Survival

How do people survive in these dark Financial Times?

Here's one of many suggestions. Give tuition. And I don't mean just taking students through the homework they ought to be doing whether you are there or not.

I mean, take on students with the intention of providing value-added education. Get to know them well. Give them good advice and be generous with your time and attention. Nurture them.

Remember, you are doing 1-on-1 education, and you can provide what the 1-on-30 (or 1-on-40) public education sector can't provide. Even if it claims to be 1-on-25-with-smaller-groups-possible. It's just not likely that there are enough good teachers to go around.

If you are good at providing the extras that cost you nothing financially (attention, encouragement, patient understanding, a sound basis for future learning) then people will pay you enough per hour to make it worthwhile.

The general principles are the same. Whether you're an undertaker or a tutor or a lawyer, you can be a better service provider and earn more per hour or per case, even in these hard times. More importantly, you are helping to build a better world and a brighter future.