Some of us look to make money from home, having to fit around a family, with hours that don't compromise the children or do so to a minimum and, ideally, are flexible around school holidays. There aren't many jobs that fit that bill, tick those boxes or make the most of the knowledge or expertise we may have gleaned from time spent gaining experience working in a certain field or following a particular passion.
Here's a really interesting idea in an article I've agreed to host:
Share Your Knowledge By Tutoring.
Tutoring can be a rewarding job that allows
you to build relationships with students, which can help them thrive in
school. If you’ve considered tutoring,
now’s the time to act on it. There are
young people out there that are frustrated by certain subjects in school,
whether it’s maths, language arts, or science.
Some of them feel like they’ll just never “get it” and want to give
up.
This is where you come in!
Have you thought about being a tutor but were
intimidated, thinking that you didn’t have the qualifications to pass on your
knowledge? Well, do not fear, there are tutors of all ages with all types of
professional and academic backgrounds.
The fact of the matter is: you don’t have to have any real qualifications
to be a tutor – you just have to be well-versed and knowledgeable in the
subject that you’re teaching. First Tutors
are one such site, who serve as a middle man between tutor and tutee.
What should you teach?
You shouldn’t ever teach a subject that you
aren’t confident in, so know what your strengths are and go with that. If you
love maths and just can’t get enough of crunching numbers, teaching maths might
be the perfect subject for you. If reading, grammar, or punctuation gets your wheels
spinning, sign up to help teenagers how to write essays or to help young kids
learn how to read.
Who should be a tutor?
If you’ve thought you’d make a good teacher,
but are terrified of standing in front of groups of kids or adults all day,
then tutoring might be the perfect fit for you.
It’s the opportunity to work one-on-one with someone for an extended
period of time. Often, the extra time that is invested in tutoring will help a
student make the mental connections needed to start passing quizzes and tests –
this is an invaluable gift that you can give a young person.
Not everyone can be a tutor, however. You may love maths, science, or English, but
you also must have patience when you’re sharing your knowledge with a student. Keep in mind that if you’re tutoring someone
in a subject that they are struggling in, they don’t naturally “get it” like
you might. So go slow, think of creative
visual or audible examples that will help them make concept connections in
their brains, and most of all, try not to show any frustration with their
inability to understand a fact or theory.
If a tutor is impatient or easily irked by an excess of questions, the
student will naturally shut down and not feel like they can come to you for help. You can’t pass on your knowledge this way –
it’s important to remember how vital it is to keep an open pathway of trust and
communication between you and the student you’re tutoring.
What skills do you need to be a tutor?
Often, you don’t need degrees from fancy
colleges or a huge list of internships or jobs (even though these do help). If you can prove to a tutor or tutor’s family
that you are knowledgeable in the subject area and are willing to work hard to
help them succeed, that will speak volumes.
In addition, you need to be a continual
learner yourself. Regularly pursue
learning opportunities in the subject areas you are most passionate about. Take refresher courses, read books, or
immerse yourself in the subject, in whatever ways you can. This knowledge and experience will translate
to being a better-rounded tutor.
So don’t let qualifications or lack of
qualifications stand in your way of pursuing work as a tutor. You can help
students succeed, so what are you waiting for? Go for it!
Remember, these are self-declarations, so you should always ask to see the tutor's photo ID and any advertised CRB Certificate as a matter of course if this is a concern for you. We have recently made it compulsory for tutors to submit two references and pass an ID check. The presence of references will be displayed on tutors' profiles.
