From classroom to tutor: Tutoring in retirement

September 2020: The final bell had gone – it was time to hang up the lanyard and pass the torch to others. After a busy teaching career of nearly 40 years, I finally said a fond farewell to my school, my colleagues, my students, and, dare I say it, the STRESS!

The marathon was over; I had run the race, fallen many times, got up again, and finally made the finishing line with a sense of achievement. Now I was gladly anticipating a new chapter in my life – no more endless admin, no more team meetings, no more infinite piles of marking, no more email avalanches. My never-ending summer holiday had begun.

My first months of retirement were a euphoric round of holidays, meeting friends for lunch, having time for my hobbies, and that all-important retail therapy. Utopia! However, by December, the first gnawing feelings of boredom had set in. I missed the mental stimulus and buzz of the school environment. The endless summer holiday soon lost its magic; I needed something more.

And then came the light-bulb moment. Why not try tutoring? I did, and the rest is history. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

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What I enjoy most about tutoring in retirement

Tutoring has given me the flexibility to continue doing what I love while enjoying the freedom that retirement brings. I can create my own timetable and do as much or as little teaching as I want while remaining in my own home.

Moreover, it has given me back the intellectual challenge I missed so much, along with that adrenaline boost when students make progress.

One of the great advantages of tutoring is that I meet wonderful students from all over the world who are really motivated to learn. There are no classroom management issues to detract from teaching, and I can tailor my lessons to perfectly meet the individual learning needs of each student.

It is a privilege to be able to continue sharing the knowledge and skills I have gained over the years in a stress-free environment. Retirement, for me, was not the end of my teaching career; it was the beginning of a new teaching adventure.

A typical week as a tutor

One of the benefits of tutoring is that I’m free to organise my own schedule. I usually tutor for around 20–25 hours each week, although this increases from Easter onwards as students prepare for their exams. I work from Monday to Thursday, leaving weekends free for my own activities, and I fit my holidays around the school calendar, usually taking time off during July and August.

Initially, I only tutored in the evenings. However, I now have several international students from Singapore, Bangkok, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai. Due to the time difference, I can also tutor in the mornings, giving me a more even spread of lessons across the day.

Getting started

When I first started tutoring, there were a few practical decisions to make about how I wanted to work.

Choosing between online and in-person tutoring

I decided to tutor online because it gave me access to a much wider audience, allowing me to meet students from all over the world. Furthermore, the majority of students are very familiar with online learning and mostly prefer its accessibility and efficiency.

Fortunately, my experience of teaching online during the Covid pandemic also meant that the transition to online tutoring felt much less stressful.

Deciding whether to join a platform

I chose to tutor with PMT Education because I found the platform easy to use. When I was getting started, I received plenty of guidance and support from the team, who were always just an email away. Admittedly, I was nervous during my first few lessons, but that soon passed. I was constantly reassured by the fact that the PMT team responded to my queries professionally and almost immediately.

My experience with PMT has been very positive, and I know yours will be too. You are never alone.

Choosing which levels to teach

The majority of my tutoring is at GCSE level. I do have a few A Level students, but this can be demanding and time-consuming, particularly for English Literature, as there are so many different texts to cover.

Setting rates

At PMT Education, tutors set their own rates. I wasn’t sure how much to charge initially, but the PMT team advised me on an appropriate hourly rate based on my teaching experience. Each year in September, I increase my hourly rate by around 10% to reflect my growing experience and the positive reviews I’ve received from parents.

Setting up a teaching space

All you need to get started is a desk, a computer, and a reliable internet connection. As I don’t have a separate study or office at home, I use a folding desk in a bedroom. Very often, I teach from my kitchen table. Really, the cost of getting started is minimal.

Things I’ve learnt along the way

There are a few things I would recommend thinking about when making the transition into tutoring.

Setting boundaries

I would advise setting strict limits on the time you are willing to devote to tutoring each week. I sometimes find it very difficult to say “no” to students, especially in the run-up to exams.

At these peak times, make sure you allow yourself a 15–30 minute break between lessons to recharge the batteries and get a much-deserved cuppa. Also, ensure you update your calendar to allow for these breaks.

Working independently

Sometimes I do miss working with colleagues in a school environment, but the benefits of tutoring far outweigh this. I am my own boss, can work independently, and set my own deadlines.

As your experience develops, you will find that you naturally set targets for each day. Planning and preparation are essential to providing a high-quality learning experience that is tailored to the individual needs of each student.

Keeping exam specification knowledge up to date

It is crucial to read the exam specifications for each exam board, as there are always changes. These are easily accessible online.

Over the years, I have had an increasing demand for Cambridge IGCSE English Language and Literature. The assessment objectives are completely different, and I found I needed to study the specifications carefully in order to teach the qualification effectively. Not many tutors offer this qualification, and parents are often very relieved to find someone who can deliver it.

There is also an increasing variety of literature texts covered by all exam boards, so keeping up to date means reading new novels, poetry, and plays. I really enjoy this, and it does widen your skill base.

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If you’re a retired teacher who still enjoys helping young people learn but doesn’t miss the workload and pressures of school life, I’d certainly encourage you to consider tutoring.

For me, it has provided exactly the balance I was looking for. I still have plenty of time to meet friends and enjoy my hobbies, while continuing to do work that I genuinely enjoy. The extra income is an added bonus too – it certainly helps to fund my holidays and, of course, a little more retail therapy!

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