Professional Development Opportunities For Tutors

Three important questions for tutors to ask when seeking out professional development opportunities.

The most successful people are those that constantly strive to improve. For tutors looking to elevate their practice and add to their tutoring skill set, professional development has been proven to help immensely. Additionally, furthering education and building credentials is a great way for tutors to get an edge on the competition. Read on for three important questions to ask when seeking out professional development opportunities.

What does professional development look like for tutors?

Professional development is the continuation of learning within one’s field. It allows educators to remain up-to-date on new research and further their subject matter expertise. There are also programs geared toward specific fundamentals and strategies such as teaching children with learning disabilities, techniques for more effective learning, how to work with young children, and more. Research has shown that program effectiveness is directly related to the frequency of engagement, so educators should plan on participating in an ongoing manner. Professional development is a great way for tutors to further their education and explore new tutoring techniques and modern research related to education, and it can have a hugely positive impact on sessions.

What should tutors look for in a professional development program?

When seeking out a professional development program that will be right for you, consider the following three questions:

1. What is the subject matter? Look for programs that are pertinent to what you specialize in as a tutor. If you can’t find any programs that fit your niche, focus on engaging in opportunities that will help you become more effective as a general educator.

• What is the format? There are a handful of different formats seen with development programs. Although in-person events are not as abundant and may require travel, they are often the most immersive and collaborative programs. If you’re unable to attend live conferences or are seeking to engage on your own time, look for online programs and webinars — both are becoming increasingly common, especially in the tutoring and education industry. You can also find training resources and events dedicated to continued education through social media groups.

• Where can I use the most help? Ask yourself where you’d like to see yourself or your sessions improve and choose a program that makes sense with this in mind.
  How can I find professional development programs to attend?
  Depending on your preferred format, professional development programs can be found through national and local organizations.

Live Programs

• The National Tutoring Association is a wonderful resource for live conferences and training events with programs held throughout the country.

• The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development hosts multiple conferences throughout the year in many different cities for their members.

• The Association for the Tutoring Profession holds annual conferences and has a webinar series on the way.

• The National College Learning Center Association hosts professional development programs every year along with pre- and post-conference workshops.

• The National Association for Developmental Education’s conference is a great option for tutors who are seeking to improve teaching technique.

Remote Programs

• Many educator organizations that hold live events also provide online programs and webinars. The National Tutoring Association, for example, provides both live and pre-recorded webinar opportunities.

• PBS Teacherline offers many different online professional development courses and most are self-paced.

• Professional development for K-12 teachers can be found on Tutor.com and provides resources for numerous topics.

• TeachME is a platform dedicated to professional development for educators and provides a large amount of material at a low cost.

Groups & Other Resources

• Search LinkedIn and Facebook for local and national tutoring groups. Many of them will keep members apprised of professional development opportunities.

• Seminars and other live events are also frequently available through local universities and school districts and will allow non-staff to attend.

• Your state’s department of education may hold relevant live events that are often free.
  Whatever you choose to do, professional development is an important piece of the career puzzle and should be a priority for tutors who are looking to enhance their learning, resumes, and careers.

There is an abundance of opportunities available to educators and the benefits you’ll receive from them are massive. So check out some of these resources and find the right program for you.

Does professional development sound like it might be right for you? Join Clark today for more tips on how to elevate your tutoring career.