Hi everyone! I started this thread to find out more about what seems to be quite a popular part time job right now: tutoring!

Who's working/has worked as a part time tuition teacher? What sort of salaries do you see around Malaysia?

Any newcomers/interested parties around? It seems like an easy job, and I wanted to help us understand what it takes to do well here!

I've tutored for over 8 years, mainly for the money- and it was tough back then when I started. Surviving on a RM 2200/month salary was impossible, and I had recently jumped on the opportunity to buy an apartment! I dabbled in a few things- worked at an uncle's company, freelanced etc. but nothing really worked out- so I tried signing up for a tutor portal and landed my first job within a few weeks! The job was exciting, and I was proud of it- I was tutoring my first A-Levels Physics student, on Thursday nights between 8pm to 10pm.

Before long, news spread, and I got 5 more students, my weekdays were occupied; and it was VERY tiring! A 45 hour week combined with an additional 10 hours of tutoring and 10 hours of getting stuck in KL jams wasn't easy. But I stuck with it- the job was very rewarding! I enjoyed every single class, and was pleased with the extra cash! How much do you guys get paid for tutoring?

I loved seeing my students do well, and for a change, I thoroughly enjoyed giving homework ( as a change to receiving homework!) Some students did them, and some didn’t- how do you guys handle this?

By giving tuition all over KL, I've managed to learn many parts of KL as well as I know the back of my own hand- a wonderful plus to this, I must say! I thoroughly enjoyed the green hills of Melawati and the beautifully landscaped Sierramas! Some places were a complete nightmare to get to, because of traffic!

I’ll next share the sort of challenges that I faced as a tutor, but I would love to hear from all of you out there first, especially those of you who are considering a part time career as a home tutor!

I am indeed interested on giving tutor as my part time job. But i do not know where to kick start my part time career. Any suggestion?

Hi! Great to hear that you are doing well with your tutoring job!

I believe you are doing it full time. As a freelance tutor, it is not an easy task, especially when you have to travel around to students' home to give tuition and stuck in the jam especially when your students' home is in the city center.

I myself have been tutoring for 2 years. Started off as a temporary teacher and now a full time employee in a corporate world and taking up tutoring as my part time stint.

Mine is a bit different from yours as I tutor in tuition centers, have to travel too as the tuition centers is some 20-30km from where I stay. Like what you said, having dabbling in part time tutoring allow me to get familiar with KL area too.

The greatest change is i started to feel empowered, fulfilled to see my students achieving good result. Somehow, I feel more enriching to partake on my part time tutoring job compared to my full time corporate job.

The thoughts of moving to tutoring job as my full time did come across my mind but it takes time though, in terms of establishing my reputation and the feel of ' YES,that is what I WANT.'

@lisiang, You wanted to know where to start with tutoring? I did a tonne of things when I started too- told the neighbours, spent RM 50 putting a notice up on the apartment block that I was staying in, printed 700 flyers to disperse around OUG, where I lived back then among many others. They actually did work! In this way, but it face a tedious affair lah, walking in the rain and very paiseh too!

There are a tonne of tuition agencies out there, each rivalling the other, and charging you a half of your first month's salary- which was a lot! You essentially worked for these guys for your month. And you needed to really suck up to them.

I got tired of this, so I started something new- Facebook.com/TheGloopal for tutors who just want to list, and don't want to pay any fees and commissions and all the other stuff. Our website is launching in a couple of days, but if you want to pre-register, you can register via http://parttimepost.com/jobs/brilliant-fun...uition-teacher/

Why are we doing it for free? Because I wished that there was a free service when I started. Malaysia's quite expensive la

Oh no! I'm far from doing it full time- it is an after work and weekend job for me! I was initially sad, at not having a life after work, but got used to the schedule some how.

Gosh, I stay in the south of KL and have a tonne of trouble reaching students in the northerly limits of our city- around Sungai Buloh, Rawang etc. If only the public transport system around KL were better- I sometimes wish there were convenient classrooms near LRT/KTM stations where I could teach my students!

My full time corporate job isn't as fulfilling- I somehow feel that it really is the whole idea of working for myself that I find really stimulating! The best part is when parents call you and tell you that their friends recommended you to them, and that they want you to teach their children. It is exactly like you said- it is a completely rewarding experience- to see your students doing well. I imagine this was what our Cikgus back in school felt like; seeing us do well in exams as they teach us!

What subjects do you teach by the way? I teach Physics and Math- and I'd love to share more about how preparations for my classes are carried out!

I'd like to cover a 10 part series on the challenges encountered by a tuition teacher. Though who knows, by the time I get to part 8 or 9, it would then be a 11 or 12 part series!

Part 1 of 10: The Sleepy Student

We were all students at one point- and I know that some of you reading this post are students too! Students don't need much sleep do they? Well, at night, at least! Students suffer from jet lag on Friday Night, Saturday Morning, and Monday morning. Tutors, beware of these times- you should plan your classes around these no-go zones; unless your student has specifically requested for this hour! I've had students who've run down from their beds, to the kitchen table where we were supposed to meet for a class, without brushing their teeth. The smell of morning breath can certainly overpower any Ipoh Old Town White Coffee (extra kau!) that you bring along . As a result, you'd be very inclined to not get the student to answer any questions that you would have otherwise quizzed them with.

On our part, tutors should always take into consideration that students are sleep-deprived creatures ! But, as their teachers, how do we help them focus on the topics at hand? Here's what I do:

1) Bring sweeties ! One or two mentos packs doesn't cost much, and your students need that glucose injected into their sleep-laden neurons to wake them up!
2) Text them the night before, telling them that they're having a class, but don't be patronising! Something like "Hi Linda, we'll cover Faraday's Law in class tomorrow at 8.30am, I'll see you then!" may just distract your students long enough from their online games or text group to realise that it is 2 a.m. Have you got an app that can schedule texts? That's even better!
3) Bring coffee. Not for them, but for you. They can just ride on the smell of coffee in the morning to wake them up!
4) Keep the lesson light at the start- I always start with a one-directional information flow, from me to the student, to help the student get into the mood. 15 minutes later, I'm tossing light questions at my students, and an hour later, we're doing heavy work!
5) Get the lights on- Your student may complain that its too bright, but a little natural light in the mornings always helps brighten your day!

What are some of the things that you do to help keep your students awake in the morning? What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself awake in the mornings, for an early start?

Next: Part 2 of 10: Alamak, my stomach is growlinggg lah!

Look forward to your new website.

By the way, do you realise there's another free website for tutors - www.tuitionmalaysia.net

It is a tuition directory for parents/students & tutors can join it for free.

That's fantastic! So www.gloopal.com has a site to look up to!

Hi, I am offering tuition service in Bercham, Ipoh. Primary school (All subjects) Secondary School: Mathematics, Science, Bahasa Malaysia, English, Geography, History.

Call me for more information: 016-5996149

I will always use the same old method. For a class of 7 students (my max number of students), I will take turn to ask each one of them questions. it is a way to keep them awaken, if found that they can't answer= not paying attention.

The biggest challenge I face is some student not getting too attentive in lesson and shows lackadisical attitude hence we have to think of a way to get their attention centered, get them focus (repeating a lesson is not really the key unfortunately).

Here’s Part 2 of 10 of our mini series on the challenges faced by a tuition teacher- hopefully this series serves as an aid, to all potential tutors out there as a brief on what should be expected as a teacher! For all you teachers out there- from one colleague to another- you rock! And you’re not alone!

Today’s topic is the Hunger Games.

As a full time corporate engineer and business analyst at a delightful corporation in Malaysia, I always find that my workday is maxed out with meetings, stakeholder briefings, and solutioning exercises. All this work leaves very little time to get my nutrition act together- I’m sure that most of you out there are guilty of skipping a meal every now and again; but I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve let this take the better of me.

I often walk into a class with my empty stomach putting on quite a show like a hungry tiger at a Russian circus, starved and whipped and growling away. I often resort to clearing my throat to avert questioning eyes by my students, while my stomach throws a mini tantrum- angry and frustrated at why I could not have simply grabbed a bun from 7-eleven on the way over.

I notice that my teaching abilities aren’t quite the best when I’m tired- my glucose-deprived brain fires yawn after yawn to my mouth, and soon; my student and I get drawn into yawning matches (read my previous post on sleepy students). Yawns are infectious, unfortunately. Also, patience tends to a bit on the short side when you’re hungry- this isn’t great for the whole teaching mood. Teachers should take responsibility to deliver on the lessons paid for by parents with their hard earned cash, on top of regular school & sometimes private colleges.

All this meal skipping isn’t great for your stomach and careers as a tutor- it leads to ulcers and eventually further complications such as bleeding and gastrointestinal cancer. Therefore, with the help of my delightful wife , I’ve prepared a few steps that I’ve personally undertaken to help all of you get over your meal skipping habit:

1) Keep snack bars in cars- Keep protein/granola bars handy in your tutoring bag for a full feeling that lasts 2 hours. Try not to munch while driving- it is dangerous and can cause accidents ! Snack bars can sometimes contain an excessive amount of sugar- so be wary of this when you make a pick.

2) Always bring your favourite hot drink along with you for comforting sips while you teach. From coffee to Milo, a hot drink not only perks you up, but it helps you keep your focus on teaching.

3) Plan your classes along mealtimes- yes, you might be thinking of squeezing in that one extra class for an extra RM 70- but let’s make sure you’re in teaching form before you even begin. By giving yourself at least 30 minutes break time between classes 2 hours long, you can at least ensure that your body gets a well deserved rejuvenation before you jump in to make a difference for another student!

4) Skip the fast food- Fast food, and processed food may be alright in an emergency, but let’s not have it penned down as staple food. Have a healthy serving of carbs, protein and fruit for a quick on the go meal. In fact, if you’re pressed for time- grab a banana- they’re packed with all the goodies that you’ll need for the next couple of hours.

5) Don’t be cheap- Yes tutors are typically adults trying to squeeze the most out of their money - but a diet that’s full of unhealthy food, prescribed for the sole reason of being cheap won’t cut it for you in the long run. Food such as instant noodles and processed meats have a tendency of coming around to bite you in the years after you’ve long stopped eating them, when you’re most likely to enjoy the byproducts of a few years toiling as a tutor. Be disciplined when it comes to mealtimes, to take better care of your body for when you’re older.

6) Have you got absolutely nothing on you? Don’t worry- suck in your ego and request your student for a couple of biscuits and water before you start teaching, if you’re giving home tuition. Don’t worry- these students have all been there and done it before ! If you’re outside, in a tuition centre, pause the class and go grab a bite from a nearby convenience store. It is perfectly acceptable to delay a class by a few minutes, to ensure that you’re in the right state to teach.

What are some of your pointers to help overcome meal skipping? Do you have a significant other to help discipline your meal habits? Have you run into complications from not eating? Do let us know by replying!

Think and plan like a boss. If not, all the above will repeat by itself the rest of our lifetime.

Not sure about tutoring for students outside but I do part time lecturing in college. It is really fun and rewarding with good pay

This post has been edited by sonerin: May 31 2015, 11:14 AM

Was a part time tutor at a local tuition center, Was fun for the first few weeks but things started to change once i found out that most of the old 'experienced' tutors including the principal or owner of the tuition center are bunch of money suckers. The only thing they care about is money and not their students.

They read out what is in the textbook or reference book then ask the students to do exercise and pass up on the spot, while the students are trying out the questions, they just sit there staring at their phone instead of walking around guiding those who are facing difficulties in solving the questions. worst of all, there are little to no explanation, answers are given without any explanation.

Most of my students who attended their class say that they learn nothing at all. the principal even ask me to speed up and avoid unnecessary explanation as they need to catch up with the syllabus. those old tutors tried to drive me out of the tuition center when they found out that i was teaching those students the subjects that was assigned to them and not me( i did that bcuz the students ask me to teach them as they have learned nth from those tutors). I was called a inexperience, useless, busybody teacher in front of my students by those tutors.

TL;DR

Overall experience is somewhere between good and bad, pay was fine and i get to see for myself how rotten educational institutions & so called tutors/teachers works.

This post has been edited by TimeLesss: Jun 1 2015, 12:55 AM

@TimeLess- That's a particularly awful experience that you've had- but I do suppose that it isn't an uncommon one in Malaysia. These tuition centres that you've just described seem to care about 2 things: fitting as many students as they can in one class, and charging as much as they can for those classes. This really is a sad situation- as these students signed up for private tuition to escape the poor education experience that they were faced with in some of their conventional schools.

How long did you last in that centre? Are they still in business?

For all of you out there, who run a tuition centre, how do you cope with the pressures of running a tuition centre?

What subjects do you teach, @Sonerin? How often are your classes?

I teaches programming. Is 1 class per week

3 months, yeap still in business

Tuition center will seem to care about these things but the ultimate aim of it still boil down to improving students' scores in exam and helping students to excel or pass in the exam. Schools be it private, public, or international can't be placed of much hope, this is because teachers there are poorly paid, hence the need & business of tuition exists which is a thing we can't deny.

I myself teach in a tuition center and I completely understand about the poor education in school which leads tuition exists for helping these students (aside from earning money part).

These 'old' with bad attitudes tutors are the black sheep in the tuition center. The boss/owner should have phased them out. Keeping them will lead to education become more rotten.

I believe not all of the old experienced tutors behaves this way, some behaves due to part of the reason could be:

1. Becomes too bored already with teaching for XX years, and can't seem improvements in their students, hence demotivated.
2. Old age / Lack of Energy
3. Attitude problems (Being irresponsible and treat teaching as passing time)

Nowadays, the teaching profession are mostly dominated by the young, energetic bunch of people who holds the belief of ' Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.' These people should be placed greater emphasis on changing the education platform.

Example: TEACH FOR MALAYSIA

+1 , well the owner also behaves the same way so i believe the good tutors will be the one who get sack/leave 1st instead of the bad ones.

+1 for an awesome example! Teach for Malaysia exemplifies what teaching should be all about- fun, motivated and effective!

+ 1 because T4M has the youngest and energetic bunch of teachers.

The teaching profession should by large dominated by young people who willing to go extra miles to change, inspire and motivate students out there to excel in their study and life, both academically and mentally.

We also need the experience bunch of teachers to educate the young one on the teaching methodologies and to share their years of experiences in classroom management and leaderships.

It is good to have T4M as a platform to recruit the young talents in edu field.



This post has been edited by OMG!: Jun 3 2015, 07:49 AM

The third part of our series on the 10 biggest challenges faced by a tutor is not an unheard-of topic in the age of work work work, and blended work – life boundaries. A perpetual frown, lifted only partially by little joys in life brought about by friends and family outlines our third write-up: Stress- The Silent Killer.

It would come as no surprise to many of you that the many ailments that plague a modern working adult’s life comes about as a result of continuous, unabated stress. From the upper echelons of society- in far flung Putrajaya and the many Istanas that dot Malaysia’s states to unfortunate members of our society- down on luck, and having to live on societal leftovers; stress is ubiquitously casted upon our furrows.
What causes stress? It is the byproduct of millions upon millions of years’ worth of evolution, preparing us for the inevitable encounter with a beast, or tightening up our ancestors’ grip on spears as they set their sights on an antelope on the African savannah. Stress was a good, if not great thing to have in the past!

Going by the life and death dealings that stress dished out in the past, how is it that tutors today are still afflicted by this ancient stranglehold? The human body readies itself when it encounters a persistent perceived threat, whether it is a student blatantly disregarding your 20 minute lecture on Newtonian Laws of Motion- refusing to acknowledge that a force applied on an object would cause some acceleration of that object; or it is due to a student clicking on a click-pen without giving your eardrums the chance to recover from last week’s haemorrhage; because of the same student.

We tutors often fail to understand that it is stress- and this time, on the part of the student- that is leading to an escalation in tension. By first understanding that there is always bilateral stress involved, we can take suitable precautions to achieve our two master objectives:
1) Protect ourselves- the tutor.
2) Ensure that lessons aren’t disrupted

We’ll cover the first one tomorrow and the second, the day after!

In the meantime, how often do you get stressed out in class? Why do you think this happens? Are they usually because of things that are in your control?

Also, if you’re a tutor, or are considering to take tutoring up as a lucrative second job, we’d absolutely love for you to register with us at www.gloopal.com or http://www.facebook.com/TheGloopal . Registration takes just 60 seconds!

was a part time tutor for pre-school kids, very happy dealing with all the children, and feel extremely great to see their improvements and results

Lately i have take up tuition jobs for std6, which parents put high hope on you to teach their kids the technique on scoring the UPSR. It's not easy at the moment, as i am about 10 years away from std6, don't really know what are the changes on syllabus etc. Can someone pls share your experience?

Get the right materials for a start! Do you have the following?

1. Syllabus and content of the subject
2. Past years and marking scheme

I believe if you look into these 2 materials, it will help almost 40% of the lesson already. The other 60% comes from your teaching methodologies and classroom/student management.

Yes! that's the key!
I already bought past years paper and start looking at the questions and format,
but do not have marking scheme,as well as the full year syllabus

ahh any idea where can i get those materials?

since UPSR is only 3 months away from now, which area should i focus on?
past year papers? technique to score?

You need past years definitely! I am not sure how you going to get it, if not from schools or teachers, u can buy the past years papers in the market out there (popular, MPH etc).. do have a look!

UPSR is easy to teach and deem not as complicated as teaching add maths for SPM level etc.

Another thing you wanna find out is :how well your student in the subject? weak, intermediate or above average? That will facilitate your teaching methods and lesson plan for him/her too!

Was interested in becoming tutor too... but i have not study for long time... not sure what subject I can teach and most important I lose my work life balance..

Not study for long time is not really an impediment.

I myself graduated for sometimes before i take up tutoring. What you need is a little bit of time to 'refresh' on the syllabus and contents, refurbish and reflect on the teaching methodologist and the pick up the art of classroom/student management.

You will some what find that your teaching skills is applicable to so much aspects-- presentation and communication skills.

What have been learned in school is not a trash, refresh it and re-use it for good purposes- educating the next generation.

How you define work life balance is subjective, doing something you like/ passionate over the weekends is what brighten up your week.

Plus, at least I don't have to spare most of my free time for excessive entertainment and as such increases my expenditures.

This post has been edited by OMG!: Jun 6 2015, 03:52 PM

Tutoring is not I'm passion about, just for the sake of extra income and I might give up my time with my family and friends. Well, tutoring might be an alternative if money is really not enough for me in future

im just startin this tutoring stuff, so, parking first...

yes already bought past year papers from pupular
now in the midst of preparing my first class. thinking how to make it fun and interactive instead of just do do do.

Most of time i will be teaching small groups of students, as for me, I love to do video-ing, if I teach science subjects.


Good luck for your first class!

ah must be very interesting to be in your class.
thanks for the input anyways

Hey All! We love your interest in this topic- as such, we’re resuming our third topic-stress, and here, we’ve identified two stress pipelines that needs a checkpoint:
1) Ourselves- the tutor.
2) Our students.

The first of the above is easier to attain- as it involves the tutor, and very little else. For this, my caring wife (you guys should meet her sometime!) has penned down her thoughts on what we have agreed are methods for a tutor to unwind, and reduce stress levels:

1) Nourish yourselves well- In tune with our last topic, take the right balance of carbs, fruit & veg, and protein to feel healthy. When your body systems are in full working order, you’ll be more confident of yourself and calmer. Grains, be it rice, barley, oatmeal or wheat contains a good amount of Vitamin B, which has shown in many accredited studies to be a relaxant. Drink plenty of water too- to help your body rid itself of waste. But be sure to use the washroom before each class if you’re consuming a lot of water- keeping your bladder pressurized is a surefire way to lose your cool.

2) Go for walks, and light exercise- Let off some steam by going for light walks and exercising regularly. Regular, lightweight exercise won’t take too much of your time, and won’t make you sleepy for work that you’ll need to get done later. It will, however, promote healthy blood circulation to keep those nerves far from jittery.

3) Rock it off - It is unfortunate that the majority of stress that a tutor experiences comes in from the drive to a student’s house (or tuition centre)! The heavy traffic conditions that clog major expressways throughout the Greater Klang Valley means that most of us are fuming with rage by the time we get to our destination. Plan your travel journeys earlier, or schedule your classes a little later so you’re not always chasing faltering deadlines. If all else fails, keep calm by playing your favourite chill-out music in the car. Don’t listen to music on your headphones- they can damage your hearing, and distract you from important sounds outside your vehicle!

4) Sleep well- As we discussed in our first topic, sleep is absolutely crucial to everyone’s routine. Get your minimum 7 hours of daily snooze, and no less. Sleep helps your brain reorganize its thoughts, so you can be assured of a better you when you awaken! Sleep also helps the body relax symptoms of stress- so be sure you’re getting enough of it.

5) Talk to your best friends – This one hear is an easy one for me! I’m married to my best friend, and confide all my thoughts and worries for her to soothe and dispel. Give your best friend a ring too, and watch those stress levels become awash with reassuring words; as you walk away from that conversation inspired, and thoroughly rejuvenated.

6) Consciously remove that frown- When you feel a frown setting down on your forehead, raise your eyebrows and open your eyes wider- it buys you about 5 mins worth of stress-free time while you organize your thoughts and calm yourself down better.

7) Watch funny videos - Laughter clears anything up- stress, ill feelings, sadness, depression or disappointment. Have a go at tickling your funny bone when you’re feeling a little under-the-weather emotionally.

Next time, we’ll look into methods that you can put to use to help your students avoid from stressing out. Though in the meantime, have you got a stress busting tip that we would love to try out. Tell us about your worst experiences while tutoring, be it in home tuition or in a larger class.

In the meantime, for all you tutors out there, do sign on with www.gloopal.com - we're Malaysia's BEST private tutoring portal, and we're excited to have you as a part of our honest family!

Video's are awesome- they take learning to the next level by helping students visualise concepts better! Do you use many other props in your lessons?

Hi Louis, why don't you try tutoring with a single class- you'll hardly be giving time up with your family and friends! You could easily earn an extra RM 300 monthly for teaching a single primary school student once a week. If you're considering it, why don't you register with www.gloopal.com, its free, and won't cost you any time at all. We wish you the very best in this!!

interested deal with children and become tutor?

A math learning center in OUG is seeking dedicated and responsible math teachers/markers
Working days :
Mon/tue / fri 3.30pm to 8.30pm

Students/ retirees/ freelancer are welcome to apply

Training will be provided.
Caring, patient, responsible able to converse in English comfortably. Candidates who are able to converse in Chinese will have an advantage.
Responsibilities – marking worksheets, recording, observing and coaching children in mathematics, packing of worksheets and filing.

Please contact 012-2009098 or email to mjtan888@gmail.com stating your name, age, gender, race, education, current address, current commitment, SPM math result and contact number.

Requirement :

- 1-2 years teaching experience would be in advantage
- Working hours : 3.30-8.30pm
- Working days : mon/tue/fri
Contact : Tan 012-2009098
email: mjtan888@gmail.com

We must realize the fact there are basically 3 types of learners and hence it is good to know which types of learners your students belong to:

1. Visual
2. Audio
3. Practical

Having said that, you can know basically what teaching methodologies and props to be prepared.

For visual learners, video and mind-mapping always come in handy.

This post has been edited by OMG!: Jun 9 2015, 06:52 PM

We must realize the fact there are basically 3 types of learners and hence it is good to know which types of learners your students belong to:

1. Visual
2. Audio
3. Practical

Having said that, you can know basically what teaching methodologies and props to be prepared.

For visual learners, video and mind-mapping always come in handy.



This post has been edited by OMG!: Jun 9 2015, 06:52 PM

TS please share about your rewards/incentive system for your students. hhehehe

Hi all! I hope this thread is still valid.

I'm a fairly new part-time private tuition teacher and lately my student is often rescheduling classes due to currently having mid term exams now or is too busy with last minute extra curricular work/homework.

Once or twice is fine but so far it has already happened about 4 times the past 6 weeks, (usually postponement, but sometimes outright CANCELLING class) and the student often gives me less than 24 hours notice. I plan my week (including my full time job) around our scheduled classes so it is very frustrating sometimes when class is cancelled/postponed and I end up wasting time and effort I had spent preparing for the class.

So I'm here wanting to ask for kind advice from any experienced private home tutors out there. How do you deal with last minute class cancellations/postponement? Do you charge any penalty fee? Is this sort of thing common in the private tuition industry?

Thank youuuuuuuu!