So you have this great idea to start an online math tutoring business, but you don’t know where to begin. The process can be overwhelming for your mind and even more confusing if you are already tutoring clients face to face. I know exactly how that feels because I was once walking in those shoes. The most difficult part is knowing where to start, but I can assure you that once you GET STARTED, it immediately becomes less stressful.
Here are 5 tips to the ball rolling for your online math tutoring business! 1. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET GRADE LEVEL This is the most important piece to the puzzle I believe because it’s going to determine how you go about the rest of the process as you build. People need help with mathematics in every grade level from Kindergarten through 12th, and even college students often find themselves struggling to understand mathematics as well. But as a tutor and newly found business owner, you cannot try to target every age group that needs your help. I suggest separating the levels in the following groups: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, and finally college level students. Once you choose a targeted grade level group, it will help with your efforts to advertise and eventually will increase your referrals to gain more business. The other benefit to selecting a specific grade level is that your lessons will be easier to plan for when you are working with clients. As a tutor, you will find yourself using content repeatedly with different clients so having a target grade level will help you be able to organize and find resources speedily. 2. BUSINESS WEBSITE IS A MUST Many people start an online tutoring business because they are an underpaid teacher that is looking to make some extra cash. If that’s you, paying someone to build a website is probably not an option. I know you may be oblivious to building a website, but don’t fret just yet. There are several options for building free websites and many of them are quite user friendly. Here are just a few options for free website hosting: Weebly, Wix, Webstarts, Jimdo, and Webnode. All of the options listed above offer free packages, but I suggest choosing one based on the level of “user friendliness” (I just made up that term) that fits you. These sites also offer packages that you can purchase to open up more options for your site and also keep in mind that you may want to eventually purchase a domain name so that your site can be unique to your business name. 3. CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS Whether you like it or not, you need social media if you want to keep up with the market these days as a business owner. Think about it, why wouldn’t you take advantage of FREE ADVERTISING? Keep in mind that not all social media platforms are created equal and you should decide which ones your ideal clients are using so they add value to your business. Even if you have never used social media before, you can start using it today. There is a long list of social media platforms that people use for business, but here are just a few that I suggest using when you are getting started: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. When setting up your accounts try to keep your user names consistent across all platforms, it will simplify the process of clients finding you as your business grows. I was unaware of this valuable piece of information when I got started so I want to make sure that people after me don’t have the same issue. I also suggest setting up a schedule of when you will be posting content on your social media so that you can build a following. 4. CHOOSE SOFTWARE As an online tutor, one of the most common questions you will get from potential clients is “How does online math tutoring work?”. You will first need to select a platform for your web conferencing. I started with using Google Hangouts, and eventually graduated to Zoom, but there are several other options available. Bitpaper is also a phenomenal platform to use and includes both the video conferencing as well as the whiteboard software. Be sure that you choose a platform that has screen sharing capabilities so that you can have maximum interaction with your clients. A pen tablet will be extremely helpful when you are working on mathematics. However, there are a variety of options that you can utilize to help with writing on the whiteboard software and some are cheaper than purchasing a pen tablet. There’s a variety of them available on Amazon. The Wacom Intuos pen tablet is my weapon of choice but you should choose the best one that fits your budget and “user friendliness” (there’s that word again). Your clients don’t need to have a pen tablet, but you can increase their interaction when they have the ability to write on the whiteboard as well. 5. TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW Now that you have everything set up, you need to tell people about your business. You can’t expect clients to just find your website. You have to promote your services, and the simplest way to start is simply telling everyone you know that you have an online math tutoring business. Make your presence known through your social media as well by sharing content through your multiple accounts. Let’s be real, math is not most people’s favorite subject and there are students all around the world that need help with their math studies. These people have to be able to find you and the service that you provide. Client referrals will eventually be a major part of your client funnel, but in the meantime you have to practice SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for potential clients to find you on the internet. A great resource for help with learning SEO is Jason McDonald’s website. MOTIVATION!!!! Starting a business is not for the weak minded or the weak at heart. Always remember that this will be an ongoing journey with peaks and valleys. I encourage you to surround yourself with a group of like-minded Tutorpreneurs like the group I am connected with through Joanne Kaminski. Joanne has coached me and several other Tutorpreneurs around the world and shown us how to get booked solid. You will find great value in joining the Ultimate Support Group for Online Tutors and immediately begin finding answers to the millions of questions that come to mind while building your business. Don’t take my word for it, just Google “Joanne Kaminski” and you will see the many testimonials from her tutoring clients as well as the members of her online community. I KNOW YOU’RE ASKING “HOW MUCH DO I CHARGE?” I didn’t mention pricing because Joanne Kaminski would be more of an expert on that topic. So go to her website and I guarantee she has the answer to that question! Please check me out on social media: Facebook: Young Gurus Math Tutoring Instagram YG Math Tutoring Youtube: Young Gurus Math Tutoring LinkedIn: Dana Harris
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I recently had an experience with a mountain that taught me a lesson about my students as well as students in general. I decided to go for an evening workout with my uncle and unbeknownst to me, my uncle chose to run a trail that was on a mountain. I was excited about this run because I had the opportunity to climb a mountain this past summer in Colorado Springs, CO and it was a great experience. Our run started off wonderful, and we eventually reached a certain point where my uncle decided we should head back down the mountain because of the sunset. At first he was unsure about what path to take so that we could head down the mountain, but I was unbothered because the sunlight was still quite visible from the position we were at on the mountain. A few minutes later, we seemed to have found the right direction, but eventually my uncle explained to me that he hadn't been up this particular mountain in a few years so he was somewhat unsure how to get back to the bottom. At this point I was concerned because it was getting even darker outside and our vision of the trail was getting hazy. My concern was not so much being stuck on the mountain, it was the fact that we couldn't clearly see the trail, and I didn't want either one of us to get an injury due to all of the debris and uneven ground on the trail. We happened to pass a gentleman on the trail whom appeared to be going up the mountain and he gave us his version of directions to get back. Unfortunately, his directions became confusing after only a few minutes. By this time, it was dusk outside and we were trying to read the signs on the trail for help. We decided to go left just as the last gentleman had told us, but shortly after, there was another fork in the road. We stopped and had no clue which direction we should follow. Instead of getting too worried, we decided to remain still for a few minutes. Then, we looked up and saw two lights and to our surprise, it was a biker. We inquired about directions and thankfully about ten minutes later, we were finally able to exit the trail.
After arriving back where our journey began, I felt great about the fact that we didn't have to call 911 to get rescued from the mountain. While driving home, I realized how that experience with the mountain can be very similar to a child's experience in a mathematics classroom. Often times students begin a task with confidence because of their past experiences and/or performance. Things start out well for them with working on a task, but at some point, things begin to get dark and hazy in regards to what direction is needed to arrive at the solution. In a child's mind, once they begin to struggle, they are often reminded of the dark places that aren't mathematically familiar. It doesn't necessarily mean they don't know the content, they just may be having trouble recalling the specifics of that particular concept. The student will likely request help from a peer, which results in them being able to proceed a little further with solving the task. Later they may arrive at another point in the task where they are unsure or unaware of which direction to take. At this point, once the student has reached for the help of their peers already, the teacher should be the next line of help. Hopefully after the teacher's directions, the student gains the confidence of knowing that they are headed in the right direction and are not far from the solution. When the students arrive at the solution, they should be mindful of their experience with working through a productive struggle. At no point on that mountain were my uncle and I worried about getting off of the mountain, we were only concerned about visibility to help us arrive at our destination. As teachers, we should seek to build up the confidence of our students so they surely know at some point they will arrive at the solution to a task. However, when lessons are effectively facilitated, the teacher sets themselves as the last line of help for the students, just like the random stranger that happened to cross paths with us while we were lost. I took notice that this gentleman was not only riding his bicycle on the trail, but he also had a light on his helmet as well as his bicycle. This reminded me of the significance of having the proper tools and resources to work with on a task. I encourage all math teachers to establish a climate that facilitates the problem solving process allowing students to productively struggle on their own before helping them. It will help build confidence in their own mathematical ability as well as force them to be critical thinkers which is a critical skill needed for life. Parents please don't let your frustrations with the education system hinder your child from learning and having a great experience with school. We are all aware that the system is flawed, but so many other government run systems have flaws as well. Children often begin elementary school with a passion for learning however, at some point a bad experience curves their enthusiasm. As parents we must be sure to protect them and advocate for them but also be mindful when our advocating can start enabling them to give subpar performance in class. Children are very smart and they learn how to play parents and teachers against one another at an early age. I encourage you to advocate for your child, but be mindful of the conversations that you have with teachers in front of your child. If they know you will challenge the teacher without first researching the facts, they will try to get away with poor academic performance in hopes of knowing that you will defend them even when they are wrong. Be mindful of these same conversations with the other people you often socialize with as well. You never want to provide a crutch for your child and end up hindering them from giving maximum effort in their learning process. A student's performance in class is affected by several factors on a daily basis. The first factor is their relationship with the peers enrolled in the class with them. The second factor is their performance in previous math courses. The third factor (which is the most important in my opinion) is their relationship with the teacher. Often times students fail to give their maximum effort for a teacher that they don't care for. As parents we must communicate with our child's teacher to examine the relationship that has been built between them and the student. This can be difficult because in some cases a child may not be fond of the teacher simply because that teacher is strict and requires the students to perform at a high level academically. A good teacher can help a child perform well regardless of how poorly the child may have performed in the past. Now there are cases in which the child is being treated unfairly by the teacher and as a parent you should advocate for your student. However, be mindful of the things you are asking of that teacher because some parents want the teacher to do things as if their child is the only student in the class. We must be respectful of that teacher's obligation to the many other students they teach. Also parents please be sure that you are holding your child accountable and making them take ownership for their learning. When the parents and the teacher are on one accord, magical things can happen for your student! Two simple words that can build a great relationship between teachers, students, and parents are: Effective Communication. Remember parents to be an ADVOCATE for your child, not an ENABLER!
We've all seen that post on our social media timeline when one of your virtual friends shares that story of how they were helping their child with math homework only to hear their child say "My Teacher said that's wrong!". Or maybe you haven't seen this scenario on your timeline, but you have an elementary school child and have dealt with this issue first hand. This is becoming a "common" concern since the adoption of the Common Core State Standards for mathematics by several states across the U.S. Some parents like hearing the words Common Core as much as they like hearing someone scratching a chalkboard. Let's get to the bottom of issue and hopefully by the end of this post, you will have a better understanding of why you despise helping your child do their math homework these days. Most people only know that the Common Core standards were implemented so that students across the United States would be learning the same concepts in their mathematics classes. However, the intent of the writers of the Common Core State Standards (CCSSM) was to help students have a better conceptual understanding of the mathematics they are learning. In plain english terms this means they were trying to help kids answer the question of "Why". For example, students have been taught for years that when you are subtracting multi-digit numbers, you may have to "borrow" from the next higher place value if the number on the bottom is larger than the number on the top. But when someone borrows something from you, naturally you expect them to give it back at some point right? This method worked for years in classrooms across the U.S., but students were just learning how to follow a set of procedures to solve these subtraction problems. What the CCSSM is supposed to show is that you are not borrowing anything. In fact, you are actually regrouping the number that is on top and writing it in a different form. Where this relates to classroom teachers today is unfortunately many of them have not received quality training in teaching the Common Core Standards, so unfortunately they are forced to convey the information to the students the only way they know how. This is causing frustration amongst parents every single day I'm sure. On behalf of the teachers, I would like to say that many elementary school teachers struggled with teaching mathematics before Common Core adoption and the problem got worse after the adoption of those standards. My suggestion to the parents is to seek out virtual resources to supplement what you already know and also be open to learning how this "new math" works. Whether you know it or not, your attitude towards the math often transfers to your child and they begin to have a negative mindset towards the work when they see that from you. There are several virtual math tutors available that can help you and your child get a better understanding of the concepts if you are willing to invest in your child's education. Also you can find a vast amount of virtual math lessons via the internet. I'd like to suggest the Youtube channel for one of the best online math tutors out there which happens to be Young Gurus Math Tutoring!
Dear Parents:
Many students go through four years of high school and strive to attain the highest Grade Point Average (GPA) possible. This is a great goal and it should be acknowledged by their school and their family. However, not all students with a high GPA, are students that will be successful in collegiate studies or even perform well on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. What causes this phenomenon? In many cases, the student probably attended a high school which failed to have the proper resources in place to prepare that student for the rigors of post secondary education. The student may have attained good grades during high school but failed to truly learn how to study. Also the student may have taken teachers in high school that did not offer rigorous coursework. There are many secondary schools across our nation that are placing students in Honors and AP courses, but the coursework being assigned to those students is not truly at an Honors or Advanced Placement level. Unfortunately, these factors are providing a disservice to our students and they will eventually be exposed for their academic ability or lack there of. As an educator, I have come to find that grades are not always a clear indication of a student's academic ability. We must begin to shift our teaching methods to cause our students to attain mastery of the content. This is not a simple task due to the focus on standardized testing across our nation (but that's another blog post for another time). When the students have a better conceptual understanding of the content we are presenting, they have higher rates of long-term retention of the content. Also, when students have been challenged with a rigorous curriculum, they will discover various ways in which they can persevere through learning tasks. I challenge parents, to focus less on your student's grades, and find ways to discover whether or not your child is really understanding the content they are being taught in school. Find ways to see if your child is learning to think for themselves and analyze tasks from a holistic perspective versus simply listening to a teacher spill a bunch of facts at them day in and day out. My title of this post is simply referring to the concept of whether you as a parent would prefer to see good grades on your child's report card and possibly risk them not understanding the material or whether you can accept them bringing home average grades, with the assurance of knowing they have struggled to attain mastery and understanding of the concepts. We often encourage students to attend college, but what are we doing to prepare our students for the academic rigor that comes with being a college student? The cost of post-secondary education is far too expensive to see your child attend for a few semesters only to dropout due to lack pf academic preparation. Teachers are going to teach the curriculum at school, but not all teachers are passionate enough to ensure that your child is getting a conceptual understanding of the content. |
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May 2018
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