The Gap-filler

From: http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201009261545-187864.html

不当教师教补习　她月入一万五

不当教师，改当“补习女王”，工作时间是以前的一半，月赚却超过一倍达1万5000元，每年可赚近20万元。

原本是小学教师，现年36岁的蔡珍妮为了有更多时间照顾3到9岁的3名儿子，去年放弃工作。

没想到这个决定，不但让她的时间更自由，还让她成为“补习女王”。

《星期天时报》报道，蔡珍妮去年1月开始为小学生补数学时，只有5名学生，月入不过1000元，但现在学生人数增加十倍，月入1万5000元。

她的工作时间是过去40小时的一半，收入则已比以前超出一倍。

蔡珍妮说：“当初我准备放弃诸如花红、医药福利和年假等，为的就是更伸缩性的工作时间。”

她当教师时，表现优越，还得过教育部多个奖项。

她说，要成为一名好的补习教师，需花精力去了解学生的弱点，也要耐心讲解和直到学生明白为止。

蔡珍妮也注册了自己的教育中心，并雇用5名补习教师。

她认为补习市场的空间无限，希望有朝一日能让公司上市。

金牌补习 年赚100万

狮城金牌补习教师，每年可赚近100万元！

本地家长前年为孩子支付8亿2000万元补习费，比10年前加倍，不少有名气的补习教师，收入增加至少30％，年赚近100万元。

一名43岁的前国防部研究工程师向《星期天时报》透露，他现在为200名学生补习物理，中学生补习费从320元起，初院学生340元起，今年的收入可达60到70万元。

这名潘姓补习教师拥有国大电子工程一等荣誉学位，1997年决定以补习为业时，只有8名学生，首年收入1万元，大家都认为他这样做是一种浪费。

一名经济学补习教师估计有至少420名学生，他每次为70名学生补习，每周六次，月入据说有5万5000元，年收入有66万元。

不过，补习业者指出，不是每名补习教师都能“名成利就”赚大钱，如果学生成绩没进步，可能很快失去学生，也没有受雇人士的各种福利。

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This is precisely why tutoring is so attractive. No superior to nag at you, no responsibility to babysit, no need to take charge of other administrative work, high hourly rate, flexible working hours. How much more can you ask for?

We all know the kinks of being a school teacher. Those who are fed up with handling rowdy children, taking up extra administrative duties and facing constant pressure from the top, but yet still having the passion to teach and impart knowledge to the young, would be likely to consider being a full-time private tutor instead.

Pay-wise, how long does a school teacher take to attain a monthly salary of $15,000? Probably never. Promotion is often based on seniority or qualification. Furthermore there are also many other problems to tackle with, such as office politics and complaints from uptight parents. No matter how well one teaches, his/her efforts may not be duly recognised. This is unlike private tutors who will get more assignments if good words spread among the students. Of course one must have the calibre to gain a good reputation.

However a disadvantage of being a tutor is the uncertainty in securing sufficient students. You may be easily 'sacked' by the parents if you fail to produce any results. Generally the job is not stable, and this can get rather worrisome if you wish to sustain on a fixed income.

So my point is, if you have a true passion for teaching, and don't wish to get involved in looking after students or dealing with colleagues and superiors, you may want to go for full-time private tutoring instead.