Teachaheart Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 * The Scenario For a variety of reasons, a family needs to hire a full-time tutor to homeschool two children in grades 5 and 6. The family wants a full classical education. The tutor has taught in schools for 10 years, 7 of those in a classical school, and has been a private tutor for two years. The tutor has a BA, post-BA teaching certification, and an MA. The MA is from a classical college. In the family's state hiring a tutor to homeschool one's children is fully legal. The Question What would you be willing to pay the tutor? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 A tutor with those qualifications for two children full-time? A LOT! I would think they would expect at least $1000 a month and really, that is peanuts. Now if is just a few hours a week then I would imagine they charge by the hour and would not think $30 an hour to be outrageous. Of course, I have only tutored friend's kids and do not have that kind of experience so I made a lot less than that. But still pvt tutoring is hard. You tailor everything for the child and it is not like an institutional setting. Hence the the rates I gave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Now if is just a few hours a week then I would imagine they charge by the hour and would not think $30 an hour to be outrageous. around here a well qualified tutor can run $50-80/hour. I would check local rates for elementary tutors and add on from there. Is said family going to expect specific hours covered as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachaheart Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 around here a well qualified tutor can run $50-80/hour. I would check local rates for elementary tutors and add on from there. Is said family going to expect specific hours covered as well? The details are still being worked out as this is a relatively new development in the overall situation. Sorry to be so cryptic, but I am not at liberty to give specific information. I will say that $30/hour is what the tutor normally charges because, even though the tutor has the qualifications to charge more, people in this area generally will not pay more. Several of the tutor's students are paying reduced rates. For comparison, tuition in local private schools for these grades runs from $5000-$6000 per student per year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I gotta tell you as a non qualified tutor [at least officially by govt stnds] I can see why it should $50-$80 an hour. It's exhausting both mentally and physically. Everyday I felt like Arnold in Kindergarten Cop. :svengo: Unfortunately, the people I tutored for were really in a hard spot and could not pay that kind of money. Add to that my lack of credentials and well. FTR, I do have a degree and have done a lot of self education. I just don't have a teaching degree. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachaheart Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 I gotta tell you as a non qualified tutor [at least officially by govt stnds] I can see why it should $50-$80 an hour. It's exhausting both mentally and physically. Everyday I felt like Arnold in Kindergarten Cop. :svengo: Unfortunately, the people I tutored for were really in a hard spot and could not pay that kind of money. Add to that my lack of credentials and well. FTR, I do have a degree and have done a lot of self education. I just don't have a teaching degree. :tongue_smilie: Well, my personal opinion is that a teaching degree does not necessarily make someone more qualified, especially with regard to classical education. This is not true of all teacher education programs, of course. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I guess my questions are -Is this a cash position? Will you be paying by the hour or a salaried position? Are you hiring this person for a teaching position where you will be withholding taxes or will the tutor be an independent contractor? Based on where I live the number that popped into my head was $50k for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I guess my questions are -Is this a cash position? Will you be paying by the hour or a salaried position? Are you hiring this person for a teaching position where you will be withholding taxes or will the tutor be an independent contractor? Based on where I live the number that popped into my head was $50k for the year. Yeah, but who would pay that? Will Smith maybe. :tongue_smilie: I think I would be able to manage with that kind of salary. Look kids! Mommy got a new car! :D :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachaheart Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 I guess my questions are -Is this a cash position? Will you be paying by the hour or a salaried position? Are you hiring this person for a teaching position where you will be withholding taxes or will the tutor be an independent contractor? Based on where I live the number that popped into my head was $50k for the year. Newlifemom's response made me laugh. :001_smile: At the moment it looks like this will be an independent contractor situation. The tutor will be paid monthly. While $50k would be nice, it simply is not reasonable in this situation. The family and tutor are looking more in line with the private school tuition rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Private school around here will run anywhere from $16-$25k per student. It is as they say-location, location, location. As an independent contractor you could probably pay a little less since you won't have to be withholding all the taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Two students. Five days a week. 9 months year. 8 hours a day (gotta pay for planning) $38,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 At the moment it looks like this will be an independent contractor situation. The tutor will be paid monthly. While $50k would be nice, it simply is not reasonable in this situation. The family and tutor are looking more in line with the private school tuition rates. what do you mean by full time? do you mean the tutor would be at their house for a full work week? and then need to plan on top of that in the evenings? if that's the case (and I don't see how it could be much less than that for kids those ages), then I just don't see how/why anyone would do it for what you report local private schools charge per student. $10,000-12,000 for a full time job (albeit with good vacation time, I imagine) with no benefits? It would be a HUGE favor to the family if someone took on that job, it sounds like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachaheart Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 what do you mean by full time? do you mean the tutor would be at their house for a full work week? and then need to plan on top of that in the evenings? if that's the case (and I don't see how it could be much less than that for kids those ages), then I just don't see how/why anyone would do it for what you report local private schools charge per student. $10,000-12,000 for a full time job (albeit with good vacation time, I imagine) with no benefits? It would be a HUGE favor to the family if someone took on that job, it sounds like. I think I need to give a little more information. I am the tutor. The family is a family that I have been very close to for several years. There are extenuating circumstances that prevent the family from sending the kids back to Christian school, and they have determined that public school is not in their family's best interests. Originally, we discussed having me supplement what they would get in public school with Bible, penmanship, Latin, and math. In the course of the conversation, the father revealed his desire for the kids to be homeschooled and his sadness that it just is not possible for his wife to do. Basically, I put on the table the option of me doing the schooling, and he latched on to the idea very quickly. We are in the process of working out the details with regard to hours, responsibilities, and pay. I have a certain monthly amount in mind that I know is very low, much lower than I would even consider for any other family, but I wanted to make sure I was not the only one thinking it was low--if that makes any sense. You all have suggested much higher rates than they would even be able to consider, which actually makes me feel more comfortable with the numbers I have in mind. Thank you all for your questions and suggestions. I do appreciate them and welcome any more thoughts you might have. I also hope to be able to run curriculum and materials choices by you all in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I did this for two years. (Not the classical part, but full time private tutor for three kids). I was provided with accommodation and all amenities and lunch (with the kids) was provided. I was paid $32k (NZD) per year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 full time- you would think it should be comparable to whatever a teacher's salary is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Do you get sick days and vacation days? Do you get paid if the kids are sick and you do not work that day? Private school in my neck of the woods is $25,000+. For two kids I would expect at least $50,000. If they are paying based on a religious school tuition then I could see them paying significantly less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 This is a full time job. They shouldn't look at it as, "What would we pay in tuition to send the kids to private school" but rather, "What do full time teachers in this area make?" And then realize they are getting a well qualified teacher giving lots of time to a class size of two. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 A full-time teacher's salary. Not full time private school tuition...that's not nearly enough. I wouldn't do it for less than $35,000 per year. It is going to be a very difficult job. Personally, not one I'd want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 A full-time teacher's salary. Not full time private school tuition...that's not nearly enough. I wouldn't do it for less than $35,000 per year. It is going to be a very difficult job. Personally, not one I'd want. :iagree: Goodness, we paid $6000 a year for a reading tutor that *only* saw my son 4 hours a week minus holidays, a week at Thanksgiving, and 2 weeks at Christmas. And we paid for those vacation days as well. Believe me, December wasn't any cheaper than months where he went every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 If this is a full time job, I would be charging the same as a *teacher* costs a school, meaning salary + benefits. Around here, the average for this is $85,000. Unfortunately, no normal person is going to be able to afford such a thing. But really, it is taking advantage of you to pay otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I think I need to give a little more information. I am the tutor. The family is a family that I have been very close to for several years. That's the only situation where it would make any sense to work for so little; if you're doing it more out of friendship than as a job. But I do think those situations have a lot of potential to turn out badly and for you to start to feel taken advantage of. So I'd just make sure to think through all of those aspects of it as well as the economics of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 A full-time teacher's salary. Not full time private school tuition...that's not nearly enough. I wouldn't do it for less than $35,000 per year. It is going to be a very difficult job. Personally, not one I'd want. :iagree: No one would expect to pay private school tuition & then have the teacher to oneself. It's ONLY $6-15k BECAUSE you're SHARING that teacher w/ 25 other kids. That said, if I were taking a couple of extra kids to homeschool along side my own, so that hs'ing those kids *allowed* me to hs my own, I'd charge a lot less. My qualifications are similar to OP's, but I've only tutored in college settings (not privately), so I've never charged more than $25/hour. At Sylvan, certified teachers only make $10/hour (which is a crime, imo, since Starbucks & Walmart pay similarly). Anyway, assuming the above, OP, depending on the # of hours/week, etc., I think I'd charge $500-$2k/mo. I know that's a big window, but narrowing it down would depend on both family's finances, # of hours, etc. I think pay should be the same, though, whether kids are present or absent, vacation or not (summers excepted). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 If this is a full time job, I would be charging the same as a *teacher* costs a school, meaning salary + benefits. Around here, the average for this is $85,000. Unfortunately, no normal person is going to be able to afford such a thing. But really, it is taking advantage of you to pay otherwise. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 If they can't afford it, and you still really want to help them for more like the private school tuition, I would come up with an alternate arrangement that didn't have me being there full time. For instance, you come for a couple hours each morning, you do all the planning and grading. Maybe set up workboxes so that the kids can work as independently as possible. I know you said there are circumstances as to why the mother cannot homeschool the children herself. Is she at home during the day? Is she able to provide at least some supervision? If she's not around (working or whatever) and you would need to be with the kids full time, I agree that you need a full time teacher's salary or close to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 ...the number that popped into my head was $50k for the year. :iagree: Same here. At least 50K! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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