PRIVATE TUTORING
You will find everything you need to know about teaching private lessons at Practical Mandarin in this page.
Procedure
Trial lesson assigned with students background information
Learning Team will share with you the relevant level trial lesson material, the trial lesson is divided into three parts – assessment / sample lesson / learning plan design.
Mutual introduction and let them know you as a person.
Student level assessment, showcase how you will teach, listen to student’s learning goal, design a learning plan.
After trial report to head office.
Best result is student booking a package!
If a student already books a package without a trial lesson, you should treat the first lesson like a trial to learn about your student.
Lesson Venues
Monument Centre
Trial lesson normally will happen at Monument, to provide a neutral environment so PM can vest for the student.
For further lessons, if students are happy to travel to Monument, you can use the lounge area where the booths and high chairs are (but not co-working area at the back, preferably not the kitchen area).
Student’s Premises
Some lessons will be held at student’s premises, i.e. their home or office. We normally don’t accept students outside of Zone 2, unless it’s very close to the teacher’s residence.
Online Lesson
Teachers can conduct these lessons anywhere, PM virtual background need to be visible in the background for Zoom lessons.
Click HERE to download the virtual background for Zoom
How to conduct a Trial Lesson
Be well-prepared.
Be observant and patient.
- Be in control, show them what you have in mind.
Be helpful, you are willing to help them achieve their goals.
- Be passionate, share energy to learn.
Be personable and friendly, student will be spending time with you, learning with you should be something the student look forward to.
After trial lesson
The good news after a trial lesson is that student is happy with the way the lesson goes, and he wants to book a package.
First thing – report back to headoffice.
Your feedback will also help headoffice to target the student’s needs. If it all goes well, student will book one of our packages, PM will send them a certificate email with a code, this code contains their lesson credits. Teachers will be copied in this email, so you know you’ve won the student and can expect new bookings.
Second thing – arrange your calendar availability to for the student.
One important thing to remember is to allow enough time on your availability for your students. It’s unfair if a student books the package but then finds out that his primary lesson time is not available on the teacher’s calendar all the time. And even if the student wants to be flexible to book alternative time, there is not much choice. You should also consider when you take on more private students, your availability should increase to cope with booking.
Example to follow for reporting back.
Scheduling in Lessons
If students don’t take their lessons, you won’t get paid. Therefore, it’s important to urge students to take their lessons as regularly as possible. On the other hand, it’s also useful to remind them of their lesson expiration date.
Besides Acuity sending students a reminder 3 days after your lesson if they haven’t got any more lessons pre-booked, teacher can also take the initiatives to discuss a regular time slot, and pre-book more lessons for them.
Please click HERE for more training on how to use Acuity.
Learning Customisation
For private student, there is always an expectation to customize their learning plan, especially with higher level students.
For students with interest in certain areas, you might have to find online content as case study material, you can also ask the student to bring material from their work (for confidential documents, remember to keep the principle of a MDA agreement).
Additionally, your lesson progress should cater to student’s learning progress and their overall goals and time frame. Tailor your teaching style accordingly to the students’ needs.
Watch the video for some higher level material suggestions.
Booking Next Package
Before you are about to finish their lessons, it’s perhaps a good time to check if they are interested in booking the next package. The biggest tip to achieve this, is to motivate students along their study journey.
Learning is an effort, only with someone nice and helpful, can learning become enjoyable and sustainable. Of course, the students and us would hope that that someone is YOU. And you will get bonus for the next package booked. 👍