Clara Prado discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a private English teacher in Brazil.
A private teacher, also known as a tutor, is someone that caters to individual student needs in one-on-one classes, or sometimes in small groups. Being a private teacher differs from its sibling, the school teacher, due to the vastly different class size. But what are some other differences? In this article I will focus on some of the idiosyncrasies of being a private teacher in Brazil.
What do you like about your job?
I talked to three different professionals to find out how they feel about their job as a private tutor. I started by asking the simplest question: What do you like about your job?
- I get to speak English all day. It might sound strange, but most English teachers have that in common, they love to speak English!
- I love to exchange information and knowledge. When you are a private teacher, you become close to your students. You need to really understand what they do so you can work on developing their strengths. You can transform others and yourself in the process.
- I love the freedom. One of the biggest advantages of working by yourself is that you are free to choose your hours, method, students…everything!
What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a private teacher?
When I asked what the biggest advantage of being a private teacher was, the answer was unanimous: the money. The hourly rate of a private teacher could be as much as 10 times more than a school teacher from a public school and 2-3 times as much as a university professor (no, I’m not kidding!). However, there are also disadvantages to being a private teacher. For a start, you have to pay for things like a pension and health insurance yourself. Other disadvantages that my interviewees mentioned were:
- I don’t like that it’s unstable and irregular. There is no contract with the students and they are free to come and go as they please. That may result in an unexpected loss of income.
- I’m not a fan of the commuting and as a private teacher you have to go to where your client is. Therefore, you have to be able to travel from one student to another…and fast! In a large city like Sao Paulo, some teachers have to travel as much as 40km a day.
- I don’t have anyone to talk to. As a private teacher you work alone and serve the interest of your students, you have no colleagues and co-workers.
If private teachers work alone and don’t have an institution behind them, how do they get students to teach. According to my interviewees, there is not much formal advertising involved. Instead, private teachers rely on the word-of-mouth of students, ex-students and friends to publicize their work.
How do private teachers ensure that they are delivering for their students?
As in any other business, to have a good clientele you have to provide a good service. How do private teachers therefore ensure that they are delivering for students?
- I keep it fresh, students want what is new and modern. It’s important to keep classes (and yourself) up to date. I use technology in the classroom and I am always taking a course or two on some new trend. It is important and show your student that you are evolving.
- I listen. Many students complain about the other schools they attended because they didn’t like something: the classes, the other students, the method or even the time of the classes. With a private class, a teacher meets with the prospective client and draws a plan to suit their specific needs.
- The student always comes first. Sometimes, schools may prioritize other things and the students needs might come second. But with a private teacher, the priority is always the student and their specific need. Because the teacher is there just for that person, there is nothing more important.
Overall, being a private English teacher in Brazil sounds like a rewarding experience, but it is not without its hardships. If you are a private teacher too, I would love to hear about the advantages and disadvantages of your job. Please leave us a comment below!
If Clara’s article has encouraged you to read more, why not check out Jack Richards’ article, entitled What does it mean to be a teacher of English?