Something to consider when becoming a tutor

Tutoring, Sunshine & Saying No to BBQs

April 27, 2026•2 min read

Something you may not consider when you start tutoring is the weather!

Something to consider when you become a tutor

This past weekend the weather has been incredible (by the usual standards of the UK in April). The sun was shining and many of the neighbours were having BBQs.

How is this relevant to tutoring?

Tutoring will generally take place during the hours when the children are not in school; evenings and weekends which can be great because it removes the need for childcare if your partner/the other parent is home, but it also means that week after week you miss out.

I admit that there are significantly more children being home schooled now and looking for support in the school day, but it may not be enough to provide a suitable income.

There are multiple adverts on social media claiming that you can tutor from anywhere in the world working the hours to suit you, but that is not what my journey has revealed.

Tutoring, like any business you start will be dependent on an element of love because it will become a big part of your life.

Don’t get me wrong, to a degree to can be flexible, for example if it is your child’s parent’s evening next week and it co-insides with a lesson you might be able to ask to start 30 minutes earlier or later, or switch to a different day so that you don’t miss it.

But… if you are due to start a lesson in half an hour and someone suggests that you put the BBQ on and enjoy the sunshine more often than not you will likely find yourself declining.

And that’s the reality.

But it’s also worth remembering what you gain in return.

You’re building something of your own.
You’re supporting children in a meaningful way.
You’re creating a business that can grow and evolve over time.

You’ll meet incredible people.

Experience pride in what you have achieved.

Experience gratitude and appreciation for what you do that you know is honest and genuine.

Because you will see how you are changing lives.

And for many people, that trade-off becomes more than worthwhile.

If you’re reading this and still thinking tutoring might be something you’d like to explore, but you’re not quite sure what it really looks like day-to-day…

that’s exactly what I’m starting to share more of at the moment.

I’m currently building out the Clara James franchise, which is designed to support people who want to start tutoring in a way that’s realistic, sustainable, and actually works.

If you’re curious, feel free to get in touch, I’m always happy to have a chat.

(or discover other ways we can help: Become a tutor)

Dawn Strachan

For the past 20+ years I have been a firm believer that learning should be an enjoyable experience. I appreciate that traditionally education has revolved around worksheets, textbooks, listening to teachers. But a grounding in early years and working with children who had a variety of learning styles from I learned that it is an individual activity that is personal to all of us. We don’t all learn in the same way. Our influences, our experiences, our capabilities all influence how we retain information. But through it all, I believe that if we can make it enjoyable and engaging, they will want to participate. With participation comes practice which in turn boosts skill and confidence. With an increase in skill and confidence comes a willingness to have a go. This in turn leads to more practice which leads to a positive spiral of success. The moral, we need to make learning fun, engaging, use a range of techniques.

Back to Blog