“What’s an ‘astronomical’ fee?”: Tutors International founder, Adam Caller defends super tutors’ salaries

Education consultant and founder of Tutors International, Adam Caller, today published a response to the scepticism around the fees commanded by ‘super tutors’.A recent article on the BBC website (Sean Coughlin, Exam pressure: What the private tutor saw, 23 April 2014), looks at exam pressure on school pupils, and the families who pay “astronomical” fees for the very best private tutors to coach their children through their exams.The article features comments by an alleged super tutor, who claims that he sees “articles about super tutors with astronomical rates. But I certainly see those same tutors working for a lot less."He then goes on to say that the best tutors are ”not those that charge the most but those good enough to make sure their services are eventually not needed.”Adam Caller, one of the world’s leading education consultants and founder of global tutor placement agency, Tutors International, disagrees:“Mr Morrison makes some very good points about private tuition, but I don’t agree with his scepticism about the fees commanded by ‘super tutors’,” he states. “Who’s to say what is an ‘astronomical’ sum? Does a half hour call out from a plumber at £130 constitute an ‘astronomical’ sum? Surgeons, solicitors, hairdressers, plumbers… anyone at the top of their profession will charge more than, and deserve to charge more than, those without their expertise, experience and past results.He continues: “Is it because tutors are teachers? And we’re used to this group of excellent professionals who have their pay capped and don’t get to charge what they’re worth. If great, talented teachers want to earn more, they move into private tuition, and should be paid what people feel they’re worth.”Mr Caller agrees that industry regulation and a standards body for private tutoring would help to reassure parents that they are truly paying for the best private tutor:“Assessment, regulation, and membership with a central standards body will ensure that tutors are all they claim to be. Currently, ‘super tutors’ are recommended by word of mouth, one family to another, which works fine for the most part, but parents will be reassured by external verification by a single regulatory body.”About Tutors InternationalTutors International is a worldwide organization providing experienced full-time private tutors to work with children of all ages and nationalities, in a wide variety of situations, including international relocation, after-school support, full-time home tuition, support for AD/HD and dyslexia, home schooling for frequent travellers, and college prep and coaching.Tutors International was founded by Adam Caller who has tutored students of all ages. He has received specialist training in dyslexia and AD/HD and is very sensitive to children's educational difficulties. He has now turned this expertise to recruiting, training and placing other tutors with HNW and UHNW families around the world. Adam is a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).