FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I had been told for years that I am very skilled at explaining complex topics in more manageable "bite size" tidbits. It was, therefore, quite a natural progression for me to decide to begin tutoring. My prior experience working in retail also was very sobering for me. While it was good for a number of years, I felt like I had little opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of other people, and also, I reached a point where I felt I was not being adequately rewarded, either financially or spiritually, for the work I was performing. In hindsight, I wish I had made the transition a lot sooner. Every time I work with a student, I have a surge of energy which I had, at one time, possessed while working in retail. My last few years in retail were very draining on me. Tutoring has not only given me a new profession, but it has also given me something to look forward to on a professional level.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
My most common type of job involves tutoring work. People who need assistance with a particular skill will hire me to assist them. Typically, this involves improvement in either reading, writing, or math. Tutoring in reading typically involves an assessment of reading skill. Does the person struggle with reading in general, or reading comprehension specifically? I will use different tutoring strategies depending upon the need. Tutoring in writing requires some discussion from my students regarding where they feel they need improvement, but it also involves assessing the skill of my students. Once I have done that, I can then cater how I tutor writing to meet the specific needs of my students. Tutoring in math usually requires that I have enough understanding in the level of math to be able to tutor effectively. Math tutoring usually involves breaking down the steps involved to solve math poblems into manageable steps, and enough repitition to be able to cement the basic concepts into memory. I also provide life coaching, and while that was a significant component of a previous job I recently finished up, I expect that to be a much less common request on the part of my future students. This typically involves a lot of discussion with a student regarding where they have come from, where they hope to go with their life, and the necessary steps they will need to take in order to get there. I usually incorporate a variety of writing exercises into this process as well.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Take your time making a decision. Not every provider will be a good fit for your needs. By the same token, you may not be a good fit for a specific provider. If this is going to be a potential commitment over a long period of time, agree to a "trial run", where you get to see the provider at work, and the provider gets to see what the provider is working with. This should consist of 1 or 2 regular sessions of work at the normal fee. Solicit and carefully consider the input a provider gives to the specific needs you present. The provider may decide that the needs you have can not adequately be serviced by that provider. In that case, you might be better off choosing a different provider for your needs. If a provider has public feedback attributed to their services, consider it carefully, but also consider that it is possible that the feedback given, especially negative feedback, may have an ulterior motive behind it. A provider should be able to give thorough consideration to your concerns. If any concern of yours is not adequately addressed, feel free to ask questions until it is. Don't hire a provider if the answers to your questions are not satisfactory to your liking.