Hiring a Private Teacher

English / 中文

HIRING A PRIVATE TEACHER
A private tutor can offer a very customized class schedule with a flexibility to meet your needs. Where buxibans are constrained to a set schedule every week for the entire term, a private tutor is much more flexible. And of course, they generally cost more money. But wait! You must look at things in terms of quality rather than quantity. Just because a school offers you classes five times per week for half the price of private tutor, it doesn't necessarily mean than you will learn more and improve faster! Remember, you are competing with a whole classroom full of students for the teacher's attention. Look at it this way: If you spend less time talking with your teacher in a buxiban, a one-on-one class is the complete opposite. You have the teacher's direct attention for the entire class, you can go at your own pace and ask as many questions as you want without feeling embarrassed. As I've mentioned previously, there are many tutors available out there, so which ones are worth spending the money on? For some tutors, they may use a test to determine your weaknesses and strengths, like most schools. They might use an assessment that accurately determines what you need, what you want and recommendations based on the results of the initial test, which a small population of schools do.
The Teacher Choosing a teacher that is knowledgeable in the area you need to learn is paramount. For example, if you are a TOEFL student wanting speaking and writing practice for TOEFL, don't waste time with a teacher who teaches kids. There are plenty of teachers out there. Be picky. Too many students waste time with teachers who have no idea about what the student needs to learn. Or, what the ways are in which the student, you, can improve? More importantly, what kind of material will help you in the most effective and efficient way. Just because a foreigner is fluent in the language, doesn't mean that they have the know-how to teach you effectively. You, as the student, should know the difference between premium one-on-one lessons that work and ones that don't.
The Interview If you are a first-timer with tutors, I can understand that meeting a new teacher might be a little nerve-racking. Don't fret! There are definitely some easy ways to help you get through these situations smoothly and yield the best results. A suggestion would be to write down a list of questions, in English, that you want to ask. Many students come to the initial consultation or first class without any idea about what they want. Besides asking about the hourly rate, location and time to meet, you could also be asking a few more questions that will give you a very good idea about the tutor's skill.
Here are some questions to ask: 1.How many years of experience do you have teaching ESL? 2.Do you provide all of the material? What kind of materials do you use? Do you make your own? (Note: if a teacher uses newspapers or counts on you to bring material, chances are that they aren't very experienced at this; therefore, you should probably look for someone else) 3.Do you assign regular homework? If so, when and how do you check it? Is there an added cost? 4.Do you charge a cheaper rate if I buy more than 'X' hours per week? (Most teachers will lower their prices if you buy more hours.) 5.Sometimes I have to cancel or postpone our class, will this be a problem? 6.What are some good ways to improve my listening skill? 7.What are some good ways to improve my speaking skill? 8.I'm quite busy with work and sometimes very lazy to study. Can you create a study-schedule for me? 9.Do you know of any online resources I can use to practice English at home? 10.I want to pass the TOEFL or learn how to do presentations in English, but I also want to enjoy our class. To ensure that I learn what I have to learn and learn what I enjoy learning about, what kind of in-class schedule do you suggest we follow? 11.Do you have any references from previous students?
Just because they are a native speaker of English DOES NOT make them an expert in teaching it. Over 90% of the teachers available only have limited experience teaching English. Generally, he or she has come to places like Taiwan for a year to make as much money as possible; this includes over-charging students for lessons that are not effective. And why not, there are many people out there that pay good money for English lessons with a foreigner. So, in light of that, just be aware that the majority of them don't know the difference between a noun and an adverb. Yet they charge an arm and a leg. If a teacher depends on you to show them material, chances are they don't have any idea what they are doing. If they show you a newspaper or a brand new textbook about learning English, then they really aren't prepared. How are you supposed to know which books or methods and which study schedule is best suited for you? You aren't the expert and the sad fact is, neither are they. When meeting a potential tutor for the first, you should think of it like an interview. You are the CEO and you are interviewing a potential employee. If at any point you don't feel that he/she is the person you are looking for, then a simple "Thanks for your time and I'll be in touch!" will suffice. If however, that person meets your criteria, then hire away! Shake hands and say, "Thank you so much for meeting me today, when can we begin our first class?"
An effective teacher should do the following: 1.Bring their own material to class to give you a demonstration. 2.He/she should be able to answer all of your questions concerning grammar or any other type of common English usages. 3.He/she should offer you a clear study schedule, both in-class and at home. 4.If you are studying for the TOEFL or any other type of ESL test, they should have an extensive amount of knowledge of the test's content and structure, as well as test times and location. Basically, they should know more than you! 5.And of course, they should be patient, friendly and willing to work hard for you.
In a nutshell, whether you decide to go with a private tutor or a cram school, be picky! There are benefits to both types of classes. Cram schools, though cheaper in the short term, are not necessarily cheaper in the long term. Private teachers can be a great way to improve quickly, but again, be picky. Experience and preparedness matters, so be sure to ask the right questions in the beginning.
Back to Top