Fast on its way to becoming one of the more talked about back to school trends of 2020: the private teacher. But when it comes to finding the teacher that is right for your family — or your circle of families if designing a “learning pod” structure (groups of as many as 10 students) — it’s important to make sure you’ve checked your list, twice.
These should include, but are not limited to:
Depending on whether your private teacher will be managing the completion of school-based assignments, supplementing school-based curriculum, or designing a curriculum specific to the needs of your child(ren), you’ll also want to weigh the degree to which they:
Are you looking for someone who can simply manage the completion of school-based assignments? Or are you looking for more? Someone who can supplement and enrich those assignments, or replace the need for school altogether? Consider the scope of the teacher’s responsibilities when determining their pay rate — and remember that a private teacher is not in-home childcare. If you need to keep your child(ren) occupied beyond a part-time basis, know how you want them spending their time — and consider who is best positioned to manage that time. If it’s educational activities, then you’re probably in need of a full-time, in-home teacher.
You’ll also want to think through the benefits teachers are usually afforded when employed by schools — in this case, who is providing health insurance for the teacher? And if the teacher, you’ll want to work that into their overall pay.
As the employer on record, you’ll want to develop Employee Agreement Forms and Liability Waivers. These are meant to ensure the safety of all involved parties. You should inquire about additional insurance policies you may need to cover the added risk of hosting a teacher or other families’ students at your home. You’ll need to think through the human resources logistics of managing and paying your teacher, whether as an employee or independent contractor. Organizations such as have done a lot of the groundwork to make this process more manageable.
There’s a lot to consider, we know. And as this trend continues to pick up, we will likely uncover more things to think about when hiring a private teacher. But for now, know you are not alone; we are here to help guide you in anyway that we can. And for help with finding a right-fit teacher for you and your family, simply let us know your preferences or download this guide to establish your learning pod.