How to Tutor Online

As working and learning from home has become more normalised over the past several years, there has been a rise in those seeking online tuition in Singapore. Compare to home tutoring, online tutoring has a number of advantages, including no travel time and costs, more comfort, and a wider range of tutors or students to choose from. It can be a lucrative job for anyone with a knack for teaching and expertise in specific subjects. This article will explain some best practices for online tutoring, from the basic setup required to methods for successful teaching.

Setting Up for Online Tutoring

Before you begin advertising your online tutoring services, be sure you have all of the essential equipment to teach online. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Computer or laptop
• A fast and stable internet connection
• Webcam and microphone for high-quality video and audio
• Access to online meeting platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet, or tools like Google Classroom or interactive whiteboards
• Professional email address for communicating with clients

You will also have to decide on where you’ll conduct your lessons. The ideal space for online tutoring is quiet and well-lit. While you don’t need to buy a ring light for sufficient lighting, you’ll want to sit under a bright light and avoid positioning yourself in front of a window. 

Make sure your background is uncluttered and professional, or make use of a virtual background. Using a blurring effect on your background can also help your students to focus on you. Minimise interruptions by informing those you live with of your tutoring sessions ahead of time. 

Developing Your Tutoring Services

If you’re considering online tutoring, you probably have a specialty subject – or a couple of specialty subjects – in mind that you’d like to teach. Identifying your niche can help you to effectively target your services. You may excel in teaching one of the sciences at the JC level, or you may have a talent for explaining the mechanics of English grammar to primary school students. It’s important to figure out your target market and focus on them. Having a niche will help you to hone your skills in a specific subject and age level, and word of mouth among parents of similarly aged students will help you to get more students. 

Once you’ve decided on your niche, do your research on the current Ministry of Education (MOE) syllabus for those subjects and age levels. You will most likely be able to find worksheets, test papers, and relevant games online. Depending on how much time you want to spend on your curriculum, you can even make your own worksheets and games. Being well-researched and having a clear curriculum will ensure that you cover all the required topics with your students.

Marketing Your Tutoring Services

A strong internet presence is essential for attracting students. You can create a professional website for your tutoring business that includes your qualifications, services, and contact information. Expand your reach further by making use of social networking sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. 

You can also register with local online tutoring agencies to be connected with parents seeking online tutoring for their children. Do note that tutoring agencies will most likely take a commission from the tuition fees. Still, this is a great option for expanding your network and starting your business.

Don’t underestimate the value of a referral. Make it a point to encourage satisfied parents to recommend your services to others. Any good feedback and testimonials you receive and put on your website can dramatically boost your credibility and attract new customers.

Conducting Effective Online Tutoring Sessions

Now that you know how to attract clients and build your student base, here are some tips for teaching effectively online.

In order to be a successful online tutor, you need to engage your students. Using interactive tools such as quizzes, polls, and virtual whiteboards is a great way to keep students actively involved. Encourage your student’s participation throughout the session and ask open-ended questions to stimulate critical thinking. It is crucial for you to get to know your students and understand them well so that you can bring in their interests during your lessons.

Getting to know your students also allows you to tailor your teaching methods to suit their learning style and pace. You should regularly assess their progress and provide constructive feedback in order to enhance their progress. In addition, personalising your lessons will help to address individual learning gaps and enhance your student’s overall comprehension of the subject at hand.

An often overlooked factor of being a good online tutor is regular communication with your student’s parents. You will want to provide parents with frequent progress updates and highlight and preempt any concerns. This will help you to maintain transparency and trust with your clients.

Challenges in Online Tutoring

As with any occupation requiring technology, technical glitches are inevitable. Thus, you should always have a contingency plan, such as an alternative internet connection or a secondary device, to circumvent any disruptions. 

Online learning can also be challenging due to the potential for distractions for students, as you are not in the same physical environment as them. Set clear rules and expectations at the beginning of each session, and check in with your students throughout the lesson. Having them share their screen periodically, perhaps when completing a task, is a great way to ensure their attention hasn’t wandered.

Accurately assessing student progress in an online environment can be tricky. A combination of formative and summative assessments should be used to gauge understanding. There are many online platforms that can be used for assessments, and you should also use a multi-modal way of assessing — for example, asking verbal questions and having short-answer assessments as well as essays or long-answer questions requiring more depth of thinking. 

Start Your Online Tutoring Journey

Online tutoring in Singapore offers educators a chance to reach more students and offer flexible, effective learning support. With a professional tutoring environment, an organised curriculum, efficient marketing, and high teaching standards, you will be able to build a successful online tutoring business. Do your best to anticipate any challenges, and consistently strive to enhance your abilities and services so that you’ll be of the most help to your students. We hope the tips in this article will help you to start a thriving online tutoring business that positively impacts your students.