Hi everyone!
I am thinking of doing some tutoring this summer-I’ve had lots of parents asking me about it-and I was wondering if any of you have done it before. I would love some advice on how you structure the time, what materials you use, what information you require about the child, what pre and post assessments you do (if any) and how much is the going rate (I have a Master’s in Exceptional Student Education-Varying Exceptionalities, am in my 2nd year of teaching, and have a few good recommendations.) A couple of the requests have been for intensive intervention but from what I can tell, some parents just don’t want their children to lose anything or fall behind over the summer. I’d rather tutor the second group, as during the year I teach SLD and would like a break from that, but any advice, suggestions, etc. about either type tutoring situation would be very helpful!
Thanks,
Ms M :D
Re: How to tutor in the summer?!?
It is certainly possible to do. I have just started a tutoring practice and actually expect I will have less business. I don’t actually think I will lose someone entirely but there will be vacations and so on.
I would seriously doubt you will make any money the first time you do this, unless someone has given you all your materials! If you have these already then you could (make money that is). I use an OG based reading program that has all the materials with it. I am using Math U See and On Cloud NIne and I have a few other things thrown in. The testing I use is built into the reading program, but I do wish I could afford some standardized tests (later I guess).
If you are just going to keep with the kid’s regular materials and approaches— well unless you do NOT take ld kids I would doubt you would get much accomplished.
I also do 1 hour (I have no adults). And I have a sixth grader i am working with 1 1/2 hours but on two subjects. She usually considers the math fun at this point so it is almost a reinforcer. I do a good 45-55 minutes of work and then play games (educational, home made mostly that reinforce what the kids are learning). for the last 5-15 min. depending on the kid and time. I have actual crossovers like 4-5 and 5-6. It works ok. I let the kids watch my fish tank (a favorite actiivity) or play with the dog, and if a parent is late I put in a video. This has alll worked out ok. I tell the kids that everyone has reading problems that I work with.
As Victoria says, the rate is based on where you live. I think more so than your experience, etc. If you were trained in Lindamood Bell, that might be worth extra $— if the parents knew what they were getting that is. I feel we should be affordable but still be able to make a living which is always a balance.
—des
Lots of questions.
I need more summer students, to be honest, because a lot of people plan to do it but then the kid complains about having to work and they give in.
I schedule around the students’ lives, a week off for camp here, two weeks for trip to Grandma there. I see them before or after swimming lessons, whatever works. Since my winter scheduling is also flexible, this is just a continuation.
I do stress to parents that I *never* want tutoring to be a punishment — you have to miss soccer and stay in and work on school because you did badly — no, that will not create the atmosphere we need. We work around whatever and I am the student’s supporter.
I see most students twice a week, three times if they can afford the time and the money. Occasionally I see adult students four times a week.
Younger students can just about take an hour of intensive tutoring and that’s enough. Adults I sometimes see for two-hour sessions, and I give them a slight price break for rediuced commute time.
The hour is usually broken up into three or four parts of fifteen to twenty minutes each — phonics book, spelling (I am getting into adult AVKO) and word study, oral reading, and comprehension/reading/writing workbooks, sometimes an extra 20-minute session for math. We read a chapter or lesson in the book and do one or two pages in each workbook daily; this creates a nice steady progress and feeling of achievement, where you can point to all the work done.
Rates have been a discussion here before; consensus is an average around $50 per hour, as low as $25 or $30 in low-cost-of-living areas as where I am, up to $100 in high-cost areas like NYC.
Materials depend on what you’re teaching and who and waht level. I collect good reading series and a good phonics series plus a couple of backups, and good math materials and French materials, and I place the student according to his/her present level of achievement. A student may be doing Grade 3 reading and reviewing the Grade 1 math book (one is right now). Once they can read at a moderate level, I move them into novels as a “treat” (Little do they know …) I collect good youth novels and try to match the student with something passably interesting and amusing. If you want to know the names of some series I find very effective, ask for details.