4 reasons group classes are better than tutoring
So why are group classes – classes with 4 or more students – superior to individual tutoring? Here are four reasons.
When teachers think of making extra money, one of the first things that pops into their heads is tutoring. After all, they already work in education. They are good at breaking down complex concepts. And they relate well to young learners. They have all the qualifications and they feel pretty comfortable with what it takes to get started. In short, it is totally within their comfort zone.
However, sometimes there are serious rewards for stepping out of the comfort zone and trying something a little scary. And this is one of those situations.
Group classes are more fun
I’ve done individual tutoring, and I enjoyed it. It was really rewarding, and my students were super-motivated. However, it was a little boring. No matter how interested the student is, the spark of interaction between one student and another is missing. As a teacher, that’s part of what I live for.
Get 4, 10, or even 20 students together, and somehow the energy just multiplies. Instead of an isolated learner and a teacher, you have a group dynamic. They make connections on their own that I just couldn’t make for them. (Now sometimes there’s a bit more energy that one might want, but that’s a whole different story, and for the most part, it’s very manageable.)
Group classes are more secure
Let’s say you devote 3 hours per week to tutoring. One student per hour for three hours. If you have three tutoring students and one decides that they don’t want tutoring anymore, that’s a 1/3 reduction in your tutoring income. You could take a huge pay cut simply because someone decides they want to play a sport or are “just too busy.” If you are counting on that income, it can be a major problem.
However, let’s change that scenario to group classes. Again, let’s say you devote 3 hours per week to student contact time and keep your minimum class size at 5. Even if 3 students decide they are “just too busy,” at most that’s only 1/5 of your clientele, and probably a lot less. Not super, but a heck of a lot better than the other scenario.
Group classes provide better value for your clients
Let’s say that you want to make a minimum of $60 per student contact hour. And let’s face it, your time is absolutely worth that. If you do private tutoring, you have to charge parents $60 for an hour lesson or $30 for a half-lesson. That means that only parents who are fairly affluent can afford to work with you.
But you know that LOTS of kids can benefit from your services, so instead, you offer classes. You design a weekly preschool group class that lasts 30 minutes and charge $12 per session per child. You have 5 students enroll. That’s a lot more affordable for parents! More kids can benefit.
And just because you are teaching more children, it doesn’t mean that each student is getting less. They are getting the same learning, as long as class sizes are reasonable. They might even learn more because they will be engaged and having fun with their friends. So you can offer the same benefit for a much better price.
Let’s apply that same concept to adult learners. You still want to make a minimum of $60 per hour, but adults can handle longer classes. Your group class becomes 75 minutes for $18. (That would cost an individual learner $75, so a major difference there.) Eight students enroll. Again, students get the same benefit (and often more) for less money and you are still making your hourly minimum.
Better income for you
So, if you were doing your math in the last two examples, you might have noticed that while the students were receiving a much greater value, you were also doing better in the group classes.
With 5 students paying $12 each for a 30 minute class (and that is usually as long as I recommend a preschool class last), you made $60 for only HALF an hour of contact time. That’s twice your minimum.
In the adult class scenario, you were teaching 75 minutes, but you were making $144. That is over $100 per hour.
It pays to be out of the comfort zone
If you have your heart set on individual tutoring, by all means, go for it. After all, this is your gig and you are in charge. Here are some tips if that’s the route you choose to take. But if you are willing to do something that could make you a little uncomfortable at first, you can provide incredible value to your students, have a lot of fun, and increase both your security and your hourly rate. If you’d like to try out the idea, check out my guest posts on fluencymatters.com or martinabex.com to get some ideas.