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I'm trying to start my own small business. I've been saying that for a few years now, but I was wondering why don't I have customers. I advertise quite a bit on Craigslist, and I even registered on Fiverr and Care.com. I haven't done a lot of in-person advertising, though, and I haven't gotten any references from the customers I did manage to get.
I'm a licensed teacher who has been advertising tutoring services, but many people either don't want to pay my asking price or they don't think it's a good service. I'll admit that I feel disorganized and wish I could find a tutoring kit somewhere to keep me on track. I know a lot but imparting that knowledge is a different story altogether. I need help. I've noticed that some people don't have this problem. People automatically see them as professionals it seems. Honestly, sometimes I feel like going back school to learn a trade...
How is that even possible?
As a teacher, you need to impart knowledge. Tutoring is not very different....
Unfortunately, I found out after I started working in the schools that a lot of a teacher's effectiveness depends on her personality and proper use of nonverbal cues. I have ASD. I didn't know it until shortly before I graduated with a master's in Education.
Parents may seek recommendations for tutors from their child's school or from other parents. I suggest that you reach out to schools in your area, and ask them how to get on their tutor list. Sometimes it's a simple screening process such as reviewing your resume and credentials, and a short interview.
I don't think it's a good idea to keep trying to start a business (or build a career) for something that you aren't good at.
Best of luck.
Let me try to clear up any confusion; I'm not bad at teaching, although I might be a bad teacher. It boils down to I don't know how to do classroom management. I've got every other aspect of the job, except for maybe professional image. I normally do okay working with regular kids one-on-one, but even small groups could prove to be challenging. I'm not a good babysitter, basically. I loathe the mischief kids can get into when left alone and try to police it (for example, today I had someone run the keystroke logs to find a mean letter a student wrote about me and later erased so that hopefully the kid won't get off easily. I printed copies of it to show my supervisor). That's probably why acting as teacher stresses me out so much.
I haven't done poorly teaching adults in small groups, though, or working with kids one-on-one, where their friends and peers can't get in the way and influence them. It's the insecurities of kids combined with the group dynamic that gives me grief. Remove that, and I thrive.
The time I needed to get a child a tutor I asked the school for a recommendation. I don't think it would ever occur to me to look at Craigslist for a tutor.
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