I have been working as a tutor for years and I can honestly say that it is great to watch my savings grow month in and month out thanks to the extra money brought in by tutoring.
Teaching has always been a part of my life.
First it was my mother, who was an English teacher.
She taught us the importance of words and knowing how to communicate effectively.
Then I became an English (ESL) teacher helping others learn how to speak a foreign language.
My best student is my daughter.
Living in Spain, she stands out when it comes to communicating in English.
So, I know a thing or two when it comes to teaching.
First of all, and I am sure you have heard it before, patience, patience and some more patience.
Do not let your ego get in the way.
Your students are people that do not have your background and therefore are not up on the subject at hand.
I am sure that they could teach you new things that they are experts at.
Be gentle and be patient.
Second is being kind.
No one is superior to anyone in class, not even the teacher.
We are all in this together and we are here to help each other.
It is now my turn to give you guys a hand learning some material that you need to know to get on with life.
Great! Let's make this as wonderful as possible and a good dose of kindness will go a long, long way to achieving our ends (you learning and me teaching).
Third on the list is actually knowing the subject matter to be taught.
It sounds silly saying so, but I can assure you that, in the field of ESL, I have seen them come and I have seen them go.
Good, honest, young adults trying to teach English as a second language on the basis that they already know how to speak English.
Mistake!! You have got to know the ins and the outs of grammar, the finer points of vocabulary and a lot of other lesser, but none the less important, parts of the language.
Just being well versed in something does not necessarily make you a teacher of that subject, although it does help a lot.
Fourth on my list: Great communication skills.
Remember that fourth grade math teacher that mumbled his explanations to the blackboard while writing with his back turned to the class? Did you really learn anything from those incoherent lessons he muttered to himself? Great communication skills are called for.
Talk to the students, not at them.
Encourage questions.
Ask questions yourself to make sure the lesson is being acquired properly or if there are still points that need to be cleared up.
Above all, smile.
Even if the students cannot see you (on-line tutoring for example), they can tell by your voice if your lighthearted or dead serious.
How can you be dead serious if you are smiling? You get the gist.
Now, on to number five: Motivate and encourage your students to excel.
Do everything you can to see to it that your students are aiming for higher goals than before.
If you manage to get your student up to a constant "C" after failing at math for the last two years, then that is wonderful and your student is excelling.
He may not be acing his exams but a strong "C" makes him feel like Einstein.
That is motivation.
Let your students know that this is not rocket science (assuming you are not teaching rocket science) and that of course they can do it! Good, consistent grades are within their reach, if that is their goal.
Perhaps your students are doing well.
Great, teach them not to rest on their laurels.
Teach them more than what is needed to pass the next exam.
Open their minds and show them the wonders of your subject and to what heights they can soar.
The sixth one is be respectful at all times.
Never be haughty or feel yourself superior to anyone.
The U.
S.
Constitution says it very well: "...
that all men are created equal".
All people are equal, kids and foreign language learners are included too.
I am not picking on anyone in particular, however it is very easy for teachers to lose their cool with children and those who just do not understand what the teacher is trying to say.
Your students are aware of how you treat them and they will greatly appreciate your honest respect.
They will relax and be even more open to what you have to teach.
It is a win-win situation.
Last, but not at all least, is to be caring for your students.
If you talk to them, respect them, open their minds, encourage them, smile a lot, explain things, answer their questions kindly (even when the answer is as obvious as the nose on your face) and are patient with them, then they will know that you care for them.
Having someone around that cares for you and your progress is something they will treasure and cherish for years to come.
Not to mention, when they talk about you, they will be referring new students to you without even realizing it.
They feel great and you get new business.
If you are looking to generate some extra income, you have a computer at home, connection to the Internet and you are willing to care for students and help them succeed, then on-line tutoring just may be up your alley.
You get to help others and you also help yourself.
It is an all-around-great situation for everyone involved.
By Gregg W.
Logg