The Home Tutor Search

Dear Parents, What platform(s) did you go through to find your child’s home tutor? Do share your experiences, be it a successful match or a terrible hire! Here are some of my stories, from a tutor’s point of view: 1) From Forum Posts: My very first client came from a forum post on KiasuParents — a young mother looking for a home tutor for both her boys. Though I was inexperienced and fresh out of Junior College, she took a bet on me, hiring me for the next 6 years to come. My first students later made it as top scorers in their school cohort, but the As on their result slips were not the only things I got from the journey. I'd obtained friendships for life and a profession I’m passionate about :) 2) Tuition Coordinating Services: There is no lack of tuition agencies in Singapore but in my experience, it can be a hit-or-miss for both parents and tutors alike. Commitment tends to be a common problem as I’ve had many last minute cancellations and even late payment issues. However, things can go wrong on the agency’s side as well. Third-party coordinators filtering tutor applicants may not have performed due diligence before matching. This may be especially true in a commission-based industry. 3) Direct Referrals: The first time I got referrals? It was surreal. All of a sudden, I went from teaching one kid to being the home tutor of 3 families from the same HDB block. Word of mouth (especially from mothers!) can be truly powerful. While it is rewarding for the referred tutor, parents stand to benefit as well — they get a more credible tutor, with past record of being committed and responsible. Scheduling issues decrease as lessons in the area can be held consecutively (or even simultaneously). It is a win-win situation. That said, the above are my opinions based on personal encounters. Feel free to share your thoughts about the private tutoring sector. I’d love to hear from the community here:) Interested in my work? Let’s talk! thepaperprep.com