my-blog

Coaching for my Tutoring Business

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 20:05:06 +0100

It's 2022, and I've decided I'm ready for Big Changes in Big Ways! I've set my intentions to expand my tutoring business to include more than just 1 on 1 tutoring, which has been my specialty for years. I've enlisted the help of a tutoring business coach to help me find what direction I want to go in and pinpoint how to execute my plan.

Here are some options I've considered:
-Group lessons (most obvious one)
-Teaching short classes through Outschool (25% fee)
-Finding and hiring employees while acquiring more students to give to them
-Creating a complete course cirriculum to begin offering at a set time during school hours for homeschool families
-Offering a workshop to tutors just starting out or people interested in getting started to begin coaching

There's so much to look into! I need to start researching CRM platforms to organize and automate admin tasks. I'm manifesting that the right people will be put in my path to help me in my journey to achieve my goals.

My first homework assignment is to start a Google Doc outlining 10 goals I have for coaching, with the Top 3 being priorities I want to focus on daily. Other topics to work on include decide what qualities I would look for when hiring another tutor, explore tutorcruncher.com and Google Forms, blog about where I have found my students from early on, think of topics to discuss in a 1 hour workshop for new tutors, and create a post inviting 3 people to build their tutor business with me. My coach is full of soooo many good ideas! This year is going to be so exciting!

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How it all started:
I have a 3 year old and a 7 year old. I knew once my kids were school-aged that I didn't want my entire evening filled with tutoring; for instance, today (Wednesday) I'm tutoring from 4-9pm. So for the past year or two I've been contemplating ideas for working during school hours while making more than I currently do. But that's as far as it ever went---thinking about it. Originally I thought about switching to a different career altogether, but those efforts never panned out. I truly feel like my gift in life is the ability to explain things well, and I just so happen to like high school math. The Universe has been consistently pushing me towards tutoring since I was in 9th grade, and I keep coming back to it when attempts at other things fall apart.

I learned of a manifestation Facebook group for women from the women's networking group I created called Triangle Women's Network (currently 5k strong). The group inspired me to consider coaching of some sort to focus my goals and take steps to achieve them. One coach in the group gave me the idea of joining tutor related groups to get examples and ideas of how to branch out from other tutors. I also google searched the topic to find related articles. I found an article on a Side Hustle site about getting started with online tutoring and started reading the comments at the end. I found someone who had commented years ago about expanding her business and happened to include her email. I reached out to see if she would chat with me. She set up a one on one Zoom and told me all the benefits she could offer as a tutoring coach. I had so many questions, and she was super helpful with addressing them. It felt so exciting to tap into a resource that was executing the business I wanted to create, so I signed up for 3 months of tutoring with her for a monthly fee. Mind you, I contacted several other people around the same time. One of them got back to me, but was too busy to chat. Even more didn't respond at all. I believe things happen for a reason, and the right person came along at the right time. I can't wait to see where I'll be this time next year.

Zoom Tutoring since COVID

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 04:23:12 +0100

Prior to March of 2020, I had looked into starting online tutoring, but I didn't know where to begin. What software would I use? What equipment would I need? How would I need to adjust my tutoring style? Turns out all I needed to get started was a Wacom writing tablet with stylus and a free Zoom account.

I've spent the past year navigating the ins and outs of one-on-one online tutoring, and I'm happy to say I may never go back to in-person again. [OK, never say never.] I can tutor anywhere (i.e. the beach) at any time (i.e. lunch time or late nights). Plus, it offers the convenience of being able to space students out throughout the day, reach students who live too far to travel, and offer shorter time slots (for younger or focus-challenged students) that would otherwise not be worth the travel time involved. But as with anything, there are pros and cons.

PROS: I can write on any diagram (without having to re-draw it out on paper) and explain steps using colors to illustrate my thought flow. If I need a blank template for a graph or unit circle, it's easily available online to fill in as I explain. Students can scan or take pictures of problems on paper, and either email or text them to me during the session or in advance. I can pull up a graphing calculator emulator and type button steps on a digital screen for students to see what I am graphing and how to follow along. I can use a whiteboard to write down problems and have students tell me what stepwork to write, or they can write on it themselves using a mouse or stylus. I can read the student's face and body language to see frustration, confusion, lack of focus, or if they are merely copying down what I've written instead of absorbing how to do it themselves. Being one-on-one allows me to adjust my explanations to meet the student wherever they are without the embarrassment or distraction of being in front of a group.

CONS: It's not as easy to see what students are writing, but it's not impossible. Students who have the recommended equipment will have nearly the same experience as in-person, but if not, we can still make do with what we have. Chromebook doesn't allow annotating on screen at this time, and sometimes it doesn't work for certain tablets/iPads. Using a phone is possible, but also not recommended.

I recommend students have a laptop or desktop with webcam, pencil and paper,and a graphing calculator. It would be ideal for students to have access to a writing tablet with a stylus, but not necessary. In-person there was much focus on what the student was writing and how it was organized. In today's online environment, the focus is just on how to get the answer.

I MOVED!! Pricing Update

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 04:31:21 +0100

Hey parents and students! So, lots of new things going on! I'm excited to announce that I have recently moved to N. Raleigh. I am still meeting several of my long-time students at the Eva Perry Library in Apex on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but I'm trying to transition my student base to my new area near 540 and Creedmoor Rd. I will also be offering tutoring in my home! This will allow me to help more students back-to-back and be efficient with my time. I'm trying online tutoring for the first time this semester with a student who lives in Apex and has been tutoring with me for 4 years. If you're open to online tutoring, let me know.

With all these changes and especially due to increased drive times, I've changed my pricing. My rate is now $50 per hour with a 1 hour minimum. Packaged rates are 4 hours for $190 and 8 hours for $375. Packages must be used within a 30 day period or be forfeited.

I appreciate everyone's continued support and look forward to meeting new students this semester!

ALEKS Online Math Program

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 19:27:47 +0100

This summer (2014) I got the privilege of revamping the math curriculum at the Dr. Frances A. Karnes Summer Gifted Studies Program for Academically Talented Youth on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg,MS. This was my 4th consecutive year as a math instructor for the program, and it was the first time the format of the math program has changed since before I was a student of the program in 1997. The textbooks and paper tests were replaced with computers and online learning software, ALEKS.

"What is ALEKS?

Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are very complete in their topic coverage and ALEKS avoids multiple-choice questions. A student who shows a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course she is taking." -taken from www.ALEKS.com

Basically, for $20 per month a student takes a diagnostic test consisting of about 30 questions in a chosen math subject, and the software uses artificial intelligence to determine what the student has already mastered and what the student is capable of learning next. A pie chart is provided showing the major topics needed to be completed. Within each pie piece the student can choose topics they are ready to learn. Practice problems and explanations are give for each topic and sub-set. Once the student has mastered 3 problems correctly in a row, the objective is added to the list of mastered topics. Periodically the student is given progress tests to assess how much of the new material has been retained. Topics previously mastered can be removed if a student misses the objective in the progress assessment. The software can be accessed anywhere there is online access.

As a math instructor, I was able to assign homework problems, quizzes, and tests to individual students that I created based on their individual learning progress. These assignments were used to generate grades that could be reported (along with a detailed list of standards mastered) to the student's school in the hopes of being granted credit for the course. Most of my gifted students completed a full course within 100 instructional hours or less with minimal help from me.

As a tutor, using the ALEKS software could be a great way to identify gaps in learning and also to get ahead for students who need to be challenged. Unlike as an instructor, I would insist of explaining the various objectives one-on-one with my students so they wouldn't have to solely rely on reading the explanations given. With my help, and the software generating the problems and giving immediate grading, I expect students should learn the material faster. Students would be able to progress to the next math course, as ALEKS offers a wide range of courses.

A free trial can be a great way to see if this is something your student would find helpful. Go to www.ALEKS.com for your free trial.

Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:36:05 +0100

Part of why parents and students use my service is my flexibility in scheduling. Many parents even request same-day service with only a few hours notice, which I try to accommodate whenever possible. I would like to keep that as a core part of my business, but I have found it necesssary to develop a stated cancellation and rescheduling policy to keep my schedule and time optimized.

In conjunction with my new pricing packages, my cancellation and rescheduling policy is as follows:

I request that all cancellations and rescheduling be made with as much advanced notice a possible. Cancellations made with a minimum of 24 hours notice (i.e. a forgotten appointment) can be rescheduled within a package period for no additional fee. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice but before 3pm on any given day (i.e. a sick child) can be rescheduled within a package period for an additonal fee of $15 or that hour may be forfeited within the package. Cancellations made after 3pm on any given day or with no notice at all (i.e. I arrive and the student is not available) will be deducted as a full one hour session from a package. All rescheduling must be made up within a package period (subject to availability) or will automatically be forfeited.

These policies will help me keep providing the best service possible to you. Thank you for your understanding.

New Pricing Packages!

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:15:44 +0100

The holidays are here and the end of the semester is near! I'd like to take this time to thank all of my parents and students who have helped me grow my business this school semester. I have been wildly successful increasing my client base, regularly tutoring 3-4 students a day, 5 days a week. With this growth it has become necessary to add more structure.

Next semester, starting in January, I will be introducing pricing packages designed to save money by buying more of my time at once. It will also have the added benefit of not having to write checks every week or visit an ATM before each session, and it will allow me to better deal with rescheduling and cancellations. I tried to design packages to fit current students so I could recommend a package for each student that would either keep prices the same or reduce them. Here are the basics:

- 8 hour package: $220 (8 hrs of my time to be used within a month, discount of $2.50 per hour)*
- 4 hour package: $120 (4 hrs of my time to be used within a month, current price)*
- 5 hour "as needed" package: $185 (5 hours of my time to be used within a semester, flexibility with no weekly commitment)
- pay-per-session: $40 (1 hr of my time to be used at any scheduled time, no commitment whatsoever)

*The 8- and 4-hour packages have the option to add additional sessions as needed within the month for $30 per hour.

Packages will be paid for at the beginning of each month and expire after 30 days; they will need to be renewed every 30 days. The "as needed" semester package can be paid for at any time during a semester and will expire at the end of that semester. Multiple "as needed" packages may be purchased within a semester, but it would be economical to switch to a month package instead. Unused hours for any package cannot be rolled over into the next period.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped me along the way. Check out my other blogs for more information about the new structure, including my cancellation and rescheduling policy.

Happy Holidays!

Update: My Experience in Raleigh. I can't believe it has been a year!

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:32:27 +0100

I have been in Raleigh for over a year now. My professional experience has grown by leaps and bounds. I started tutoring with Sylvan's Ace-It Program, a free after-school program for Title I schools. I had students from 4th-6th grades in groups of 6 reviewing basic phonics and reading. I began getting 2-3 regular private students that I visited weekly for algebra.

From there I got a contract with Wake County Schools to tutor at Wilburn Year-Round Elementary School as an in-class 5th grade tutor. I had an amazing working relationship with my classroom teacher, and felt more like a co-teacher than a tutor. Our students improved drastically by the End of Grade tests, especially in math. I was asked to return this year, but due to budget and funding issues, I have yet to be given an official start date. I look forward to going back and working with the same classroom teacher soon.

In the meantime, I am reaching out to build my private student base. Within the past month I have found atleast 12 new students. Some of them I work with on a set weekly schedule, and the rest call me as needed. I have mostly 7th and 8th grade algebra students along with a few Honors Algebra II students. I'm working with two adults: one in Wake Tech MAT 070 and the other preparing to take Wake Tech's Compass Test. In two weeks I plan to start with a new student branching out into Pre-Calculus, as I am currently taking Calculus I at Wake Tech. I made an 89, the 3rd highest grade, on my first test when the class average was a 63.

My strengths have been my passionate atitude and warm personality along with my commitment to being honest, flexible, and good at communicating. However, I am discovering I may need to have a contract in place in order to make a living, since many of my students cancel or reschedule frequently. I was thinking of charging my "as needed" students more per hour than my regular weekly students. I should also develop a cancellation policy. At times I feel I am too understand of others' situation at the expense of my own income and time.

I Have Moved to Raleigh, NC

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:25:31 +0100

I am so excited to announce that I am following my dream and have finally moved to Raleigh, NC. I've only been here 5 days, but I love it so far. I realize many of my former students are sad to see me leave, but I hope to help even more people here in the Raleigh area.

I plan to spend time touring nearby college campuses soon so I can follow my passion for tutoring college level algebra.

Wish me luck everyone! And thanks for all your support.

Facebook Page gets a Username: www.facebook.com/Tutor4me

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:40:34 +0100

I finally reached enough "Likes" to be able to create a username! Hooray! I created a survey on the page to let others who visited my page help me decide on which username to choose. With only one vote (besides myself), we decided on Tutor4me. Now it is infinitely easier to direct people to my business page by giving them the URL: www.facebook.com/Tutor4me (instead of making them search for my page using the entire title).

I encourage any students I have tutored before to visit my Facebook page and leave a comment. This will allow my future students to get feedback about my services. Many of my students have "Liked" my page with promises to leave a comment in the future. Thanks for the help guys!

Check out my new Facebook page "Hattiesburg Tutor: Math and ACT Prep with Michelle ...

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:31:34 +0100

Yesterday I finally decided to harness the power of Facebook. I've been needing a better method of getting the word out, but with all the possible avenues to try, I wasn't sure which would be the most effective. After looking at all the ridiculous things that have pages and get "Likes" on Facebook, I thought surely I could figure that out and get some benefit from creating a page for my tutoring.

I created a page specificly for advertising my tutoring services. I named it "Hattiesburg Tutor: Math and ACT Prep with Michelle Myers". I added a poll on the page asking what is your highest ACT score. I posted where I'm working currently and plan to use the page to update potential students on what I'm doing. I'm fairly new at this, but I thought it turned out well. Thanks to my incredibly supportive husband, the page already has 3 people who have "Liked" it.

You can help me get the word out by searching for my page on Facebook and "Liking" it too.