How to Become a Private Tutor in Florida

Parents often hire tutors to supplement their children’s classroom learning in specific subjects. Becoming a private tutor in Florida typically requires at least an undergraduate degree, a Florida teaching certificate and specific knowledge in a certain academic field. The best way to become a private tutor in Florida is to contact local schools and ask if they maintain a list of tutors. If so, try and get your name added to the list. The following are some additional strategies for becoming a private tutor.

Determine what type of tutoring services you will offer. If you’re a certified elementary education teacher, focus your efforts on working with younger children. If you hold additional certification in a certain area, such as music, art or exceptional student education (ESE), seek positions that pertain to your specialty.

Consider how much time you will devote to tutoring. Whether you plan to tutor part-time or full-time, decide on the number of students you can work with before advertising your services. Typically, tutors meet with students for one-hour sessions, so a full-time tutor could potentially meet with eight to 10 individual students on any given day.

Decide on pricing. Current average tutoring prices in Florida range from $40 an hour to over $100 an hour, depending upon the tutor’s skills and specialties. More specialized tutoring services are typically more expensive. For example, a speech therapist would likely charge more for a tutoring session than a general education tutor. You can also ask other tutors or colleagues for advice in this area.

Determine where you will meet with clients. Many tutors prefer to meet on neutral grounds, to limit the number of distractions. Select a place where you will have no problem meeting, such as your local library. Some tutors will come to a student’s home, so decide if that is something you would consider.

Post your services on local tutoring web sites, such as BCC Tutors (www.bcctutors.com), and on local blogs and social networking sites. You can also work with a national tutoring company, such as Sylvan Learning (www.tutoring.sylvanlearning.com). Sylvan will provide you with a set rate and a location to work with students. The advantage to working with this company is stability; however, you cannot select clients or set your own pay rate.