Tutor Portal Apply Now
Tutor Portal Apply Now
Tutor Portal Apply Now
Tutor Portal Apply Now

Are We the Right Fit?

Welcome! Thank you so much for your interest in tutoring with BookNook and closing the achievement gap for K-8 students. The work we do can be immensely rewarding, but it can also be quite challenging. We operate a little differently than many other tutoring companies; so we want to take some time to make sure you fully understand the opportunity before you apply.

BookNook Tutor

Who we’re looking for

Our best tutors are experienced educators who are passionate about delivering instruction to K-8 students across the nation who need additional reading or math instruction.

These tutors can fluently differentiate instruction for learners with varying abilities and life experiences, and are confident in managing learning and behavioral expectations in a positive way for small groups of virtual students.

Our tutors take their commitments seriously, staying with each cohort for the duration of their program (typically 8-16 weeks). They always deliver the best instruction possible, whether that means extending the lesson to make the most of the last five minutes of the session, re-teaching a concept to a student who is behind their peers, or finding creative ways to get their students genuinely excited about learning something they find difficult. 

Meet Our Tutors

Discover the experts behind BookNook’s high-impact tutoring success with our Tutor Spotlights! We invite you to get to know some of the exceptional virtual tutors who make our service stand out.

Download Our Tutor Spotlights →

Working Conditions

If the above sounds like you, fantastic! Below provides more detail about various aspects of working as a BookNook tutor. While we want to stress that we have created many resources available to help our tutors navigate these challenges, it is important to note that they are inherent to the role.
Tutoring Environment

Online tutoring sessions typically take place during the school day, often in classrooms shared by other students and instructors. As such, background noise is common, and students will generally not have the option to move to a quieter space. Teachers are busy and will typically not be available to assist students in-person with technical or behavioral issues during your tutoring session.

Our system is designed to not require tutors to spend time before the session preparing the lesson. It is all ready to go! Tutors do not communicate directly with caregivers or school administrators/teachers outside of our system. Occasionally, programs are run after school and in the students’ homes.

Students

We have received great feedback from students about their experiences with BookNook and most of them come to the sessions ready to learn. However, the students we serve will typically be behind grade level and may feel discouraged about learning. Many have low socioeconomic status, and some may struggle with housing and/or food security. As such, you will often encounter students who are tired, distracted, and/or in a low mood.   

Schedule

Our programs are tailored to meet the needs and schedules of our district partners. While sessions can technically take place anytime Monday – Friday, most sessions take place in the afternoon/early evening Eastern Time (2 p.m. – 7 p.m.). Our busiest days are Tuesday and Thursday, followed by Monday and Wednesday, with the least sessions held on Friday.

Programs run 8-16 weeks with 2-4 sessions per week, with the same tutor conducting all sessions in a program. Sessions are not assigned. Tutors will need to manually select sessions that best match their schedule. Due to scheduling with schools, there may be gaps between programs. Active tutors typically work 1-10 hours per week.

Timeline to Start Tutoring

Because we partner with school districts across the country, all BookNook tutors must clear state background checks before tutoring, a process that can take up to 2 months in some cases.

The Bottom Line

This is potentially a great fit if…

This may not be a good fit if…
  • You want to make a big impact with a small investment of time.
  • You are looking for a significant source of income with many hours of work each week.
  • You are excited to make a supplemental income that varies with current program needs.
  • You want a steady, reliable work schedule that is consistent over several months.
  • You feel confident teaching diverse learners and can adapt your approach to the needs of your students.
  • The idea of adapting lessons on the fly feels stressful or difficult.
  • You have a solid grasp on classroom management, including when students are distracted, tired, and/or in a low mood.
  • You do not feel ready to independently manage a group of students virtually with diverse needs.
  • You approach student behavioral issues with kindness, empathy and understanding while maintaining firm control of the classroom.
  • You would likely feel frustrated when behavioral issues arise and/or have difficulty maintaining kind but firm control.
  • You are comfortable working in a busy environment with frequent distractions (noise, poor internet on the students’ end).
  • You need a very orderly environment with minimal distractions to teach well.
  • You genuinely enjoy working with children.
  • The thought of working with children feels more challenging than rewarding.
  • You want to use a curriculum that is already created with no prep time.
  • You want to create your own curriculum.

 

Back to top

Make a difference for students who need it most!

Apply Now