Requirements for becoming a maths tutor
LikeThe basic ingredients needed to become a maths tutor are a passion for numbers and a desire to work in a sector where you can help others achieve their academic goals.
Private lessons as a maths tutor
As you can imagine, in becoming a maths tutor, as well as a vocation, you will need to train, specialise and meet a number of requirements. Below you will find out what you need to study and what steps you need to take to start teaching as a maths tutor as soon as possible.
What do I have to study to become a maths tutor or teacher?
The first thing you should know is that it is not compulsory to have an official qualification to become a tutor for maths. If you are good at maths, you can start by giving private tuition in maths to primary and secondary school students who are struggling to pass their exams, or to anyone who would like to use your services to improve their knowledge.
If you´re looking to achieve stability and a good salary as a maths teacher, then it is advisable that you train to obtain the necessary qualifications to work in public or private education.
- Maths teachers in private education: Once you have the qualifications to become a maths teacher, you can start sending your CV to schools and tuition centres to apply for a job in their teaching teams.
- Public maths teacher: To work as a maths teacher in a state-run educational institution, you need to take the civil service examinations. It is not essential that you get a position right away. If you pass the theoretical and practical parts, you will be able to access a job bank to act as a substitute teacher while you continue preparing for the following exams.
What are the requirements to become a maths teacher?
These are the essential requirements to work as a maths teacher at different levels of the education system:
- Maths teacher for early education. To be a maths teacher for the youngest children at school, you must have a university degree in Early Childhood Education or vocational training in Early Childhood Education. You could also study for a teaching degree and specialise in the area of Early Childhood Education.
- Primary school maths teacher. In order to work as a primary maths tutor, you must have a degree in teaching and specialise in Primary Education.
- Secondary school maths teacher. The requirements to work as a maths tutor in Secondary Education are somewhat more demanding. You need to reach Qualified Teacher Status. The most common way to do this is by obtaining an initial degree relating to mathematics, as well as a top-up degree for teaching known as the PGCE.
- University maths teacher. In addition to all the above requirements, maths teachers who wish to teach at university must have completed their PhD in this speciality.
Becoming a private maths tutor
Whether you have studied to become a qualified maths teacher or you are a self-taught expert and believe you can help others with your knowledge, you have the opportunity to become a private maths tutor and become self-employed.
More and more people are asking for private tuition in maths, both face-to-face and through online lessons, so you have many opportunities to build up a portfolio of clients that will allow you to make a living from private tuition or earn extra income doing what you love.
The advantages of being a private maths tutor
-
Autonomy: You have absolute freedom to decide how you want to exercise your profession (work calendar, timetables, face-to-face or online tuition, level of students to whom you give your private tutoring, etc.).
- Thousands of potential clients: If you decide to give private online tuition in maths, your portfolio of potential clients will be unlimited. You will be able to make a name for yourself in the sector through your students' ratings and reviews on the internet and you will never be short of work.
- Enhance your CV and professional experience: Through private tuition in maths you will gain teaching experience by teaching students with different needs and goals. This will allow you to improve your CV in case you want to apply for another job.