Some people think tutors are like the nannies of the education world. I beg to differ. How come rock stars can offer guitar lessons and still remain rock stars? Tutors can follow that same rule. Isn’t it possible to be a “writer” and offer “lessons” on the side? I think so. With enough diligence and enough know-how, many English and writing majors are able to use their degrees toward productive careers as tutors. There are a number of ways to turn a profit in the field of tutoring. The most common method is the “Do It Yourself” or “D.I.Y.” approach. These are the free birds of the tutoring community. These are the people who hang flyers, post in chat rooms, and create ads on craigslist in order to find a customer base. Some folks prefer volunteering with charitable organizations in order gain experience and credentials. There also are a plethora of tutoring businesses that hire English and Writing students for their workforce. All of these options have their upsides and downsides but each one is a possible viable source for income. With enough know-how and professionalism, many people are able to gain enough experience through school and practice (in the field of tutoring) to put their skills to work for a decent paycheck.
The most practical approach to tutoring would involve going to work for a tutoring organization. Looking for opportunities at local and national tutoring companies are always a good bet for people who look to get into the field of writing education or professional tutoring. Sylvan Learning Centers hire people as part-time writing tutors on a regular basis. They offer a “competitive compensation package” that includes “continued professional development.” (Sylvan) They offer work-from-home and online teaching opportunities as well as center-based teaching positions. Working for Sylvan would provide great experience for any resume. It would also be great to add to a list of credentials to someone who is looking to be an independent/freelance writing tutor. Their website explains that the “college prep” writing tutors prepare students for higher education by teaching them things like research papers, analysis essays, college admission essays, plagiarism avoidance, ACT preparation and SAT preparation.
In case you were wondering, there is a National Tutoring Association. Though it isn’t a massive organization, it has been around since 1992 and has more than 16,000 members nationwide. It also has its own code of ethics. For people who are sticklers for specialized certificates to garnish resumes, this option should be considered. It’s never a bad idea to have official recognition, especially for freelance tutors. It’ll make the credential list look more attractive. The National Tutoring Association (NTA) offers “certificates” for all types of tutors. You don’t have to be a professional or a member of a special program to become certified. There are a few hoops to jump through in order to get certified. The NTA require that each person provide certain documentation, complete an extensive sign-up form, become a member, pay a fee, and be subjected to a background check. The most basic certification process requires 50 hours of tutoring experience, ten hours of sanctioned training with the NTA, and a passing score on the online skills test. There is also the option of become a “member” of the NTA without having to pursue any certificate. The benefits of being a member include: voting rights, membership card, access to NTA research grants, access to professional mentors, discounts on products and services, the ability to pursue aforementioned official certification, health insurance options, a periodic newsletter, invitations to events, access to NTA scholarships, networking options, and more.
Being a freelance writing tutor is easy. There are already plethora of tutor advertisements hung all over the halls of Portland State University and most colleges. Some of them have phone numbers on tear-away tabs. They can always be found on community boards, libraries, dorm hallways, and even on locker bay doors. Most of the people who advertise their services this way are freelance tutors. They are people who charge an hourly rate or a one-time fee for their professional, semi-professional, or unprofessional services. The common denominator of all these ads is the list of credentials. Most tutors feel it necessary to list the college they went to, the degree they got, the years they’ve spent in the tutoring business, and their areas of expertise. Freelance writing tutors are finding work, though. There are numerous ways to sell your services to the public. The most popular way is the said method of hanging up flyers around college campuses and on local community boards. It’s helpful to hang them up in high traffic areas, near English departments, near the writing center, and in the library. Advertising your services online also is never a bad idea. Many people put ads up on community boards, sell themselves in chat rooms, or put a notice on craigslist.
My experience in freelance tutoring involves work with people from all ages and walks of life, namely a young man who attends the NW Academy in SW Portland. I got involved in this line of work by posting a simple but effective ad on craigslist. I included my background, education, and experience in the ad as well as my areas of expertise. I began getting replies almost as soon as I put it up. I’ve worked with people of all ages and educational backgrounds so far. One of my first students was a man of Middle Eastern descent who needed help sharpening up his essays at Portland Community College. I’ve worked with him a few times now. I’ve worked with students who attend Evergreen College, PSU, Portland Community College, Reed College, and an assortment of others. Everyone I worked with either found my ad on craigslist or had been referred to me by other my former students. I was recently contacted by the parents of a Junior High aged boy who was having trouble with his English homework. They wanted me to help him after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I accepted their offer and this is something that I do on a weekly basis.
In order to determine my price, I did some research and determined that I should set my prices low instead of trying to compete in a market where many tutors had Masters Degrees and I was an undergraduate. Many tutors charge upwards of twenty or twenty five dollars an hour for their services. I decided to set mine at a modest fifteen dollars an hour. Since I wasn’t depending on tutoring as my sole income, I decided to set my prices according to my credentials. The more experience and confidence you have as a tutor should allow you to charge more for your services. Judging from craigslist trends, people with Bachelors degrees can charge anywhere from fifteen dollars an hour while people with Masters degrees can charge upwards of twenty. (Craigslist)
The Portland State University writing center has much more rigorous standards than most other writing centers in terms of who they hire. Their staff consists of adjuncts, graduate assistants, and volunteers. The adjuncts are required to have their Masters degrees in English, writing, or a related field. They also must have experience teaching. The graduate assistants lend their services to the PSU writing center while their degree is in progress. The volunteers are students who have taken a specialized 400/500 level teaching course, required to perform the duties found in writing center tutors. Other schools generally hire undergrad “peer tutors,” who are involved in education programs of various disciplines. They are often times very well paid. (Craig) Though each school has its own standards for who they hire, it’s good to keep in mind that pay is available for people with qualifications. PSU’s standards are rather high, so it’s possible for people of all levels of education to get work at a local college writing center.
There are ways to learn to sharpen teaching skills without getting a degree in education. Dartmouth offers comprehensive online materials for people in the writing tutor profession. On their website, they offer a list of resources designed to assist people who work in writing centers around the nation. This is equally beneficial to freelance and professional writing tutors of all experience levels. They offer their own take on the “process/approach to teaching writing.” They offer instructional methods on diagnosing problems and ways of reading student papers, facilitating approaches to problem responses. The Dartmouth website offers advice on handling the specific problems that writing tutors encounter most often. Some of these categories include: invention, the thesis sentence, structure, logic, paragraphs, style, grammar, and English as a second language. (Dartmouth) They even offer informative training videos from some of the nation’s esteemed tutors. This will be an important site to visit in order to quickly absorb some of the basic skills that writing tutors need to possess in order to be successful.
Tutoring on a volunteer basis is a great way to gain experience and to strengthen your skill set without the pressure of performance that money brings. The “African Kids” senior capstone class, taught by Sam Giola, at Portland State University is a great way to get hands-on tutoring experience. The course involves an in-class schedule and an out-of-class tutoring schedule. Most high schools and colleges offer similar Senior-oriented courses that urge people to get involved in the community. It’s wise for people in the writing or English field to choose ones that involve tutoring. It’s great experience and it looks good on a resume or credential list. Often times, many of the children that need volunteer tutoring don’t speak English well and most can’t read and write with any proficiency. This can make tutoring them especially difficult for people who aren’t specially trained as an ESL tutors. On the other side of the coin, it’s great experience for anyone looking to do ESL tutoring in the future. These days, it’s a great addition to have among your skill set. The experience one can gain as an ESL-style tutor can be priceless.
Sources Cited
1.) Craig, Benjaminn. Personal Interview. 5-6-2010.
2.) “Dartmouth Writing Center” 5-6-2010
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/tutor/toc.shtml
3.) “Sylvan Learning Center” 5-6-2010
http://tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/form_jobs.cfm
4.) “National Tutoring Association” 5-6-2010
http://www.ntatutor.com/index.htm
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