If you specialise in Python programming and have skills in related fields, such as data science or web development, you possess very valuable knowledge.
Nowadays, the ability to program the computer and use the machine for your own purposes can become a huge professional asset that will help you easily find a job or even start your business.
A great way for you to share that knowledge with others and give them new opportunities is to become a private Python tutor.
Your computer programming lessons will give you a sense of purpose, you will have the opportunity to meet new people and, on top of that, it can be a good source of supplementary income.
Private tutors generally have a lot of flexibility with their Python lessons, so you can offer them in your free time face-to-face or online and easily combine them with other responsibilities, both personal and professional.
However, a question that is asked by many Python programmers willing to become tutors is whether you don't need a special diploma to do that. Tutoring is a different job from programming itself, so it requires some particular skills that not everyone has.
In this article, we will discuss the qualifications needed to give Python lessons in more detail, so you can see if it's a possible option for you.
Python programming skills
If you are about to start working as a Python tutor, obviously, the most important element will be your programming skills and your knowledge of the computer.
To be able to teach a particular subject, whether it's coding or maths, we need to have a clear understanding of its key concepts, which is only possible if you have studied it deeply yourself.
So, in our opinion, the most essential qualification that Python tutors should have is their programming experience.
If you have a diploma in computer science, it can also help you convince potential students of your competence in the field of programming languages, and the Python language in particular.
At the same time, if you don't have a programming diploma but took part in numerous coding projects or built your own software and apps, it can also be a good proof of your expertise in Python.
Offering specific Python classes
When we talk about Python lessons, this doesn't only include the basics of Python programming but also the application of Python to different areas, such as data science, machine learning or web development.
In fact, people who already have some programming skills are likely to look for tutors with the knowledge of particular coding libraries who can help them specialise in the field they are interested in.
So, when you post adverts for your courses, it can be a good idea to specify the types of projects you've worked on and the Python libraries you have a good command of.
That way, you will be able to convince beginning students of your skills and also attract more advanced ones who are looking for some particular kind of training and programming tools.
Teaching diplomas
Although your Python skills proper are the most important ones to help students learn to code, you will also need good teaching skills for your lessons to be truly effective.
Of course, pedagogy is a whole independent science that studies the best approaches tutors can use with different kinds of students. Learning pedagogy in detail may require additional university studies and can take quite a lot of time.
Luckily, you only need to have a teaching diploma if you want to work in schools and other educational institutions working with children.
On the contrary, if you are planning to become a private tutor, you can offer programming lessons to both adults and kids without any teaching qualification at all.
Still, you shouldn't completely neglect pedagogy either as it can come in quite useful to you. There are different ways to learn about efficient tutoring methods in little time.
Build on existing books and courses
Python has been a popular programming language among learners for quite a while now, so there is a good choice of textbooks and online courses on the subject that you can use to prepare for your lessons.
As a beginning tutor, you can borrow a few Python books at the library and see what concepts they introduce first and what kinds of exercises can be used for learning purposes.
There are also good books dedicated to the use of Python for data science, machine learning or natural language processing, which can be a helpful source if you are looking for some particular data on those areas of application.
You will gradually hone your tutoring methods and learn how to adapt them to each student's learning style and needs for more productive tutoring.
Teach a friend to enhance your tutoring methods
It is true that programming is a very different area for tutoring, so programmers don't necessarily have all the skills that tutors usually possess. As you will probably not have time to complete a training programme on tutoring, the best solution for you is to learn through practice.
If you are afraid of not being on your game in your first paid programming lesson, you can try your hand by offering free Python lessons to a friend or a relative. As lots of people are interested in learning Python, you will certainly find someone willing to become your first student.
You can teach them for a few weeks to see what difficulties beginning students are likely to face and to try out different teaching approaches you have found on them.
What's more, as it will be someone you know well, they will be honest with you about the quality of your tutoring approach and will suggest ways to improve it.
Don't get demotivated by your friend's criticism but rather take it as an opportunity to improve your programming lessons and become ready to offer paid services.
Thanks to your friend's help, you will become a better tutor in less time than when tutoring unknown people who will keep their comments to themselves.
Do you need particular qualifications to offer online tutoring lessons?
Online tutoring has lately become a particularly popular learning solution as it gives you a better choice of tutors as well as more flexibility in organising your learning.
For the tutor, online coding classes can be a great opportunity to find more students and give more classes in less time as they don't need to commute between different locations. So does anyone can offer online tutoring services?
As long as you have general Python programming skills or expertise in a particular area, like data collection or maths, you can give online classes in the same way as face-to-face tutoring.
As most programming is done on the computer, you can easily see what your student is doing and show them new methods simply by sharing your screens.
You will provide them with explanations in real-time through your microphone and can send them exercises by email.
Tutors and students quickly get used to not being face-to-face with each other and start enjoying tutoring and learning the Python language remotely.
Searching for students on Superprof
A big difficulty that a beginning tutor may face is how to find their first students and get to real work. There are lots of options for that. You can search for Python learners by word of mouth, post ads online or in educational institutions or contact a newspaper.
All these methods are fine but they may require time and effort before paying off. What can help you spread information about your classes much easier is the online educational platform Superprof.
Superprof has plenty of advantages. First of all, it is very user-friendly. You can create an account in a matter of minutes and publish your first listing right afterwards.
Second, Superprof is completely free for tutors and you can post as many listings as you want. For example, creating several of them for general Python, data science, advanced Python and so on, can boost your chances to find more clients.
Finally, you can use Superprof to communicate with each student, schedule classes with them and even get paid.
Superprof makes giving classes much easier for tutors, so they have the opportunity to really focus on tutoring and help as many learners as they can in the best possible way.
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Thank you so much for this,it really helped a lot