Table of Contents

Congratulations on joining the Gooroo community!

Congratulations on joining the Gooroo community!

Thank you for joining us on our journey to reimagine education and unlock every student’s potential.

This is a guide that will help you be the best Gooroo you can be. It covers how our platform works and what best practices look like for matching with students, teaching and scheduling sessions, giving feedback, receiving payment, handling cancellations, and more.

Hooray! Now that you’ve joined us as a Gooroo, you’ll receive these benefits:

Get paid for your expertise at $60/hr with no gimmicks or fees
You choose when and how often you teach, and we’ll send you opportunities that work around your schedule
Our algorithm matches you with students based on your teaching preferences and ability
Develop long-lasting and rewarding relationships with students
Build your resume and add us as a reference

The Gooroo mindset

We’re so excited to have you represent Gooroo! Our Gooroos are friendly, positive, and passionate individuals with a desire to support students’ on their learning journeys.

Here are the values our Gooroos embody:

Care. When you show you care, amazing things happen! Gooroos go the extra step to ensure that students and parents feel supported and encouraged. By showing that you understand and care, students are more comfortable and confident during sessions.

Sarah, a top math Gooroo, found out one of her students, Lisa, had an upcoming figure skating recital. So, she blocked out her schedule to attend, and even brought flowers! Sarah embodies care in and out of sessions by listening to her students, providing support, and staying updated when new events happen.

Confidence. You’re the expert. We trust that you’re the best person for the job, and so should you. Come into every session with a clear plan and a ready-to-teach attitude. Students and parents rely on you to ensure a positive and fulfilling session. Your confidence allows others to gain confidence, too.

Ryan, a test-prep Gooroo, comes into each session with a clear plan. When he first tutored his student, Peter, in the SSATs, he made sure to provide a diagnostic test to assess Peter’s strengths and weaknesses. From there, he made a step-by-step plan for the month to get started. Peter and his parents feel at ease because Ryan is confident through his demonstration of organization, knowledge, and expertise.

Responsiveness. Communicate with students and parents in a timely fashion. We recommend you respond quickly to student requests, messages, and emails, which demonstrates care for parents and students.

Maria, a chemistry Gooroo, always responds to parents and students within an hour. Whenever she gets a first-time student, she immediately calls the parent to introduce herself and to get to know more about the student. She makes it a point to inform parents and students about her availability, and reschedules immediately if she ever needs to.

Overcommunicate. Take initiative instead of waiting for a parent or student. Make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to scheduling, lesson plans, and goals. As a Gooroo, you should always be clear in all of your communications.

Ritwik, a computer science Gooroo, constantly checks in with his students and parents so that he’s always aware of their situation. He sends reminder texts to his students to let them know about upcoming sessions and any assignment deadlines. He overcommunicates so that it’s always clear when a session is happening, and so everyone is on the same page.

Professionalism. Gooroos are responsible and professional. Always be considerate in what you say, do, and wear. We trust that you are well-prepared with lesson plans, arrive promptly to sessions, and are reliable in what you say and do to help students.

"Our son began working with Yoojin in order to get ready for the SHSAT, and she was nothing short of amazing. Her sessions with him were precisely tailored to his needs, and she was firm but kind with him which is exactly what he needed. Yoojin then coached my daughter through the 4th grade state tests, and, though they are VERY different children, she immediately found the right approach for Maddie. Yoojin was simply terrific from start to finish."- Katie Miller

How to use the Gooroo app

Currently, Gooroos use the mobile app, and students use the website. Here’s a breakdown of how you’ll use the app to match with students, book the most sessions, and give helpful feedback.

Get matched with students

There are currently 2 types of matching that occurs: regular match and Instant Match. If you’ve been approved as an Instant Match tutor by our team, please note that your sessions will be booked automatically for you based on your schedule. Also, keep in mind that tutors approved for Instant Match may also receive regular match requests.

Regular match

Receive requests from potential students

We send you tutoring requests from potential students based on your expertise, teaching preferences, and students’ learning needs. Multiple Gooroos may match with the same student, depending on these factors. You’ll see these requests in the “Requests” section of the app.

Respond to students

Once you receive a request, respond within 1 hour by replying or passing. Make sure to take a look at the details of each request and what the student needs help with. If you’re unable to teach the student based on those details, that’s completely fine! Pass the request so the student will receive the most accurate matches.

If you’re capable of teaching the student at the time and location given, go ahead and send a response that communicates why you’d be a great fit. The timeliness and content of your response will affect whether or not students end up booking a session with you. (look in “How to get students” for tips on what to include in your response).

You can reply to a request by 1) selecting a session time that works for you, if the student provided multiple available times, and 2) writing a message to the parent/student.

Different parents and students take different times to make a decision after you respond, anywhere from a day to 2 weeks. It’s important to note that you don’t need to set aside the session time in your schedule until after the student books you! While you might need to wait, remember that you’re starting worthwhile long-term relationships that will result in regular sessions for months to come. Sometimes, the student is unfortunately unable to make a decision and the request expires (12 hours before your proposed time), or the student chooses another Gooroo tutor - in these cases, we will alert you so you’re in the know.

Instant Match ⚡

Instant Match tutors have been approved by the Gooroo team to teach specific subjects within math, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, and English.

Through our Instant Match system, when a student matches with and books you, your sessions are automatically confirmed based on the availability that you set on the app. No reply on your end is required. Because of this, and because each student will only be matched with one Instant Match tutor, it’s crucial that you update our schedule whenever it changes in the app (see the section “Keep your tutoring availability updated”).

Meet with your student and deliver great sessions

Hooray! The student has booked you - you’ll receive a text message when this happens, and you’ll see your sessions in the “Sessions” section of the app.

As soon as you receive a session confirmation, you should reach out to the student or parent to introduce yourself. We recommend that you call or text them to confirm the session details. This is also your chance to learn more about the student in order to further prepare for your first session.

Now, it’s time to familiarize yourself with applicable curriculum and develop a personalized lesson plan. See our tips on how to do this in the “How to have great sessions” part of this guide.

Give helpful feedback

After each session, you’ll need to leave feedback for the student/parent. We suggest doing this within 24 hours, so the session is fresh in your memory. This is an important step that keeps parents and students on the same page in terms of how the student is learning and progressing. It also demonstrates your expertise and insight as an educator. You can do this by tapping on the “Give feedback” link in the session card in the “Sessions” section of the app.

Find tips on how to give the most helpful feedback in the “How to give good feedback” section in this guide.

Completing feedback also finalizes your payment for the session, which you will be able to withdraw to your bank account.

Schedule future sessions

Gooroos meet with their students on a regular basis, usually at least once a week, to help achieve students’ goals. In order to promote continuous learning, make sure to confirm at the end of each session the details of what you’ll cover next and agree with your student on the date, time, duration, and location of the next session. You can assign homework during this time and use it as an opportunity to explain how it connects to the next session’s material.

Once you have the details for the next session, go ahead and enter it into the Gooroo app as soon as possible, so the student/parent has enough time to confirm the new session you created. You can schedule as late as 15 hours before the desired session starts. Currently, only tutors can create future sessions. Sessions have to be confirmed in order to occur and be paid for.

How to schedule a new session with existing students:

Option 1: Tap the “+” icon on the top right of the Sessions page. Select a student, subject, meeting location, meeting time, and input a session plan for the new session.

Option 2: After you complete session feedback, tap “Schedule next session” to schedule a session for the same student and subject. You can also do this by tapping “Schedule next session” at the bottom of any past session card.

How to use the Gooroo website

To teach online and use the Gooroo Virtual Classroom tool, you will need to use the Gooroo website. Here’s a breakdown of how you can access your online sessions via the website.

Entering online sessions

To enter the classroom for a scheduled online session, simply log into your Gooroo account at https://www.gooroo.com/teach and click “Enter Session” on a confirmed session. We suggest you do this before your session is scheduled to start, so you can import documents/images and prepare the classroom with any content you need.

Please use your computer, laptop, or large tablet for online sessions, as phone screens will be too small to accommodate all the tools and features of the classroom. Make sure your microphone and camera are working before the session starts.

Using the Virtual Classroom

The Gooroo Virtual Classroom offers many tools and features that make teaching online a breeze.

Watch these tutorial videos to get the most out of the classroom:

How to get students

Create a standout Gooroo profile

Your Gooroo profile is the first thing parents and students see to get to know you. It’s important that you put your best foot forward by explaining to them what makes you the best Gooroo for them (we already know that you’re great 😎). Keep your tone casual and address the parent/student directly by speaking in the first-person (you/your, I/me, we). You want your profile to show that you are friendly, knowledgeable, and experienced.

Here are some dos and don’ts for your profile.

Profile picture
Do	Don’t
Show your whole face Smile! Have your face be frontward-facing, well-lit, and centered	Use blurry images Have distracting elements like other people or messy objects Use Snapchat filters (keep the dog filter selfies for your friends)

Profile picture

Don’t

Show your whole face
Smile!
Have your face be frontward-facing, well-lit, and centered

Use blurry images
Have distracting elements like other people or messy objects
Use Snapchat filters (keep the dog filter selfies for your friends)

Biography
Do	Don’t
Mention your different teaching experiences (TA-ing, volunteering, tutoring) What subjects you specialize in (and why) Write about why you love to teach Talk about your teaching values and approach	Write in the third-person (it’s too formal) Mention other tutoring companies Include contact information. We’ll share your contact information once you get matched with the student.

Biography

Don’t

Mention your different teaching experiences (TA-ing, volunteering, tutoring)
What subjects you specialize in (and why)
Write about why you love to teach
Talk about your teaching values and approach

Write in the third-person (it’s too formal)
Mention other tutoring companies
Include contact information. We’ll share your contact information once you get matched with the student.

Success Stories
Do	Don’t
Talk about your proudest tutoring moments Storytell. Include the challenge, how you helped, and the impact it has made. Include measurable outcomes (score/grade increases, changes in student confidence)	Include student names. Keep it anonymous Mention personal accomplishments like awards. Instead, provide examples of how you were able to help a specific student.

Success Stories

Don’t

Talk about your proudest tutoring moments
Storytell. Include the challenge, how you helped, and the impact it has made.
Include measurable outcomes (score/grade increases, changes in student confidence)

Include student names. Keep it anonymous
Mention personal accomplishments like awards. Instead, provide examples of how you were able to help a specific student.

Hobbies
Do	Don’t
Include at least 3 things you’re passionate about Include activities that will help the students relate to you	Only include hobbies that are education related

Hobbies

Don’t

Include at least 3 things you’re passionate about
Include activities that will help the students relate to you

Only include hobbies that are education related

Personalize your responses to student requests

Each student is unique, so your response to each student should be, too! Thoroughly read the request to assess information about the student. Then, tailor your response to fit the student’s needs.

Your response should be about 3-4 sentences and should include:

A friendly greeting (emojis are always welcome 😃) - make sure to address the parent, if the request is from the parent
Why you’re specifically qualified for that subject
Any experience you have teaching students of a similar age
Specific strategies that you use for the subject

Stay away from including any of your contact information so that the process is simple. We’ll share contact information with you once the session is confirmed. The most important thing we want you to do is provide a stellar response as soon as possible, so that you have the best chance of being booked.

Students specify a range of dates and times that they are available to have the session. So, only accept student requests at times when and in locations where you can meet. We don’t recommend asking questions in your response, as it increases the chance of the student becoming hesitant to choose you. You will be able to ask questions to prepare for the first session once the student books you.

Below is an example of a great response.

"Hi Karen! I'd be more than happy to help you with ESL tutoring. I have a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate and have taught English to middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults. Feel free to ask me any questions and I hope to hear from you soon 😊"

Keep your tutoring availability updated

Schedules can change - we get it. But make sure to keep your schedule on your app up to date (under “Edit profile” in the “Me” section) so that you get student requests that match your availability.

Just keep us in the loop when you’re away for vacation or breaks, and we’ll do our best to accommodate! You can always text, call or email us (see our contact info at the end of this guide).

How to have great sessions

We want you to succeed and consistently have great tutoring sessions. Below are strategies that our top Gooroos use to ensure that every session with a student is effective and rewarding.

Prepare in advance

Before the first session, reach out to the parent and/or student to introduce yourself and express excitement and interest for the session. Take the time to talk to the parent and/or student about the student’s current situation and what should be covered. Also ask for any relevant homework, syllabus, and/or textbook names, if they did not provide this information already.

Once you have this information, it’s time for you to prepare for how the session will go. Make sure to brush up on the material that you plan on covering. You should always come to each session prepared and ready with a clear plan.

Assess and determine their learning style

Students have a preference on how information is presented to them, processed, and retained. We call this a learning style. As you continue to have sessions with students, you’ll be able to understand their learning style. Applying and integrating students’ learning styles lets you deliver personalized learning sessions and effective feedback.

Students can demonstrate a combination of multiple learning styles. These are the five learning styles you should consider:

Instruction. The student learns best when the tutor provides step-by-step instructions.
Discovery. The student prefers to learn a concept by experimenting and doing hands-on work.
Storytelling. The student learns the best when a concept is explained through stories.
Analogy. The student learns the best when a concept is explained through examples and real-life analogies.
Theory. The student learns best when the tutor explains the theory first, followed by examples to enhance understanding.

Pay attention to students’ strengths and weaknesses

We all have things that we are great at, and things that we could improve on. Students are no exception. When you start sessions with students, you’ll begin to notice their strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths and weaknesses can be either subject/concept-related or motivation-related. Take note throughout the session so that you can include it in your session feedback.

Below are examples of some strengths and weaknesses:

“Roger’s biggest challenge is his computational skills. He needs to brush up on his math skills when using equations. He needs to do the math faster to ensure that he has enough time to finish his test without spending too much time on any question.”

“James tends to overthink the questions, especially when it comes to the reading comprehension and verbal sections. He needs to work on not second-guessing himself, and going with his instincts.”

Adapt based on the student’s disposition

Students aren’t always going to be ready and eager to learn. We’re only human. Spend time during the beginning of the session to gauge how the student is feeling and what their motivation is like for the day. Your goal is to connect with the student, gain trust, and develop confidence.

By understanding the student’s attitude, you’re able to get more out of each session. It’s okay to not get as much done if the student isn’t up for it. When a student is excited, it’s great to mirror their motivation so that you both get the most out of each session. Always adjust your teaching style accordingly.

Create a clear and encouraging learning environment

“Tutoring” can sometimes have a bad connotation, and some students may feel wary during their sessions. We recommend that you always keep a friendly, open, and encouraging learning environment for every student. Questions are always welcome and students should never feel hesitant to ask when they need help.

Also very importantly, make sure to communicate well during the session. Talk about what you’ll cover and any goals at the beginning of the session. Keep track of time and let the student know when it’s the end of the session.

Stuck on a problem when time is up, or the student wants to go over more material? You have 4 options for what to do in this scenario:

End the session and be on your way - parents and students should respect your time.
Ask the student if they’d prefer to extend their session (in increments of 30 minutes). Let the Gooroo team know if this ends up being the case.
Stay a little longer (5-10 minutes) for free, as a gesture of kindness.
Keep track of session overage that is less than 30 minutes from session to session, and add the additional time onto a future session when it reaches 30 minutes.

Whichever option you choose, the student should know that you are always there to help and support them. You’ll only be paid for the additional time if you receive a verbal agreement from the student prior to the extension.

Develop and grow the Gooroo-student relationship

Gooroo believes in lifelong learning and encourages consistent and regular sessions to keep improving. So, we hope that you maintain the relationships that you have with each of your students.

Here are some tips you can continuously do to improve your relationship and ensure that each session is better than the last.

Get to know the student and find common interests. You can talk about sports, books, hobbies, or music artists.
Check in with the student and parent to make sure you’re on the same page regarding existing and new learning goals.
Ask questions!

How to give good feedback

Providing feedback allows parents to stay in the loop while also providing students with specific items they can work on to further improve. Gooroo provides this feature for tutors, students, and parents to allow for open and honest communication.

Complete in a timely fashion

We recommend that you submit your session feedback as soon as possible. Immediate feedback allows you to provide important insights on the session while it’s still fresh in your mind. We don’t want you to have to wrack your brain on what you worked on with a student last week! Also, the quicker you submit feedback, the quicker you get paid! Your earnings will be added to your account 24 hours after feedback is submitted.

Recap the session thoroughly

Make sure that your session recap is as detailed as possible. It not only allows parents to see what you worked on, but it also allows you to go back if you ever need to reference past sessions. Your session recap should include:

What specific topics were covered
If a textbook/workbook is used, the chapters and pages that you covered

Below is an example of a great session recap:

"Mark and I worked on three worksheets and a sample test from Chapter 8 from his textbook. The concepts involved calculating domain, range, roots, and critical points of functions and their graphs. Afterward, we went ahead and reviewed his homework that was due on Tuesday."

Include an “aha!” moment

We believe that all successful Gooroo sessions have an “aha!” moment, which is a memorable point of achievement. It doesn’t have to be something groundbreaking (although sometimes it can be). It’s that one time that something they are struggling with finally clicks for the student.

Below is an example of a great “aha!” moment.

"While discussing the scientific revolution, Amanda was able to understand that the transition away from the "three pillars" - the Bible, Aristotle, and Ptolemy - during the period did not merely establish a new set of thinkers as similar pillars, but rather, represented a shift in paradigm that fundamentally altered the value placed on tradition as opposed to open-mindedness and experimentation in the realm of science."

Provide areas of improvement and advice

Parents have said that the two most important things they value in feedback are what the student struggled with and how they can improve. You know you’re doing well when you see that the student is more confident about the material you’re working on.

While it is important to highlight the strengths and achievements, there is always room for improvement. So, be sure to come up with specific items that the student can work on next to get even better.

Below is an example of a good recommendation:

“Paul needs to work on understanding the relationships between different mathematical concepts. By doing so, everything will start to click. Then, he can begin working on applying these mathematical concepts to the word problems. This will expand his understanding so that he can work on tackling more than just a singular format of a question.”

Payment Policy

Your earnings will be added to your Gooroo account 24 hours after submitting student feedback for a completed session.

Your earnings will show up in your “Me” section of the app, under “My earnings”. Whenever you’d like to withdraw your earnings, simply shoot us a text (646-791-3081) or email (support@gooroo.com).

We pay our Gooroos electronically in order to provide secure and timely payment. Our team works hard to ensure complete satisfaction with both tutors and students, and to also provide support and resolution to issues that arise. Please do not accept cash nor checks from any parent or student, as this directly violates our terms and policies. If you are offered, simply politely refuse and explain that Gooroo handles all payments. Let us know immediately so we can be aware of the situation and help. We will reach out and make sure the student is on the same page, and that you will continue to have sessions and matches without interruption.

You must add your bank account (and tax information, if you are earning over $600 a year) in order to withdraw your Gooroo earnings to your bank account. Your personal information is encrypted and kept secure through Stripe, our payment processing partner.

COMING SOON: You’ll be able to withdraw your earnings into your connected bank account through the app without contacting us.

Cancellation Policy

When parents/students cancel sessions

The Gooroo team does our best to minimize last minute cancellations from parents and students. If a student of yours develops a habit of frequently cancelling with very little notice, please contact us so we can address the issue.

Rescheduling and cancelling sessions for Gooroos

We know that schedules change. However, cancellations do disrupt students' plans and degrade their tutoring experience.

We recommend agreeing to reschedule instead of cancelling sessions whenever possible - you can do that at anytime as the Gooroo, before the session start time. You can do that by finding the session in the “Sessions” section of the app, tapping the 3 dots on the top right, and then tapping “Reschedule”. Please always confirm with your student before rescheduling a session.

If you absolutely have to cancel, you can do that by finding the session in the app and tapping “Cancel session”. You’ll be asked to provide a reason for cancellation. You will not be able to cancel a session once it starts. No-shows may result in the suspension of your account. At the same time, you will get credit for sessions where the student doesn’t show up without first notifying you to reschedule the session.

Note	We may reduce the number of students we suggest to you if you regularly cancel sessions. We may also stop suggesting students to you altogether if such cancellations persist.

We are excited to work with you!

Thanks for being a part of the Gooroo community as we transform education, one personalized session and student at a time.

Our team is always here to support you and ensure your success. Keep our contact info handy and never hesitate to reach out.

Email: support@gooroo.com
Call/text: (646) 791-3081

We are rooting for you!