Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Have some spare time? How about tutoring people using online course materials posted by universities?

Here is a new opportunity for people with knowledge to connect with people seeking knowledge. MIT and others have put many of their courses online. MIT has recently added a set of courses that are tailored for independent learners. I guess that means people who really want to learn, but are far away in time, space, and funding from MIT. It seems that MIT’s open course ware was not built for such independent learners. MIT felt that other professors and teachers would use the online course materials to create their own courses. The new material is much for friendly for someone wanting to learn.

Hence the new opportunity. I wish I had thought of this; someone else had the idea, but everyone has the opportunity. The online courses from MIT and others, yes there are lots of others, is incomplete. That is, it is difficult for a person seeking to learn to look at the materials and master the subject. You enter the picture as a local person with knowledge. Put an ad in the local paper or online somewhere. The ad would be something like:

Do you want to learn from so-and-so’s online course ware but have been frustrated? Call me. I will tutor you on the material. Affordable rates.

Viola. There you have it. Someone else has developed the course material, you understand it, all you have to do is connect with persons who want to learn.

Affordable rates? How about meals.

Yes, meet at a restaurant, the learner buys lunch, and I tutor on this week’s material. Everyone wins here. The learner learns, I have something constructive to do with my time, I eat lunch, the restaurant has more business, and so on.

And here is the big win for the tutor. I have been working with students at George Mason University as they write their papers in Engineering and Computer Science. I learn much more than they do. I grow. I keep fresh with current ideas. Tutoring eager learners is one of the most rewarding things a semi-retired person can do.

Even if you are not semi-retired, you probably know a lot and can assist others in knowing. What better use of your lunch time is there?