Your first tutoring assignment: A guide to getting started

Author: Ellie Cross
Tuesday 12^th September 2023

After completing your tutor training, you’ll be ready to start transforming lives through tutoring. You may be thinking, what’s next?

Before you begin tutoring, we’ll help you to ensure you’re well-prepared. It’s normal to feel nervous before your first session in a school. You’re not alone, many others feel the same.

Asked about her first assignment, Farwa Khan, one of our Greater Manchester tutors, said, 

“It was my first experience working with children. I was wondering, ‘Is this right? Do I need to bring this? How do I act?’ The first couple of sessions are a bit nerve-wracking but you get through them. Even the receptionist at the school will know who you are eventually!”

Leeds tutor Becky said, 

“I just wanted to let you know it went really well. The school and the students are wonderful. It has quashed any anxieties I had and I will be looking forward to my classes each week!”

Whether you have a concern about preparation, about your tutees and the impact you will have, or you’re not sure about the number of hours you wish to commit to tutoring, we’re happy to support you throughout your Tutor Trust journey!

Your first tutoring assignment: where to begin

Connect: Your tutor assignment platform

Firstly, Connect is your new home for tutoring assignments. This site will allow you to view the assignments available to you and bid for the schools / programmes that suit your availability. If you find a school that is local to you or an assignment with hours that work well for you, leave a note along with your bid letting your coordinator know! Also consider that as we work in all boroughs of our city regions, you may be able to travel to a school using public transport. New assignments are added every day so check back consistently to find the ones that fit best for you. You can also keep track of your pay/invoices and current assignments through Connect so be sure to check in.

Thinqi: Your one-stop shop for tutoring resources

Secondly, Thinqi will help you with tutoring resources and your lesson planning. There‘s even a playlist specifically for Getting Started with Tutoring. While you wait to find the perfect assignment for you, use Thinqi to top up your training and stay refreshed! There’s a host of tutorials and quick courses that’ll reinforce your learning and enable you to explore new topics.

Want support? Reach out to us

Thirdly, our team is always on hand to support you. You can book a 1:1 with me, your Tutor Engagement Manager, to ask any questions you may have about your first assignment, and chat about work as a tutor. The booking page is here. You can always chat to your Schools Coordinator – ensure that you’re keeping them in the loop too! They will usually contact you to let you know about assignments that could work best, but you need to ensure they know about your location, subject and timetable.

My other tutoring top tips are:

• ·       Dress like the professional you are! Be sure to dress smartly while at schools and show that you are committed to the work we do. Information about the dress code will usually be shared in introductory meetings. 
• ·       Introductory meetings before the first session are very valuable. These are meetings with the School Lead, your Coordinator, and any other tutors who may be working in the same school. This covers a range of questions about the upcoming assignment, including a final confirmation of days/times, tuition objectives and communication/feedback models with the school lead. Use this information to your advantage and get prepared ahead of the first session you have at the school.
• ·       Over-preparation always beats under-preparation! Particularly for your first session, it is important to have a range of activities planned so that you can cater to different learning styles, as this is when you’re getting to know your tutees. We encourage you to use the Snap Survey, available on Thinqi, in your first session to find your tutees’ interests and enable you to work these into future sessions. Keeping your students engaged is key!

Eventually, if you feel that you’ve got the hang of things and wish to take on more tuition work, you can train in additional subjects! As long as you meet the grade criteria for the chosen subject(s) (ask me and you can also check our upcoming training dates), you can get back to training and have more work to choose from in future.

If you’re just getting started and looking for your first assignment and would like some support, get in touch with me at: [email protected]. Alternatively, you can also book a half-hour virtual session with me.