Considering tutoring reading this summer...advice on logistics, please!

[Peplophoros]

Never tutored before, and while I don't have an education degree (not sure if this will hurt me or not), I do have several advanced degrees and have taught 3 of my own how to read.  I was thinking of offering reading help/tutoring for grades K-2 using the OPGTR, a white board, and some Montessori manipulatives, and of course phonics readers.  I'm pretty confident about my method, but not so sure about logistics.

 

How long do you think I should make each session?  I was thinking 20 min considering the age?  Is that not long enough?  How many times a week?  Should I just let parents decide?  Finally, how much would you charge for a 20 min/30 min session?  Where would you advertise?  Any other considerations I'm not thinking of? 

 

One thing I'm a little worried about is not being able to diagnose certain problems like dislexia, etc.   I've only taught kids with standard development.  Should my lack of experience with these kinds of issues be a deterrent to my offering reading help?   Or am I overthinking this?  

Edited April 24, 2016 by Peplophoros

[EKS]

I would expect that your clientele would tend toward kids who are having trouble with reading and would therefore include a lot of kids with dyslexia.  My experience with my own dyslexic kid is that it takes practice every single day to get better.  I recommend that you meet with the kids for 30 minutes five days per week.  The only way I would meet with them less often is if the parent is willing to work with them on the off days.  Which they probably won't be willing to do because that's why they're farming out the reading instruction in the first place.

 

In my area, I'd charge $15-20 per 30 minute session.

[Pink and Green Mom]

Re: how much to charge.  A friend pays me $40/hour to tutor her child in math.  I am an attorney without any educational/teaching/math degrees.

[AimeeM]

I agree that most of your clientele is likely to be children who struggle with reading, so you need to be comfortable with that. I wouldn't hire somebody to simply teach my child to read; I would, however, hire someone to intervene if he struggled. 

You also need to be comfortable assessing where each child is. Johnny may know his alphabet and all their sounds; Susan may need to start at the very beginning with letter recognition. 

 

[displace]

Most tutors for reading here are for "struggling" readers. Most of the students probably have dyslexia but were not diagnosed by schools. OG tutors for dyslexia are easily $50/hr.

[FairProspects]

I agree with the above posters. Also OPGTR and regular phonics readers not likely to work for dyslexics. They typically need multi-sensory instruction, often with a program designed for dyslexics. I'm wondering if you would really have a market for regular reading tutoring other than struggling readers. Yes, I think you should expect to tutor dyslexics with some experience and specialty materials. Maybe you could get some additional training before opening up shop?

[Mama2boys1girl]

I agree with everything said so far.

I am a certified elementary teacher. I quit teaching several years ago to stay home with my kids and have been private tutoring struggling readers for 5 years. Generally, the kids need something other than what they have been getting from school. Lots of hands-on work for the younger children and a systematic phonics approach for all. I pull from several resources for all my clients, including 100EZ, Phonics Pathways, TRL, ETC, and Pathway Readers.

I've always done 1 hour sessions, two or three times a week. It is long at first for the youngers, but they build up stamina.

I have gotten most of my clients by posting an ad in the lessons section on Craigslist. Repost the ad every day.

I charge $40/hour unless they live super close to me. I would charge less if I wasn't experienced and certified.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Mama2boys1girl