Job Discussion Forums

onward · Joined: 14 Aug 2011 Posts: 11

hi all... i've been offered a job tutoring math to a native english speaker from texas (11th grader)... it would primarily be tutoring math as the father says the math here is more difficult than back in his old school district...

simple question: has anyone tutored and what do you think the going rate for 4 hours per week should be per hour?

thanks for any advice!

MotherF · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 1:59 pm Post subject:

My husband tutors math from time to time. He generally charges significantlyless than I would charge for English classes--but I always urge him to charge the more, after all he is more than qualified for the job.

You don't say what city you are in. If you are only going to be reviewing/explaining his homework so there is no prep involved you could drop the rate down a little from if you were preparing a lesson. Like say if you would charge 200 an hour for a one-on-one private lesson, charge 150 or 100 an hour for the tutoring.

As for the level here, here they do tend to teach teens a higher level math than the typical teen is neurologically mature enough to understand meaning that they must simply memorize stuff to repeat on exams, then they are free to forget it. I have seen that a few students who are gifted at math do very well and finish high school with a knowledge of math far beyond what the US high school grad has. But the vast majority just scrape through it and in effect have wasted their time memorizing instead of learning a valuable skill like learning to write a coherent essay. But all that observation is from state of Oaxaca.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

In DF...

Are you going to their place for the classes? Don't charge less than 200 pesos per hour. Are they coming to see you? Then be more flexible, but I wouldn't go under 150.

Other factors...do you need to purchase any materials, for yourself or for the student?

onward · Joined: 14 Aug 2011 Posts: 11

thanks for the feedback! i'm in cancun until january, then i'm not sure...

the father asked me what my rate would be, and i have already emailed him that i would have to see the textbook, syllabus, etc. to see how much prep i would have to do... from teaching classes before, i know that sometimes you can spend twice as long prepping as you do for actually teaching the lesson...

forgot to ask him where, but that's next... hopefully it will be at my place or somewhere inbetween, as the father has mentioned that he lives out in the suburbs and i live in downtown cancun...

thanks again!

Isla Guapa · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:56 pm Post subject:

I concur with what MotherF and Guy have said. Another thing to factor into how much you will charge would be your qualifications to tutor math: Do you have a degree in mathematics? Any experience teaching it? It so, then you should adjust your fees upwards. Good luck!

MotherF · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject:

Oh I had another small thought on the topic of tutoring in general, not necessarily about the OP's case.

In the US a tutor generally helps the student with what they are doing or just did in school--reviews the materials with the student and goes over the what they have learned. But I have had severel middle-to-upper-class LatinAmerican partent approach me to tutor their children in English and they wanted me to work through the textbook from school, but ahead of the pace that they are going in school. The were looking for someone to pre-teach the child the material so that the child will appear to be a wiz in school.

onward · Joined: 14 Aug 2011 Posts: 11

doublethinker · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 57

When I first arrived in Mexico, a fellow English teacher told me:

"The more you charge, the more people will want your services."

I thought to myself, this guy clearly does not have even the most basic understanding of supply and demand.

But as it turns out, it's kind of true. When I started posting advertisements for English lessons at a higher rate, I got many more students. Maybe people figure that if you charge more you must be better?

I was offered a tutoring job for a secundaria student. I charged 300 pesos an hour. Everyone later told me I could have charged 400 an hour.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:06 am Post subject:

On the other hand, when I place an ad for classes on line and I get calls and the first question is, How much do you charge?, I know the caller is looking for the cheapest classes possible. These types of callers rarely call back to arrange a meeting. There are people here who can't afford $300 dollars a class, so you should be careful not to price yourself out of the market.

doublethinker · Joined: 11 Mar 2010 Posts: 57

Well, it depends what demographic you are targeting. If we are talking about tutoring rich students of private colegios, you can pretty much charge whatever you want, within reason.

For teaching private ESL classes to adults, 300/hr would be a little over the top, because usually it is middle class and not the rich who are looking to improve their English. (Although I do know ESL teachers who charge 300/hr, mind you.)

I find that advertising 200/hr is usually successful. Expensive enough that you seem "professional," but cheap enough that people will actually contact you.

I also offered discounts for people who paid in advance for a certain number of classes. Like: 200 an hour or 800 for 5 hours paid in advance.

Of course I am in Mexico City, maybe one would have to charge less in other parts of Mexico, but I don't know about that.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

doublethinker wrote:

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

Yeah, it's strange that people think other people get rich by spending money!