Is tutoring about our success or the child that we are working with?

Is tutoring about our success or the child that we are working with?

I had had a conversation with a tutor earlier this evening that has left me fuming. He is generally a fantastic tutor, but on this I did not agree with him. He had spoken to a mum about supporting her daughter. She was in the top set but might be moved down. But, she needed a grade 6 in her exams. In the initial conversation it had come up that she is dyslexic, doesn't know her times tables and can't tell the time. The reason he rang was to say he was setting himself up for failure with her. I asked whether this was about her failure or his? He responded: "both" Reading between the lines, I think it was fear of a hit to his ego, but... I pointed out that may be I have dyscalculia and I can't do my times tables or read the time off a clock. But, give me a more complex worded question and because of how my brain works more holistically I can pick it and part and come back with the answer with relative ease. When was the last time you saw a higher paper where it asked you a simple times tables question, or to read the time on the clock? That's more likely to be asked on a foundation paper, so maybe it is the foundation paper that would set her up to fail. Without ever having met her, we can not judge. A girl I worked with last year pointed out that maybe if classes were segregated according to learning style rather than "ability" there would probably be a lot more high achievers in the education system. Another mum of a lad I worked with a couple of years back got in touch after the exams. I hadn't realised at the time that he had been expected to fail maths. He was in the higher paper. After the results day she got in touch and said thank you. She stated that he had been so disillusioned with the educational system and felt that he was a failure. But because someone had explained something in the way that he understood it, it had made a difference. At first in maths and then other subjects too. She said he'd never expected him to go to college but the goal was just to survive school. He got an 8 in maths. An A in A' level maths and is now doing maths and computer science at university. If we don't prejudge a person we can make a huge difference. And that is what tutoring should be about. Not our ego and our pass rate, but helping the child sat in front of us to meet their full potential. That is the type of person I want to have working with us and representing the Clara James Brand. That is what I want us to be know for/ remembered as.

Tutoring Chat & Coffee: Where Is the Best Place to Work as a Tutor? Lessons from 14 Years of Tutoring

There are 4 different locations where you could base your tutoring from: at your home, online, at their home or in a general setting. We’ll go through each of these, and I’ll try and be objective… The most common form of tutoring initially was one-to-one tutoring in the tutor’s home. For the tutor it means you save yourself the financial or time expense of travel and you have all of your resources to hand. Because of the convenience to you in that respect you may lower your prices slightly as the parent is experiencing the inconvenience, however, you are still potentially offering 1-to-1 lessons so for that you can justify charging more of a premium. Like I say, here the parents have the inconvenience of travelling and it is harder to build a rapport with them if they don’t come to the house with the child. Bearing in mind they are the ones who pay for the lessons, the bigger the rapport you can build the better.  If this is the case, you will probably need to find a way to regularly report back to the parents on what you’ve been working on as often if they ask their children how it went the response will be something along the lines of: it was fine. What did you do? I can’t remember, or I don’t know what it’s called. Which may leave the parents questioning what they are paying for especially if the child is reluctant to go or there isn’t the uplift in the child’s confidence or grades that they were hoping for. Online tutoring. The demand for this rose for a while throughout lockdown and for a short while after and although it still suits many families, many more are saying: actually no, we did enough of that in Covid, or it didn’t work for my child in lock-down we much prefer face-to-face. Like tutoring in your home, it can be a much cheaper option for the parents as you’re not having to travel or create physical resources. It means the parents aren’t having to travel or loiter whilst the child is in their lesson. Most kids are also technically savvy enough that they don’t need their parents there to help. Again, it does put a wedge between you and the parents, so after each lesson you may ask to talk to the parents still or send them a quick email or message to keep them in the loop as to what you’ve been doing.  It is harder work for you to capture the attention of many reluctant learners when you are online as it is easier for them to turn their camera off and occupy themselves with something more entertaining such as their phone and just grunt at you from time to time to let you presume they are still actively involved. Online lessons also seem to have a higher cancellation rate with people just not turning up, so you will need a strong cancellation policy in place to ensure that you are still paid for your time even if it is not for the full hour that the lesson was intended to last.   The next option involves biggest effort for you but the easiest option for the parents: tutoring in their home. The pros and cons to this approach are the most extreme. You can charge far more because of the convenience for the family, but it will reduce the number of families you can work with on any given day because you have to consider travel time. You will also have to have physical resources and be organised so that when you turn up, you have enough relevant resources for the full hour. I always double check with families on the day, or the day before that they are still expecting me and if there is anything specific, they would like us to focus on. They will let you know, generally needs to be finished with but don’t hold your breath. Some do, but I normally liken it to cooking a fancy meal for your other half’s boss. You ask if there is anything specific you should cook, and they say anything. You cook a roast beef and pork with all the trimmings. When they arrive and you proudly take it out the oven, they announce that they are vegan. Some parents underestimate the time and effort that has to go into preparing for a physical lesson when you don’t have your supply of resources to hand.  It is on many levels much more effort. However, the child is in a location where they feel more at ease so they will be in a better state of mind to learn. It is also more convenient for the parents, so they are less likely to look for an excuse to stop. You can build up a better rapport because you are working 1-to-1 and can read their body language better. It’s easier to tell if you are explaining something in a way that they understand or if you are just talking at them without making sense to them. The final option is often reserved for bigger tutoring agencies that position themselves in shopping centres, high streets, or similar. That is tutoring from a central base. For some it will be the best option by far as it ensures that they are not interrupted and there is a clear dividing line between home and work. However, you need to consider the additional costs that will be incurred (though you can claim them back as business expenses you need to earn that money first.) You don’t want to be working just to break even. Every option has its advantages and disadvantages like most things do. We offer online and in-person at their home. That works well for us, but you will need to decide what is the best option for you, and why. I hope this helps. I recently wrote a book: Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change Lives.  If you would like a free copy (no strings attached just a gift from me to you) drop me an email at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk [info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk] or click on the link below and I will happily drop a copy in the post for you: Become a tutor - Free copy of my book [https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/free-copy-of-become-a-tutor-book]

Helping anxious and neurodiverse children transition through the summer holidays and back to school

As we get closer to the end of term, many families are looking forward to the summer holidays - and rightly so. After a long school year, children often really need that break. They need time to rest, play, recharge, and just be. But for some children, especially those who are neurodiverse or struggle with anxiety, transitions can be difficult. The move from school into summer can feel unsettling, and then just as they settle into holiday life, September starts to loom and the return to school can bring a whole new wave of worry. I was chatting to a mum recently who now home educates, but when her child was in school, they used to really struggle with anxiety about going back in September. She shared something so simple but so thoughtful. During the summer, she kept a few small term-time habits going. Things like using packed lunches on some days, keeping bedtimes fairly consistent, and getting clothes ready the night before. Not to make summer feel like school, but to make the transition back feel a little less abrupt. I thought that was such a helpful idea, and one that might really support some families. For many anxious or neurodiverse children, routines bring a sense of safety. Predictability helps them feel more in control. So when the structure of school suddenly disappears, even if school itself has been tiring or stressful, that change can still feel big. And then, later in the summer, the anticipation of going back can start to build. Some children might become more emotional, more clingy, more irritable, or start asking lots of questions about September. Others might complain of tummy aches, struggle to sleep, or seem worried without really being able to explain why. One of the most important things we can do as parents is acknowledge those feelings. Let them know it makes sense to feel wobbly. Let them talk about their worries without judgement. Reassure them that they don’t have to manage it all at once. It can also help to keep some gentle structure in place over the summer. Not a strict timetable, and not at the expense of fun, but a few familiar anchors in the day or week. That might mean keeping bedtime reasonably consistent, having some routine around meals, using a visual plan, or preparing for the next day in the evening. As September gets closer, gentle preparation can make a real difference. You can gradually move routines back towards school time, talk through what the first day might look like, revisit the school if that’s possible, or look at photos online together. Breaking things down into small steps can make the whole return feel more manageable. It’s also helpful to think about what support your child might need in school. Is there a teacher, teaching assistant, or other trusted adult who could be their safe person if they feel overwhelmed? Could you give school a heads-up if transitions are usually difficult? Most of all, I think it’s important to remember that children who struggle with transitions are not being difficult. They are often doing their best to cope with something that feels uncertain, unpredictable, or emotionally big. And as parents, we do not need to make everything perfect. Sometimes the smallest things are the most powerful. A familiar routine. A bit of preparation. A calm response. Reassurance given again and again. These small acts can help our children enjoy the freedom of summer while feeling a little safer about what comes next.

When you start tutoring don't be taken as a fool like I was

There is something terrifying about openly admitting that you were a fool. Just a year or so into starting to tutor a company phoned me and promoted that they could provide me with a position on the first page of Google. He asked about the business, and I told him how we supported children with special learning needs, and he gushed and goo-ed and did a fantastic job of convincing me that he genuinely thought what we were doing was great. Because what we were doing was in such demand it was important to get the word out there so that we could support more children. In fact, bear with him, he wanted to ask his boss something… Yes, he’d spoken to his boss and because what we were doing was so beneficial, he could drop the price. He could offer us a position at the top of the first page of Google for just £400 for 6-months. Would I be interested? It could make such a huge difference to the business. Being as naive as I was jumped at the opportunity. 6-months later the phone range. Because I hadn’t opted out of the contract, I now owed them, I can’t remember the exact amount, but thousands of pounds and it was due today. I didn’t have that money. He then announced that if I couldn’t pay it whilst he was on the phone they would send the bailiffs around this evening to retrieve goods to that value. They couldn’t do that, my youngest who was about 14 years old at the time would be home along for about ½ an hour, I couldn’t have them here whilst she was here by herself. At the same time a close friend of my mum was terminally ill with cancer, and we were expecting the call at any time to say he had gone, so I also wanted to get this man off the phone so I could speak to my mum if she rang.  I had no idea what I should do. The man could clearly sense I was panicking and increased the pressure accordingly.  Eventually I suggested that I could pay him £50 today on my credit card, then pay the rest off in instalments over the coming months. He told me to give him the card details and to hang up and he would talk to his manager and see if he could get this authorised, though it might take some time to convince him. The man on the call said he would do what he could for me.   Thank you, relief…   A few minutes later, Barclaycard rang. Had I authorised a £50 payment to this company. Yes, I had authorised 1 £50 payment to them. A few minutes later the company was back on the phone, he had managed to persuade his manager and we could go ahead with this. I don’t know why now but when I left for my lessons I was still in dread that the bailiffs were going to be coming round. A few days later I had a letter from Barclays saying that I had gone over my spending limit and would be charged accordingly.  How? It appeared that whilst I had been on the phone to them, they had taken multiple payments of £50 off the card until they had maxed it out. They had taken over £13,000. I phoned them up and because I had authorised the first payment, that had automatically authorised the other payments to them thereafter. Long story short: I got the citizens advice involved and they were fantastic, when the man on the phone had been speaking, he had told me that part of what I was paying for was a new website. Because they had never followed through with creating the website they had breached the contract and I was entitled to a full refund. It took over 18 months to get that money back. When I looked online afterwards there were numerous messages from people who had also been scammed. Looking back now it seems ridiculous, but it seemed so genuine in the moment. I hope I haven’t lost all credibility by telling you this story. I recently wrote a book called: Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change lives. If you would like a free copy (no strings attached just a gift from me to you) drop me an email at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk [info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk] or fill in the form below and I will happily drop a copy in the post for you if aims to answer many of the questions that I had when I first started out as a tutor.  Become a tutor - Free copy of my book [https://clarajamestutoring.co.uk/free-copy-of-become-a-tutor-book] I wish you all the best on your journey into the world of tutoring.

My biggest piece of advice if you want to become a tutor - be helpful

This probably sounds like I am stating the obvious, but if you are looking to start a tutoring business the biggest/best piece of advice that I can give you is to be helpful.  By this I mean: if you are commenting on a social media post where someone is asking for help, offer them help and not just the option of taking you on as a tutor.  If you are giving out fliers, put a valuable tip / suggestion (such as revision tips, ways to learn a specific times table, quotes from a GCSE text book), or whatever it is so that they have a reason to hold on to that piece of paper and not just put it in a drawer. It also holds you as an expert with valuable information to share and not just someone who is trying to grow their business. If someone calls you looking for help, ask if they mind if you share a couple of ideas with them that you use and you hope they might find useful. Some might go, no thanks I can’t work with my child, but many will say thank you, that would be really helpful. But in doing this you are helping to build up a strong relationship from the outset. You are proving that you are doing this because you care and not just because you are trying to increase your numbers… I hope this helps. I recently wrote a book: Become a Tutor. Build Confidence. Change Lives. If you would like a free copy (no strings attached just a gift from me to you) drop me an email at info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk [info@clarajamestutoring.co.uk] or fill in the form below and I will happily drop a copy in the post for you