What does a Tutor do?
Tutors prepare students for exams, passing tests and gaining qualifications. Tutors achieve this by developing the skills of their students, teaching them more about a subject and helping them to complete coursework. Tutors often help students progress from one stage of their education to the next, for example from secondary school through to university. Tutors do this either one-to-one or in a wider group setting with multiple students in a private classroom. Tutors are being increasingly employed online to teach in virtual classrooms.
Tutor skills and qualifications
Successful tutors have excellent teaching and communication skills along with an excellent knowledge of the subject and curriculum they are teaching. Tutors should have relevant qualifications in their chosen subjects to prove that knowledge. A successful Tutor candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications required to be a successful, they typically include:
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to plan and schedule
- Knowledge relating to the subject area being taught
- Ability to motivate students to study
- Patience and understanding
- Ability to adapt to different learning styles
- Ability to supervise students and be a role model
Tutor experience requirements
Tutors require strong knowledge and experience of their given subject, be it English literature, history or physics, for example. Successful Tutors will have experience creating lesson plans and providing assessments. Tutors ideally have experience teaching either on a one-on-one basis or within a wider classroom setting. Tutors may have previously taught in primary or secondary schools or worked as University Lecturers. If they do not have direct classroom or tutoring experience, then a proven ability to communicate and provide support in other settings is necessary.
Tutor education and training requirements
A Tutor requires a university degree, ideally in the subject that they plan to teach or in a subject with transferable knowledge and skills. For example, if a Tutor teaches Geography A levels, they need a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography or in a related subject such as natural sciences or geology. Entry-level Tutors, however do not normally require this. Many Tutors have also taken a post-graduate degree in teaching or in their subject matter.
To reach degree and postgraduate level, Tutors need 5 GCSEs, including a GCSE in the subject they will be teaching. Tutors then need 2 or 3 A levels, including an A level in the subject they will be teaching. Candidates should also have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Tutor salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Tutor is £18.42 per hour. Salary is dependent on experience, location and company.
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