Frequently Asked Questions
Section Contents:
1.
Becoming a Member of ITA
What are the benefits of membership?
What is the cost for becoming a member?
2. Training With Us
Do I need a degree to get certified?
Are you part of TutorNation.com?
Who actually certifies an ITA tutor?
What are the learning modules?
How long do I have to complete the certificate program?
3. Logging in to My Account
How do I login to my personal account?
Can I choose my own username and password?
I never got my username and password!
4. Getting Certified!
Will my ITA Certification expire?
5. What are your policies?
Don't see what you need? Try searching our site.
1. Becoming a Member of ITA
Why become a member?
Membership in ITA shows tutees, parents, and other tutors that you are dedicated to the tutoring profession. It is a group where tutors share ideas, trade techniques, and have the opportunity to become certified ITA tutors. This is a great step in your professional career!
You'll even have proof of membership when you carry around an ITA member card that you can show to tutees and tutee parents. This is a fantastic way to show your commitment to the profession and let others know that you are a highly qualified tutor.
Besides these reasons, there are other benefits to joining ITA, such as access to a resource bank - an area of the site filled with mini-modules, worksheets, busines tools, and other professional resources.
What are the benefits of membership?
Check out the Membership Benefits section of the site!
What is the resource bank?
The resource bank is an area filled with downloadable, printable resources. It includes:
- Mini-Modules
- Some of these resources are what we call “mini-modules.” These are short modules that are intended to inform you about some specific tutoring area or technique. For example, one mini-module is about online tutoring. These mini-modules are great way to fill in missing knowledge or become an expert at one type of tutoring. Who knows, you may even find your unique tutoring niche by using information found in these valuable resources!
- Business and Session Resources
- These are resources that you can take with you and use during a session that are related to the business of tutoring, or session management, in some way. For example, there are learning contracts and agreements to help you and your tutee get the most out of each session. A time card is provided so that you can maintain a profession image during your session.
There are also incentive sheets to help young tutees stay focused, or to help you maintain repeat business. Providing small rewards for a tutee who has tutored with you for 2 months, for example, is a great way to keep your tutee (and his or her parents) happy! You can keep track of each session by placing a sticker in the appropriate box at the close of each session. - Worksheets, Activity Sheets, Quizzes, and More!
- In this section you will find printable resources that will help your tutee learn more effectively during sessions. There are science experiments, English worksheet games, math activities, foreign language activities, and more! These are also great learning tools to leave with your tutee so that he or she can get additional practice before your next session together.
What is the cost for becoming a member?
Please see our Sign Up page for full details - membership ranges from only $30 to $60.
What is the cost of renewal?
Renewal as an ITA member is only $30!
2. Training With Us
I already have a teaching credential. Why would I need ITA certification?
While
a teaching credential is good, it is not necessarily tailored to
a tutoring environment. A teaching credential, as the name implies,
is meant to make you a good teacher rather than a good tutor. Being
a good tutor requires a specialized set of skills. When you are
tutoring, you are interacting with your "student" on a
one-to-one basis rather than focusing on an entire classroom. There
are also issues within a tutoring session that differ from teaching;
issues of learning material handling, interpersonal communication
techniques, and test preparation strategies (just to name a few).
Tutor certification is the only way to exhibit that you have mastered
the art of tutoring.
Do I need a degree to get certified?
At ITA, we believe that a good tutor is more than just a degree on the wall.
We believe that there are skilled individuals from every walk of life who can become outstanding tutors with or without a degree. Example: If an individual speaks impeccable Hebrew, and he/she has the desire to teach others, then he/she should be given the opportunity to train to become a top quality tutor. A degree shouldn't stand in the way of teaching others one's unique talents and abilities.
We have tutors who possess graduate degrees, undergraduate degrees, and tutors who possess high school diplomas. Some of our tutors are retirees who have a gift with languages, but no formal degree. Some of our tutors are graduate students who have mastered mathematics at the undergraduate level and have a degree; they are tutoring as a way to work while attending school. You get the idea; a lot of different tutors from a lot of different backgrounds. But the one thing they all have in common is certification through ITA, certification that sets them apart.
So,
how do we make sure that our tutors are capable of teaching others
if we don't require a specific degree? We have specially engineered
our tutor evaluation forms to ensure that our tutors are capable
of effectively engaging their tutees in the learning process. ITA's
program is not simply a series of written exercises and readings.
We require real-world experience, coupled with tutee evaluations,
to ensure that ITA's graduates are of the highest caliber. With
our rigorous guidelines, and practical experience requirements,
our graduates are ready to enter the tutoring industry with the
confidence and the skills they need to be the best!
Why should I go with ITA certification?
There are a number of paths you can choose as you take the next steps in your tutoring career.
The first path leads to a teaching credential. While a teaching credential is designed to make you a great teacher, but not necessarily a great tutor. There are some profound differences between teaching and tutoring, and tutor certification is the only way to master the art of tutoring.
The second path you could choose takes you to a traditional university setting. This path is not only expensive, but inconvenient. You will most likely be paying college tuition for your training, and you will most likely be required to register for a traditional class. Not exactly an optimum scenario.
The third path may be where you are right now - educated in a specific subject, but uncertified. We probably don't need to tell you that certification can only increase your tutoring success.
Your fourth path leads to ITA certification. This is a path lined
with financial opportunity, growth potential, and boundless tutoring
confidence. ITA certification can mean the difference between having
a few clients a month compared to having several clients a week.
It can also mean the difference between having a side job compared
to making a full time income. But most importantly, ITA certification
can give you the education you need to make a real difference in
the world of education. By pursuing ITA certification, you are showing
your tutees that you have mastered the art of tutoring, and you
understand what they need to learn successfully. Make a world of
difference; choose the path to ITA.
Are you part of TutorNation.com?
No. However, we do have a referral program set
up with them. TutorNation.com members receive 30%
off the ITA membership price.
What is tutor certification?
Tutor certification is the end result of a training program for tutors. The value of the actual certificate is based on two things:
The content of the training program; and, to a lesser extent, the reputation of the certifying organization.
Good
training content is most important because it can positively affect
a tutor's performance. ITA's training program is one of the best
available. Reputation adds value to your certification in the eyes
of your tutees.
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Who actually certifies an ITA tutor?
ITA
was established by Mark Greenwood, author of Greenwood's Guide for
Tutors. Mark Greenwood also created a certified tutor training program
at California Polytechnic University of Pomona, and has presented
at ACCTLA, CRLA, and WESTOP conferences. With over 30 years experience
in the tutoring and teaching fields, Mark designed the ITA program
specifically to help tutors learn to perform at their very best,
and make the most of every tutoring session, regardless of what
subject is being tutored. In short, ITA is its own certifying program.
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What do I need to do to get certified by ITA?
To be a fully certified ITA tutor you will need to complete the following steps:
- Become a member of ITA to get access to the training program
- Satisfactorily complete the quizzes
- Tutor a total of 10 hours
- Get 3 tutoring session evaluations from 3 different tutees
- Complete a final project
- Submit tutoring log sheets, tutoring session evaluations, and final project
What are the learning modules?
Each ITA learning module is a specially designed teaching block that delivers information centered around a specific theme. For example, there are training modules built around proper (and improper) communication techniques, the optimal tutoring environment, and effective session management techniques.
What do these learning blocks mean to you as a tutor? They will give you the information you need without overcomplicating or "watering down" the material. Which means you will have the information you need to begin tutoring sooner. We have cut through the endless jargon and unnecessary methodology, and have designed a practical, straightforward tutoring program that gets results fast.
Each
learning module has been specifically engineered to maximize your
learning experience. As you progress, each module is used as a building
block to the next module level. This
comprehensive learning style imparts specific units of instruction
at specific intervals, so you learn everything you need without
feeling overwhelmed or weighed down.
How long do I have to complete the certification program?
Again,
as long as it takes to complete the certification program successfully.
We impose no limits as to the length of time a tutor may remain
in our program. Since learning style is so unique to each individual,
the time for certification can vary wildly from one tutor to another.
Some tutors have completed the program in as little as 4 weeks while
other tutors have taken a little over a year. The important thing
is that you work at your own pace. Don't worry about how quickly
other tutors have completed the program, just keep focused on your
own progress.
3. Logging in to My Account
How do I login to my personal account?
Upon receipt of your payment, you will receive your temporary username and password.
If you choose to pay be check or money order, your temporary username and password will be mailed to you within 2 weeks.
Once you have received your username and password, please follow the instructions below:
1. Enter your unique username and temporary passwords in the left-hand menu bar on our site.
2. Click "Submit."
If you have any difficulty logging into the system, please feel free to contact our Customer Care Center or our knowledgeable and friendly Technical Support staff
The
fastest way to reach us is by e-mail. Our e-mail staff can typically have a solution to your problem within
48 hours.
Can I choose my own username and password?
Yes! In fact, ITA recommends that you choose a username and password that will be easy for you to remember.
And
we've made changing your username and password easy. First login
to your account. Once you are logged in, simply click on the "change
username/password" link.
What exactly is in my member area?
Your personal login area contains several things. We like to call it your personal training space; it contains everything you need to succeed on your path to ITA certification and beyond!
First, it contains all of the tests you need to complete the ITA program.
Second, your account contains your contact information. This is a great way for you to keep ITA up to date on your most recent information. If you move, change phone numbers, or sign up for a new e-mail address, you can let us know that by updating your personal information. Keeping your contact info accurate will guarantee that your certificate is sent to your correct address.
This is also the area where you can access your personal training and certification progress report. Inside your account, you will find your certification status, your file completion status, and your current module of learning. This is the primary means of communication between you and ITA. This is how we let you know what materials were satisfactory, if any materials were not satisfactory, and what items we may still be missing to complete your training files.
This is also the section where you can access the resource bank; an area with resources for you to use in your tutoring career.
I never got my username and password!
If you are using Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL your username and password may already be sitting in your spam folder, just waiting for you to read it! Since your receipt is automatically generated, it should only take a few minutes to show up. If it has been a few hours, you have checked your spam folder, and you still don't have anything, email us and let us know.
4. Getting Certified!
I completed all of the learning modules, and I have submitted all of my other materials. How long until I am officially certified?
Please allow 2 weeks for processing!
We carefully review all of your information, including your learning modules, 10 hours of tutoring, tutoring evaluations, and final project. This entire process takes a few weeks.
If everything is satisfactory, congratulations! You are an officially certified tutor, and should already have an e-certificate viewable by your clients!
Your status will be reflected in your account, and tutees will be able to look you up on the ITA website to verify your certification.
Will my ITA Certification expire?
No,
once your ITA certification has been issued, it will not expire. Your ITA membership, however, does need to be renewed every year.
4. What are your policies?
Privacy Policy
At ITA, we hate spam almost as much as you do. That's why we will never share your information with anyone, and we will never sell your information to anyone.
Refund Policy
Your membership is non-refundable once you have started training. However, we are aware that sometimes things happen. If you need a refund, contact us, and we may be able to work with you.