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!

@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!

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

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!

@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?

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

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!

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!!