starting as an online tutor. Workee has everything you need to manage a successful tutoring business. You can schedule tutoring sessions, manage your lesson calendar, automate billing, manage your clients, handle everything tax-related, and create a personal website from one tool.
Watch this helpful tutorial to schedule tutoring sessions, handle everything tax-related and manage your lesson calendar with this
Watch this easy tutorial to learn how to automate your billing on Workee
On average, building a website for your lessons can range from $12,000 to $150,000, plus launching and design. Maintaining the website can cost you between $35 and $5000 monthly. Doing it with Workee will cost you less and give you enough time to focus on your students.
Watch this tutorial on how to create a modern website in 5 mins
Watch this video and learn how to manage clients and provide video lessons
Conclusion
The steps outlined above will put you on the right track to becoming a tutor, and you, too, could be a part of this multibillion-dollar industry while educating others. Don't hold back until you know how to thrive in your tutoring career! Implement this step-by-step guide and show the world your skills.
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