I worked 39 years as a English teacher and never sought to increase my by giving private lessons. I was more than happy with my salary, and I treasured my free time. Only once – when I was teaching in England circa 1981 – did I tutor someone privately. He was a weak English student, so weak he was studying CSE English (now obsolete), not English ‘O level. As I recall, I took him on out of sympathy. I did my best, but he failed miserably despite my brilliant coaching.
I retired from teaching in 2017, at the age of 65, after 39 years on the chalk face. I was tired. The plan now was to earn money as a supply teacher and as a private tutor.
Our apartment in District 2, HCMC, is not far from several international schools which occasionally call me in to sub for absent teachers. This is lucrative but boring. My job is to ensure that the absentee teachers lesson plan is carried out. When the subject is English or Spanish, Im in my element, but when Im covering for a Physics or Maths teacher, I have no idea what is
going on. So I sit there staring at screen, reading the news or playing chess. When the phone rings early in the morning, and a school asks me to sub for the day, I never refuse because it is easy money.
I much prefer being a private English tutor. This is nearly always in somebodys apartment or house after school hours or at the weekend. My clientele is mainly Vietnamese or Korean – students of various ages from international schools. I coach them for specific English exams – IBDP, IGCSE, TOEFL and SAT – or, in the case of younger students, just try to improve their English skills.
I usually charge I million VND per hour and like to teach sessions lasting 90 minutes. Right now Im teaching 13.5 hours per week, which earns me 12 million VND (after deducting the money I pay my xe om driver). Thats 48 million VND per month – around USD 2,000. I insist on being paid, cash in hand, at the end of each lesson.
As I say, I prefer English teaching to subbing at schools. I am doing something I enjoy and am good at
(as opposed to supervising a maths lesson). I am forging a relationship with a single person (as opposed to supervising a class that I may never see again). I am teaching for a short time (as opposed to spending an entire day at school). I am collecting my money at the end of the lesson (as opposed to being paid at the end of the school month). I can wear shorts and casual shirt (as opposed to long trousers and formal shirt). I might also add that Im teaching pure English and avoiding some of the stupid things that characterize modern education – attending pointless meetings, submitting lesson plans, bowing down before the sacred pillars of MYP.
After each lesson, I make a point of sending an email to the parents, explaining what we did during the lesson and how the student is performing. Usually I cc the student as well. I doubt if many private tutors do this, but I think it is useful and a courtesy to parents. It is also a way of promoting myself. I am a skilful and there are times when my email paints a slightly rosier picture than what actually occurred
Ive been teaching English privately for nigh on 3 years. During that time Ive taught a wide range of students – from Grade 5 (an Indian girl aged 10) to Grade 12, of various nationalities (Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Indian and English) and of varying abilities (from to brilliant, from linguistically challenged to highly proficient). Most students are with me for a short time - until they graduate or move back to Korea or feel like a change. My assignment - still going strong after two and a half years – has been teaching a Korean boy whom I will diplomatically refer to as Mr X.
Mr X was a student at ISHCMC when I last taught there – between 2016 and 2017. He has now graduated - with just a High School certificate, not the IB Diploma, because he has learning difficulties. If his English is weak, his maths is atrocious.
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