utor Handbook Contents : I. II. III. IV.

Tutoring Philosophy Pointers Diagnostic Testing Pointers Lesson Format Pointers Professionalism Pointers

Tutoring Philosophy Pointers

I.

Tutoring Sessions Must Be Treated As Seriously As School Classes.

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Insist on having a quiet, well-lit, undisturbed place to work. Give your student ample written and study homework assignments to practice topics taught during previous lesson. Demand the same level of respect from your student as a classroom teacher would expect.

II.

Real Mastery Of The Subject Is Essential.

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Teach the exact definitions of all course vocabulary words and their application to solving problems and doing exercises. Teach all concepts and skills needed for mastering the course, solving problems and doing exercises. Explain all current course work not thoroughly understood by the student. If you carefully attend to the above three points, your student's grades will begin to improve on their own.

III.

Become Your Student's Primary Teacher.

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Assume the primary responsibility of teaching the entire course to your student. Have your lessons include all basic and early material not yet mastered by your student. Teach whatever the classroom teacher failed to cover fully or correctly.

IV.

Set High Standards For Yourself And Your Student.

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Have your student do written homework without help from others and make sure you secure the family's cooperation in this. Have your student prepare all assignments in time for the next lesson. Don't accept sloppy, incomplete or poorly done homework. Have your student redo all substandard homework. Don't accept I don't know! as a legitimate response when it's clear your student really knows how to answer the question. Teach your student how to apply logic and common sense in solving problems.

Remember you're there to help your student master the course, and not to be his buddy.

Diagnostic Testing Pointers

I.

Diagnostic Testing Gives You A Clear Picture Of Your Student's Needs.

II.

Diagnostic Testing Begins With Your First Call To A New Student's Family:

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Ask them to give you the student's report card, quiz and exam grades and to look up prior to the first lesson those they couldn't recall. Tell them about the diagnostic test you'll give him at the first lesson. Direct them to make sure he brings home his text book, notebook, quiz papers and homework papers for you to examine while he works on the diagnostic test. Have them procure a notebook so you can write notes, a looseleaf binder and paper so he can do your homework assignments and a good supply of pencils with erasers so he can do and correct problems. Explain both parts of our cancellation policy. Set a date and time for the first lesson and make sure they write down your name and number.

III.

Diagnostic Testing Continues During The First Lesson:

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Give your student a comprehensive written diagnostic test during the first half of the lesson. Include questions on basic topics, skills and concepts prerequisite to the current work. Include questions calling for definitions of basic technical words used in the course. Carefully note your student's response to what you teach during the second half of the lesson. Try to obtain a clear picture of his verbal and logical abilities and of his ability to use common sense. Observe how quickly he is able to understand your explanations and to learn unfamiliar topics.

IV.

Estimate How Frequently Your Student Will Need Lessons And Inform The Family At The End Of The First Lesson.

Tell the family how many hours per week you believe are needed to cover everything. Base your recommendation on the following six factors: The number and complexity of topics revealed by the diagnostic test to be problems for your student. His test, report card marhs and RCT grades from school. His most recent reading level score. Your inspection of his schoolwork and exam papers while he did the diagnostic test. Your personal observations of his logical, verbal, common sense and learning abilities. The number of weeks left for him to master the course.

The family's response to your recommendation can be any of the following three: The family accepts your recommendation exactly as stated. The family is willing to have you come more than one hour per week but fewer than the number of hours per week you proposed. The family wants you to work with the student just one hour per week. Schedule future lessons according to the family's response. If the family did not accept your recommendation, restate it a few weeks later.

Lesson Format Pointers

I.

Thoroughly Discuss The Homework Assignment.

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Teach the exact definitions of all important course words and apply them to problems and exercises. Teach all basic concepts and skills needed to master the course and apply them to problems and exercises.

II.

Teach New Work.

Write detailed notes. Keep all notes in one large notebook devoted to your tutoring sessions -- an 8" x 11", college ruled, five-subject, spiral notebook is best because it provides enough pages for virtually any number of lessons. Write out and fully illustrate all definitions, basic concepts and facts needed to understand the topic being taught. Write out and fully illustrate step-by-step methods for solving each type of problem in the course. Write out complete solutions to several model problems, with about half done with your student. Have your student try some typical examples on loose-leaf paper on his own, using only his notebook for help. Use the Socratic method. Don't spoon-feed material to the student; wherever possible, use a series of well-designed questions whose answers lead your student to discover concepts and facts for himself. Make sure your student knows all concepts and skills prerequisite to the topics being covered. Preparing and using a lesson plan when you first tutor a particular course is an extremely helpful way to avoid omitting any essential prerequisites.

III.

Assign Homework.

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Part of the assignment should include study work. Have your student study what you wrote in his notebook. Have your student study appropriate pages from his textbook. Part of the assignment should include written work. Assign exercises and problems to practice everything you taught during the lesson. Use the spiral method -- Always include problems dealing with work you taught in previousl lessons.

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Use the back pages of your student's notebook to write the date and time of the next lesson and exactly what you expect him to do. Tell the family you've assigned written and study homework for the next lesson.

IV.

Set A Date For The Next Lesson.

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Schedule all lessons for the same day and time each week. If you're unable to come the same day and time each week, set up a definite appointment for next week before you leave.

V.

Keep Track Of The Time Spent At Each Lesson.

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An hour of tutoring is 60 minutes -- not 55 or 50 minutes. Always arrive within ten minutes of the lesson's scheduled starting time. Lessons always start and end at the scheduled starting and ending times. If a lesson starts late because of your student's tardiness, end the lesson at the scheduled ending time but still charge the full fee due for the full scheduled time. If a lesson starts late because of your tardiness, first apologize to the student's family and then do one of the following two things depending upon their wishes and with their full knowledge. Add the number of minutes you were late to the end of the lesson, making it finish later than usual. Add the number of minutes you were late to the next lesson, making it longer than usual.

Professionalism Pointers

I.

Be Professional About Lessons

A student's family gets very upset when a tutor is unreliable about keeping appointments. Always show up for appointments on time. Don't cancel at the last minute; always give at least one day's notice for a cancellation. Since a tutoring hour is 60 minutes, be careful to stay with your student the full agreed-upon time. Act professionally with your student. Don't extend lessons beyond the agreed-upon time without the family's clear approval. Remember you're there to help your student master a course, not to be his buddy or confidant. Keep the family apprised of what you're doing with your student.

II.

Be Professional About Course Material

Always be thoroughly prepared. Know the exact course content and syllabus followed by the your state's board of education. Know the content, scope and format foir any standardized exam that's part of your student's course. Know the content, scope and format of any standardized test you're teaching. In necessary, use lesson plans to prepare topics you haven't taught enough. Don't undermine your family's confidence in your knowledge. If you come across an unfamiliar topic, NEVER reveal any trace of uncertainty to your student or his family. Make a smooth transition from the troublesome topic to one with which you are sure. After the lesson's over, review the troublesome topic until you've completely mastered it. At the next lesson, return to the interrupted topic and complete it. If you discover your student is taking a course that's beyond you, CALL US AND NOT THE STUDENT'S FAMILY to discuss the course of action to be followed.

III.

Be Professional About Controlling The Situation

Maintain control of lesson times and dates. Attempt to schedule appointments the same day and time each week. If this isn't possible, have convenient dates and times to propose for the next lesson. Maintain control of lesson equipment. Insist your student have a notebook for all your notes and a loose-leaf binder for your homework assignments. Insist your student have all writing implements, text books and school notes at home ready for use at each lesson. Maintain control of the material covered during lessons. Don't start by asking What did you cover today? Rather, teach all topics, including early ones, your student needs to master the course. If the family wants current work covered when you know the student's deficient in the basics, have them contact us to discuss the situation.

IV.

Other Professionalism Pointers

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Tuition Rates

Never drop a student without first discussing your reasons with us. Inform us about students with physical or emotional problems requiring a specialist. Maintain a neat, clean appearance when you tutor one of our students. Buy a street guide map covering the area in which you intend to tutor for us so you'll always be able to find your way to a student's home.

Please note that the above fee guidelines are to be used only as a rough gauge of the market rate. Individual tutors may charge significantly above or below the market rate base on the following factors:

Tutors' Years of Experience Location Other Factors

Average Hourly Rate

Hourly Rate RM 25 per hour RM 30 per hour RM 35 per hour RM 40 per hour RM 45 per hour RM 50-60 per hour RM 60-80 per hour 1 lesson per week 1.5 hour each lesson RM 150 per month RM 180 per month RM 210 per month RM 240 per month RM 270 per month RM 300-360 per month RM 360-420 per month 1 lesson per week 2.0 hours each lesson RM 200 per month RM 240 per month RM 280 per month RM 320 per month RM 360 per month RM 400-480 per month RM 480-640 per month 2 lesson per week 1.5 hour each lesson RM 300 per month RM 360 per month RM 420 per month RM 480 per month RM 540 per month RM 600-720 per month RM 600-840 per month 2 lesson per week 2.0 hours each lesson RM 400 per month RM 480 per month RM 560 per month RM 640 per month RM 720 per month RM 800-960 per month RM 960-1280 per month

Standard 1 - 3 Standard 4 - 6 Form 1 - 3 Form 4 SPM/ IGCSE/ O Level Pre-U/ A Level/ Adult Diploma/ Degree

Monthly fee are based on 4 weeks calculation.