Tutoring is a multifaceted and demanding job, but as a tutor and teacher myself, I do not hear my colleagues complaining about the hard work. Instead, they appreciate the novelty of their jobs, and they love the fact that every day is a new day. In this article, I want to dive deeply into the tutor job description and tell you about the qualities of a professional tutor. So, If you want to know how to describe yourself as a tutor in your resume, this article can be of great help.
- Gain extensive knowledge in the subject you want to tutor
- Acquire the tutoring qualifications common in the UK
- Work on your tutoring skills
- Develop digital literacy to get the most out of online and digital tools
- Observe the codes of professionalism
What Are the Requirements to Be a Tutor?
First and foremost, a tutor has to have extensive knowledge in the subject area they want to tutor. This knowledge is even more meaningful if the tutor has hands-on experience in the subject matter. For instance, a software engineer who has developed a functioning computer programme can be a better Computer Science tutor than someone who has only theoretical knowledge of this subject.
-
Degree and Certification
Tutors are required to show a degree in the subject they want to teach. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the subject is normally demanded, but if you want to teach college or university students, you need to hold a master’s or doctorate degree.
In addition to the university degree, tutors need to hold other certifications to make them eligible tutors. Professional tutors in the UK should receive a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check. These qualifications are reassuring evidence for parents that their children (or vulnerable adults) are in good hands.
-
Teaching Experience
Extensive teaching experience is just as important as subject matter expertise. In jobs in which you have to deal with other people, especially children, there is something that you cannot learn entirely from books. The ability to teach well comes with experience, so it is only normal for novice tutors to stumble in the first couple of months.
-
Teaching Knowledge
I could include this part in any other above paragraphs but it deserves undivided attention. Pedagogical knowledge gives teachers and tutors a map to teach the lessons effectively. It allows tutors to adopt the appropriate teaching method, modify it, and apply it based on the student’s learning style and objectives. Tutors should also engage in Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses to keep their knowledge base updated. You can click on the link to find some of these CPD courses.
To get more information, I suggest to read:
What are the requirements to be a tutor?
Responsibilities of a Tutor For Resume
Firstly, a tutor must invest time and energy into acquiring the qualifications and certifications I explained above. Other responsibilities of a tutor include:
1. Understanding the Student’s Needs
When a client hires a tutor it means that there is a gap between where the student currently is and where they want to be. The tutor is responsible to identify the student’s current level through needs analysis. Then they should find out what the student’s learning style is and whether there is a special condition they need to consider.
2. Personalised Lesson Plans
A good tutor should value the differences among students. By considering the student’s needs, the tutor should design lesson plans that correspond most closely to the student’s preferences. The lesson plan should address the student’s weaknesses and fill the gaps in their knowledge base.
3. Monitoring and Feedback
It is the tutor’s job to observe the student’s progress and give them constructive feedback on their performance.
4. Keeping in Touch with Parents
Tutors working with children and teenagers should work closely with their parents to involve them in their children’s educational development. Tutors should inform the parents about their children’s performance and give them guidelines so that they can contribute to the learning process.
5. Assessing the Students
Assessments are the best way to ensure learning has happened and the gaps have been filled. Tutors should choose the appropriate assessment form to gauge the effectiveness of the tutoring sessions. Additionally, assessments are a good way to motivate students and engage them in the learning process.
6. Encouraging Autonomy
Tutors should push the student towards independence. They should teach the student the practical techniques and strategies that help the student become independent learners. Put differently, tutors are responsible for gradually helping learners become responsible for their learning process.
7. Professionalism
As a professional tutor, you should not allow your personal life to interfere with your job. Your students deserve your undivided attention. Additionally, you should respect the privacy of the client or the student. If you overhear something or your student shares something personal with you, you must preserve confidentiality. Overall, respect the boundaries between a tutor and a studen
Looking for proper resume examples? Click on ” Tutoring resume examples ” and see the templates of a good tutoring resume
What Skills Should Tutors Have?
The skill set of a tutor is one of the essential factors that helps them stand out among other tutors. In other words, the skills of a tutor make them special. Let us take a look at some of the must-have skills of a professional tutor.
1. Patience
Any job that involves direct and intense contact with other people requires patience. In tutoring, you are dealing with a student who is struggling with a subject, and the school lessons could not, for any reason, satisfy their learning needs. So, you need to be patient if they need extra help to understand complex subjects.
2. Approach ability
Learning does not happen in an intense environment. Tutors must establish a friendly yet professional relationship with the students to let them know it is OK to make mistakes and ask questions. Tutors should welcome the student’s ideas and allow them to do most of the learning themselves.
3. Communication skills
As a tutor, I can say with some certainty that without good communication skills, all other tutoring features and qualifications are pointless. A tutor who cannot transfer their knowledge in an understandable and simplified way to a student is not a good tutor, no matter what teaching certificates and qualifications they have.
4. Organisational skills
Organisational skills play a significant role in making the tutors look professional. Tutors should be able to teach the agreed-upon topics within the schedule. They should start and end the sessions on time. Click on “10 organisational skills that will put you a step ahead” to read more on this topic.
5. Critical Thinking Skills
Tutors might face new situations and encounter new questions doing what they do. Critical thinking skills help them survive unfamiliar situations. Click on “How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps” to learn more.
6. Motivational skills
It is hard and exhausting to study the topics that are too complex. Some students are internally motivated to learn these challenging topics and improve. But others need motivation to keep going. Click on “What are the best ways to motivate students in the classroom?” to learn about 7 ways you can motivate the students.
7. Digital Skills
Smartphones, AI, and social media have become a part of our lives. While they can be a source of distractions, tutors can use them for the advancement of the teaching and learning process. Digital and online tools are the essentials of online tutoring. As an online tutor, you need to know how to work with online video conferencing tools like Zoom or Skype, virtual whiteboards, cloud storage platforms, and messaging apps like Telegram to keep in touch with students or parents.
Ostado has made this easy for tutors by providing them with the tools they need for a smooth online tutoring experience. Become a tutor on Ostado to experience professional tutoring.
“Starting your venture as a freelance tutor can be a rewarding experience. The process begins with acquiring the right academic qualifications and teaching credentials to establish your credibility. Here is a list of how to start freelance tutoring:
- Achieve your education goals. Start your journey towards becoming a self-employed tutor by pursuing a college degree
- Acquire relevant experience. Seek out opportunities to work as a tutor, particularly while you’re still pursuing your degree
- Build a network
- Familiarise yourself with the curriculum…”
Become a Tutor at Ostado
Tutoring is a flexible position, and tutors are well-compensated. You can work as a full-time tutor at tutoring agencies, or you can tutor your favourite subject online on Ostado’s online tutoring platform. With adequate subject expertise and teaching knowledge, you can become a tutor and soar your income. At Ostado, you do not need to worry about advertising your tutoring service. We have done the marketing for. All you need to do is to teach what you love.
Tutoring is a demanding job, and you need to have numerous qualifications and skills to be a tutor. I described the main duties of a tutor for resume in this article. By following the guidelines of this article, you can become a professional tutor, get the most out of your schedule and increase your income. Good luck on your tutoring journey.
FAQs - Tutoring job description
- How can I introduce myself as a tutor?You should describe your educational background, tutoring or teaching experience, relevant degrees and certificates, and your skills when you want to introduce yourself as a tutor.
- What are the duties of an online tutor?The duty of a tutor is to identify the student's current level and choose the appropriate materials and teaching methods to help students reach their educational targets.
- How can I post myself as a tutor?You can establish your personal, professional website, create a professional page on social apps like Instagram or Facebook, or register on online tutoring platforms such as Ostado to post yourself as a tutor. I have elaborated on this topic in detail in another article. Click on "Professional Tutor Advertisement | How to Make Your Brand Unforgettable as a Private Tutor" to learn more.