Parents, please don’t ask me to stay after school and tutor your child.

[Anonymous]

I always do it when asked because I would feel bitchy saying no, but I have to admit. I really resent it. That is my personal time, that I don’t get paid for and takes time away from my family. Plus I have hours and hours of work to do after school just to do the basics of my job. No one would dream of asking their attorney or accountant to stay after work and work with them for free. It’s really unfair for you to put teachers in that awkward place of either having to work for free and feel resentful, or feel bad for saying no.

[Anonymous]

You just have to say no. Stop doing it when asked. --another teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always do it when asked because I would feel bitchy saying no, but I have to admit. I really resent it. That is my personal time, that I don’t get paid for and takes time away from my family. Plus I have hours and hours of work to do after school just to do the basics of my job. No one would dream of asking their attorney or accountant to stay after work and work with them for free. It’s really unfair for you to put teachers in that awkward place of either having to work for free and feel resentful, or feel bad for saying no.

You should not feel at all guilty about saying no. "Sorry, I don't do tutoring in my personal time, but here's a list of tutors in your area that I've heard other students using. You'd have to ask them for their current rates."

[Anonymous]

Why don't you just smile and say "Sure, I charge $30 an hour for private tutoring and am available Tuesday or Thursday."

Or just say "Sorry, I'm currently not accepting any new tutoring clients." And then refer them to someone good who wants the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you just smile and say "Sure, I charge $30 an hour for private tutoring and am available Tuesday or Thursday."

Or just say "Sorry, I'm currently not accepting any new tutoring clients." And then refer them to someone good who wants the money.

Because that is illegal and the student should learn during the school day, why are so many of her students needing tutoring after school?

[Anonymous]

No one I know, and I know so many parents, ask the teacher to stay after school to help their child.

Say no, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You just have to say no. Stop doing it when asked.

--another teacher

Agreed

-- a parent

[Anonymous]

Maybe they aren’t paying attention during class. I get parents asking me to work after school with their kids before tests, because the student hasn’t done the homework, hasn’t used his class time well, goofs off with friends or plays computer games while I am teaching, and then I am asked to re-teach the whole chapter to the kid on my own time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you just smile and say "Sure, I charge $30 an hour for private tutoring and am available Tuesday or Thursday."

Or just say "Sorry, I'm currently not accepting any new tutoring clients." And then refer them to someone good who wants the money.

Because that is illegal and the student should learn during the school day, why are so many of her students needing tutoring after school?

What's wrong with tutoring?

[Anonymous]

Do you mean tutoring or after- school help?

When my dc were in school their teachers could not tutor them, I.e. charge and so referred to staff or retirees who did.

However, all teachers we had ( and myself as a student) who could go directly after school for help. What happens at your school?

I still have one in high school and there is a designated day his teachers stay after. When all 3 were in elementary, the teachers certainly seemed to be willing to work a bit after school.

And to be clear, I never asked it was just one DC who struggled and teachers would say “ can x stay after on weds” to review, make-up, etc.

Are both being asked if you?

[Anonymous]

"Sorry, it's against district policy for me to tutor a student who attends this school. But I hear some students have had success with Kumon/Best Brains etc."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always do it when asked because I would feel bitchy saying no, but I have to admit. I really resent it. That is my personal time, that I don’t get paid for and takes time away from my family. Plus I have hours and hours of work to do after school just to do the basics of my job. No one would dream of asking their attorney or accountant to stay after work and work with them for free. It’s really unfair for you to put teachers in that awkward place of either having to work for free and feel resentful, or feel bad for saying no.

You should not feel at all guilty about saying no. "Sorry, I don't do tutoring in my personal time, but here's a list of tutors in your area that I've heard other students using. You'd have to ask them for their current rates."

Ok, so technically they don’t ask me to “tutor”. That’s my word. They will ask if Johnny could stay after school one day and get help. I would feel bad for saying no, but honestly after school I am making copies, emailing parents, doing so many other things. It just seems rather presumptuous that parents would expect it, yet it seems to be a common expectation. In our society. And I have heard people criticize teachers who “don’t want to stay after and help out kids”. Yes, I care about kids and want them to do well, but to put it bluntly. Not at the expense of my own (very little) personal time.

[Anonymous]

I never would have gotten through math classes in high school if my saint of a teacher didn't make herself available nearly every day after school for an hour to help me and other students.

I took her for granted!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"[b]Sorry, it's against district policy for me to tutor a student who attends this school.[b] But I hear some students have had success with Kumon/Best Brains etc."

Except many teachers do it, so the parents would know it’s not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they aren’t paying attention during class. I get parents asking me to work after school with their kids before tests, because the student hasn’t done the homework, hasn’t used his class time well, goofs off with friends or plays computer games while I am teaching, and then I am asked to re-teach the whole chapter to the kid on my own time.

Situations like this is why the word “no” was invented. Have a list of tutors ready when you decline. Done.