Tutor Update for March 2020.
Hi [simplenews-subscriber:user:profile-fullname]!
Who expected the world to come to a stand still this month? I suddenly have an office mate working next to me all day every day as James was told to work from home for the forseeable future. Tutoring delivery has completely changed for me as well, and we have to coordinate who gets to use the office space depending on each other's schedule, but we're making it work. More on that below.
Here's what's in this month's update:
- 2 month free listing time right now, and renewal bonus time.
- Update your listing.
- Tutoring during Covid-19.
- Share your tips in the forums!
- Reach out to your students and their parents.
1. 2 month free listing time right now, and renewal bonus time.
We've noticed a dramatic drop in listing renewals in the past few weeks. So many things are uncertain in terms of how the education system is going to carry on, and I'm sure most of you have been thrust into a new and unfamiliar routine as almost everyone is required to stay home. Renewing a tutoring listing is not high on the priority list, I get it.
While the world adjusts into a new normal, we've given everyone a 2 month extention on their listing time. So no one's listing will be expiring until the end of May. Additionally, if you renew, we are including an addtional 2 months listing time for 6 month or 1 year renewals, and an extra 4 months for 2 year renewals. This should give everyone lots of time now to focus on care for yourself and your family, and worry about tutoring later.
2. Update your listing.
As social distancing, or as it's being re-coined, physical distancing, is a necessity right now, I HIGHLY recommend not offering in-person tutoring right now. If you can, please take a few minutes right now to update your listing to reflect how you are delivering tutoring to keep yourself and students safe.
If you now are tutoring on-line, say what technology you are using (FaceTime, Skype, Zoom etc). If you are only temporarily offering tutoring on-line, you don't have to select the "on-line" option. However after trying it for awhile, you may find you are willing to tutor on-line in the long term, so it's a good option for those looking specifically for an on-line tutor.
Taking a break from tutoring? PLEASE use the "not accepting" option in your listing. This removes it from the main search list, but preserves your listing's natural points. You can remove this designation anytime, and your listing instantly moves back into the main search results page.
Updating places a big “updated” tag in your listing. This is more important than ever right now, so that parents and prospective clients know that they are seeing current information. It's reassuring to know that the information they are looking at is up to date, and everyone needs reassuring right now.
To update your listing, go to findAtutor.ca and click on “Log in” in the menu. If you are on a cel phone, you may have to shrink the screen to get to “Log in” at the bottom of the menu list. If you are having trouble logging in, click on "Request new password", enter your e-mail address, and you will be sent a link to give you direct access to your account. (Some people have been reporting getting a blank e-mail using this. It that happens, forward the blank e-mail to admin@findatutor.ca, and I will reset your password for you.)
Once you've logged in, click on the tab labelled “my listings”. Scroll down to the “listing information” box below your listing, and click on the “confirm listing as accurate” button. If you need to make changes, edit your listing by clicking on the “edit listing” link also located in the listing information box.
Change your listing to say "not accepting" by removing the check mark next to "accepting students" and then clicking on "confirm listing as accurate". If you want to remove the "not accepting" tag from your listing, do the same thing, except click to add the check mark next to "accepting students."
While you are there, click on your listing title to see it in a window by itself. You will see a tab above it labelled "who e-mailed." Click on this tab to check out who has e-mailed you in the past. You can check this list any time in case you may have missed noticing a message, or accidently deleted an e-mail you wanted to follow up on.
3. Tutoring during Covid-19.
How are you feeling? Seems to be the standard opening question for any conversation these days. For the past 2 weeks James has been working from home, which I've dubbed "forced socialization." Our daughter moved out to go to university, so it's only been me in the house during the day for nearly 2 years now. The only exception have been students that come over for tutoring, but that's only a few hours per day.
A couple days into our stay at home work arrangement I woke up coughing and sweating in the middle of the night. I was convinced I had contracted Covid-19. Reading that shortness of breath is a tell-tale symptom, I decided to go out for a run to test my lung capacity. I felt so much better after that, and also took a break checking Twitter and the news for a couple of days. My mental and physical well being got so much better. It's been 2 weeks now in this new working arrangement, and going outside to for fresh air and exercise (keeping a safe distance from other people of course!) has been instrumental in keeping us healthy and sane.
I decided out of caution to not meet any students in person. Spring break started in BC on March 12th, so it's usually a down time for me in terms of tutoring anyways. However, I have a number of university students this term. When their classes were cancelled, they all cancelled their sessions booked with me to prep for an upcoming test. However, once the university moved to on-line delivery for the rest of the term, all my university students asked for help with their take home assignment replacing their test. The assignment was made extra challenging, so they were all panicking!
I spent an afternoon scrambling to figure out how to tutor on-line, and trying to make it relatively easy to the more technically challenged students. I'm happy to say that I've successfully held several hours of tutoring for the past week all on-line. Even the most technically challenged of my students managed to connect and we held productive sessions.
It takes coordination between myself and James on who will be meeting on-line at what times so we aren't both trying to talk at the same time in the same room. Tutoring on-line has allowed me to quickly and easily relocate to the dinning room if needed.
As the "official" end of March break for K-12 students comes to a close, it's not certain what is going to happen in regards to schooling, so I'm not sure if I'm going to get any high school students returning to tutoring next week. I'm waiting for announcements to be made, I do know that at least initially only the teachers will be going into schools while they figure out how to deliver education without students attending school for the next few weeks. There are still so many unknowns as the pandemic evolves, but just like the past couple of weeks, we'll figure it out as we go along.
4. Share your tips in the forum!
I've recommended everyone to not hold in-person tutoring now, and I've been asked by a few tutors for suggestions on what they can do for transitioning to on-line tutoring. How has it been for me? For the students? And do I think parents will accept on-line tutoring the same as an in-person session?
These are all great questions, and I can tell you what I've been doing so far and how it's been working for me, but I also know there are a number of other tutors out there that have been on-line tutoring for many years, and some that even only offer on-line tutoring. Not everything works for everyone, and my experience is limited, so I've started a couple of forum threads so we can share collective ideas with everyone.
I'll put more detailed descriptions (and may be some photos?) of what I've set up for tutoring on-line. Share what you've done, what you've tried, successes failure etc. Find the forum thread here (remember to login to findAtutor.ca so you can join in on the conversation):
https://findatutor.ca/node/12184
The other forum thread I've started is suggestions you have for parents that are finding themselves trying to "homeschool" their kids. I'm sure that schools will be providing some suggestions to parents, but I want to include some suggestions on findAtutor.ca. Whether it's general suggestions, like keeping and maintaining a schedule, or on-line resources, educational materials to improvise at home or simply fun but educational things to do, anything that you think is helpful to parents is welcome! Find that forum thread here:
https://findatutor.ca/node/12186
I'll be compiling the information into articles to post on findAtutor.ca. I'll make sure to attribute the suggestions to you and include a link to your listing.
Anything else that is on your mind that you want to share or get feedback for, feel free to share in the forums. Feeling shy? You can always e-mail me, simply reply to this e-mail with your suggestions.
5. Reach out to your students and their parents.
At the end of these updates I normally say to follow us on Facebook and Twitter, which, of course you can. I've also mentioned that you can share your listing on social media, which of course you still can do that too. But this time, I'm going to suggest you reach out to your students and/or their parents.
You may have not checked in with them for awhile, so saying a friendly hello, and letting them know you are thinking of them is a small thing that can really lift someone's spirits.
I'll include the links for our Facebook and Twitter here like I always do, no call to action, just for your information.
Twitter: @findatutor
Facebook: @findatutor.ca
First and formost, take care of yourself and your family. And, of course, thank you as always for listing on findAtutor.ca.
Stay safe and healthy,
Johanna