Quite a busy time is approaching for me with work and exams. I’m not sure yet when i will be available and when i won’t be – not sure what to tell my clients? Don’t want to let anybody down but not sure what i can commit to.
This situation really forces us to consider what exactly are our responsibilities as a tutor? The resolution of such situations is particularly crucial with senior students who may be doing their final exams.
It is a challenging period coming up. Many of our students are approaching exams and at the same time many tutors are approaching exams also, others are approaching the end of financial year at work. June seems to be a busy period for everybody. We usually receive a lot of complaints from clients during this period but with some foresight and consideration it is possible to keep everybody happy:
- Clients will understand if you have to cancel or reschedule a lesson due to an important commitment such as an exam. They will not understand if you cancel your tutorials last minute. They will not understand if you cancel tutorials just days before their child’s exam. They will not understand if you let down their child at their time of need.
- Find out when your students’ exams are as far in advance as possible so that you are aware of when you are needed most.
- Find out when you exams are far in advance and start planning for them. You have 24 hours each day, the same amount as Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Steve Jobs and every other success in history. With adequate planning and time management a few hours of tutoring during the week will not have any impact on your ability to prepare for exams.
- Speak to the parents about the situation.
- Discuss the busy period approaching, explain that you are not sure exactly how your busy period will unfold.
- Explain that while you are taking every precaution to minimize the possibility of interrupting the tutoring regimen it may still be necessary to do so and you will give as much notice as possible if you need to interrupt your arrangement with them.
- Tell them the days/period when you will be most unavailable/busy.
- Suggest that any flexibility from them regarding what days they can do tutoring will help you help them since you could then reschedule some tutorials that otherwise may be cancelled (for example, if you have an exam during that time)
- Also discuss the situation with the student so that they feel considered and “in the loop”