You should have at least some formal education in the subject you intend to tutor – the level depends on what kind of tutoring you do. You may only need a bachelor’s degree to tutor in some situations, while others might require a more advanced degree in the field.
For certain classes that require structure for something like a national exam, make sure you are completely comfortable with the required syllabus.
Compliment the student on their strengths and help them see their growth. If a student is struggling, ask them what they can do to find a solution, rather than showing them how to do the problem yourself. This will allow them to learn how to solve diverse problems on their own.
For example, if a student seems to already have a good understanding of part of a topic that you intended to cover, feel free to skim through that topic instead of going as in-depth as you had planned and move on to other parts of the lesson. This way, you can focus on the aspects that the student needs the most help with to maximize the benefit for them. Make your lessons interesting and interactive for repeat customers. In a good lesson, the students will do much of the work – you will simply guide them through the process.
For example, the National Tutoring Association has a program that allow you to become an NTA-certified tutor. For the NTA certification, you must maintain membership in the organization, complete a certification application, submit proof of previous tutoring experience, complete a background check, and pay the required fees (about $25 USD). Then you’ll be a certified tutor once the application has been processed.
It helps to discuss this with former teachers of yours, so that they already know you are a good student and will make a good tutor.
You can even submit an advertisement to your local newspaper – the print version or the online one. Make sure that you always get permission from the property owner before posting an advertisement.
Consider advertising on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Bing. But be careful if you choose to advertise on Craigslist. The website is a great way to connect with local people, but it is notorious for scams. If you find a potential client from Craigslist, make sure that you meet in public for the first few meetings.
Speak with your friends, parents, or siblings about your tutoring services, and offer a discount for friends they refer to you. You might even consider volunteering to tutor for a little while so that your acquaintances can test you out and help you build a reputation.
This can also be a great way to gain some tutoring experience with a reputable company. This will look good on your résumé if you try to branch out on your own later. Of course, the company will take part of the profit from your tutoring sessions, so you’ll probably make less money per hour going this route.
Depending on your levels of experience and education, a pretty standard going rate for in-person tutoring is $25 to $85 per hour. If you are a high school student, you’ll probably need to charge on the lower end of that spectrum. If you are highly qualified (with a master’s degree, for example), you could charge at the upper end of the spectrum, possibly even more. Ask other tutors you know how much they charge for their services. Do an online search to gather information about how much other tutors in your area charge.
Cash can be such a hassle for parents to remember for every session. If you have a PayPal option, this might make things much easier for the parents. This often translates to repeat customers.
It can be all too easy for people to get behind and then it could turn into money you’ll never receive for services you already supplied. You can consider creating payment invoices for each lesson to help the students/parents stay on top of the financial end of your arrangement.
