Job Discussion Forums

[Nabby Adams]

For private classes I mean.

If a company over charges for it's goods or services, whether that be mobile phone tariffs or a bottle water there is an understandable outcry. So how about for our English classes?

I'm in Japan and I come across many students who have had some pretty shoddy teaching forced upon them. And in part one of the reasons the teachers have gotten away with it is that the student, like customers in many areas is not able to tell the difference between a good and bad service.

Heck I can even remember some teachers in my high school who didn't deliver what I now would assume to be a basic level of competency. But that's probabbly because I now have a better understanding of what teaching actually is.

So, given that one mostly argues that there is a "fair price" for anything, from a plummer to air ticket is teaching the same?

It's tricky I know, but I feel there is. I would say in Japan a student shouldn't pay more than $30 to $40 US an hour for a private English class from a GOOD teacher. Maybe it should be less.

What do others think?

[Glenski]

Charge what the market can bear (and what you're truly worth).

[mandalayroad]

I haven't been teaching in Japan for a while, but $30 to $40 per hour sounds a bit low unless you're in the countryside. $50+ is more reasonable for the urban areas unless it has changed that significantly since the mid 90s.

In any case, if you're good then you should charge what the market can bear. Unless you're a charity, you have to make money so you can pay rent, eat, save for retirement, etc...

[naturegirl321]

I've heard of poeple charging 30USD in a not nice neighbourhood of LIma. Some poeple take advantage of others and they don't know. A teacher teaching regular privates should charge between 15 and 20 MAX. BUt if you teach a student from an elite school, you could charge more.

[Glenski]

[gaijinalways]

The 90s are over! Private rates have fallen quite a bit, though usually they are not as low as Glenski is quoting. I used to harge from 2500 to 4000, but I knew some teachers who would charge 5-6000 yen a hour. It is not always a matter of what you're worth, rather what people will pay (or that particular student).

[mandalayroad]

One "trick" to increase your pay is to tutor a group of students, two, three, four, etc., and then you can charge more. I used to do something like this:
One Student: $40
Two Students: $45
Three Students: $50
Etc...
You get paid more, the students pay less per person and it gives them incentive to find other people to study with. Personally, I find it dreadfully boring to tutor one-on-one anyway, I much prefer at least two people, if not more.

[qwunk89]

mandalay road,

i agree with you, teaching two, three or four students is much better (two or four is best in my opinion) - and more profitable. the pay scale obviously depends on the country and location, but your scale is a good model.

[Phil_K]

...and people are more willing to make groups if it means it will be cheaper for them. Also, make your cancellation policy clear too. The advantage of groups is that you can stipulate that the group remains even if only one person turns up. That way, they tend to go to the classes, and if not, you don't lose out. A win-win situation.

[Phil_K]

....oh, and charge in advance for extra security of income.

[rusmeister]

My 2 cents is that when you live among the people you work with - an environment where you may encounter these people outside of lessons, such as a small town - striking a balance BETWEEN the min and max that you could make works best. Charge too little, and your motivation is down and hence, your performance. Charge too much, and your students (or their parents) start obsessing about what they expect from each golden minute with you, instead of relaxing and focusing on actually learning.

[johnslat]

Ethics - I'd say so. But then, professional ethics, especially in EFL/ESL is pretty much a subjective, personal call.

[soapdodger]

Ethics? EFL ? WAAAAAAhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!

[MELEE]

[rusmeister]

Interesting to note that some kind of moral imperative seems to be in operation for everybody (except soapdodger ). I wonder what Lewis would say about that...