From encouraging pupils to fulfil their potential to supporting those with complex needs, tutoring can involve working with a diverse array of youngsters from different backgrounds.
When done well, it can give pupils a vital confidence boost, develops their learning skills and enhances their subject knowledge, ultimately helping them to achieve better results come exam time. Just as life in the classroom can be hugely gratifying, so too can a career as a tutor, as we detail here…
Unlike life as a classroom teacher, tutoring has no fixed hours, making it one of the most flexible options out there. As a tutor, you’re free to pick when you want to deliver sessions, and can plan them around your own needs and commitments. With a growing emphasis on maintaining a healthy work-life balance, tutoring therefore provides a means to do just that. Note that many pupils may opt for tutoring outside of regular school hours too – mornings could have limited work, with most sessions taking place in the late afternoon and early evening.
There’s also flexibility over where lessons are delivered. One option is to provide lessons at a youngster’s home. But an alternative is to use technology. By delivering lessons virtually, it removes the need to waste time travelling to or from a location. This benefits pupils too, as they can learn from the comfort of their own home.
Life as a tutor provides greater freedom over how you go about delivering material. There’s more flexibility around planning and it’s easier to tweak elements of teaching to increase productivity or to work on areas where a pupil is struggling.
Virtual lessons can be provided in one-to-one environments or small groups via a range of software and using a range of tools. From basic calls and video to complex learning programmes, you can use technology which is most beneficial to the learning outcomes of a particular pupil. Having the ability to use this range of options aids your personal development and can enhance your skillset when compared to your teaching peers.
Using a mix of teaching techniques can provide a long-term career boost too, providing you with additional knowledge and skills which can be used in a range of educational settings. This means your options are always open should you decide to return to classroom teaching in future, while many of the soft skills can be implemented in other working environments too. Tutoring also requires you to be knowledgeable of the latest curriculum and teaching developments, meaning your understanding will always be up-to-date should a new opportunity arise.
One-on-one teaching and small group sessions make it far easier to gauge progress among pupils, which makes it easier to see what topics to focus on. Many pupils can thrive in these situations without the distractions of the classroom and those that may not regularly participate can feel more comfortable doing so. They’ll tend to ask more questions, which in turn broadens their knowledge and heightens their analytical skills. Come exam time, you can look on knowing you’ve boosted a child’s confidence and given them the foundations to succeed. This can then provide an added sense of achievement when it comes to results day.
Perhaps you’re looking for additional work, or just want to do something different in with your evenings? Whatever your reason for considering tutoring, it’s a fantastic way to earn some extra cash. Tutoring is required across a broad scope of subject matter, so why not put your knowledge to good use?
You’ll be able to set your own rates for your work and have ample choice when it comes to committing a set amount of time for your teaching. Costs can be set based on your knowledge, skills and experience, although you’ll want to make sure you don’t price yourself out of any potential sessions. Many tutors also provide deals and special offers, including discounts for those purchasing sets of five, or even ten sessions. Keep an eye on the results when they are released too, as a particularly hard exam in a certain subject could see demand for tutors soar.
If you’re passionate about teaching and want to make a real difference to the lives of young people, tutoring could be the right career option for you. Not only do you get to showcase your teaching abilities, but you also get to enjoy the results when your pupils excel on exam day. And trust us when we say there’s no better feeling than seeing the rewards of your hard work!