experiences with teaching for kaplan?

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ismelllikepoop

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I applied for teaching at kaplan, and have a mock teaching thing next week. What are your people's experiences with teaching for a prep course program Kaplan or TPR? The money sounds pretty good, but I don't have much experience with teaching besides training new employees at work. Also, do you have to have more in-depth knowledge of a subject to be a private tutor? Thanks
 
ismelllikepoop said:
I applied for teaching at kaplan, and have a mock teaching thing next week. What are your people's experiences with teaching for a prep course program Kaplan or TPR? The money sounds pretty good, but I don't have much experience with teaching besides training new employees at work. Also, do you have to have more in-depth knowledge of a subject to be a private tutor? Thanks
Working for Kaplan is great. The material is basic and teaching is both fun and rewarding. I like it when students challenge the question or a statement that we make - they should derive value from their money and make sure they understand. Not everbody likes students who do this (many of my co-teacher friends hate it). Tutors are usually experienced Kaplan teachers first who are well-versed in Kaplan's philosophy and the MCAT.
 
someone i met said they get somewhere around $17 an hour for a regular class, from what i remember, not sure the exact figure tho. How well do they train you? im also kind of nervous since i heard from a friend that there is a good number of teachers (waitlist for teaching for the april test), and another person told me the audition can be pretty competitive for whatever spots they have available
 
ismelllikepoop said:
I applied for teaching at kaplan, and have a mock teaching thing next week. What are your people's experiences with teaching for a prep course program Kaplan or TPR? The money sounds pretty good, but I don't have much experience with teaching besides training new employees at work. Also, do you have to have more in-depth knowledge of a subject to be a private tutor? Thanks
I started teaching for Kaplan in 1997, and I'm still at it. Probably it's not for everyone, but I really enjoy it. I've done the MCAT course so many times now that I even have my own little stand-up routine. I don't even think my own jokes are funny any more, but every few months I get a fresh audience to try them out on. :meanie: Generally, yes, tutors are more experienced and are not new instructors. It's hard for new instructors to tutor because you aren't just teaching science to the student; you have to teach them the Kaplan strategies also. And you don't have a TEL in front of you to consult like you do when you teach a class, so you have to know everything cold.

I would say that a big portion of the job is to motivate students and help them have a good attitude toward preparing for and taking the MCAT. Some of them come to the class feeling skeptical about Kaplan's methods and about their own ability to do well enough on the MCAT to be competitive to apply to medical school. Many are also going to school or working full-time, so I also help some of them come up with a schedule to fit in their MCAT studies. The best part about teaching is seeing students kick butt on the test, especially the ones who become instructors after scoring so well themselves. It's also fun because every class is different; classes have unique personalities just like individual people do. Also, someone always asks a new question every time I teach a class. So it's very important to be comfortable with thinking on your feet, and it's also important to admit it if you don't know the answer to a question. 😉
 
ismelllikepoop said:
someone i met said they get somewhere around $17 an hour for a regular class, from what i remember, not sure the exact figure tho. How well do they train you? im also kind of nervous since i heard from a friend that there is a good number of teachers (waitlist for teaching for the april test), and another person told me the audition can be pretty competitive for whatever spots they have available
Pay varies based on experience and student ratings, as well as geographical location. At my center, new instructors earn $18. Experienced teachers can earn a lot more. They did not do teacher training when I started, so I don't have much to tell you about that.
 
I very much enjoy teaching mcat for TPR. I think it's good to consider the job against what are your alternative scources of income. Could you otherwise gain experience & income by working in a patient care position, or in clinical or basic research?
The experince of teaching mcat prep is valuable for presentation skills, drilling & improving the basic sciences, tremendous if you ever have to retake the test, & valuable for other standardized tests. You can also continue to increase your hourly earnings year after year in a part time job.


I really enjoy it. But would you rather spend the time riding an ambulence? Should you spend the time doing research?
 
QofQuimica said:
I started teaching for Kaplan in 1997, and I'm still at it. Probably it's not for everyone, but I really enjoy it. I've done the MCAT course so many times now that I even have my own little stand-up routine. I don't even think my own jokes are funny any more, but every few months I get a fresh audience to try them out on. :meanie: Generally, yes, tutors are more experienced and are not new instructors. It's hard for new instructors to tutor because you aren't just teaching science to the student; you have to teach them the Kaplan strategies also. And you don't have a TEL in front of you to consult like you do when you teach a class, so you have to know everything cold.

I would say that a big portion of the job is to motivate students and help them have a good attitude toward preparing for and taking the MCAT. Some of them come to the class feeling skeptical about Kaplan's methods and about their own ability to do well enough on the MCAT to be competitive to apply to medical school. Many are also going to school or working full-time, so I also help some of them come up with a schedule to fit in their MCAT studies. The best part about teaching is seeing students kick butt on the test, especially the ones who become instructors after scoring so well themselves. It's also fun because every class is different; classes have unique personalities just like individual people do. Also, someone always asks a new question every time I teach a class. So it's very important to be comfortable with thinking on your feet, and it's also important to admit it if you don't know the answer to a question. 😉


I'd just like to echo and amplify Q'scomments.

I've taught for Kaplan since the fall of '93, LSAT and a little GRE, and I took their course to prep for my MCAT. I taught part-time when I was in law school, then continued to teach after I finished school and took the bar exam. At first it was just a nice job that happened to meet at night and on the weekends; the pay was good and the hours allowed me to do whatever else was important in my life.

But I kept teaching because it was fun. I like teaching, and it's nice to have a class with no homework or tests to grade and no curriculum to develop. It does take time to learn the material, and a good amount of practice to learn how to present it well, but it pays off. The better you get at teaching x = the better you get at doing x, and I tihink it's fair to say that tests will continue to be an important part of my/our lives.

The skills you learn also translate nicely to other areas in life. I, too, have a regular shtick that I use on my students, but the unexpected question forces me to actually think about what I'm trying to get across and find a newer or better way to make someone understand. That is exactly the same skill that I needed when I appeared in front of judges and juries or when I had to explain something complicated to a client; I expect that I will use the same skill in talking to patients (e.g. informed consent.)

Finally, it's a great way to meet driven and educated people. Eight years ago I had a smart, beautiful woman in my LSAT class who was really special. Next month we'll celebrate our sixth anniversary. You can't get that kind of fringe benefit at McDonalds.
 
I'm also teaching for TPR and I have a question (don't mean to hijack this thread).

I will be applying to med schools this summer and I was wondering if it's a good idea to put the TPR teaching experience on my application. Thoughts? 😎
 
mintendo said:
I'm also teaching for TPR and I have a question (don't mean to hijack this thread).

I will be applying to med schools this summer and I was wondering if it's a good idea to put the TPR teaching experience on my application. Thoughts? 😎
I did. In my case, it was a significant part of my employment history, and also provides evidence of my love for teaching, which I discussed in my PS.
 
2Sexy4MedSchool said:
Finally, it's a great way to meet driven and educated people. Eight years ago I had a smart, beautiful woman in my LSAT class who was really special. Next month we'll celebrate our sixth anniversary. You can't get that kind of fringe benefit at McDonalds.
Heh heh, this has NOT been one of MY fringe benefits. 😉 Congrats to you, 2Sexy. :hardy:
 
Originally Posted by mintendo
I'm also teaching for TPR and I have a question (don't mean to hijack this thread).

I will be applying to med schools this summer and I was wondering if it's a good idea to put the TPR teaching experience on my application. Thoughts? [/Quote


QofQuimica said:
I did. In my case, it was a significant part of my employment history, and also provides evidence of my love for teaching, which I discussed in my PS.

I did, too, because I have been doing it for so long -- I wanted to show that I could stick with at least one thing for more than 10 years. But you have to be careful, because it can cut both ways. It can be positive in showing your ability to communicate and teach, but it can also be negative, especially if your MCAT score is very high and your grades are just ok. (I had this problem.) So far only one person has explicitly state, "Oh, that's why you did so well on the MCAT!", but I know they're thinking it.

And Q, thank you for the congrats; frankly, I know what I see in her but god only knows what she sees in me. Every now and then I still think she got out of prison early on some kind of community service deal, and it was either hook up with me or wear the orange vest and clean up alongside the highway, and we all know blondes and orange don't mix....
 
2Sexy4MedSchool said:
I did, too, because I have been doing it for so long -- I wanted to show that I could stick with at least one thing for more than 10 years. But you have to be careful, because it can cut both ways. It can be positive in showing your ability to communicate and teach, but it can also be negative, especially if your MCAT score is very high and your grades are just ok. (I had this problem.) So far only one person has explicitly state, "Oh, that's why you did so well on the MCAT!", but I know they're thinking it.

And Q, thank you for the congrats; frankly, I know what I see in her but god only knows what she sees in me. Every now and then I still think she got out of prison early on some kind of community service deal, and it was either hook up with me or wear the orange vest and clean up alongside the highway, and we all know blondes and orange don't mix....
Nonsense. You have a good MCAT score, you can teach, you enjoy helping other people, and you are funny. So without ever having even met you, I can already tell any number of perfect strangers several good things about you. 🙂

I did have one interviewer make the same comment to me. But my score is so ridiculous that I don't think most people believe that I only did that well because of having taught for Kaplan. If they do think so, good for them, good for Kaplan, and good for me. I like my paycheck as much as the next guy/gal does. 😛
 
How many hours do you work per week? What do you do at work, other than when you are teaching?(or is this all you do?)
 
dang, thanks for all of the responses. Im kind of nervous about the mock audition, esp since i was going to use my lab stuff that i've been using to train new students with, but they said no to that since i need to do something non-scientific. what did you do to get the audience involved? I figure that I could talk about how to do ceramics, since its something i enjoy a lot, but i dont really figure how to involve the audience. They seem to stress active participation and with only 5 minutes, there doesnt seem to be much time for anything.
 
USCguy said:
How many hours do you work per week? What do you do at work, other than when you are teaching?(or is this all you do?)
Classes are three hours long. That does not include prep time, which at this point in time is not very much for me, but for new instructors can be extensive. I have taught anywhere from once per week up to five times per week, which is absolutely insane if you're doing anything else (school or work). I don't recommend it. I am a full-time grad student, so Kaplan is a part-time job for me. I think two classes per week is a good number. Any more beyond that and it starts cutting into my sleep. Right now I am only teaching, but I have tutored at times as the need arises. I also am starting to train the new instructors.
 
ismelllikepoop said:
dang, thanks for all of the responses. Im kind of nervous about the mock audition, esp since i was going to use my lab stuff that i've been using to train new students with, but they said no to that since i need to do something non-scientific. what did you do to get the audience involved? I figure that I could talk about how to do ceramics, since its something i enjoy a lot, but i dont really figure how to involve the audience. They seem to stress active participation and with only 5 minutes, there doesnt seem to be much time for anything.
Ceramics sounds great. It doesn't have to be anything profound. They just want to see how you are when you're in front of a group of people. I think I talked about three different ways to tie your shoes for mine. :laugh:

You don't need to get the audience to DO anything, but you should make your talk more like a conversation, less like a lecture. In other words, ask the audience questions and get them to participate too. The best advice I can give to you is to think about your favorite instructors from high school or college. What were they like? Probably they were animated, asked a lot of questions, joked with the class, knew your name, and were very prepared with their lessons. You should strive to have those traits when you teach, too. Hope this helps, and good :luck: to you.
 
QofQuimica said:
Ceramics sounds great. It doesn't have to be anything profound. They just want to see how you are when you're in front of a group of people. I think I talked about three different ways to tie your shoes for mine. :laugh:

You don't need to get the audience to DO anything, but you should make your talk more like a conversation, less like a lecture. In other words, ask the audience questions and get them to participate too. The best advice I can give to you is to think about your favorite instructors from high school or college. What were they like? Probably they were animated, asked a lot of questions, joked with the class, knew your name, and were very prepared with their lessons. You should strive to have those traits when you teach, too. Hope this helps, and good :luck: to you.
Thanks for all of the info/help, much appreciated. On another note, jesus you have a high score.
 
ismelllikepoop said:
Thanks for all of the info/help, much appreciated. On another note, jesus you have a high score.
:laugh: Um, thanks?

Don't think that you need a 40+ MCAT score to be a great teacher. If you've been invited to audition for Kaplan, your score is high enough. Often, the best instructors are not the people who have the very highest test scores. I'm sure you've had teachers in school who are brilliant, but who couldn't teach worth anything. 😉
 
thats the thing, my score was mostly from guessing and standardized test taking skills, not from knowing the material very well. kind of worries me that im going to be a teacher that wont be able to answer many questions, kind of like the teacher that i had for kaplan.
 
ismelllikepoop said:
thats the thing, my score was mostly from guessing and standardized test taking skills, not from knowing the material very well. kind of worries me that im going to be a teacher that wont be able to answer many questions, kind of like the teacher that i had for kaplan.
That is why you are going to get trained for the next couple of months before you ever start teaching; you will learn the science more thoroughly when you prep each lesson (hopefully!). And don't underestimate the importance of test-taking skills. In fact, a large part of your job as a teacher is to help your students develop their test-taking skills. You scored in the top 10% of test-takers yourself, so you already have considerable skills in this area. Maybe you do the strategies subconsciously, but you definitely do already do many of them. It may be easy for you, but strategy is the most difficult thing to learn for the vast majority of students, not the science concepts. It's much easier to teach someone how to differentiate SN1 from SN2 than it is to teach them how to get through the entire BS section before time is called. One of the things that is difficult for instructors sometimes also is to be able to explain how you "know" that an answer is right, or how to approach a problem. It can help if you work through all of the problems yourself (not using the TEL) so that you can note what questions you had when you did them, and you will be able to help the students with those same questions.
 
Well poop, 95% of what I want to say Q said first and better. I would like to add two points.
1. Stop by bidet before your interview for best results.
2. Content vs. Technique.
A lot of people may disagree with me, but the MCAT is primarily testing how you think and not how many physics you know.
For that reason I think the teacher's job should be exactly what you say you are good at: test-taking techniques. The science is necessary but should be secondary to the analytical process per se.
Putting aside test-anxiety (which is another important part of your job) I think the difference between 30 and 35 has absolutely nothing to do with your knowlege/understanding basic science concepts.

Of course, the difference between a 35 and 43 can only be found in satanic rituals.
Q, I must say I'm more impressed by your modesty than your score. If it had been me, my first child's name would be 43 and his nickname would be "hell yes, my daddy got a 43".

And if the blonde asks I would tell her it was a old hebrew name from the bible.
 
2Sexy4MedSchool said:
Of course, the difference between a 35 and 43 can only be found in satanic rituals.
Q, I must say I'm more impressed by your modesty than your score. If it had been me, my first child's name would be 43 and his nickname would be "hell yes, my daddy got a 43".

And if the blonde asks I would tell her it was a old hebrew name from the bible.
I don't have children, so there goes that otherwise excellent idea. Sigh. 🙁

I'm not sure whether I'm modest, really, but it does embarrass me sometimes when people make a huge fuss about it, and I can only laugh when people tell me that I must be a genius. I think a big part of it is that I've had a year and a half to get used to the idea that I pulled something like that off. When I first saw my score, I was of course very excited. But at this point, it just doesn't do that much for me any more, other than occasionally convincing some of my more skeptical students that maybe I really CAN teach them a thing or two about doing well on the MCAT. :idea:
 
ismelllikepoop said:
forgot to ask this, what do ppl wear for their interviews/audition?
Go with business casual. Here's some career center tips:

**************

Business casual guidelines for men and women
Business casual is crisp, neat, and should look appropriate even for a chance meeting with a CEO. It should not look like cocktail or party or picnic attire. Avoid tight or baggy clothing; business casual is classic rather than trendy.
Basics:
Khaki pants, neatly pressed, and a pressed long-sleeved, buttoned solid shirt are safe for both men and women. Polo/golf shirts, unwrinkled, are an appropriate choice if you know the environment will be quite casual, outdoors or in a very hot location. This may not seem like terribly exciting attire, but you are not trying to stand out for your cutting edge look, but for your good judgment in a business environment.
Shoes / belt:
Wear a leather belt and leather shoes. Athletic shoes are inappropriate.
Cost / quality:
You are not expected to be able to afford the same clothing as a corporate CEO. However, do invest in quality that will look appropriate during your first two or three years on the job for a business casual environment or occasions.
Details:
Everything should be clean, well pressed, and not show wear. Even the nicest khakis after 100 washings may not be your best choice for a reception. Carefully inspect new clothes for tags, and all clothes for dangling threads, etc. (as with interview attire).
Use common sense.
If there are six inches of snow on the ground and/or you are rushing to get to an information session between classes and you left home 12 hours earlier, no one will expect you to show up looking ready for a photo shoot — they'll just be happy you made it. Just avoid wearing your worst gym clothes and jeans. If you show up at an event and realize you're not as well dressed as you should be, make a quick, pleasant apology and make a good impression with your interpersonal skills and intelligent questions.

Specifics for men's business casual
Ties:
Ties are generally not necessary for business casual, but if you are in doubt, you can wear a tie. It never hurts to slightly overdress; by dressing nicely, you pay a compliment to your host. You can always wear the tie and discreetly walk by the room where the function is held; if no one else is wearing a tie, you can discreetly remove yours.
Shirts:
Long-sleeved shirts are considered dressier than short-sleeved and are appropriate even in summer. Choosing white or light blue solid, or conservative stripes is your safest bet. Polo shirts (tucked in, of course) are acceptable in more casual situations.
Socks:
Wear dark socks, mid-calf length so no skin is visible when you sit down.
Shoes:
Leather shoes should be worn. No sandals, athletic shoes or hiking boots.
Facial hair:
Just as with interviews: Facial hair, if worn, should be well-groomed. Know your industry and how conservative it is; observe men in your industry if you are unsure what's appropriate or are considering changing your look.
Jewelry:
Wear a conservative watch. If you choose to wear other jewelry, be conservative. Removing earrings is safest. For conservative industries, don't wear earrings. Observe other men in your industry to see what is acceptable.

Specifics for women's business casual
Don't confuse club attire with business attire. If you would wear it to a club, you probably shouldn't wear it in a business environment. Also, most attire worn on televison is not appropriate for business environments. Don't be deluded.
Pants / skirts:
Women can wear casual pants or skirts. Neither should be tight. Fabrics should be crisp; colors should generally be solid; navy, black, gray, brown and khaki are always safe bets. For the most business-like appearance, pants should be creased and tailored; neither extreme of tight or flowing. If you are pursuing a conservative industry and are in doubt, observe well-dressed women in your industry on the job, at career fairs, at information sessions, etc.
Skirt length and slits:
Your skirt should come at least to your knees while you are standing. While you are seated, your thighs should be covered. If your skirt comes to just below the knee, a slit to just above the knee might be acceptable. A very long skirt should not be slit to above the knee. Generally slits in the center back of a skirt — to facilitate walking a stair climbing — are acceptable. Slits to facilitate a view of your legs are not appropriate for business purposes. Slips should not be visible.
Shirt / sweaters:
In addition to tailored shirts or blouses, tailored knit sweaters and sweater sets are appropriate business casual choices for women. Cotton, silk, and blends are appropriate. Velvets and shimmery fabrics suitable for parties are not appropriate. Fit should not be tight. Cleavage is not appropriate to business and job search occasions.
Jewelry / accessories:
Wear a conservative watch. Jewelry and scarf styles come and go. Keep your choices simple and leaning toward conservative. Avoid extremes of style and color. If your industry is creative, you may have more flexibility than someone pursuing a conservative industry.
Cosmetics:
Keep makeup conservative and natural looking. A little is usually better than none for a polished look. Nails should be clean and well groomed. Avoid extremes of nail length and polish color, especially in conservative industries.
Shoes:
Should be leather or fabric / microfiber. Appropriate colors are black, navy and brown (to coordinate with your other attire and accessories); white and pastels are not appropriate. For the most conservative look, toes should be covered. Sandals which are neither extremely dressy or extremely casual might be appropriate. Thin straps and high heels are not appropriate. Chunky heels and platforms are not apropriate. Make certain you can walk comfortably in your shoes; hobbling around a job fair in shoes that are pinching your feet does not convey a professional image.
Hose:
Not essential for business casual, but are recommended if your skirt is knee length (rather than calf length) and in more formal environments such as hotels.
Purse / bag:
If you carry a purse, keep it small and simple, or carry a small briefcase or business-like tote bag in place of a purse. A structured bag tends to look more professional that something soft or floppy. Purse/bag color should coordinate with your shoes. A briefcase is certainly not necessary for most business casual events. Leather, microfiber and fine wovens are appropriate. Canvas and straw are not appropriate.

Grooming tips for men and women
Hair:
Should be clean and neat.
Shoes:
Should be in polished condition. Make sure heels are not worn.
Details:
No missing buttons, no lint; and don’t forget to remove external tags and tacking stitches from new clothes.
Hands:
Clean fingernails.
Fit:
Clothes should be clean, neatly pressed, and fit properly, neither tight nor baggy.
Smell:
Perfume or cologne should be used sparingly or not at all.
No odors on clothes.
Don't smell like smoke.
Padfolios:
Preferred over a bulky briefcase. A small briefcase is also appropriate, but if you have no reason to carry a briefcase, don't; you risk looking silly.
Bookbags:
Appropriate to carry to an information session held on campus (after all, you are a student). For career fairs and job fairs, bookbags are generally checked at the door, and you should carry a padfolio only.
Don't carry a bookbag to an event held at a hotel.
 
Quick question. Do you have to have taken Kaplan's course to be considered for a teaching position? I'm self-studying since I didn't want to spend the money, but I have considered applying for Kaplan for next year if my scores are high enough.
 
shantster said:
Quick question. Do you have to have taken Kaplan's course to be considered for a teaching position? I'm self-studying since I didn't want to spend the money, but I have considered applying for Kaplan for next year if my scores are high enough.
No. I didn't take Kaplan's course either. If you score in the 90th percentile on the test (generally 33-34 for the MCAT) or better, you can apply to teach.
 
Dude - you are worrying way too much about this interview. If you show up nervous, that's a great way to give a terrible presentation. Relax. I did this interview 3 years ago, and still teach for Kaplan. Just look presentable (no jeans and a t-shirt), be enthusiastic, and get your class involved by directly asking them questions.
 
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