Please also read the policies within the Logistics page.
Just Me
Unlike many tutoring companies, this is a one-man operation. If you hire me, you are hiring me, not one of a dozen underpaid part time tutors hired by the company. Those services typically underpay their tutors, skims their earnings, or engages in rent-seeking behaviour while playing matchmaker between student and tutor. Often they compel tutors to adopt behaviours and policies which benefit the platform rather than the tutors and students using them.
There is a disadvantage to the hotswap service model, meaning that the student is not guaranteed the same tutor for each session. Consequently the students benefit less from these interactions.
When you hire me, you get Dr. Murphy, a science tutor with a PhD.
Student Choice
As a general rule, it is important for students to have a sense of comfort with anyone instructing them. Moreover, I believe that it is important for students to feel empowered with real choices that belong to them.
My policiy is that I will not tutor students who are forced or pressured by their parent(s) to work with me. Students have the freedom to terminate the tutoring engagement and to end a session.
However, my aim is to be personable and offering a friendly disposition and engaging attitude for my students. I want them to enjoy learning.
Communication with Students
Students are encouraged to talk and discuss their thougtht process aloud. They are also permitted to criticize the process. If they believe a process is not working for them, they are welcome to express that and ask for a change.
What students say to me I keep private unless I see a serious safety issue. As part of developing a rapport with students, it is important that they can speak freely and openly, expressing opinions without fear of being “reported”.
Communication with Parents
Where a minor student’s parents have hired me, I will communicate with them to keep them apprised of how I believe their child is progressing with the material. Such communcations will generally be brief.
Student Behaviour
If students behave in an uncivil manner or engage in abusive conduct, I may terminate the tutoring session. In that event, no refund will be provided. This has never been necessary thus far.
Homework
I will help you work through problems and examples, but I won’t do your homework for you (that wouldn’t really help you anyway).