Job Discussion Forums

[BigZen]

Hello Everyone,

I am considering accepting a job at a university. With 16 teaching hours/week, I figure I will have quite a bit of free time. With average salaries at universities ranging from 6,000-9,000 RMB/month, I would like to know if I could supplement my income with private lessons, and how much do teachers usually charge for a one-hour lesson.

BigZen

[jaybet3]

I was getting 250 RMB per hour in Chongqing. I actually had more work than I could handle and would refer potential clients to my friends.

I have friends who were getting that amount per hour and the client was buying them drinks and dinner.

You have to analyze who your client is and what they're willing to pay.

Also, what is your time worth. Consider travel time, etc.

I found if you ask for a high number first you can always negotiate down to the number you will really accept.

[OhBudPowellWhereArtThou]

Mmmm... I think that before you start counting your chickens, you might want to consider establishing yourself as an effective and likeable teacher. Your students will come to you. Your rate for long-term tutees will be established by your reputation.

Much luck

[Jmbf]

[Kalkstein]

Some tips I've figured out for myself

Never take less than 300/hour, even when you're starting out. The lower you start out the less you'll be able to negotiate up to. I'm in a tier 88 and I still get people paying 300/hour for 1-1.

Don't teach your colleague's kids unless in huge classes because they will likely be poor (teachers are). Try to find richer clients.

Don't work for another school part time, find your own clients. They will always undercut you and complain if you take their student base.

Make them pay annually/every 6 months. This way if people miss lessons it's their own fault. I can't stress this one enough, when I was teaching kids and making them pay per lesson they took days off 20% of the time. I charge everyone annually now and they need to pay every year regardless of how many classes they attend. No refunds. It also means the students I have actually do pay attention and learn.

Make them come to you, I still have 2 clients who I have to travel but I'm going to drop them if they don't come to my residence. It really takes too much time.

If a parent or kid seems too much hassle to teach, don't sweat it. Drop them and make it clear why. You can find more students, it's not always about finding students quickly it's about finding the right clients as with any business. I would rather teach a class of 5 behaved students for 300 RMB/h, than 10 students with shitty parents for 1000/h. They'll also be much more likely to be returning customers.

[Jmbf]

[rioux]

400RMB an hour.

3 years ago I was getting 300RMB an hour.

[The bear]

Important to note there's a lot of high numbers been thrown around this thread, I'm not disputing them but would like to offer a different opinion.

A lot will depend on your location, experience, ability to sell yourself, but most of all... luck. Especially as you're a fresh arrival. It takes time to build up a client base, reputation, and the lucrative privates.

You're not going to just walk into these positions. And it also depends on what you're teaching/expected to do. I used to accept 100/hour for conversation English. The guy was a university teacher and just wanted to chill and speak English, no lesson prep required. Lesson was 1 minute from my apartment in a starbucks, he always had a coffee ready for me, and pieces of art he'd done. I felt bad for getting the 100 but he insisted. Then I had the rich kid going abroad, I got 600 an hour but there was more work involved, lesson plans, material creation etc. Nothing too strenuous but I couldn't just walk into the room and talk with him.

Also depends on the class size, study material etc. etc. I had two private classes of 10 students from a local university (I capped the number at 10, didn't want larger classes as I felt I couldn't give each student the attention needed). 2 hours (2x50 minute periods with a 10 minute break) twice a week. Charged each student 25 RMB per period. Works out at 250 rmb per 50 minute period, 1,000 RMB per week per class and I had 2 groups of these students (so 2,000 rmb). They all paid for the 'semester' upfront. Works out at 8,000 RMB per month. This was 4 years ago.

[Kalkstein]

[Jmbf]

[Foo_Fighters_Dave]

I have never understood why people who start a new job at a university or their first job in China are concerned with privates and making extra cash. They should be focused on their job first and then once they are settled, look into it. Don't count your chickens before they hatch.

[Jmbf]