Side Hustle: Top 10 Things To Consider As You Prepare to Become an Online Tutor
Greetings & Salutations Dear Reader,
I feel compelled to share some useful tips learned in my four months of full-time online tutoring. Yes, the #Coronavirus has cajoled me into sharing how to prepare for online tutoring. There is a major shift occurring as the world learns how to work from home in #quarantine. Before we start the countdown, you should know that I worked 40 hours a week between 8am and 5pm EST and CST as a remote aka virtual aka online tutor for college students of various ages. Because I was working for two reputable companies remotely, I was able to travel between Texas and Pennsylvania without missing a minute of work. I would recommend this kind of work to anyone who has taught before, wants to tutor privately, is comfortable managing small learning groups, wants to set their own work schedule, and/or wants to earn additional part-time income. Now let's get to the deets you need once you have secured your job and/or tutees/clients....
10. Laptop or Smart Device with a Camera - Invest in a device that has a decent camera and microphone or is compatible with a headset that has a microphone. If possible, I recommend doing some research on sound quality or both the speaker and listener's side. Consider a microphone that minimizes background noises (such as music, TV, other conversations). A device designed with video chat features is in your best interest, for this type of work.
9. Strong WiFi Connection - The great thing about working remotely is that you can travel local, nationally and internationally when all you need is a smart device and an Internet connection. When you make your own hours and appointments you absolutely require a consistent, reliable strong Internet connection.
8. Designate a Work-space - Whether you are working in your home, renting a space or in the local bookstore find a space where there will be minimal interruptions during tutorial sessions. Get creative with the area, if possible. Put up a tapestry, poster/s, or signage that complements the theme/s or subject specific to the tutoring position.
7. Office Hours - Although you should be flexible due to client availability in the evenings and on the weekends, use a weekly calendar to determine the best times for you to tutor. Perhaps you only want to tutor for 10 to 15 hours per week. You could choose 3 or 4 days a week for chunks of time. I recommend one hour sessions. Clearly communicate your weekly availability for reoccurring clients. This includes times you will respond to emails and/or answer or return phone calls from clients.
6. Collaborative Websites and Applications - If you decide to tutor privately or with a reliable tutorial company be sure to select programs that have collaboration features. You may need a whiteboard, to share screens and to write or draft together. Do your research to find out which programs successfully offer these features to improve productivity and efficiency, if you are considering being a private tutor. Before you apply with a company ask about their online platform features to aid you in successfully tutoring clients.
5. Stick to the $cheduled Time - Once you and your tutee have scheduled a time, be sure that you and the client respect that. If the client is late, that does not mean you extend the time. You are being paid for service on an agreed upon time. Establishing a rule about lateness is important. It is not necessary to lecture the client; be assertive about how your time is spent. Perhaps you will establish a contract offering a one or two time policy for late arrival. Reviewing that during the initial session is essential to clear communication.
4. Establish Goals - In my experience students have multiple subjects they need to help in. It is not realistic to think 3 different assignments from 3 different classes can be addressed in a session. As a former writing tutor many students would come to the session without a draft, thinking we would spend an hour writing their paper. I DO NOT recommend. The responsibility of the tutor is to help the client prioritize the assignments or skill to focus on. The best way to determine the goal per session is based on difficulty level and due dates. The more difficult assignments should be addressed in a tutorial session. Checklists are our friends.
3. Stretch or Brain Breaks - Our eyes, bodies and minds need breaks! During an hour session I would recommend 2 breaks, no more than 5 minutes each. You can stretch with or without your client. This is a time for bathroom use as well. Stay healthy when working online, especially if you have several sessions scheduled in a day.
2. End of Session Notes - In the last 5 minutes of the session, recap what has been achieved. Review the goal checklist for confirmation of what was completed. This is for the client to know what they have accomplished and for your notes. The notes that you should most certainly record at the end of every session are to summarize each session. Suggestion: use a spreadsheet database to record names, times, dates, subjects and specifics. It takes less than 5 minutes and could be your saving grace.
Based on grade level and age, you have to decide if you will assign homework. Consider whether there is a skill the tutee needs to master that requires practice beyond the sessions. Consider whether the students course load is heavy and giving homework could not be completed due to a rigorous academic life. Discuss this with the client to see what the expectation is with regards to you assigning homework.
1. Resources - Build a list of reliable resources for the subject/s that will be explored by you and your tutees. Create a folder or bookmark them to easily access when needed. For example, I directed clients to the Purdue University - OWL for good examples of how to use the MLA, APA and Chicago writing formats. Work smarter, not harder.
May this information be helpful for you as you decide whether you want to traverse the world of remote tutoring. For more tips, write a comment. Good luck!
Happy last day of the 2020 Women's History Month!
I feel compelled to share some useful tips learned in my four months of full-time online tutoring. Yes, the #Coronavirus has cajoled me into sharing how to prepare for online tutoring. There is a major shift occurring as the world learns how to work from home in #quarantine. Before we start the countdown, you should know that I worked 40 hours a week between 8am and 5pm EST and CST as a remote aka virtual aka online tutor for college students of various ages. Because I was working for two reputable companies remotely, I was able to travel between Texas and Pennsylvania without missing a minute of work. I would recommend this kind of work to anyone who has taught before, wants to tutor privately, is comfortable managing small learning groups, wants to set their own work schedule, and/or wants to earn additional part-time income. Now let's get to the deets you need once you have secured your job and/or tutees/clients....
10. Laptop or Smart Device with a Camera - Invest in a device that has a decent camera and microphone or is compatible with a headset that has a microphone. If possible, I recommend doing some research on sound quality or both the speaker and listener's side. Consider a microphone that minimizes background noises (such as music, TV, other conversations). A device designed with video chat features is in your best interest, for this type of work.
9. Strong WiFi Connection - The great thing about working remotely is that you can travel local, nationally and internationally when all you need is a smart device and an Internet connection. When you make your own hours and appointments you absolutely require a consistent, reliable strong Internet connection.
8. Designate a Work-space - Whether you are working in your home, renting a space or in the local bookstore find a space where there will be minimal interruptions during tutorial sessions. Get creative with the area, if possible. Put up a tapestry, poster/s, or signage that complements the theme/s or subject specific to the tutoring position.
7. Office Hours - Although you should be flexible due to client availability in the evenings and on the weekends, use a weekly calendar to determine the best times for you to tutor. Perhaps you only want to tutor for 10 to 15 hours per week. You could choose 3 or 4 days a week for chunks of time. I recommend one hour sessions. Clearly communicate your weekly availability for reoccurring clients. This includes times you will respond to emails and/or answer or return phone calls from clients.
6. Collaborative Websites and Applications - If you decide to tutor privately or with a reliable tutorial company be sure to select programs that have collaboration features. You may need a whiteboard, to share screens and to write or draft together. Do your research to find out which programs successfully offer these features to improve productivity and efficiency, if you are considering being a private tutor. Before you apply with a company ask about their online platform features to aid you in successfully tutoring clients.
5. Stick to the $cheduled Time - Once you and your tutee have scheduled a time, be sure that you and the client respect that. If the client is late, that does not mean you extend the time. You are being paid for service on an agreed upon time. Establishing a rule about lateness is important. It is not necessary to lecture the client; be assertive about how your time is spent. Perhaps you will establish a contract offering a one or two time policy for late arrival. Reviewing that during the initial session is essential to clear communication.
4. Establish Goals - In my experience students have multiple subjects they need to help in. It is not realistic to think 3 different assignments from 3 different classes can be addressed in a session. As a former writing tutor many students would come to the session without a draft, thinking we would spend an hour writing their paper. I DO NOT recommend. The responsibility of the tutor is to help the client prioritize the assignments or skill to focus on. The best way to determine the goal per session is based on difficulty level and due dates. The more difficult assignments should be addressed in a tutorial session. Checklists are our friends.
3. Stretch or Brain Breaks - Our eyes, bodies and minds need breaks! During an hour session I would recommend 2 breaks, no more than 5 minutes each. You can stretch with or without your client. This is a time for bathroom use as well. Stay healthy when working online, especially if you have several sessions scheduled in a day.
2. End of Session Notes - In the last 5 minutes of the session, recap what has been achieved. Review the goal checklist for confirmation of what was completed. This is for the client to know what they have accomplished and for your notes. The notes that you should most certainly record at the end of every session are to summarize each session. Suggestion: use a spreadsheet database to record names, times, dates, subjects and specifics. It takes less than 5 minutes and could be your saving grace.
Based on grade level and age, you have to decide if you will assign homework. Consider whether there is a skill the tutee needs to master that requires practice beyond the sessions. Consider whether the students course load is heavy and giving homework could not be completed due to a rigorous academic life. Discuss this with the client to see what the expectation is with regards to you assigning homework.
1. Resources - Build a list of reliable resources for the subject/s that will be explored by you and your tutees. Create a folder or bookmark them to easily access when needed. For example, I directed clients to the Purdue University - OWL for good examples of how to use the MLA, APA and Chicago writing formats. Work smarter, not harder.
May this information be helpful for you as you decide whether you want to traverse the world of remote tutoring. For more tips, write a comment. Good luck!
Happy last day of the 2020 Women's History Month!
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