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Original poster

Tutoring unpaid

22 replies

jabed · 28/02/2012 18:56

As most may know I am a teacher (independent school, part time). I have been approached by e mail by an ex student who left my school to complete A levels elsewhere (a so called " better school") . I taught the student up to AS level and said student left with a grade C pass. Now said student is not doing very well at A2 . There were several things going on as I can see it - change of boards and teachers and a student who was doing rather better than predicted in my subject when I taught them. It seems new teachers have being pressure on for said student to drop the subject ( likely to screw their results I guess)

I am not fully in the picture However,

I have been asked to go and give private tuition so said student can
a) retake the lower of their two AS papers ( got a C but wants a B) amd
b) give additional support to A2 being done now.

This is to be unpaid. On my day off.
I am really torn between helping a nice kid and feeling its a liberty frankly. I would value the views of others.

Thanks

OP posts:

kensingtonia · 28/02/2012 19:12

As as layperson (state school parent not teacher) I think they have a bloody cheek quite frankly. While it is great that you take an interest in former pupils you have absolutely no obligation. As independent school users I assume they could afford to pay a tutor? Why should you give up your time unpaid - even if I asked a close friend to tutor I would still offer to pay market rate!

TalkinPeace2 · 28/02/2012 19:19

tell them to bog off and either work harder or cough up
show them the fee scale for MPW !!!!

QuintessentialyHollow · 28/02/2012 19:22

wow.

That is no doubt going to look better for the other school, if their student get better results, due to other tutors "taking over".

I honestly wouldnt. If the parents can pay private fees, they should be able to pay your fees. Down my way, this is £40 per hour.

Turniphead1 · 28/02/2012 19:23

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

MMMarmite · 28/02/2012 19:23

I think it depends how well-off their family is. If they can afford to pay, charge them. If they're struggling for money, you could consider it a charitable pursuit. Only if you want to though.

Turniphead1 · 28/02/2012 19:24

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

MMMarmite · 28/02/2012 19:25

Just saw that you work at an independant school, so unless the student was there on a scholarship, sounds like well-off parents being very cheeky.

faintpinkline · 28/02/2012 22:15

Tell them you don't have time as you need to focus on teaching the pupils at your school who you have an ongoing responsibility for

The only circumstance in which I might have sympathy is if he was forced to leave to a state school for some reason outside the family's control - eg major financial meltdown but even then I'd be saying try to negotiate some kind of fee to keep it on a professional level.

Its up to his new school to get him through the exams not you

senua · 28/02/2012 22:26

Setting aside the total cheek of asking for a freebie, why is student asking now about re-sitting the AS? Why wasn't the re-sit done in January?
I think re-sits and A2 at the same time will be a big ask and if it goes wrong it will, somehow, be your fault. You would be on a hiding to nothing.

I see that the e-mail came from the student, not the parents. Shall we put it down to the arrogance and social ineptitude of youth.

Turniphead1 · 28/02/2012 22:36

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

TalkinPeace2 · 28/02/2012 22:39

Or they would be horrified to realise that they have raised a freeloader who does not realise that other people PAY for things

Chandon · 29/02/2012 11:47

quite shocking OP, the cheek of some people!

10miles · 29/02/2012 12:02

So the 17yo (?) has approached you off his own back without the knowledge of his parents? He's either extraordinarily entitled, terrified of what will happen when his parents find out he's about to be thrown of the course or very motivated to do well.

If he was still at your school would you have offered to do extra time with him?

Is there any way he could pay you, e.g some gardening, decorating or cleaning?

QuintessentialyHollow · 29/02/2012 12:18

Nobody is more entitled than a rich kid! Coupled with brass neck, the view that working people are their lackeys, who pander to the rich out of adoration and respect, makes for a very distasteful spoilt brat!

crazymum53 · 29/02/2012 15:15

I would check your employment contract - am pretty sure that it is usually written down that teachers cannot make arrangements to tutor existing or past students privately without the consent of the school/s involved. If it isn't in your contract you could still use this as a suitable excuse!
Am afraid that no matter how nice the student, once the word got out that you were offering free tuition you would be inundated with similar requests in future.

Original poster

jabed · 29/02/2012 18:30

Thank you all for your clear replies. Much of what I was thinking myself but its good to have others re assure you.

To answer a few questions ( as best I can since I said I am not fully in the picture here) .

I am pretty sure student has contacted me with the knowledge of her parents - so why have they not done this themselves? I dunno. I was asked to go and do this at the students home.

How do I know this is for free - well honestly I do not BUT although the request has been made, no mention of renumberation has been forthcoming , and the student has contacted me three times now. So far I have procastinated and hoped it would go away.

The parents removed their DC to go to a school which has higher fees than my own , so I doubt they are in financial difficulty.

I am not a private tutor. I have never done it before and so I do not know what any " going rate" here would be. But I take on board fully the comment by crazymum that it would not be long before it was well known I had taken this on for nothing and as you say a stream of " clients would appear.

To be honest, I could not understand why the student moved. They were doing well with me. I am fairly sure the new school want to put student into sixth remove ( an extra year where students retake subjects) and this student does not want to do that, but I am sure said student is failing ( was always weak) and probably the school are avoiding the results rush . Failure is likely to push them down the league tables - and of course no school wants that. My own school does not like it either but we do not do such underhand things.

I do have my own classes to focus on and I am inclined to say ( as Crazy mum says) to say my contract forbids it ( and hope they do not approach the school for confirmation).

Thank you all for clarifying things for me and helping me make my mind up. Much appreciated.

OP posts:

QuintessentialyHollow · 29/02/2012 18:34

If they were to contact the school and ask for this information, I am sure the school would handle this wisely if they already knew that you had been contacted by said family asking for free tuition at the former students home...

EndoplasmicReticulum · 29/02/2012 18:55

I would just say "I'm sorry, I do not have time for any tutoring".

nappymaestro · 29/02/2012 19:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

senua · 29/02/2012 19:26

Aw, I feel a bit sorry for her. Sounds like it's a case of out of the frying pan into the fire.

If they have asked three times then it sounds a bit desperate/persistent. I presume that instead of a flat 'no' you will deflect them with a 'no, but I know a website/crammer/man who can'

MMMarmite · 29/02/2012 19:29

Yeah, it could be that they are expecting you to charge them. If I was trying to hire a teacher as a tutor I wouldn't specifically say "I will pay you" as I'd assume it would go without saying. Maybe the family haven't specifically asked the price because they're able to pay whatever you charge.

Try naming your fee and see what they say.

QuintessentialyHollow · 01/03/2012 00:23

Come to think of it, I did not ask my sons tutor what she is charging. It did not come up initially at all! She did an assessment of him, and then phoned me to speak about this, and just told me her fees, and how she prefers to be paid. More so that I should know what to bring, than to see whether I could afford it.

If you are keen to give it a go, and your contract permits it, I would phone the parents and say you understand they are looking for a tutor for their son, as he has been in touch. If they say yes, you can give your terms. £40 per hour if at your house, £45 if you have to come to his. Fees are payable in cash for each lesson, and brought at the time. Nothing to be ashamed of, it is a business transaction. If they say outright, they want it free, then laugh and say "Good luck finding a free tutor" and hang up.

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