This is stupid, but how do you "break up" with a student?

[Onlyrainbows]

I have this student who I've been teaching for almost 4 years now. She pays me £12.50 (I teach her languages) but it's reached the point where I don't think I can do much more for her, and the money I get is not worth my time. I tried to set her up with a friend, but my friend couldn't do it. I've tried to find her a replacement, but so far no joy. I genuinely just had enough, but I don't know how to "break up" with her in the kindest of ways

You are not letting her down though.
You wouod be letting her down if you were giving her half hearted support with no preparation for example.

Closing a business, which is what you are doing now, is nit letting people down. She isn’t a friend. She is a client. You are stopping tutoring. She finds someone else. Don’t go any further.

(fwiw she doesn’t sound like an easy student either….)’

I think you are a very kind person to be thinking about the impact on this lady. It sounds like she has not been paying you a good rate for a while...is she vulnerable in some way or a bit of a cf?

"sadly next week will be the last lesson I can provide due to other commitments ". It's been lovely working with you

I teach her online, but she needs someone offline if she wants to take her Spanish to the next level as she's a bit lazy and inconsistent (at times)

Is she open to in-person lessons? Whether she chooses lessons in person or online isn't really your decision to make. I think you are making this much harder than it needs to be.

Yes the "agreement" that we r ached (or so ago thought clearly) was that my friend would take over with in person classes. My friend in the end decided she didn't want to do it, so I'm back to square one.

It's literally not your responsibility to find alternate lessons.

No you’re not.

Send her one of the e-mails suggested in this thread.
In her own language.

@Onlyrainbows

You've had some excellent (and forthright) advice in this thread - but are you actually hearing and taking it on board?

You are making this much harder than it needs to be. If, as already suggested, you communicate in your student's first language that, unfortunately, from xx date you will no longer be able to tutor her, I'm willing to bet she'll understand. Nothing is forever and it's been four years.

Also if, in the future, you tutor anyone again perhaps consider some professional distance so you don't get in this position again? 🌹

Wish her well in finding a new tutor but don't find one for her.
You're making it more complicated han it needs to be.

Just send her one of the suggested emails.

It's really not hard.

Wrong thread sorry! I've reported my post