Ask Micki: Sports Tutoring

Question: Hi, Micki. I have a question about possibly tutoring a non-traditional subject.

I coach for a local little league team, and was recently contacted about tutoring a sport (baseball pitching, to be exact), but I have no clue if this is something that falls under the realm of tutoring, if it is possible, how much I should charge, etc. Any advice on this? Thanks!

~ Coach, math tutor, and science tutor from So. Cal.

Answer: You sound like one busy person! I would say, without a doubt, a big resounding YES, go for it! If you are helping someone learn a skill, then I would consider it tutoring - since you have an athlete with a need to learn better pitching techniques, you are acting as a tutor for that skill.

I have talked to a lot of tutors over the past few years who have tutored basketball, the physics of baseball, water polo, ice skating...pretty much every sport under the sun will have potential "tutees" who need to improve their skills.

As far as what to charge, my advice would be to stick with your typical rates, and treat this job exactly like any other tutoring gig. Think of it like this - you'll be the exact same professional, friendly tutor, charging an appropriate rate, except instead of meeting at a table, you'll be meeting on the field.

Good luck, and happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Tutoring a Family Member

Question: Hi, Micki. I have been tutoring for about 9 years, and was just recently asked if I could tutor my 10 year old niece. I know that mixing business and personal life can be disastrous, and I am wondering if saying "yes" to this tutoring gig is a bad idea? Should I avoid working with family?

Thanks for your help!
~ Uncertain Aunt, WI.

Answer: Hi, Uncertain Aunt, thanks for your question! Traditionally, a lot of people say that mixing family and business is a recipe for disaster. I disagree.

I think that tutoring family members can be fun, rewarding, and helpful for the tutee - all of the elements that any of your tutoring sessions have.

Think about all of the older brothers and sisters who help their younger siblings with homework, or parents who successfully homeschool their children. These are both methods of tutoring or teaching that work well.

I had a lot of help from relatives when it came to my homework, and remember turning to my aunt for help with biology, my dad for math, my grandfather for some practical garage skills, etc...all tutoring in their own way. It was fantastic! I learned a lot during the "tutoring," had fun, and was able to spend some time getting to know them better.

The trick to making it work? Laying down a few ground rules and keeping the lines of communication open between you and your tutee.

Let your niece/tutee (and her parents) know that you are excited about working together, that you know that tutoring will be beneficial for her, and that you think it would be a great idea to set up some times for tutoring sessions. Approach the scheduling as a way to fit quality tutoring time in to everyone's busy schedule.

Let your sister know, in a nice, polite way, that you need to keep track of the tutoring appointments (via time sheet) for record keeping purposes.

This will also help avoid any billing pitfalls in the future if you are being paid for your tutoring. If all else fails, tell her that it is a requirement for your business budget and taxes that you account for income and time scheduled.

Yes, they are family, but treating your tutoring business like a business is an easy way to keep the tension out of the scenario.

Being too casual with your tutoring schedule or record keeping could lead to problems, so treat your niece/sister like any other client when it comes to paperwork. Trust me on this, I found out the hard way!

When the time comes for your first tutoring session, sit down with your niece and let her know what you'll be going over, what you expect her to do, what she can expect of you as a tutor, etc. Use kid friendly terms, but lay out the rules and the groundwork for a successful tutoring relationship.

Last of all - have fun, and enjoy the one-on-one "aunt time" you get to spend with your niece!

Good luck, and happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Late for tutoring sessions

Question: Hi, Micki. I have a tutee (I'll call him Harry) who I have been tutoring now for over a year. He's a great guy, pays attention during our calculus tutoring, and has just been a model tutee except for one thing...recently he has been late showing up for tutoring sessions.

At first, Harry was a minute or two late, but now he shows up for every tutoring session (2 per week) *at least* 15 minutes late. The problem is that I have another tutoring appointment right after his, and I don't want to be late because of Harry's tardiness.

What can I do? I probably should have done something earlier - it has been going on for about 3 months, and I'm kind of worried that it may be too late to fix things.

Thanks for your help!
Signed,
a slightly frustrated tutor in Rhode Island.

Answer: Hi, thanks for your question!

First of all, have no fear - it is never too late to fix a problem! Especially since it sounds like you two have a great tutor / tutee relationship; that should make it much easier to talk to "Harry" about how your tutoring sessions are going.

This kind of problem is all about communication. Sit down for a few minutes with Harry before the tutoring session starts, and figure out why he is always running late.

Has he been putting in extra hours at work? Maybe he is taking part in an activity that ends too close to your tutoring start time. Maybe he took a new job further from home, and has been getting stuck in traffic. The best way to figure out what's up is to ask Harry about his schedule.

I would avoid saying anything confrontational (why ruin a great tutoring relationship?), and focus on how you two can fix the scheduling issue.

Mention that you have another tutoring appointment, need to leave on time, and don't want to short change Harry on any of his calculus tutoring.

Also, keep in mind that it may be time to change things and rearrange when and where you two meet for tutoring.

If Harry is having trouble getting to the tutoring sessions because of work, or school, maybe you could reschedule to another day or time. If he is getting stuck in traffic, maybe you two could meet halfway someplace and work there - he'd be on time, and you could leave from the meeting place to make it to your next tutoring appointment on time.

Whatever the situation may be with Harry's schedule, you two should have no trouble working it out as long as you keep your dialogue open, friendly, and non-confrontational. Think of this like a calculus problem you may encounter during tutoring - if you two patiently work on this together, the solution will be easy to find!

Good luck, and as always, happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Tutoring Website

Question: Hi, Micki. I have a question about advertising my tutoring via the web. I was thinking of setting up a website for my tutoring services, but am not sure how to get people to it. Any words of wisdom on how to get the word out about my (upcoming) tutoring site? Thanks!

~ Charlie, a tutor from Redlands, CA

Answer: Hi, Charlie - thanks for the great question!A lot of people, both tutors and other professionals, struggle with this. Here are 5 ways that you can make your tutoring website a success!

1. Get the word out the old fashioned way: business cards and word of mouth. Make sure that your tutoring site URL is listed on every piece of paper that leaves your hands (business cards, letterhead, etc). That way, when people need a tutor, they can look down at your card, and easily locate your site. Word of mouth is also a powerful way to get noticed. Tell *everyone* you know about your spiffy new site. Friends, family, and clients are great places to start - after all, you never know who those people may know!

2. Focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and keywords. No, I don't mean using the words "tutor" and "tutoring" every other word. The trick to keywords is using them naturally in the text while still making sure that the words show up often. Also, keep in mind that there may be other variations on your chosen words, and you'll want to include them, too. For example, "tutors" and "tutoring" may also be listed as "learning specialist," or "homework helper." Use as many relevant keywords as you can related to tutors and tutees, and web crawlers will have no trouble finding your site!

3. Submit your tutor services site to places like Google. Submit your URL to a few search engines, and you will get noticed faster. You are trying to get your site noticed, so why not make it easier for people to search for you?

4. Start a tutoring blog. A tutoring or learning blog can be a great way to drive traffic to your tutor site. After all, you will be offering people valuable (and entertaining) information relevant to tutoring, and you will be including a lot of tutor relevant keywords, too! Plus, writing about what you do is great way to learn more about it - keep up the life long learning, and both you and your tutees will benefit!

5. Offer easy ways for others to spread the word. Include "tell a friend" buttons, offer promotional tutoring discounts for referrals, and think of ways to get other people excited about your site. Keeping people coming back, and having loyal customers talk about your site, is a great way to get repeat visits.

Good luck and, as always, happy tutoring!

Ask Micki: Do tutoring/learning contracts work?

Question: Hi, Micki. I am pretty new to the world of math and science tutoring and was wondering whether I should bother with a learning contract. Do they work, or is it a waste of time?

Thanks!
Joe, a math and science tutor from Northern California.

Answer: Hi, Joe - thanks for the great question! I've been hearing quite a bit about learning and tutoring contracts lately, and I happen to think that they can be a great tool for your tutoring sessions.

A tutoring or learning contract is basically an informal document that the tutor and tutee (and/or tutee's parents) sign. It is a written promise that the tutor will provide stellar tutoring, and that the tutee will put in his or her best effort, do all of the tutoring assignments, be at the tutoring sessions on time, participate in the tutoring sessions, etc.

Essentially, it helps keep the tutee accountable for learning the material, taking an active role in the tutoring sesisons, and giving 100% at each tutoring session. It also (from the tutee's point of view) keeps the tutor accountable for providing the best tutoring possible.

Some people also choose to incorporate the business contract (i.e. pay rate, when the tutor will be paid, etc.) into the learning contract, but I choose not to do this.

In my opinion, it is a better idea to keep the business contract separate from the learning contract. The tutoring/learning contract should be all about learning, not clouded by business details.

It is also a great idea to make a copy of the contract so that you, your tutee, and (if needed) your tutee's parents all have the document to reference at a later date.

There are some great learning contracts available in the ITA Resource Bank, so take a look around, and try using one of these great tools out at your next tutoring session!

Good luck and, as always, happy tutoring!

Tips from Charlie: Learning Tools

I used to think that tutoring was all about using my own knowledge and my tutee's textbook.

Then I started tutoring younger kids and it changed the way I tutored forever.

Kids can be great to work with.  They are enthusiastic (most of the time), are honest about what they do and don't know, and have a very different way of learning...they also, like myself, have shorter attention spans than most grown adults!

I started realizing that my tutoring sessions with kids were just not as exciting and full of zest as they could be.  So, I sat down and did some thinking.  What did I respond to at a younger age? What bored me?  What got me enthusiastic about learning?

The answer, as it turns out, was using learning tools during our tutoring sessions.

Learning tools can turn a drab tutoring session into an exciting learning opportunity!

I used simple experiments to tutor the concepts of electricity and chemistry.  I brought games and activities that showcased the exciting world of math.  I dug out my old microscope and brought simple slides to go over biology concepts and make them more interesting.

In other words, any tutoring tool I could get my hands on (that related to the subjects I tutored), I brought with me to tutoring sessions.

The results were amazing, and I noticed that not only was I getting more excited learners, but I was getting happier parents.  One mom told me that I was the only person who had managed to get her son excited about science.  He had hated the subject before our tutoring had started.

An unexpected benefit to this new technique were the referrals I was getting from other parents.  I was known as the fun tutor who could actually get kids to learn boring subjects.  I was honored, and thrilled to have the "title."

So, if you are looking for a way to spice up your sessions, thrill parents, and garner referrals, look no further than tutoring and learning tools!

~ Charlie

Ask Micki: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Tutee

Question: Hello, Micki. I'm having a small problem that I am hoping you could help me with. My tutee, I'll call him Charlie, is a really friendly guy normally. We are actually friends at our university (we're freshmen), and I tutor him in Calculus on the weekends.

The problem is, during our tutoring sessions, Charlie is a totally different person. He gets really defensive when he doesn't know the answer to a question, criticizes the way I try to help him, is generally cranky, and sometimes he outright lies about knowing how to do a problem even when he really doesn't.

I don't know what to do. We're pretty good friends outside of the tutoring sessions, so it is kind of an awkward situation.

Thanks for your help!
~ Anonymous Math Tutor from Lansing, MI

Answer: Hi, there, Anonymous Math Tutor - sounds like an awkward situation, without a doubt!

First off, if the situation is really bad, and it is truly uncomfortable tutoring Charlie, it may be best to look elsewhere for a tutee. Dropping a tutee is difficult, but can become necessary if the sessions are uncomfortable to the point of being unproductive.

Some personalities mesh wonderfully in friendship, but not so well professionally.

That being said...Believe it or not, I've heard of this happening quite a bit with friends who start tutoring together. The thing is your friend/tutee is feeling kind of self-conscious right now because he is, essentially, admitting that you may know a bit more about math than he does.

He's putting himself out there and accepting help, not an easy thing for some people to do.

Charlie may also be having a tough time separating the business side of his life (tutoring sessions) with the personal side of his life (your friendship).

Add to that the fact that he is probably a little apprehensive about his class, new environment, grades, etc., and you can see how the situation may be a bit more tense than your usual tutoring sessions.

The good news is that practically every one I have talked to who has had this problem has told me that it just takes time and patience for the situation to take care of itself.

Be patient with Charlie, let him know that he is doing a great job, ask him about his class outside of your usual tutoring sessions, and let him know that you understand how difficult Calculus can be.

Most of all, stay friendly and professional during tutoring, and eventually you and Charlie will have a much better tutoring relationship.

Good luck, and as always, happy tutoring!