Tag: private tutor

Tutoring: extra cash for nannies

Being a nanny is a rewarding career. You have the opportunity to pour into the lives of children on a daily basis; this is something that not everyone has the chance to do. But with this job comes challenges. One of these challenges might be that you aren’t making enough money. Sometimes, a nanny’s wages simply aren’t enough to make ends meet so you’re left finding ways to make extra money. This is tough, because after working full time with energetic children all week, you’re probably exhausted and not thrilled on taking on extra work.

Being a nanny is a rewarding career. You have the opportunity to pour into the lives of children on a daily basis; this is something that not everyone has the chance to do. But with this job comes challenges. One of these challenges might be that you aren’t making enough money. Sometimes, a nanny’s wages simply aren’t enough to make ends meet so you’re left finding ways to make extra money. This is tough, because after working full time with energetic children all week, you’re probably exhausted and not thrilled on taking on extra work.

However, finding ways to earn more cash doesn’t need to be daunting. Have you considered tutoring as a way to help supplement your income? Giving extra time in this way can help enhance your income without compromising your main job as a nanny. You usually don’t need to have huge, impressive lists of degrees from big-name colleges. You just need to have proven experience and qualifications to show that you’re able to effectively tutor and teach lessons to inquiring young minds. For example, when setting up a profile that showcases your areas of expertise on tutoring websites, you’re able to specify where you can teach, when you can teach, and what subjects you’re best suited for. Clients search for quality tutors and when they decide you’re the one they want, you can name your hourly price and start working a few hours more a week. You decide what extra jobs you take on or turn down: you can call the shots.

Worried about juggling two jobs? There are ways to effectively balance a tutoring job and your main nanny position.

Give your best.

Working two different jobs might make it easy to give less to one job. This is never a good idea, though. Showing your dedication to the children you nanny, as well as the individual student you are tutoring is the key to keeping both families happy. Give 100% in both jobs – that way you’ll have a better chance of receiving positive recommendations and word of mouth referrals to other potential tutees or families looking for nanny services.

Don’t take on too much.

Working too much can be exhausting. Taking on more work may be great in helping you pay off debt or to add more to your savings account, but doing too much can drain you quickly. If you’re fatigued and worn out all the time, you’ll be more apt to make mistakes in your tutoring or be irritable with the children you’re caring for. Always remember: when taking on extra work, be sure that it’s not going to compromise your first and main source of income.

Consider overlapping responsibilities.

Tell the parents of the children you nanny that you are considering taking on extra tutoring work. Perhaps they would consider having you tutor their children for an increased pay rate. You may be able to negotiate a higher salary that way. Or, ask your nanny family if it’s ok for you to bring your laptop with you to work so you can build tutoring lessons during nap times or other down times. Overlapping responsibilities like this can take some of the stress out of working more hours in the week.

Most of all, don’t forget that as a nanny and a tutor, you are helping develop children to be confident and capable adults. Being a good example and demonstrating solid work ethic should always be a high priority.

How to Choose a Private Tutor

Choosing a private tutor can be a daunting task.  It can be difficult to find a private tutor initially that is within your budget, and that offers the level of tuition you need, so once you have found one you will want to ask them the right questions to make sure they can deliver.

When you meet a prospective private tutor, you will want to ask them the following questions:

Choosing a private tutor can be a daunting task.  It can be difficult to find a private tutor initially that is within your budget, and that offers the level of tuition you need, so once you have found one you will want to ask them the right questions to make sure they can deliver.

When you meet a prospective private tutor, you will want to ask them the following questions:

Are you DBS checked?
Your prospective private tutor may already have an enhanced disclosure, as many work with children or vulnerable adults in their ‘day jobs’.  However, there are many that won’t have one.  It is of course important to remember that DBS checks are not a guarantee of somebody’s safety to be around others in this way, but it’s a very important thing to look out for – especially if the private tutor is for a child or vulnerable adult.

How qualified are you?
There are no legal requirements for whom can provide private tuition.  However, most agencies require that any private tutor on their books must be qualified to at least degree (or HND) level in the subject they wish to teach.  Who you hire is of course down to you, and it may be cheaper to hire a private tutor who is in the final year or two of their degree – they will almost certainly have the knowledge and skills to teach to GCSE level, and they will be more affordable.  In every case it is important to be sure that they are familiar with the current syllabus, too.

How much experience do you have?
Plenty of years of experience don’t always guarantee that a private tutor will provide a better service.  However, as a general rule, the more years of experience they have, the better.  Make sure you ask for references to see what their previous clients had to say about their tutoring skills, reliability, and results.

Do you have any teaching experience?
Being a master at your chosen subject is quite a different thing to being a good teacher.  However, this does not mean that a private tutor without a PGCE will be a poor tutor altogether.  It is better to look at their references and successes to judge what kind of a tutor they will be.

What are your terms?
You will need to know what the private tutor’s terms are for situations like missed sessions and lateness.  Most private tutors will charge their full rate for sessions that are cancelled without very much notice, simply because they will likely not be able to fill the slot if not given enough forewarning.  Also, you will want to find out what their policies are on keeping up with the student’s progress.  The private tutor may wish to set up regular meetings, either in person or on the telephone, to let you know how things are going (this is of course assuming that the private tutor is for a child).

Private Tutor 101

What is a private tutor?

A private tutor is a highly knowledgeable, usually somewhat qualified individual who teaches students privately to help them develop their knowledge of certain subjects.  Tutoring can be a fulfilling and very lucrative part-time job – or even full time, if you gain enough students.

 

Who would hire a private tutor?

Private tutors teach tutees of all age groups, from very young children to mature adults.  There are a huge number of reasons why someone might hire a private tutor – private tutoring is popular with many different people.  They may be:

 

  • A teenager wanting to improve on a certain subject that they are struggling with for their GCSE’s
  • Parents of a home educated child, who feel that their own knowledge or teaching skills in some subjects is lacking
  • A mature student (or indeed any student) who feels the need to ‘bulk up’ their learning outside of school hours
  • Anybody who feels they need a more tailored approach to education than a school environment can offer

 

How much will a private tutor cost?

Depending on the subject and level of education, you can expect to pay somewhere between £20-£35 per hour for private tutoring.  However, many trainee teachers will offer their services as a private tutor for much less than this as a way to hone their teaching skills further.  If the private tutor will have to travel, it is generally expected that the tutee will pay their travel expenses.

 

I want to become a private tutor. What qualifications do I need?

You will need to have an excellent level of knowledge in the subject you wish to teach, plus the ability to tailor your teaching techniques to your student.  Excellent interpersonal skills are of a very high priority.  It is not necessary to have a teaching qualification, however your level of formal qualification will dictate how much you can charge.  PGCE graduates will be able to charge more than those who haven’t qualified yet, just as experienced teachers will be able to charge more than NQT’s (Newly Qualified Teachers)

 

How can I find work as a private tutor?

You can advertise your services anywhere you wish – local papers, shop windows and billboards are popular choices. However, arguably the best way to advertise is through specialist agencies.  These of course will charge a fee but many feel that it is a small price to pay to ensure your ad reaches those who want to see it.  Many private tutors find work solely through word-of-mouth recommendations, so do a good job and you may find your tutees spread the word!

 

Is there anything else I need to know?

As a private tutor you will be self-employed, so you will need to deal with your own income tax and National Insurance contributions.  Also, it would be very beneficial for you to obtain an enhanced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check.  At the present time it is not possible for individuals to obtain these, so signing up with an agency for private tutors would be a good idea.