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Guide to become an online tutor
BlogTutoringOnline TutoringHow to become an online tutor
Private tutoring is academic support provided by a teacher who is an expert on one or several subjects. Tutors are trained to provide assistance and support to their students on certain subject areas or skills.
Tutoring sessions are usually held once or twice per week, depending on the student's schedule and availability. And students can spend months and years working with a tutor, there is no maximum time.
Nonetheless, tutoring usually stops once the student reaches their academic goals or if they show improvement, self-confidence, and are getting better grades in school.
Many teachers and professors choose to offer education services as online tutors because it is a great way to earn some money and gain experience.
Besides, online tutoring offers schedule flexibility, working from the comfort of home, and saving time by not having to commute anywhere.
Continue reading to find out what steps you need to take to become an online tutor and for more information go read becoming an online tutor.
Any student who needs help can choose to work with private tutors and take advantage of the services and skills a tutor has to offer, but keep in mind it is not for free. Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash
The first thing you need to be a tutor is to become an expert in whichever subject you wish to teach. For example, if you want to teach English it is probably because you have a degree in English or literature; or you've always loved the subject.
Your students will require your assistance and it is your responsibility to offer the best education you can provide.
If you wish to teach subjects you have yet to master you'd be scamming the clients, students, and parents who are trusting you. That's why you should first attempt to dominate your topic of interest.
To become a tutor you must spend a lot of time practicing, learning, studying, acquiring knowledge, and becoming the best in your field.
Becoming a teacher or a tutor is about being prepared for anything the student might throw your way, and the only way to be ready for something like that is by making sure you are an expert in the subject you'll be teaching.
Nonetheless, there can be some exceptions to this rule. For instance, imagine you took a class or got a certificate and did really well during examinations. There is nothing wrong with offering your fellow students tutoring lessons for that specific subject you aced as long as you communicate what's your amount of experience.
In comparison, it would be wrong to offer a lesson under false pretenses. For example, imagine someone offering lessons but has close to no knowledge and tells people they've got extensive training on the topic. This person is not a tutor and they are essentially stealing from clients or parents.
In order to do things right, you must advertise whatever you have to offer. You must communicate everything to possible clients, like if you only have one year of practice, if you don't have preparation as a tutor, or if you're great with children. Your clients deserve to know exactly what you have to offer.
Continue learning about the differences between tutoring online and face-to-face.
If you want to be a tutor there are some things you must have before you start teaching but don't worry, it is not too complicated. All you need is the motivation to do the things required of you.
Good tutors and teachers have skills in different areas of education and they are here to help students who struggle with different school subjects. Photo by Tran Mau Tri Tam on Unsplash
Here is a step to step list we've created to show you exactly what you will need to become a tutor:
Graduate from high school - the first step goes without saying, you need a high school diploma for almost anything these days, and tutors are definitely required to at least have finished high school.
Complete tutoring prep - you will need different preparation depending on what exactly you wish to teach. If you have a degree in a specific field like science, English, math, then you can opt for a tutoring certification. However, if you wish to teach groups of students, in a classroom, or with a school, you will need formal preparation in education.
Earn a certificate - getting a certification will make your resume pop up the moment you apply for a job or during the interview process. Certifications are a way to formalize your knowledge.
Create a profile with Superprof - if you have all the previous ones you can go ahead and create a profile right here on Superpof.
Set a rate and advertise - you should do some research to see how much tutors with your years of practice are charging per hour and start promoting yourself on social media and with friends.
Network - try to find spaces online where you can meet other tutors and network. You can find Facebook groups, forums, an association, and much more.
Keep in mind that private tutoring is not a practice regulated by any state. This means that as a tutor you have the freedom to pick which certificate or program you wish to pursue.
Getting a diploma or a certificate will be useful for you the moment you are looking for clients, but it is not a legal requirement.
Here is a list of some tutoring certificates and their requirements.
They offer a certificate as a tutor and you'll need a Bachelor's degree, one year of teaching experience, and letters of recommendation.
They offer three certificates, the first one is for an associate tutor and you'll need 10 hours of training, at least 25 hours of tutoring experience, and ATP membership, and two letters of recommendation.
You can obtain a certificate as an advanced tutor but you need at least 20 hours of training, 50 hours of experience teaching, being a member of ATP, and letters of recommendation
If you want the master tutor certificate you need at least 30 hours of training, 75 hours of tutoring experience, ATP membership, and letters of recommendation.
Find a website where you can promote your business or write an article for a media company, there are many ways to advertise your job as a private teacher. Photo by Lagos Techie on Unsplash
College Reading and Learning Association Levels I, II, and III
To obtain the level I tutor certificate you need 12 hours of training, 25 hours of experience, and a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.25 or above.
The level II tutor certificate requires you to complete the first level, plus 12 hours of formal training and 20 hours of experience.
Level III requires you to complete the previous levels plus 25 additional hours of tutoring.
There are five certificates you can obtain at the National Tutoring Association.
The first one is a basic level tutor, and it requires a high school diploma, an NTA membership, 10 hours of working as a tutor, and basic tutoring training.
For the next level, which is the academic coach, you will need the basic level certificate, a degree, membership, and 10 hours of academic coaching experience.
The third level is the intermediate level tutor and you will need to get certified on the basic level, the NTA membership, college credit, and 30 hours of tutoring.
The next certificate is the advanced level tutor and for this, you will need the previous level's certification, the membership, a degree, and 50 hours of experience.
Finally, you can obtain the master-level tutor certificate, and for this, you will need the basic academic coaching certification, advanced academic coaching certification; a current NTA membership; a bachelor's degree (master's preferred), and five years working after initial certification.
You may offer a tutoring lesson on any tutoring website and start your business to help students learn and progress in their academic life. Photo by Lagos Techie on Unsplash
We know that all the certificates we just listed above seem like a lot of work, however, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, all you have to do is set a goal and work to achieve it.
The key to achieving all these goals is practicing to improve your skills. You need to spend time working with students to gain an understanding of the field you want to work in.
If you don't practice you won't be able to spot mistakes, weaknesses, or disadvantages in your teaching methods and techniques. But, if you work for years, spot all the issues, and work to fix them, then you'll become a good —perhaps even great— tutor.
However, great progress doesn't happen overnight, but you must practice and make an effort to better yourself with every student and client you have.
Make a promise to yourself and your students that you are actively working to improve, correct your mistakes, and become the great tutor you know you can be.