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Education

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Original poster

Would you hire a teenage tutor?

16 replies

elliotspalding · 10/03/2016 18:01

I am a 15 year old studying at Birmingham's top grammar school, and I was wondering whether or not I would be able to find work tutoring younger students. My question is, would you consider hiring someone as young as me?

OP posts:

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 10/03/2016 18:06

What age groups are proposing to tutor and in what subjects?

How would you go about assessing a prospective students needs?

How would you monitor and report their progress?

sayatidaknama · 10/03/2016 18:11

I think it depends what you are planning to teach and to what age group.

I know a few DC your age(ish) who teach English as a fl and help non-mother tonguers with homework a bit.

merlottime · 10/03/2016 18:14

No. I would only hire someone with a teaching qualification and with DBS checks. You haven't even completed your GCSEs yet -you don't have the skills to tutor even if you are bright enough to. Sorry.

Bunbaker · 10/03/2016 18:14

No. DD is 15 and I would want someone with teaching experience. Her maths tutor was a retired head of maths and he did a fantastic job. DD got an A* in this January's IGCSE maths exam.

Leeds2 · 10/03/2016 18:23

I wouldn't, no.

If you are interested, the girls from our local grammar are often employed by our local Kumon centre to help children with maths, mark the work they do at the classes etc. I have never been to Kumon, but believe it is aimed at primary aged children. Might be worth asking your local centre.

ThatAnneGirl · 10/03/2016 18:28

It's totally the norm where I have been living (Australia). If you go to the library after school it's jam packed with older high school students tutoring younger high school students.

PettsWoodParadise · 10/03/2016 18:57

As a working parent I might consider you as a 'homework help' after school babysitter with a bonus. As someone else pointed out local tuition centres do use bright teenagers, our local Explore Learning does for example - but perhaps one reason it didn't appeal to us...

cavedescreux · 12/03/2016 08:23

Not 15. Maybe sixth form.

springscoming · 12/03/2016 08:26

If you could show me that you know how to teach my child rather than teach the subject and that you understand the difference, then I might.

MagratGarlikAgain · 13/03/2016 23:05

No, definitely not, not even in sixth form. Perhaps as a second year undergraduate or above (not first), only if you were studying for a teaching degree (BEd).

wherehavealltheflowersgone · 13/03/2016 23:10

No, sorry. Being knowledgeable of a subject and being able to teach it are two very different skills, the latter requires training and, more than anything, years of experience. Look at Stephen Hawking - genius - but can he explain his ideas in layman's terms? No!

As a parent I avoid Explore learning and Kumon like the plague because they employ non-teachers to teach. But use that to your benefit and ask them!

I think you should definitely get a DBS check too.

MrsPJones · 17/03/2016 07:19

Hi OP, you are probably asking in the wrong place. You have a lot of parents highly invested in their children's education on these boards, or parents of children with SEN who would need a more specialist tutor. What you will have going for you is price, I assume you will charge much lower rates than professional tutors. Also, advertise yourself as a 'homework helper'. Sitting with your own kid trying to homework done at the end of a long day is really hard work for a lot of parents. It would be great to have a motivated older student as a role model. You might not be an experienced tutor, but you have at least been taught by current teaching methods, I am sure my son is being taught a maths very differently to how I was as a child.

MrsPJones · 17/03/2016 07:21

I wouldn't expect a teenager to be DBS checked myself.

BigGreenOlives · 17/03/2016 07:23

Dds have friends who tutor, usually to primary age children, not year 6. Dds are yr10 & yr13. Have also been asked if they would work at a Kumon centre, some of their friends have been working there since they were 11.

RidersOnTheStorm · 17/03/2016 07:25

Both DSs tutored younger DCs in maths from the age of 16. (Both got top grades in GCSE and then at A level).

They carried on doing it all through their degree studies and their pupils and their parents were happy with the results.

They did it in the homes of the pupils.

stayathomegardener · 17/03/2016 07:26

I would if I could hover in the background, my child liked you and the price was right.

Just start with one child, do a great job, build up your reputation locally for two years, keep records of how you improve your students marks/progress. By Alevels I would say you would be in demand by word of mouth no matter what your age.

Look good on your Uni CV too.
Good luck.

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