One of our top tutors, Rebecca, takes a look at the benefits of becoming a tutor.
Over here at TT, we obviously think that being a tutor is pretty great. But we thought it might be worth unpacking what makes it a brilliant job, in case anyone is teetering on the brink of applying. I had a think and came up with five main reasons – here goes:
1. Flexibility
A huge one for lots of tutors, and a really important reason for me: tutoring work is extremely flexible. You set your own hours, choose where you want to work and what subjects you want to teach, and work as much or as little as you want. There is usually some routine, as most clients like having a lesson at the same time each week, but they’re usually open to rearranging for a good reason, if you don’t do it too often! This makes it the perfect job for anyone working to support their studies, art, or freelance career.
2. Use your degree
If you’re a 7+ tutor, this one is maybe less for you — but generally if you’re teaching Year 7 or higher, you’ll be teaching your degree subject, or at least one you’re also excited and knowledgeable about. Of course, some of our brilliant tutors are still currently students, and some use their degrees frequently in their other work, but for lots of us it’s great to have a chance to go over the topics and books that we loved studying, and feel like we can use all the time we spent at university to help someone else.
3. Income
Not to put too fine a point on it, tutoring is really well paid. At TT, tutors earn between £17 per hour and £55 per hour, depending on their qualifications and experience. This level of pay is hard to find in any other hourly, flexible, temporary job. Richard Hytner blogged a few weeks ago about ‘Funding your Present to Find your Passion’, and while we hope you’d love tutoring for more than just the money, it is a fantastic way of staying financially stable while you work out what you want to do, train for it, and take the first few steps along that career path. It also makes a spectacular ‘real’, ‘B’, or (personal favourite) ‘muggle’ job for those who have been working in their chosen, financially unpredictable career for some time, and can support arts and other freelance jobs really well.
4. Relationships
Spending an hour a week or more in someone’s home, sometimes for months, is quite a personal thing, and one of tutoring’s loveliest aspects is how you can build up great relationships with the families you’re working with. Of course, sometimes there will be families that wave you in and out with never a word, and sometimes there will be parents you never meet (I once taught a seven-year-old for six months without ever meeting his parents…). But generally there are good relationships to be formed with the client, as you work together to help the pupil, and there are often great relationships to have with your pupil. The tutor/student relationship can be an amazing one, as you can engage one-on-one and teach on a much more approachable, accessible, and engaging level than you’d be able to at the front of a classroom. This can not only help you learn best how to teach your particular pupil, but also make the lessons much more fun for both of you.
5. Making a difference
It sounds a little sanctimonious, but making a difference to your pupil’s life is absolutely the best thing about tutoring. Whether you’re preparing them for an exam to get into the school or university they’re desperate to go to, teaching them a new skill or language to equip them for work or travel, or expanding their horizons to keep them excited about learning, it’s an amazing feeling to know that you’re using your skills and expertise to help someone achieve what they want in life. Watching someone improve and grow week by week can be a lovely experience, and the glow of pride you get when they overcome a hurdle or achieve a goal is wonderful.
So whether we’re being motivated by altruism, finance, or convenience, tutoring is an excellent job choice. Get in touch today or ping us an application if we've convinced you!
Blog Post Crafted by Rebecca
Background: Rebecca is one of our most popular tutors, with a degree in English from the University of Cambridge and hundreds of hours of private tuition experience in 7+, 11+, English and Maths. She is also an assessor for Titanium Tutors, observing the mock lessons taught by potential tutors and deciding whether or not they meet the high standards of the agency.