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Tutoring

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Considering becoming a maths tutor. Would anyone parents out there who are looking for tutor be able to tell me if my credentials would be someone they would be someone they would consider hiring as a tutor?

71 replies

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 09:42

I am not canvassing for work. I am just starting out on this path and thinking about whether it would work. I still need to put together notes etc and study plans to follow.
just wondering if anyone would pass opinion on if I look like someone they would consider hiring. I am aware my qualification is from a while ago.

I have a mechanical engineering degree from 2002.
my own maths qualifications are all A
i have teenage children of my own who I tutor
i am patient working with children, I have volunteered at primary school
i am pvg checked
I am also planning to complete open university course in how to teach maths

OP posts:
Cabbagefamily · 16/04/2025 09:43

Sounds great

Panfish · 16/04/2025 09:43

You need to sort your style of writing out for a start op!

no I would not use you when there’s loads of maths tutors out there who have actual teaching experience

Octavia64 · 16/04/2025 09:44

I’m an ex teacher who became a tutor. In my experience parents don’t care about your degree as long as it’s relevant. I have a maths degree and have never been asked about it.

they do ask about previous experience - have you taught/tutored before.

Panfish · 16/04/2025 09:44

You have a 23 year old mechanical engineering degree

and a maths a level from decades ago

and no teaching experience

Panfish · 16/04/2025 09:45

Octavia64 · 16/04/2025 09:44

I’m an ex teacher who became a tutor. In my experience parents don’t care about your degree as long as it’s relevant. I have a maths degree and have never been asked about it.

they do ask about previous experience - have you taught/tutored before.

This is someone who has never taught

Headingtowardsdivorce · 16/04/2025 09:45

I would once you've done the OU course.

WhoisRebecca · 16/04/2025 09:45

I would (and do) have a qualified Maths teacher with experience of the exam boards to tutor my dc.

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 09:46

I was also thinking about volunteer tutoring to strengthen experience

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dairydebris · 16/04/2025 09:47

No, you sound like someone who's good at maths but you have no experience teaching the relevant age group.

Cabbagefamily · 16/04/2025 09:47

You need to make sure you know the current methodology. Ie, how you learned to solve something may not be the current method now being taught.

Panfish · 16/04/2025 09:48

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 09:46

I was also thinking about volunteer tutoring to strengthen experience

With what organisation would you volunteer tutoring?

TenThousandSpoons · 16/04/2025 09:49

You’d need to be very up to date with the current GCSE syllabus for the specific exam board my dc are studying. Lots of people hire non teaching tutors eg young adults who have recently got a 9 in maths GCSE/A at A level themselves. But they charge a lot less than a qualified maths teacher would.

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 09:49

Panfish · 16/04/2025 09:48

With what organisation would you volunteer tutoring?

Vto Scotland or action tutoring were two I was looking at

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woodlands01 · 16/04/2025 09:50

Maths tutors are so in demand I am certain you will be able to build a business. As a full-time Maths teacher/tutor I would say the one thing you seem not to have is detailed understanding of GCSE specification & exam technique and ‘where’ a child sits in terms of achieving potential grades. This will build with experience but working in a school gives a big advantage in this area. My advice to anyone looking for a GCSE tutor is to find some-one with a solid understanding of the specification. Maybe focus on lower years first?

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 09:51

I could possibly do a part time a level course in maths at a college to resit the course using current teaching methods

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Tumtr · 16/04/2025 09:54

woodlands01 · 16/04/2025 09:50

Maths tutors are so in demand I am certain you will be able to build a business. As a full-time Maths teacher/tutor I would say the one thing you seem not to have is detailed understanding of GCSE specification & exam technique and ‘where’ a child sits in terms of achieving potential grades. This will build with experience but working in a school gives a big advantage in this area. My advice to anyone looking for a GCSE tutor is to find some-one with a solid understanding of the specification. Maybe focus on lower years first?

Thank you

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MerylSqueak · 16/04/2025 09:55

You could try and get hands on experience through a job as a numeracy specialist TA in a school.

Candleabra · 16/04/2025 09:55

I wouldn’t, no.

You’re not a qualified teacher nor do you have recent exam experience. You need knowledge of how children are taught in schools now so you’re not confusing them either different methods. You need experience to know how to get the best out of each pupil depending on their goals (some kids may be aiming for a pass, others a grade 9 - very different approaches are needed).
You need to understand the syllabus for each exam board, marking schemes, and exam technique.
And I’d like a proven record / pass rate / grade increase before I signed up for a tutor.

RedSkyDelights · 16/04/2025 09:57

What would you be looking to charge?

Your lack of recent maths qualifications, no maths degree and no experience would put me off.
I think you would have to charge the lower end of the tutor scale until you get some experience. And if I was looking for a tutor at the lower end of the scale I'd probably prefer someone with more recent exposure to the maths curriculum and current practice (e.g. a current or recent maths university student).

That said, my SIL with a similar profile to you has set herself up as a maths tutor. She started with children of friends and mates rates and then got further business through word of mouth. She charges lower end rates. She's also found a niche teaching maths to homeschooled primary children.

ohidoliketobe · 16/04/2025 09:57

Honestly, no. I'd want someone with tutoring/ teaching experience who knows the syllabus and the quirks of the exam board - e.g. how questions are phrased/ presented. Someone who can suggest a few different techniques until one clicks.
I have a degree in English Language and Linguistics, but have an English tutor for my DS as I can't teach.

Octavia64 · 16/04/2025 10:02

if you are looking to tutor maths a level or degree level maths you don’t need to worry about changed ways of teaching or modern methods because nothing has changed.

if you are thinking about gcse (are you in England?) then parents want experience and knowledge of the exam boards and exams and you won’t have that.

below that so students under 13 then it’s a good idea to have a knowledge of how things are taught these days, and it has changed quite a lot in recent years. Bar modelling, use of calculators, ways of teaching ratio and proportion being the most obvious examples.

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 10:03

RedSkyDelights · 16/04/2025 09:57

What would you be looking to charge?

Your lack of recent maths qualifications, no maths degree and no experience would put me off.
I think you would have to charge the lower end of the tutor scale until you get some experience. And if I was looking for a tutor at the lower end of the scale I'd probably prefer someone with more recent exposure to the maths curriculum and current practice (e.g. a current or recent maths university student).

That said, my SIL with a similar profile to you has set herself up as a maths tutor. She started with children of friends and mates rates and then got further business through word of mouth. She charges lower end rates. She's also found a niche teaching maths to homeschooled primary children.

I would charge very low end initially as I am aware that my cv isn’t perfect. Probably just £12/ hr or so.

I enjoy teaching my own children and they come to me for help and seem to like my teaching. So I think I do a reasonable job. I know it’s my own kids so it’s different. But a lot of people who are good at maths will still employ a tutor cos they find it difficult to teach their own children.

OP posts:
Mayflyoff · 16/04/2025 10:03

No, I wouldn't consider you as a maths tutor. I think maths teaching is a very specialist skill. It isn't about understanding maths, but about the different misconceptions that pupils have. As someone who is good at maths, that doesn't generally come easily. It can be hard to understand why someone doesn't understand something that you find straightforward. I think that takes a few years as a teacher to hone those skills. So I would be looking for someone with plenty of teaching experience.

ADifferentSong · 16/04/2025 10:06

Forget your qualifications for a moment. It’s just your level of maths,but are you naturally a teacher? DH has a PhD from Cambridge and an extremely high understanding of all aspects of mathematics. But he’s not a natural teacher and he upsets our naturally mathematical son when he involves in his homework because he wants him to do it his way.

I also think you need some kind of teacher training and school experience and also a good understanding of the different exam syllabi.

Tumtr · 16/04/2025 10:08

Thanks. I appreciate opinions.
looking for an idea if it’s possible of what I could further do to strengthen my position to make it possible

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