The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down schools worldwide, especially now that the virus is continuously spreading. Students are now taking their classes online in the comfort of their homes, and even tutorial sessions are done the same way.

As children are now studying at home, there is a large change in the tutoring industry in Asia. According to some online tutorial companies like 51Talk, TAL Education Group, RareJob and GSX Techedu, there is a surge of clients for online tutorials for students who wish to keep up with their classes.

Online tutors in different countries are now having to work every day to keep up with the number of students signing up for these classes.

Some companies have expressed that they are starting to feel the strain over this large turnout with some parents demanding tutors who can help their children instantly.

Despite this setback, the online tutoring industry hopes that they will continue to grow even after the pandemic is over.

How do I become an online tutor without any experience?

Considering the demand for online tutors, many people are now interested in signing up for this career.

Online tutors only need to have an internet connection, a decent computer to work with and a specialisation on the subjects students need to study on.

No matter where you go, you can do your classes with ease. You don’t even have to get a background in tutoring or teaching experience so long as you can show that you can teach.

Steps to Becoming an Online Tutor

If you will be pursuing this career, there are many ways to become one. While there are a lot of guides out there that say that this is the right way to be an online tutor, down below is a more practical approach on how you can be one:

1. Know your focus

Before you begin as an online tutor, you need to know what subjects you will focus on. Every person has their own specialty that they can rely on as an online tutor. Some may be great in teaching English, while others can be great in simplifying math formulas.

A majority of new online tutors start their career as English tutors for students whose second language is English. Because of its high demand, it is the largest market for online tutors and depending on where you sign up to conduct these classes and who you are teaching to, you can earn a lot of money from it.

But, if tutoring in English is not your preference, there are other subjects that you can choose from. Sometimes, you may even find a market for subjects like Music, ethnic languages and others. You also will be getting a variety of students who vary in age group, which you will need to consider if you will be focusing on a certain subject.

Once you have this in mind, it will be easy to move on to the next step.

2. Who will I work with?

As mentioned above, you will be getting a variety of students when you get into online learning.

There will be times you may end up having to teach basic English to an elementary school student, while in the next session, you will be teaching English to a secondary school student. To understand the difference, find out more here.

You may also be getting students who come from other parts of the country, and even outside Singapore. Unlike traditionally, you are limited by your location, the internet has open up vast possibilities and opportunities.

Ask yourself regarding the students you wish to work with. If you wish to focus on one age group, it will be easier to design a lesson plan that can work for them. If you will be working with two age groups, you need to design a schedule that will work for them.

When it comes to where these students come from, you need to be familiar with time zones and their curriculum since it may differ from the ones you are familiar with.

3. Create your lesson plan

Once you identify which student group and subjects you are going to teach, it is time for you to work with your lesson plan for these students.

Take some time to sit down, look at the subject you will teach and see what topics you may end up teaching.

Build a workable lesson plan that will cover the basics and the subtopics that are under the topics you plan to cover every day. You should also list down the ways on how you can teach these topics effectively. We also provide you with a list of free tutoring resources that you can use during your lessons.

If this is your first time to work on a lesson plan, it’s ok to make a mistake. As you do your lessons, you will be able to adjust your lesson plan to accommodate your students.

Side note: If your student has a particular curriculum they wish to follow for your classes, don’t be afraid to ask for a copy. When you get a copy of their curriculum, you can adjust your lesson plan to accommodate the lessons your student needs to work on.

4. Fill up your profile

You will need to show to your students that you have what it takes to be their online tutor.

Since the market for online tutors is growing, the competition is fierce and you need to show that you can teach better. You can use social media like Facebook to increase your online presence like how we did it here. 

In your profile, show your teaching credentials and don’t go around the bush about skills that your students don’t need to know. As you get students, encourage them to leave a review so others can see how well you teach and inspire them to sign up for your classes.

5. Sign up in a good online platform

There are now a lot of online platforms out there where online tutors can sign up to find students.

Some online platforms allow tutors to apply for tutoring jobs, while others allow tutors to start classes where students can sign up for. It may take a while before you find the right online platform, but once you find it, it will be easy to improve your profile as an online tutor.

Some of the great online tutoring platforms you can check out are Udemy, Preply, SmileTutor, TutorStorm etc.

6. Have the right equipment

If you will be doing this for a long run, you need to have the right equipment to make sure the classes are flawless and not interrupted.

Make sure that you have a stable internet connection, noise-cancelling handset, microphone, webcam and a trustworthy computer. You can also invest in applications or programs that will make your classes easier for your students.

Is there a future in a career as an online tutor?

If you are still uncertain regarding doing online tutoring as a career, you don’t have to worry if you are concerned about its current popularity.

Even without this ongoing pandemic, students are now becoming curious about the world and will turn to any opportunities to learn. Some students may even prefer online learning than face-to-face learning. It is easy to keep steady income and even increase your income as a tutor as shown here. 

As you take on students, you will definitely see opportunities open up for you and if your students love your teaching, you can definitely build a career out of it that will support you for a lifetime.

For more tips to kickstart you off as a tutor, here are some assistance:

8 Amazing Books to Help You Get Started as a Tutor
10 Podcasts that will Help You Improve as a Tutor