Although tutors typically conduct their tutoring sessions after school hours, they also experience periods of vacation or “slow seasons”. As a tutor, your holidays align with the children’s holidays. If they go on vacation, you will naturally take a break as well. Occasionally, your students may cancel tutoring sessions during school breaks for various reasons, leaving you without work. These slow tutoring periods can lead to potential income loss. Due to the unpredictable nature of tutoring, it may be challenging to endure periods of slow business.
Tutor Demand at a Glance
Tutors primarily work with students after school and, therefore, can also experience downtime during vacations or “off-peak” seasons. For tutors, their breaks coincide with the students’ breaks, and if the students go on vacation, the tutors take time off as well. Additionally, tutoring sessions may get cancelled during school breaks, resulting in periods without work. These slower tutoring times can be financially challenging and lead to a loss of business. Given the unpredictable nature of tutoring, having slow periods is something that can be difficult for tutors.
The need for tutoring goes up and down during the school year, and each season brings its own advantages and difficulties for both new and seasoned tutors. Recognising these changes can help you better prepare, handle your workload, and offer essential support to students when they require it the most.
So, whether you’re starting your tutoring journey or looking to bring your current tutoring approach to the next level, this academic year roadmap will be helpful in building your strategy.
Start of the new school year: December to January
As the school starts a new influx of parents and students start looking for academic help. While a few proactive individuals start their search in December, many prefer to wait until their children have adjusted to the new school term. This period experiences a sharp increase in inquiries for continuous support throughout the academic year, presenting an excellent opportunity to secure long-term bookings.
For those looking for weekly sessions at this point in the year, they generally seek a tutor to support their classroom learning. In this role, you should focus on helping your students grasp the material taught in class, pinpoint any areas where they may be lacking in understanding, and challenge advanced students by delving deeper than the curriculum. This assistance is particularly crucial for students preparing for major exams such as GCE and PSLE.
For students preparing for exams in May-November, it’s important to identify and fill in any knowledge gaps they may have. Also, working on improving their exam skills to maximise their scores is crucial. Developing a carefully organised study plan that includes all the required subjects will help build confidence for both students and their parents.
Exam preparations: May-July
The summer months are another peak for tuition requests. With the end of the semester approaching, mock exams become the primary focus. Throughout this time, there will be a continuous flow of students looking for your guidance in getting ready for these important evaluations.
Parents have the option to ask for an extensive tutoring schedule, comprising multiple sessions every week, to aid their child in concentrating on exam preparation. Conversely, some may opt for regular sessions leading up to exams. Irrespective of the approach, the immediate goal should be to get these students ready for their practice exams. Ensure to determine the topics they will be evaluated on and then strive to identify and rectify any knowledge gaps, practice exam strategies, and teach effective revision methods that students can utilise until their final exams.
As we move past the summer season and leave the holidays behind, it’s important to keep in mind that final exams are approaching. During this time, there will be a gradual increase in requests for tutoring services. Some students may not have met their expected performance in their practice exams, which leads their parents to look for a tutor who can help their child refocus on their studies. Others may need a tutor to help them solidify the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the year, especially in terms of applying that knowledge to exam questions, making connections between different topics, improving essay writing, and more. These students are likely to have weekly tutoring sessions leading up to their exams.
Furthermore, some students will require short-term assistance to prepare for exams in October, such as GCE retakes and international exams.
As summer comes to an end, there will be a decline in tutoring inquiries again as parents and students are already set for the year.
Exam season: August-November
The months of August to November are officially known as the exam season, and it is during this time, surprisingly, that requests for new tutors activity slows. When this period comes, students are geared up for the exams. There is a slight surge in new bookings and requests for additional lessons from current students who are cramming to prepare for GCE and A Level exams. Some students might only need a few sessions to refine specific skills, like essay writing or exam techniques. Others could require assistance in grasping a difficult topic and are looking for a new approach that will help them comprehend everything. Tutees at this time may be in a state of urgency, seeking your help as a last resort to assist those who didn’t manage to complete as much revision as planned during the Summer break. They will remain optimistic that you are the one who can make a difference.
This time of year is undoubtedly very stressful for parents, students, and tutors. It’s common for tutors to take on too much and put themselves at risk of burnout. To prevent this, it’s important to check in with your current students before the exam period to see if they will need extra sessions. It’s not ideal to start with new students only to discover that your current ones want to increase their tutoring hours. Remember, it can be difficult to turn down current students! If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, consider turning down any new requests, especially because of the nature of those trying to find help at this time of the academic year.
How Tutors Can Maximise Slow Tutoring Seasons
1. Upgrade Your Skills
Tutoring requires continuous skill improvement and development. Use slow seasons as a chance for self-improvement. Investing in expanding your skill set will increase your chances of attracting more clients. Begin by evaluating yourself.
What subjects are you most comfortable tutoring in? It is important for your clients to have trustworthy and capable tutors in the subjects where they feel their children need help. When choosing which additional subjects you can tutor in, it’s crucial to be honest with yourself. Claiming proficiency in a certain area that you are not skilled in will have negative consequences when your clients notice no improvement in their children’s performance. Just because there is a high demand for tutors in subjects like Math, it’s not worth pretending to have Math skills that you do not possess. Tutors who are truly experts in their subjects will always be more effective.
Afterwards, determine ways to enhance your abilities in those areas. Engage in online courses to gain more knowledge. Obtain school reading lists to prepare in advance. This thorough study and exploration will refine your skills and enhance your proficiency in the areas you wish to develop. Make regular trips to the library.
Having proficiency in multiple subjects makes you valuable and enables you to remain competitive.
2. Focus On Your Skills and Have Something New And Unique To Offer
Tutoring is an extremely competitive industry. It’s essential to make every effort to gain momentum and remain ahead. Even when you’re giving it your all, you might perceive that others are doing exactly what you are. Insecurities start to surface, causing you to feel like your business is being overshadowed by more successful tutors. Instead of dwelling on average, mix things up a little.
Revise your teaching approach and the content you deliver. Familiarise yourself with the latest and most effective educational techniques and provide specialised services to your clients. These services may encompass alternative teaching and learning approaches diverging from the conventional methods. These could involve problem-solving-oriented learning, devising innovative tasks for students to engage in, as well as promoting the development of attentiveness and listening skills in your students, among other things. Implementing these tutoring methods will help distinguish you and make your sessions unique and highly engaging.
In the off-peak times when you still have students to tutor, you can utilise these strategies to engage and maintain your students’ interest. It can be challenging to capture the attention of students during this time due to their peers being away enjoying their vacations.
To prevent their minds from drifting and keep them concentrated on their studies, you can devise inventive methods of tutoring. However, it is important to always consult with your clients before implementing these approaches. Some clients may express reservations and may prefer traditional tutoring methods. If this is the case, it’s important to respect their preferences. Simply ensure that your clients are aware that you have additional techniques and resources at your disposal to assist them.
3. Step Up Your Marketing Game
No matter your proficiency as a tutor, you won’t attract clients if you’re not visible. The slower seasons for tutoring are the prime opportunities to enhance your visibility. Just because business is slow doesn’t mean you should slow down. In fact, you should be just as active as during busier times. This increases the chance of potential clients easily finding you when they search for tutors online. Utilise reputable online tutoring websites like TuitionCentre SG to lighten the load of having to market yourself.
If you have time, you can set up a website or blog and request that your current and/or former clients share their experiences working with you. Positive feedback can attract others who are seeking tutoring services.
Tip for registrants: Make sure your tutor profile is updated and complete with the proper academic documents that showcase your experience and track record. Clearly communicate your approach to effective teaching and learning, as this will further endear you to potential clients and expand your client base.
4. Network Around Your Students
It is crucial to build a strong network for the expansion of your tutoring business. Encourage your students to recommend you to their peers and classmates. Connect with other tutors and establish relationships with them. These connections are valuable and can provide support. You can exchange ideas and teaching techniques with them, and you can direct them to a client who needs their specific expertise. Similarly, they may refer clients to you if they are unable to continue with them or to individuals who require your expertise. Explore online tutoring opportunities, which allow you to tutor students on a global scale. Slow periods in tutoring only occur if you confine yourself to your local area!
Conclusion
During the quieter period for tutoring, it often means students are taking a break. However, this doesn’t imply that you should just wait until the holidays are over. There are still kids who require tutoring during this time. The main issue is that they may not be aware of you and what you can offer. So, it’s important to enhance your skills and incorporate unique services into your profile. Connect with other students in your network. Instead of panicking during slow tutoring seasons, use this time to your advantage and strive for success.
