It has been 3 years since I quit my job as a full time teacher and have been working for myself. Let's just call it freelance, since that is a more fancy term. As much as I love working from home as a personal tutor, it comes with a set of challenges and hurdles like every other job. I say job, because trust me taking care of the house + trying to have your own set up is double the work. Only a person who is doing it will understand and empathize.
So a few days ago I had posted on Facebook that I had some mock NEET papers if anyone was interested. I got quite a few responses but sadly none of them were ready to pay for the effort and time I spent in writing these papers. In fact once I mentioned that it was a paid service, people just disappeared without a response. Why would I hand out my hardwork for free is something that I cannot comprehend. Do you know how long it takes to gather questions and type them out and proofread them and make sure that are up to the mark. DO YOU?.
The same thing happens when I tell people how much I charge for a single class via Skype. I get inquiries from parents who say that their child definitely needs help blah blah blah. But mention how much they have to pay and then it is silence on the other end of the phone with the awkward "we'll get back to you, ma'am." Sure as hell I will never hear from them again.
Yes I am frustrated because people will pay tens of thousands to a coaching centre where there are 100 odd students and the same repeated question papers from the previous year, but when someone is giving individual time and effort, it is is brushed off as something not worth paying for. And I ask why not! In what way is a Skype class worth less than any other class. I am still putting in a 100% effort to do the best for your child.
Then the next issue is when people just assume that you will be free to take class any time because after all you "work from home". I get dime a dozen questions- why do I not take classes on weekends, why not early morning classes, why not classes till 9pm. And of course they think it is it okay to just message me any time saying that their child wants class at so-and-so time on so-and-so date. It isn't a query. It is a command. Because they pay me, I am their beck and call, right? WRONG.
What I hate even more is when they don't inform me that they cannot attend class on a particular day. I will be signed into Skype and just waiting and waiting but no child turns up. Is it not courtesy to inform a person that you will not be coming for class? It isn't like I have 50 kids so I won't miss one. I was online waiting for you, the one and only child I am teaching during that scheduled time. I could have been clicking pictures for my blog if I had known that the child was not going to turn up, and lets not forget that they have the audacity to ask why I charged for a class that they never attended. I'm sorry, do you ask the school to refund money for the days when your child takes a sick leave?
People think being a freelancer is fancy, but trust me, it is NOT! It sucks on a bunch of different levels and it is super hard. When your time and effort is not appreciated, it just makes you wonder why on earth you work so hard.
Despite all my frustration, I have had some wonderful parents and students and that is the only reason that I will continue to do what I am doing. That and the fact that I really do love teaching.
Right. End of Rant.
Krupa
