Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Texas T-Bone]

I have tried to run a search query with no luck, I just get a blank page showing done. For those who teach SAT prep or taught previously, what sources did you use? Also, how long did you run your class (or did you specifically teach only one to one) and for how many hours a week? I am trying to gather some information, so any information would be useful.

Thanks,

B~

[xCustomx]

I don't have any specifics, but I know my ex-boss was charging 3 students 100,000/hr each, for a total of 48 hours during the month. She pulled in over 15.5 million just for those 3 students alone. They would study 3 hours on MWF and 2 on T, Th. My boss has a master's from an Ivy League school, so he could easily justify that kind of payment, especially in the area which I worked in. I think he used a standard SAT book with sample questions, as well as a couple of novels.

[insam]

yeah, it's the way to go. i pulled 16 mil in eight weeks for 20 hours per week (and it was brokered so the parents payed more than that).

i use a combination of real and simulated tests, vocabulary building exercises, grammar exercises etc. i integrate the vocab and grammar into tasks that are geared to develop skills related to the test (e.g. critical reading/eassy). i would at least get a couple of those prep books (e.g. arco, kaplan, princeton review et al). you'd be surprised how long even one will last at only a couple of hours per class. i also occasionally bring in reading materials (e.g. literature) for discussion if the parents aren't opposed. sometimes people don't realize that the rote methods that worked on the old test don't necessarily work for the new test, and they continue to want to cram 75 vocab words down the kids throats daily. i spend at least half the time teaching them how to think. content is important, but understanding the demands of the tests and expectations of the audience (e.g. essay graders) is equally or more important. the cool thing is if you do it for a while it becomes rather easy and you're primed for big money. the next big thing is AP. people who can demonstrate teaching experience and/or knowledge for AP economics, history etc stand to make lots of cash. it's still in the initial stages so it's a perfect time to gain experience for later.

[Saxiif]

The going rate that SAT hagwons pay for entry level teachers is 30,000/hour.

[Texas T-Bone]

[insam]

If you do well at teaching high-level students TOEFL, it won't be terribly different. Different rules and strategies and sometimes more challenging content and answer patterns (and different grading scales etc), but basically similar in many ways. After all, they are both ETS products.

I generally give some homework (usually writing assignents: either paragraph, outline, or sentence generation assignments... or reading assignments for practical discussion). I generally covered the more passive elements (sentence completion, correction etc) during class. From a practical perspective, this helps everyone feel you are 'getting something done' during paid class hours. I also use class time to deconstruct the essays phrase by phrase. I basically try to make them be as active and constructive as possible and force them to produce and explain. The latter is very important: It is not enough to get the correct answer; I strongly encourage them to explain why it is the right answer in context of the test. I also make them explain why the remaining answers are incorrect in the context of the test; consequently, analysis of a single sentence completion question make take 10 minutes or more. It is about mastering the ETS mentality. This is very difficult for virtually all students (many teachers actually can't do it), but once they realize the dozen or so primary categories of questions and answers and some of their different variations they begin to make major progress. Often it takes a few weeks to show significant improvement in most students (but the improvement will at some point occur in the form of a quantum leap). When they can effectively explain, they often begin to see the correct answers much more quickly and with greater frequency. Even when they get it wrong, the light bulb will go off when they realize their mistake(s). I also frequently put them in the role of essay grader to accomplish the same goals. Again, this all depends on the goals of the students/parents.

Once you begin to understand the material in extreme detail, you can effectively begin to write your own questions and passages. It is much more work but creates a sort of 'teacher portfolio' for teaching standardized test materials. If you can mimic the ETS as an author, you will never run out of material. Ultimately, as a teacher you can cater it to your needs and those of the students. You can use all the same methods you're used to, just get familiar with the test itself.

[faster]

I taught SAT prep almost exclusively for almost 5 years. There are many products on the market, but they vary widely in quality and fidelity to actual test styles.

Be sure you get the book of past real SATs.

One tough spot is that many students have already done these books on their own--that's why it's nice to work for an SAT place that has proprietary materials.

I actually wrote a bunch of SAT prep stuff for a company last year. It was a huge pain in the ass, but I think I'll do it again.