Fulfilling potential
in teacher salaries by 2.75%, many teachers will supplement their incomes in a variety of ways. Although exam marking has always been a popular choice, many education professionals are increasingly looking towards tutoring as an alternative. One recent tutor to come through the doors at Gabbitas explained why he decided to tutor alongside his teaching career. ‘…it is the flexibility that attracts me most of all. Compared to exam marking where I would have to be holed up throughout the marking period, tutoring allows me greater flexibility. 2 years ago I had an online tutee whom I tutored throughout the summer and was able to continue to deliver lessons even when I went away for a week to Crete.’ This flexibility is one of the main factors that influences teachers to tutor in their spare time. Nevertheless, many tutors are not necessarily practicing teachers, and for these tutors the motivation may be different. Recent graduates who enter the working world will often want to keep in touch with their academic studies and, for many, tutoring will enable them to do this by delivering support to students who may be looking to follow in their academic footsteps. Tutors gain a huge amount of satisfaction in helping their students succeed and a recent graduate commented recently whilst attending an interview at Gabbitas:
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‘I helped a student study for his GCSE exam in just 6 months and when he achieved his desired grade I was over the moon. Helping him in the evenings alongside my office job gave me a real sense of fulfilment.’ The financial motivations are evident within an industry that is continuing to grow, but the best tutors are those who really invest in their pupils, and finding these top tutors can make all the difference for students at critical stages of their education. With a study by the Sutton Trust in 2016 showing that a quarter of all 11 to 16 year-olds have received tuition, it is a part of the education industry that is seeing no sign of slowing down. Whether you are a parent or a prospective tutor, it is part of the education world which looks likely to rise from strength to strength. Hugo Sutton is a qualified teacher and tutor consultant at Gabbitas, a leading educational consultancy providing tuition and education support to schools and families since 1873