Who are Online Tutors?
Online tutors are teachers who teach on a virtual platform. They are qualified workers who impart knowledge to the students, organize schedules, design assignments, and prepare the students for examinations.
Unlike school or college teachers, online tutoring classes are conducted online via computers or mobile phones.
Job Duties
Schedule teaching sessions
Design worksheets and assignments
Answer all the questions of students
Conduct live classes for interactive sessions
Plan curriculum according to the course
Conduct online examinations
Maintain records of each student’s performance, progress, academic achievement, etc.
Conduct online workshops
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of students
Refer to student counseling, if needed
Types of Online Tutors
There are no specific types of online tutors. They can be classified based on the subjects they teach and the courses they offer.
Some online tutors conduct lessons on a single subject while others conduct online sessions on multiple subjects. The online tutors may teach using different methods like creating a PowerPoint presentation, uploading study materials online, uploading a video of the lesson, or conducting live classes, etc.
Work Environment
Online tutors can work from anywhere they want. Most of them work from their homes, while others are employed by a particular company and work from offices.
A professor who teaches in a college or a school teacher may also conduct online classes from their schools or colleges.
Online tutoring can either be taken as a permanent career option or an additional one.
Knowledge Required
English- Professional proficiency in the English language including both verbal and writing skills.
Education and training- Professional training and degree course knowledge on any specific field or multiple subjects.
Psychology- Knowledge of human behavior, child psychology, motivation, and learning, etc.
Skills Required
Speech clarity and oral expression- The ability to deliver the information clearly and precisely without fumbling.
Active listening- Ability to pay attention and understand the doubts and questions of the students.
Instructing- Ability to give clear instruction which can be understood clearly
Technological Skills
Academic educational software
Redrock Software TutorTrac
Electronic mail software
Graphics and video editing software
MS Word, MS Excel, etc.
Abilities
Ability to identify the potential of each student and plan the curriculum accordingly.
Ability to gather information from various sources and impart the knowledge precisely to the students.
Personality
Patience - Respect the learning capacity of each student and do not rush. Ability to answer all the questions asked by the students with enthusiasm and clarity.
Self-Confidence – Confidence about one’s knowledge and speech clarity.
Resourcefulness- Gain knowledge from various resources and also provide resources to the students for learning such as online journals, educational videos, etc.
Professionalism- Maintain the formal gesture and be properly dressed in formal outfits even if one teaches from home.
Educational Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree in any subject
Masters degree in any subject
Ph.D. degree in any subject
B Ed degree in any subject
Job Outlook
Online tutoring is becoming a rising trend in the present generation. New job opportunities are wide open in this field. Tutors have the freedom to work from their homes in a comfortable environment and most of them are paid on an hourly basis.
The average salary of an online tutor in India is INR 200k per year. An online tutor may earn as low as INR 103k per year to as much as INR 321K per year.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I add the ‘human-touch’ while teaching online?
To gain the interests of the students towards the online class, it is very important to add the ‘human-touch’ by the following ways:
Respect every student
Try to interact as much as possible
Pay more attention towards the weak learners
Gain feedback from the students
Answer all the questions of the students
Behave politely
2. How can I conduct group workshops in online tutoring?
Conduct group debates
Conduct quiz sessions
Plan competitive small group curriculum
3. What are the top online tutoring websites in India?