Online Professional Tutoring

This professional is a person who provides professional or academic assistance to a person over the internet.  All contact with an online professional tutoring service is conducted using web-based communication such as email.  The tutor and student will never meet one on one but may meet face to face via Skype or other online video chatting service. Some of the jobs that might do can include:

• Helping a school-age child with their homework assignment in different subjects
• Help to prepare a student for college entrance exams
• Focusing on job skills training adults to get a job
• Tutoring English as a Second Language (ESL)

Most online tutors will work at home and have their own home-based businesses.  Some may work for tutoring companies that can be found online. Teaching technology and methods

• When teaching they may use podcasts, email, video chat sessions, or webcasts
• Some teach students one on one while others may have an online study group
• Assignments can include group work or individual exercises that are submitted online
• The tutor may administer diagnostic tests in order to assess the student’s competencies in addition to regular assignments
• If they work for a tutoring company, they may have established business hours but the students may have an option to schedule a session. Some students may have an option to contact their tutors when they have a question.

Advantages For a student using online tutoring services from a company, they may have access to at any time for assistance.  It may just be the instructional material that is available anytime.  For the parents, whether it is a company or home-based tutoring service, they may have access to progress reports at any time.  For the tutor, the main key advantage is having a flexible work schedule. Disadvantage The main disadvantage of being an online tutor is that they could be located a long distance from the student so they have no real idea of the curriculum that is being taught so they could be teaching material that is slightly different than the curriculum being taught in school. Becoming an online tutor To become a tutor and offer online tutoring services you have to meet certain professional requirements.  Most will be retired teachers or have advanced degrees in certain academic subjects.  It is not always necessary to have a teaching certificate.  When applying for work with a tutoring company they will have specific job requirements and qualifications.  They will ask the applicant about their academic background and if they have any previous teaching experience.  The applicant will need to have proof of any previous teaching experience. Before being hired, a background check is often performed.