How to Be A Tuition Teacher Part 1: Before-Class Revision

So in an effort to keep this blog getting too dusty over the holidays, *blows dust off*, I'm writing a segment on becoming a tuition teacher.

I'm doing this because the tuition industry in Singapore is like, one of the largest underground industries here, and also because of the sheer number of people who want to enter it. [hence, I'm also doing it in an effort to boost visitor stats to this site]

So what do you need to do to become a tuition teacher?

One of the things I found most useful then was Preparation. Yes, a highly overused term, but one that remains useful nonetheless. Before you start making those calls, you might want to decide on a few terms beforehand:

1. Your Working Hours
One of the great advantages of tuition is the flexibility in timing. If you're working full-time, you can choose to teach either in evenings, or during weekends. My usual hours during my full-time tuition days were weekday evenings [except Fri night of course...] and weekend mornings. This gave me more than enough time during the day to do whatever it is I wanted to do.

Obviously if you're taking tuition up as a part time option, then you don't have to dedicate all your free time to teaching. [unless you're possibly that hard up, or that lacking of a social life altogether] Hence decide for yourself when do you want to teach? Some would prefer to teach only during the weekends, some prefer teaching after work on weekday nights, leaving their weekends free. Again, it's up to you.

Once you decide for yourself when you want to teach, then you can save time having to negotiate with parents about your available tuition days. Just tell them straight that you are available "mon and thurs, 730 to 930". If anything, this saves you having to teach during weird slots. [I once had a student whom could only have lessons at 10pm!] Also, this keeps your own schedule relatively intact.

2. Your Teaching Subjects and Level
What were you strong in? What are you good in? If you were an accounting graduate, you can teach Principles of Accounting. If math was always your strong suit, go for it. If you've always been good in the written word, teach kids how to write great compositions.

Don't, for example, attempt to teach O Level English when you scraped through it with a C5 say, ten years ago. ^_^! You will do yourself and the kid no favours.

After you've decided on what subject you want to teach, then the next step is at what level are you comfortable teaching? Primary and Secondary school students come with their own set of baggage each. The primary school kids will tend to be, well, kids. They will be more childish, more playful, and will require more energy dealing with them. [I once had to run after a Pri 6 kid who decided to run out of the house halfway during one lesson]

However, you do get some kids who will tend to listen to instruction more, and these will be a breeze to teach, because they will be relatively docile in the presence of strangers, [yes, even though you're in their house, and after teaching them for a period of time, they will consider you as a relative stranger] and will generally do whatever it is you tell them to do. If you get these kids, hold on to them as long as you possibly can, because they will make your teaching career that much easier. ^_^

This is as compared to the Secondary school teens. The word says it all: Teenagers. They will be more rebellious than the primary school kids, and they will question you more, and be more sluggish during lessons. But you get some where, when it comes to the crucial years of Os and Ns, will be more attentive during your lessons.

You ask yourself: Which do you prefer?

3. Your Qualifications
Obviously this would influence whatever it is you're teaching, [and how much you get paid] but it makes sense to prepare any necessary documents in advance. [yes, time to dig out that ol' dusty O Level cert] Some parents and tuition agencies would want to see copies of these documents in order to ascertain that you are what you claim, so prepare your O level, and maybe A level certs, and any professional qualifications you may have, like ACCA.

Teachers and ex-teachers, you're in luck. Experience counts way more than qualifications here, so the higher the number of years you've worked, the better. Ex-tuition teachers and private school teachers can also count their experience.

4. Your Salary
And this is what we're all doing it for, ain't it? Salary, like in any industry, depends on qualifications and experience. Graduates, good on you. You get a higher salary than your poly counterparts, with rates going up to $40 an hour for honours students. [based on anecdotal evidence] JC students and below...... Better spend more time in school. With your lack of experience, and your young age, parents are least likely to hire you, one of the reasons being you might scram on their kids when you start uni/poly. [which some of you are most likely intending to do] Sorry to say, but you might have to get a data entry job instead.

Again, people with teaching experience have the advantage. Rates for teachers/ex-teachers can go up to $50-60 an hour, based on experience and the number of subjects taught. Tuition teachers can also get just as good rates, if they have a good sucess rate with their students, and good referrals.

So consider all the factors from 1 to 3 and price yourself reasonably. Bear in mind that there is no fixed income standard for tuition, and that a lot pretty much depends on the bargaining powers between you and the parent. However, if you do have a strong advantage in a particular subject, [like you're a teacher, or you have professional qualifications] I suggest you milk it to the core. Go for as obscenely high a price as you possibly can, and then bargain it down slightly to a slightly more reasonable rate.

Don't go overboard with it though. As of yet, I haven't heard of a tutor getting paid $100 a hour for teaching. o_0

Well, that's all for Part 1... After I post this up, I'll start work on Part 2: Getting the job itself. Stay tuned!