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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To continue working exclusively online in september

73 replies

rosesinmygarden · 05/07/2020 15:15

I'm a private tutor. Primary ages mostly. I've been continuing to tutor online since lock down started.

I don't plan to go back to face to face tuition in September and whilst most of my families are ok with this, some have acted like I'm being ridiculous.

The fact is, I tutor 25 children a week in my home office which is approx 3m squared, all one to one, but they come from 5 different schools and various year groups. I feel that for it to be safe, I'd have to wear PPE and be 2m apart which probably isn't realistic in my officd. I don't trust parents to not send their children if the have symptoms (I've had sick kids turn up many many times).

I just feel like online tuition is actually far more effective and safe for everyone involved than them coming to my office and me being 2m away with a silly visit on!

Just to be clear, I have no issue with parents withdrawing their kids, that's their prerogative anyway. I just don't like being made to feel guilty and that I'm being ridiculous by not letting them attend tuition face to face.

OP posts:

wingardium8 · 05/07/2020 17:30

I’d be wanting to stay online if I were you. Of course it reduces the risk, especially as you only have a small room available.

DS has a tutor who doesn’t use fancy technology (just standard Skype) but she is just as good remotely and it saves an hour’s round trip for us too. I fully expected to continue to pay full price because she is brilliant, regardless of teaching format. If I’d noticed a difference in quality online, that’s a different conversation to be had.

Puffthemagicdragongoestobed · 05/07/2020 17:53

We would actually prefer an online tutor, think our DS would be more open to this. Also, you open up your business to pretty much anywhere in your time zone, if you wanted to. And yes, it makes sense from a social distancing aspect.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 05/07/2020 18:04

Absolutely would not pay for online tutoring unless discounted significantly from face to face. It's far less effective for primary pupils. Further more it effectively requires their parents to be more involved supervising them at home as childrens attention drifts when the tuition is screen only. I would consider online only to be of a lower quality/sub premium option, comparable with group music lessons vs private.

A friend has withdrawn her children from a tutor for the same reason as you.the tutor loves the online, it really suits her, but it's been far less effective teaching the children. Also many parents want their children spending less time in front of screens, not more.

OP are you clinically vulnerable? You seem overly worried. I wouldnt object to a tutor wearing a mask (and gloves if they wish) and maintaining 1m distance.

Original poster

rosesinmygarden · 05/07/2020 18:52

No I'm not clinically vulnerable as far as I know. I'm not convinced any one really knows how they'd fare if they caught COVID though. That's why the government advice is for tuition to be delivered online where possible and for everyone to limit the contact they have with others. Maybe that will change 2 or 3 or 6 months down the line.

But, myself and dh are both self employed. We cannot afford to shut both our businesses and self isolate for two or more weeks every time an entitled parent decides that little Johnny can't possibly have corona, Just the sniffles... or Dad's at home ill with symptoms but they'd really like their kid out of the way for an hour...

Teachers in schools may not be safer physically but they are paid if they have to self isolate or if heaven forbid they become ill. So they are risking their health to do their job (which is scary enough) but not their family home and livelihoods if they can't pay their mortgage. I'd be doing both so I need to consider the pros and cons really carefully.

I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place to be honest. Maybe I am 'overly worried' or maybe I'm being realistic. Time will only tell.

I wonder if all the bankers, insurance people etc etc are being paid less because they are working from home and can't attend meetings in person.

OP posts:

Mistressiggi · 05/07/2020 18:59

Ds would be more keen actually if it only took an hour of his time rather than 2 hours including commute. I think my only reservation is just would it be effective - I'd be keen to have a trial run to be honest as I'm not sure how it would go. Maybe you could offer that to new people? I think for everyone you lose you'd gain someone else.

Original poster

rosesinmygarden · 05/07/2020 19:07

All my students have booked summer tuition knowing it's online. Even the moaning ones.

OP posts:

Original poster

rosesinmygarden · 05/07/2020 19:09

And yes, I always offer a short taster before anyone books any kind of tuition. And I don't ask for a commitment or block booking until they've had their first few and settled in.

OP posts:

HoldMyLobster · 05/07/2020 19:09

We've found online tutoring has been just as effective as face to face, so I wouldn't have any problem with it OP. We're happily carrying on paying the same rate.

DS had one online session with a maths tutor for two hours a while ago, and he came out of his room elated that he finally understood a concept he'd really been struggling with.

We're still doing 6' social distancing where I live, and discouraging people from being indoors together especially if they're face to face, so I'd prefer tutoring stayed online.

StaffAssociationRepresentative · 05/07/2020 19:10

@rosesinmygarden I think you are overly worried by this. The market place is changing are there will be plenty of clients who want online tutoring. Those that don’t can just find another tutor to do f2f.

Move with the times.

Original poster

rosesinmygarden · 05/07/2020 19:16

You are quite correct! I'll tell them to take it or leave it.

I know I will fill their spots.

I should stop worrying this is what happens when you are at home ALOT!

OP posts:

Ineedflour · 05/07/2020 19:34

You are being completely reasonable. Offer the service that you feel comfortable with.

A good, well planned zoom lesson can be very nearly as good as face to face anyway.

IsletsOfLangerhans · 05/07/2020 19:39

Something else that would potentially worry me (if I recommenced tutoring at my home), is if my public liability insurance would be valid if any ‘coronavirus’ issues came into play. If I was going to restart face to face, I’d be checking that out with my insurer. That would be on top of the risk assessments I’d have to carry out.

Thank you to those who replied and explained why they’d want to pay less for online tuition - it’s always interesting to find out how potential clients are thinking.

victoriashleigh · 05/07/2020 19:44

For what it’s worth, I absolutely don’t think you are being unreasonable and I’m glad you have a big waiting list! Ditch the parents being a pain in the arse and contact someone who will appreciate what you’re offering.

On a separate note, I always wonder how many of the people saying “I wouldn’t pay full price for a Zoom lesson!1!” would be happy to pay extra for all @rosesinmygarden PPE and cleaning expenses? Probably zero.

Blackcurrant66 · 05/07/2020 19:52

I think one reason people expect things to be cheaper online is because there’s no need for the physical premises to be in a convenient location. If online tutoring becomes the norm then tutors living in a cheaper part of the country could easily undercut a London based tutor and still make money.

ThatBitch · 05/07/2020 20:25

I wonder if the people who really want the in person lessons use the lesson time to get the shopping done or errands run? If they're dropping off at a session maybe the time is then their child free time to get stuff done. This doesn't happen with a zoom lesson. For what it's worth, I would prefer an online tutor for dd as it wouldn't take up as much of the evening rushing about.

mindutopia · 05/07/2020 20:50

I mean I'm a uni lecturer and we've been told we won't be coming back to face to face teaching in September. It will be only very small groups and one on one sessions, but not everyone. I don't personally see how I'll return before at least November, and we've been told to plan to not come back until possible January. So I don't see how not doing face to face in September would be an issue. If people don't like it, they can find someone else, can't they?

Mistressiggi · 05/07/2020 20:52

That's amazing mindutopia, in the context that I (classroom teacher) will be back teaching full sized classes on August 11th.

Original poster

rosesinmygarden · 05/07/2020 20:57

That's because school is also childcare .... so the staff are expendable

OP posts:

cologne4711 · 05/07/2020 21:09

I think if you normally tutor at home it's not unreasonable to charge the same as long as the quality is the same and hand on heart you think it's as good.

But if you normally travelled to your pupils I'd think it was cheeky to charge the same as you would be saving on the travel and you don't need PPE, just sit a decent distance away from your pupils if you are that concerned.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 05/07/2020 21:26

The whole point of being self employed is that you offer a service for a price and people choose the either buy the service or not. If you want that service to be online that is fine. If you want to do all your tutoring whilst wearing a tutu then that is also up to you. If you want to double your prices then again - your call.

Your clients can decide to go with your service or not. It is called the free market. If enough parents don’t like the tutu then you will have no clients and will have to re think your business if you want to pay your bills. But if you want to continue offering online tuition (in your tutu!) even if nobody is willing to pay for it then that is entirely your right.

PicsInRed · 05/07/2020 21:31

The whole point of tutoring for me is that a tutor - in person - is able to get my child to do the extra work. I'm not.

A remote tutor is as useful to me as a remote babysitter. My kid would just get up and wander off.

If you can make the remote business model work, then it will work and all power to you. However, I wouldn't pay for it as it wouldn't be money well spent in my case.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 06/07/2020 09:58

@LaurieMarlow

University fees are going to be the same regardless of whether online or face2face.

No fucking way would I pay 9 grand for online tuition from a second rate university. I suspect I’m not alone in that.

I don't think ANYONE should invest time and energy to a second rate university... Whether online or f2f....

It's too much money and time!

StaffAssociationRepresentative · 06/07/2020 10:59

I wouldn’t worry about charges. Just stick to what you are charging now. Tutors with a good rep will fill up anyway.

If anything those who require a physical visit could charge more with all the cleaning etc.

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