By: Zoe W.

Are you a dedicated tutor or teacher craving a little more flexibility in your job? If so, working online is a great way to stay focused on your passion while having the freedom to set your own schedule, and the good news is, it’s not hard to start. 

Here are a few steps you can follow to guide you in the right direction to begin this journey.

First, earn any necessary certifications

When starting out as a teacher or tutor, it is best to begin by ensuring that you are appropriately qualified. Whether you have a full teaching degree, a teaching licensure, or another type of certificate can depend on what you want to do. I knew that I wanted to pursue English teaching, so after earning an M.A. in English Literature, I became TEFL certified as well.

Make sure that you have the correct equipment

Number one on your list of equipment should be a strong and consistent Wi-Fi connection! When I first started teaching English online, I was living in a country with frequent power cuts. This often made it very difficult to be consistent in providing a clear and strong connection to my students, which was frustrating for us both. Luckily, there is an easy way around this type of issue. If you are in a similar situation, consider buying a power block so that, even if the power goes out, you will still have access to steady power to connect your Wi-Fi and laptop. Another option is to get a wireless private connection port, which should channel 4G or 5G with no issues.

Once you have a clear connection, there are a few other items you can purchase to help take your teaching to the next level. A strong webcam can enhance the look of your virtual classroom, and a good set of headphones with a speaker will ensure that your voice is loud and clear for your students! If you are teaching younger learners, props such as whiteboards, colored markers, and even a stuffed animal teaching buddy can be helpful to guide focus. A solid teaching platform is also key; GOAT’s simple, user-friendly platform makes it easy to connect with students online.

As a final tip, I noticed during my first year of teaching that my eyes often felt fatigued and strained from staring at my screen for long periods of time. A pair of blue light glasses solved this problem in no time!

Choose your subject

Are you a history expert? Do you have a wealth of scientific knowledge to share? Is literature your preferred subject? When teaching online, a good way to narrow your focus and target a specific market of students is to ensure that you have a niche. This will help you to find the students you can help most effectively, which in turn will allow you to focus your marketing efforts. 

GOAT tutoring offers a wealth of topics and subjects to enhance your chances of finding the right students for you. Further, you can use GOAT’s provided resources to get a start on your own marketing and increase your number of students!

Find your students

Once you are ready to begin, you can start taking on new students. Set your schedule and open your profile to accept new students! GOAT provides a stress-free way to do this, offering easily accessible on-demand scheduling. Students can choose between GOAT’s one-on-one tutoring option or one of the group options, featuring lessons for up to five students at once. Whichever method is best for you, you can set up your platform and start teaching!

Congratulations: you have now completed the steps to become a successful online tutor. Happy teaching!