Mac Tutoring Rates

[dylan]

I'm answering a craiglist ad posted by someone looking for help with their new Mac. Just basic stuff: "Particulars include organizing files, editing pictures, passwords/keyschains and converting file types".

My first instinct is to do it for free... but I figure I should charge something. The question is how much? I live in a fairly small town so competition is fairly slim.

EDIT: I should mention I live in Canada.

 

[Definity]

And where I live, the usual price is about £20 per hour.

Just look through your local directory for rates, that'd give you a good idea what to charge and how much you would want to discount them by, should you want to.

 

[Philscbx]

I'd be better off if I had taken one on one lessons in the beginning.
Not that I don't need to now, but it takes much longer figuring it out by mistakes.
Thank goodness this PowerBook can take a joke.

If the person in question needing the help was in their later years, I might consider doing it for cost of getting their. But if Grandma brings out the top whiskey and is a good cook, I could be swayed like before in Amsterdam.

 

[iGary]

You should have them go to the Apple Store and sign up for One-to-One.

99$ 52 sessions.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

To some extent, I suppose that it would depend on the type of person who posted the original ad; I'd agree with Philscbx, and be fairly flexible if it was an elderly person, or someone not too well off.

There is a further consideration worth noting. If the exchange becomes a formal transaction, your skills of explication come into play. In other words, if you do someone a favour, they cannot complain if you are a poor teacher. If, however, they pay for it, they will be extremely frustrated if they fail to understand what is going on by the end of the session. Don't just assume comprehension, or the fact that something which is child's play to you, will be easily understood by someone else. Techies are some of the worst people in the world to actually try to explain something (I'm speaking from experience), and, as a teacher, being able to see the "light" of comprehension in someone's eyes is something which I know to be pretty important.
Cheers and good luck

 

[dylan]

@iGary: I live in BC, no Apple stores here.

@Scepticalscribe: I've done this before and have been told I am a very good teacher. I know OS X inside out.


Here is the ad:

Tutor HELP! I am new to MAC and need guidance to figure it out -4hrs

The Title describes it all. I need 4 hrs of someones direction with how to use a MAC. Particulars include organizing files, editing pictures, passwords/keyschains and converting file types.
Pls respond with expected wage and availability.

Thanks!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I'm delighted to learn that you are a good teacher, congrats, it's something to be proud of, and that you know OS X extremely well. It wasn't meant to give offence (I hope none was given) but as a teacher (and a good one, too), and as someone who has received truly dire onsite explanations from techies when working in various positions, I felt it needed to be mentioned.

Well then, my only further suggestion would be to ask the client how they wish the four hours to be broken up/down. Unless they are very clued in, a single session would be too heavy. I'd suggest four one hour sessions, or perhaps two two-hour stints. If you wish to charge for it, I'd say that a fee £20-25 p.h. would not be unreasonable.

Cheers and good luck