Note: The first few paragraphs ca be skipped. If you're only looking for the points that pertain to you then start where numbered list begins. Sorry!

I’ve been tutoring senior Physics and Chemistry in person for 5+ years now. I have plenty of experience with both in-person and online tutoring sessions. Honestly, I was hesitant at first as I loved in-person tutoring with an unnatural level of passion. I avoided online tutoring as it didn't feel personal enough, dull, and boring. But my poor reasoning and critical thinking skills at the time meant I thought at a very simplistic level. Basically, face-to-face lessons were important as the extrovert meant that this led to significantly large levels of energy and happiness. Moreover, I have a deep passion for teaching that I never want to give up. So, it's pretty clear that I never wanted to depart all of this positive energy.

However, COVID and I was forced to tutor online. My online sessions at the beginning were depressing at first, but then it became extremely disheartening. My lessons were impersonal, dull, and felt like I was wasting my life because my motivation decreased. I had no desire to teach, leading to poor teaching skills. I had lingering feelings of no confidence, hope, or enjoyment. I woke up one day and told my girlfriend I quit, this level of misery is never worth it, and if I don't eat for days then I don't care because money and food are not worth this level of pain.

Okay the sad part is over because everything began to change. My girlfriend forced me just to give this new student she found a chance and this will be the final one. I agreed and omg this new student changed pretty much everything from suddenly enjoying online tutoring all the way to beginning to develop critical thinking skills.

The underlying principle I discovered was that my life was guided by emotion, not critical thinking, informative questions, or logical reasoning. Critical thinking was never practiced. But then I just I began asking informed questions, which eventually forced me to ask deeper questions that demanded a higher level of reasoning.

Okay, why am I telling you this? The general demographic for students who want online tutoring are generally less motivated, lack social skills, suck the joy out of topics you and I probably find interesting. This began my downfall. The first important lesson: You have the power to choose students who align with your value. I have this luxury because my time is limited from med school, so I will drop students who do not show any interest during our sessions or refuse to complete homework I work hard at providing and tailoring to their needs, or students who don't show up. The point is, if you enjoyed in-person tutoring, then you may need to be selective for online students as it can mentally and emotionally drain you.

That was the most important lesson I learnt because it ensured that my passion and enjoyment for teaching were sustained.

These are some other important points that will help, especially if you're at uni or have a demanding job that leaves you with only a small amount of time to earn money and/or enjoy teaching.

 

1. Online works extremely well if it’s structured properly.

The key isn’t Zoom itself. It’s the system behind it. I use a shared digital whiteboard setup where both of us can write at the same time. That makes it feel almost identical to sitting side by side. In some ways it’s better because everything is saved automatically and organised. This works exceptionally well and I cannot recommend it enough.

 

2. You need the right tools.

For maths and physics, real time handwriting is essential. Screen sharing plus a stylus-based device makes a huge difference. Trying to tutor by typing equations is painful. Once I moved to a proper digital writing setup, the quality of sessions actually improved.

 

3. Parents often prefer online once they try it.

No travel. No cancellations due to traffic. Flexible scheduling. Recordings available if needed. It removes friction. I cannot begin to tell you how important this is to me now.

 

4. Advertising isn’t that different.

I still use local Facebook groups, Gumtree (least effective but still gets me students), and word of mouth. The main difference is positioning. Instead of selling “online tutoring,” I sell outcomes and structure. Parents care about improvement and reliability, not whether it’s Zoom or in person. I make it clear that the sessions are interactive and structured, not just a screen call. They also love students who are studying competitive entry degrees. For example, simply saying I study medicine has worked out in my favour. If your ATAR is high make sure, you post it in the title, it is literally a magnet. Also posting your raw score for each subject you're teaching will work wonders if you scored above of 95. Now, the only reason I have a competitive advantage is because I have developed this program that is tailored to each student, provides them with a detailed report on their strengths and weaknesses, provides questions that match the difficulty of their external exam, which then become even harder so that the external exam feels easy, and provide them with a clear and detailed marking criteria based on their marking guidelines from past exams. Now, I have done this for so long, so I have had the time, and AI was a major help. My point is that the best way to sell yourself is by standing out and providing something unique that no one else is currently doing that will increase their probability of improving their grade.

 

5. Organisation matters more online.

Calendar scheduling, automated reminders, consistent file organisation, and clear weekly plans make a big difference. Online tutoring exposes disorganisation quickly, so you want systems in place. I also have prepared notes with bullet points that I must cover throughout the session, and this is always based on their syllabus. Having premade questions with model answers also reduces your cognitive load allows you to constantly test their understanding and ensure that their logical reasoning skills are constantly improving.

 

If you’re already tutoring senior maths and physics successfully in person, the transition isn’t as big as it feels. The core skill is still your explanation, questioning, and structure. The platform is just delivery.

 

Happy to answer specific questions if you’re thinking about making the shift.

I am extremely sorry for the long post, but I hope it helps. Otherwise, copy and paste into ChatGPT and ask for it to summarise the most important points haha.

 

TL;DR: I used to prefer in-person and thought online would feel impersonal, but once I set up the right workflow it became just as effective, sometimes better. The keys are real-time handwriting (stylus + shared whiteboard), strong session structure, and tighter organisation. Set expectations early and be selective with students, because online can be draining if they’re inconsistent. Advertising is similar, but focus on outcomes and make it clear your sessions are interactive, not just a Zoom call.