How to Become a Certified Tutor

Tutoring can be a gratifying and profitable career for those with knowledge to share. Flexible hours, casual attire and one-on-one interaction with others are just some of the perks of the tutoring trade. While schoolteachers must have a broad array of knowledge and training, even those with limited or narrow expertise can make a career out of sharing what they know best. Read on to learn how to become a certified tutor.

Things You'll Need

• A high school diploma
• Money for classes and certification
• Access to a printer

Instructions

1. Contact your local community college to ask if they offer courses for the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) certification. The internationally recognized course is offered at more than 600 institutes of higher learning worldwide, so your chances are good at finding it somewhere near you.

2. If money is an issue, ask the school's financial aid department for a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Or ask your private lender for an education loan.

3. Enroll in and attend the course. Certification is divided into three levels, each requiring 10 hours of training and 25 hours of experience.

4. Do a little research to find out what subjects are most in demand, tutoring-wise. Then focus your attentions on brushing up your knowledge in those areas. Or just stick with what you know best, and trust that someone out there will want to know it, too.

5. Call local schools, and post fliers in your neighborhood and on bulletin boards at college campuses offering your services. Be sure to emphasize your particular area of expertise. If foreign languages are your forte, you don't want to be bothered with calls about math tutoring. Put a continuous ad in the local free paper, and wait for the phone to ring--It will.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to renew your CRLA certification after the first year and then again after three years and five years, consecutively.

Resources

• Information about CRLA certification