Private Tutoring for Primary/Secondary School Students

[lmitchell3]

I’m a 16 year old A-Level student and am interested in tutoring younger students who are maybe struggling with their academic subjects. I worked really hard for my GCSEs and have received impressive grades which reflect this. Despite my interest in tutoring I’m not too sure where to start, and I’m also not sure whether parents would be happy to pay a 16 year old to tutor their child?

[sweetiepie1979]

Hi there I am looking for tutors for my primary school children but I wouldn’t consider a 16 year doing ALevels no matter what you got in your GCSES. It’s lovely that you want to do it but there is so much to teaching that it really needs experience plans strategies etc.

You could offer babysitting and say that you can help with homework’s that might be a way in someone might see how great you are and then hire you from that.
So make an advert that says babysitter able to do homework reading maths.
Good luck and good for you I wish you all the success!

[HolesinTheSoles]

I think few parents would be willing to pay very much for you to tutor their kids. At 16 I assume you have no actual teaching experience (which would be very important to engage younger children) and not enough academic experience to teach a GCSE level student (even if you got 9s in all your GCSEs). You won't have the familiarity with the syllabus differences between exam boards, different methods taught in different schools and methods to engage students of different abilities etc.

If you are interested in teaching and want experience I would recommend volunteering with young children (beavers/guides as a young leader etc).

If you just want a way to make money as PP suggested you could offer your services as babysitter + homework helper. You won't earn as much as a professional tutor but perhaps more than a bog standard babysitter. You could try advertising on local school Facebook pages or mum's groups. Try and make yourself up a professional looking flyer and provide references and specific information about what help you can provide e.g. phonics, literacy maths, KS1 KS2, KS3.

[IsletsOfLangerhans]

Hi. I work as a private tutor and what the other posters have said is very fair. You really need teaching experience plus a qualification at the level above the one you tutor. Do you have any local kumon tuition centres? I know a couple of my A-levels students help out at these at weekends - would be a good place to see if you enjoy it and to get some experience!

[TeenPlusTwenties]

As a PP mentioned you could do is try to get employment with a Kumon / Kip McGrath / tutoring centres. A relative of mine started with one of these when doing A levels and was able to transfer centres to where he went to university.

[catndogslife]

Depends on why you are interested in tutoring to be honest. My dds school had a mentoring scheme where sixth form students would help those in Y10 or Y11 on a voluntary basis going over work set by a teacher.
As others have said the tuition centre route, there is one based at a large supermarket could be the way to go.
If you are considering becoming a teacher at some point then having experience that is school based or with a recognised organisation could be of more value in future than being a self employed tutor.
It's not just about the teaching side of things either there are potential safeguarding issues as well to watch out for as well.

[CripsSandwiches]

Like others have said you wouldn't be earning the same as a proper tutor with a degree and teaching experience obviously but I know teenagers who have been homework helpers and some have got paid for it. Or you can try and get a salaried job at Kumon or similar.