Online tutoring has become an industry that’s getting plenty of attention recently. Especially with the pandemic now, traditional classroom teaching is slowly becoming impossible. Everyone is hence switching towards the digital platform for learning. Math tuition and science tuition are the most common that students would opt for. These subjects are gradually becoming more and more difficult as the syllabus gets revised over the years.
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Online tuition is not easy as it may sound. Yes, it happens from the convenience of home and tuition session timings can be switched around due to a flexible schedule. But there is a lot of effort that’s required to conduct an effective tuition session.
So, let’s take a look at what it takes for one to become an online science tutor in Malaysia!
YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
As a science tutor, you need to realise who you are capable of helping. Some tutors may be qualified to teach pre-university students while some can better guide primary and secondary level students. Ability to guide students depend on your level of qualification and experience.
Moreover, different level of students requires a different approach to teaching. For example, for primary school students, introduction to new science topics may be the main challenge. Thus, they need more hands-on learning.
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As they venture into more details in science topics for secondary school students, they need to learn memory retention techniques. This is because science is a subject that requires students to remember and recall details.
YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE
There are many options under the umbrella of science. You could become,
- Primary school science teacher (this is a singular subject in Primary school)
- Secondary school chemistry tutor
- Secondary school physics tutor
- Secondary school Biology tutor
These are just a few examples. You need to be able to select your niche and capitalise on your strengths to focus on a particular group of students. As science tutor, you would have the responsibility to clear your students’ misconceptions and teach them the intricacies of the subject. With every academic level, the depth of content and range of topics vary. Thus, its essential to know your area of expertise.
EQUIP YOURSELF
As an online science tutor, its crucial to gear up with the right technology to conduct an effective online tuition.
Some things that you may need to invest in are,
- A laptop or any other external monitor
- A webcam
- A graphic tablet (this is optional)
- Microphone (This is also optional, but you can use this if you want your audio quality to be more crisp)
With the right set of technology, your online tuition would be engaging. You can also make use of other resources such as educational videos and online quizzes to make the lesson more interactive.
A TRUSTABLE TUTORING AGENCY
Your career as an online science tutor starts with collaborating with the best tuition agency in Malaysia. The process is pretty standard. You will have to fill the online form providing your credentials, basic biodata, profile photo, tutoring preferences and personal statement. Some tutoring agencies may also ask for certificates and proof of education for verification purposes.
After the tutoring agency approves your profile, it will be in display for students to view, and your journey starts from here.
EXPANDING YOURSELF
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In order to become a more well-known online science tutor, you need to project yourself more for students to see. Some things that you can do is,
- Make your profile more interesting (explain how you are different from other online tutors)
- Get your students to give you ratings and reviews. This will add on to your credibility.
- Make sure your schedule is flexible enough to adapt to the different time zones of your students. It should easily accommodate your students’ schedule.
Moreover, its crucial to reply to tuition requests as soon as possible. Silence will be taken as a ‘no’ from your side. So, leave no room for doubt by being alert and proactive.
BOTTOM LINE
Online tutoring is an excellent job as there’s many conveniences that comes with it. However, with a huge market for online tuition, you need to make the necessary moves to stand out and stay relevant!