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If you're asking yourself, "How do I become a tutor?" or "How do I find tutoring jobs near me?" you've come to the right place.

Starting your tutoring job is very simple. In fact, by landing on this page you're already halfway there. In just 10 minutes, you can create your online tutoring advert on Superprof, and you can start advertising lessons locally and via webcam. The only thing we ask is a little goodwill and inspiration when creating your profile: for you to give a short description of your past experience, and for you to add a clear, high-quality photo of yourself 

If you do not have a review from a student already, Superprof requires you to offer your first session for free, however this does not have to be a formal lesson. 

The first meeting is usually reserved for getting to know each other, understanding the aims and objectives of the student and agreeing on a teaching plan that works for everyone. The first meeting can take the form most convenient to both parties.

Even if you do have a review, Superprof recommends that you offer the first class for free because:

It allows you to make a connection with the student

The purpose of the first meeting is not to give a class to your pupil, but to get to know and understand what their needs are, set up a lesson plan and a teaching method that will allow your pupil to reach his/her goals. 

It is a small investment for a greater reward

Offering one hour of your time for free to a student who may use your services all year and spread the word about your services is an excellent investment.

You'll be contacted more frequently

Students will contact you more frequently as they will be reassured and will feel more engaged. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you agree to pay someone without having met them, or being assured that they're the type of teacher you're looking for?

Setting your rates too high can scare students off, just as setting rate too low might too. It is therefor important to find just the right rate for your lesson. To find the right price we would recommend:

• Looking at how much other tutors ask for in your subject and in your city.
• Adjusting the price according to your degree, your skills, your experience ... and the hourly wage you think you deserve.
• Adapting your price according to the type of students you wish to find - generally, the older a student is, the more money you can ask for.
• Adapting your price according to the time for travel to reach the residence of the pupil and according to the duration of the session.

Finally, if you do not find enough students to your liking, do not hesitate to lower your rates. Doing so, may just allow you to have as many students as you had hoped for. And once you begin to build bit of a reputation, you will perhaps have more freedom to hike it back it up again :) 

Creating your tutoring ad could not be simpler, just follow the step-by-step instructions on the Superprof site and fill out each section. Here are a few tips to help make your ad as visible as possible to potential students:

Highlight your strengths: Mention your skills, your experience, etc.

Ask yourself why a potential client may choose you over another tutor. Explain what differentiates you and makes your private lessons exceptional. Describe your teaching style and methodology.

Tell your story

Teaching is not just about passing on your knowledge, it is also about building a bond of trust with your students. Showing your human side is very important. Showing that you’re an interesting and thoughtful person, willing and capable of listening to others. Mention your hobbies, groups you’re part of, your travels, your past work experience, and successes in life.

Focus on the benefits: What are you providing to your future students?

Try to avoid technical terms that are difficult to comprehend, as well as vague terms and phrases. For example, do not just say “I teach Maths at all levels and for all abilities", mention the exact levels at which you teach (primary school, matric, college etc.) as well as the exact topics (algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, etc.)

Include a picture that makes you stand out

A clear, high-quality photo which shows your face clearly is an important way for students and teachers to connect. You will increase the number of contacts you make tenfold by adding a good picture of yourself.

Review your ad

An advertisement full of mistakes will not be taken seriously. Re-read your ad with a text editor and make a final review before publishing.

Qualifications are only one part of become a tutor. Experience and knowledge of your subject are equally as important as is being a good educator and communicator. 

There is no single minimum qualification requirement, but a tutor must be at least one level more advanced than his/her students in the subject in question. Concerning languages, a tutor should be a native speaker of the language he/she wishes to teach and, if not, must be a proficient or expert user.

As a tutor working for yourself there are a number of legal considerations to think about to protect yourself and your students.

It’s important to keep your income and taxes up to date and a legal requirement to declare your income. 

Superprof is not involved in the payment process between tutors and students: it is for both parties to decide how they want payment to happen, whether it's in cash, by bank transfer, or via other means.

Insure yourself. It’s not a legal requirement to be insured as a tutor in SA, but it’s a standard practice to do so. Consider public liability insurance, business and portable equipment insurance and professional indemnity insurance.

Be aware of health and safety. This means providing a safe environment for students to learn. This is very important if you plan to teach from your home.

Advertise honestly. Every claim you make must be factually correct, and you should be able to provide documentary proof of any qualification you claim to hold.

Having a criminal record check can provide reassurance to your students and to the parents of young students. You should be aware that employers in South Africa are permitted to carry out certain background checks, such as criminal record checks, even on contingent or freelance workers. (These checks are subject to the conditions imposed by several pieces of legislation.) 

Nothing at all! Advertising your private tutoring lessons is completely FREE on Superprof. So what are you waiting for? Start your first tutoring job today! 😃  

As each student and tutor is unique, there is not one specific lesson structure that can be applied across the board. We recommend that you have a general lesson plan for your subject, but that this is tailored to the specific needs and objectives of each student. 

Below are some guidelines that may be useful:

(After the first lesson) Correct the exercises and review the material from the previous class (5-10 min)

This is a great way to test your students and make sure that they don't forget the material seen before.

Review the current lesson (15-20 min)

To know which points are most crucial for the student, it is a good idea to have them review the class. Ask them to describe what they have learnt, what do they mean, and can they expand on less assimilated points.

Give practise exercises (20-30 min)

Understanding a course is good, but knowing how to apply your knowledge as part of a problem, an exercise or in real life is better. Have your student do as many exercises as possible.

Take stock (5-10 minutes)

Ask your pupil to make sure they understand the notions seen during the session.

Allocate homework

So your student does not forget everything from one week to the next, allocate some exercises to allow them to revise the most important notions as well as those concepts with which they still have some difficulty.