Job Discussion Forums

[Kaloi]

Hi,

I have yet to see much discussion about people taking tutoring classes to supplement their income.

I am prepared to not make all that much money at an entry-level position (although I'm barely out of my teens and any money is good for me). Dope muling has long since lost its edge and I figured that this would at least be something to look into.

From the newspapers, I cannot tell how many parents are placing ads without having gone through an agency.

I am assuming that it is easy to do this without your employer finding out, but I am wondering whether you think that the general attitude of parents would lean towards turning a blind eye to visa particularities in the interest of getting an English-speaking tutor?

Also - have any of you done this?

笨鸟先飞

[Charlesm_888]

[Kaloi]

I've been working in a tutorial center for a while, actually. I have pretty strong references from parents and testimonials from students.

BA Hons. and TEFL. And I'm pretty, too

Why would someone with any more training than I trouble themselves with an after-school job which would probably pay less than what they would make with, say, a PGCE?

That doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Kootvela]

I'm sure tutoring pays more than a normal job at school, so that's why they will trouble themselves.

[Serious_Fun]

Idiom: on the sly

In a way intended to escape notice; in a furtive manner.

"Kaloi was tutoring on the sly."

[Horizontal Hero]

I know a guy here who is American Chinese, with no teaching quals, probably no more than 25 years old. One private tutoring gig he does delivers 600 HK bucks an hour. Meanwhile I have a side gig supervising doctoral candidates at a local tertiary institute. I get about 120 HK dollars a week (yes, one hundred and twenty HK bucks, you read correctly) per student for this position, which requires a PhD - and therefore about 20 years of education. Needless to say, that institute has about 20 doctoral students without supervisors. Why am I doing it? To get some experience. I find being a NET so pointless and boring I have to prop my own eyes open with toothpicks every morning to keep myself awake in my own classes.

[Honky Nick]

Your best bet could be to put an ad up in Wellcome or Park'n'Shop and sell yourself. Focus on whatever you have most experience in. $400/hour is not unusual, and I suppose you could aim for $300 - $500.

If you're teaching primary school students, www.readinga-z.com is a great resource. You have to pay to join (about $60 USD I think), but it's one of the few sites that are actually worth it; you get access to over 2,000 books, each of which comes with a comprehensive lesson plan and a couple of worksheets. It's well worth the money if you're going to be tutoring on a semi-regular basis. The lesson plans are very helpful for teachers without any formal training, as they go through each teaching strategy, step by step.

Anyway, good luck with it.

[Kaloi]

The above posts were awfully helpful.

I have joined readinga-z and I have already resigned myself to being a cool, bandito tutor!


Thanks.