Qualities Every Good Private Tutor Should Possess.

The private tuition industry is now a booming one. In recent recent times, there has been a sharp rise in the number of pupils/students who pay for the services of a private tutor. In fact, some affluent people now prefer having full time live-in private tuition to going to private or public schools.

Being effective at tutoring and motivating students is something that is a craft and not necessarily something that comes naturally. However, to be highly effective at the job, good private tutors must possess the following qualities:

1. Persistence

One quality that distinguishes a private tutor from teachers in public/private schools is the 'never give up' attitude he/she has towards his student. There's this story about a girl who had dyslexia (a learning disorder that affects one's ability to read, spell, write and speak). She always had an 'E' in English and Math and she wanted to get the grade up to a 'C'. She had discussed this with her teacher during her final year in high school, but he smiled and said "why not settle for a 'D' instead". Her parents then got her a private tutor who was patient with her slow learning pace and would always take time to explain things in different ways to her. Although she failed English and Math in GCE in her first and second attempt, but with persistence from her tutor, she made C's in English and Math in her third attempt.

2. Ability to put people at ease

This is an important quality because if people aren't comfortable around you, they aren't going to be able to learn much from you. Many times, private tutors think that they have to act like drill seargents, but their students can never get past that feeling of inequality or formality.
If you are able to put your student at ease, make them comfortable, get them on a friendly, yet professional terms, and keep them at ease enough to learn from you, then you are ahead of the game.

3. Maturity/Morality

Maturity is an important quality for obvious reasons. Parents would not trust their children with you if you are impolite, tell rude jokes, laugh inappropriately, cannot pay attention, talk about inappropriate things (e.g your sexual exploits). Never let the conversation deviate into intimate or far too personal topics. Never touch the student as far as possible. Never ever hug, kiss, rub, hold hands, or wink at your student, or basically act like someone they would never allow around their child. If you are immature, or engage in immoral acts, chances are you will be fired and have to give them their money back.
Note that maturity has nothing to do with your age but everything to do with how you carry yourself.


4. Good hygiene

Good hygiene is something that a lot of people overlook, but if your French tutor had a breath smelling like French onions, how long would you last in that French class? If you smell, look unkempt, or lack proper oral hygiene you won’t get many or any students. The thought here is that if you aren’t capable of taking care of your own basic needs how can you teach someone else anything with any kind of authority. Also, if you stink (literally!), no one is going to want to be in close contact with your for very long.


5. Passion and Skill

Passion in anything is important. If you want to be a great tutor, you need to have a passion for your subject. You need to have a love for what you teach, how you teach it, and those you teach. You want your students to feel that their success is important to you, and that what you’re teaching them is important.
Being passionate isn't just enough. You also need to be good at what you do. Despite what you thought about your junior high science teacher, teaching and tutoring requires skill. If you plan to make money tutoring people in math, you’d better have a knack for math. If you plan to tutor someone in piano, you should probably be able to read sheet music. Bottom line, you have to know what you plan to teach, and you have to know it well enough to be considered an ‘expert’ in that particular field.

6. Good Communication skills

Great tutors are excellent communicators. They are exceptional good at using the best combination of words to pass a message to their students without watering down the original concept. They also seek first to understand, then to be understood. They listen carefully to parents' and students' needs and communicate effectively and supportively.

7. Punctuality

It is important for private tutors to take the issue of punctuality seriously, as it can affect their relationship with their clients. It speaks volumes about your sincerity with the lessons. If you stay in a place like Lagos, the traffic jam can delay your lessons considerably. Give yourself a little extra time for traveling to your teaching destinations. Majority of clients are able to detect whether the tutor is sincere with his job. Hence, no one should take any students or any lessons for granted.

The list is not exhaustive... Feel free to add yours.

Good post

for a female tutor.... must be sexy as hell ...boys tends to learn quickly when the teacher is hot asf

Ok

R

True!

Insightful !

most parents are not patient with private tutors...
they expect you to flog their child as they do, so that the children will fear you and listen.
because they are paying huge amount, most times they expect you to finish one textbook in one section and the child should learn everything in one minute.
being a private tutor is too stressful and demanding especially if the parents is not understanding or the student is too playful and stubborn.

I've had encounter with different kids (smart, introvert, stubborn) it is not easy,you need high level of motivation to cope.
I will do it as a volunteer but not as a job anymore,closing this phase of my life.

Extramilers:
Nice post .

Young Child, how much is goat buttocks? Not the meat just the buttocks.

Looking for a good home tutor. Must teach secondary school (JSS). Must be very good in mathematics

Private tutorship can be very stressfull; but rewarding when done right.
In addition to the points above, note that as a private tutor, you are not necessarily in any form of competition with the school teacher(s) of those you tutor. Your role is to help the pupil/ student get a better understanding of what is taught in class, and/or prepare him/her for lessons yet to be taught.

cathodekazim:



My price is ,10k per child

Let do biz

Location: benin
You must be female

udoka55555:
most parents are not patient with private tutors...
they expect you to flog their child as they do, so that the children will fear you and listen.
because they are paying huge amount, most times they expect you to finish one textbook in one section and the child should learn everything in one minute.
being a private tutor is too stressful and demanding especially if the parents is not understanding or the student is too playful and stubborn.

i tell u, most parents ain't patient at all. I remember when i was doing home tutor 4 one spoilt kid like that. The dad was like they employed me to instil fear in the child as if i was some military men. Meanwhile this same child, i learnt, used to beat his class teacher back whenever she beats him 4 being 2 sturbborn.

Home tutorials is always very interesting with timely payment for the first 3 months, After which the Parents start owning you till you are frustrated to stop the home lesson

Tolerance

I don't believe in private tutoring. I will rather encourage the child to learn how to do things his or her own way. SEN is understandable.

apholaryn:
for a female tutor.... must be sexy as hell ...boys tends to learn quickly when the teacher is hot asf

For kids? Na wa

deleib:
i tell u, most parents ain't patient at all. I remember when i was doing home tutor 4 one spoilt kid like that. The dad was like they employed me to instil fear in the child as if i was some military men. Meanwhile this same child, i learnt, used to beat his class teacher back whenever she beats him 4 being 2 sturbborn.

lol...........I can understand, spoilt child can frustrate one, talking from experience

deyink1:
lol...........I can understand, spoilt child can frustrate one, talking from experience

no b small tin bro.

Home tutor could be very stressful sometimes,the parents are inpatient they want you to perform magic,they equally price low.No matter what,you can't ask them for pay increase later.

Nice post
Check my signature for how to become a highly sought after private tutor

[quote][/quote]

apholaryn:
for a female tutor.... must be sexy as hell ...boys tends to learn quickly when the teacher is hot asf

Aboki, kai this one na serious magana.
But this will make the child if he is an adolescent quickly fail.

kunlegboye:
Home tutor could be very stressful sometimes,the parents are inpatient they want you to perform magic,they equally price low.No matter what,you can't ask them for pay increase later.

Personally,I don't deviate from my price charges... Cos I know they'll never increase later. Ensure you stuck on a fixed price,don't reduce just have your standard,you'll be valued more.