VIPKid Series
Good afternoon, all! I just got done with my second day of classes with VIPKid! I was still super nervous, but I was a LOT more comfortable today than I was yesterday. I am really looking forward to the day where I don't wake up in the middle of the night and panic check my teaching app.
I thought that since I am still brand-new in my journey, I would jot down all of the important things about getting hired, and my first few classes with VIPKid, and you could all join me on my journey of figuring out the world of online ESL teaching. If you are a veteran with VIPKid, or you work for another online ESL company, I would love to hear your feedback about how things have changed and/or are different.
Otherwise, if you are just starting to look into everything that goes on with VIPKid, this is the place where we can learn everything about this super cool system together. I hope this is helpful for you in some way.
(Oh, hey, if you are just here and reading this because you know me as a person and you have no interest in looking into online English teaching, then thank you so much for the support!) Please feel free to share with your friends that you think might be interested in an adventure like mine.
CAN I BE A VIPKID TEACHER?
To work with VIPKid, you only need 4 things. Are you ready?
Bachelor's Degree. This is the big whammy. VIPKid requires that you have at least a Bachelor's Degree to teach on their platform. (Yes, a degree from abroad is valid). They will check that you have actually obtained your degree, so if you don't, it is probably not the best platform for you.
Experience with kids. Have you thought about teaching in the past and have time in the classroom? Have you mentored kids? Babysat? Been a nanny? It's all valid! VIPKid just wants to know that you are comfortable with the wee ones.
Work authorisation in the U.S. or Canada. Sorry to my wonderful U.K. readers, but VIPKid is only for those who can work in the States or Canada...booo. However, you can teach all over the world if you have permission to work in those countries! I am, of course, located in England but since I am a U.S. citizen, VIPKid has proven to be such a gift.
Reliable technology. Luckily, most of us have excellent internet connection in our homes nowadays, so this isn't a big issue. However, VIPKid will not be happy if your wi-fi shuts off in the middle of all of your lessons, so make sure that you have a connection that you are confident in and a device (preferably laptop/or desktop) that isn't going to die any day!
That's it y'all! Do you tick all of those boxes? Let's find out if it's a good career choice for you.
WHY SHOULD I BECOME A VIPKID TEACHER?
Here are some of the things that I think are MASSIVE perks of the job!
Work in pajama pants. I think that this one kind of speaks for itself. As long as you look professional when you are in front of the screen, there's no stopping you from putting on your ratty Grinch pajamas from 3 Christmases ago.
Work from home/ literally anywhere. I haven't had the chance to test this out yet, but as long as you have stable internet connection wherever you are staying and portable teaching equipment, you can totally teach on the go. If the idea of travelling full time and working with kids is appealing to you, then this is the PERFECT opportunity. This was a massive perk for me!
You set your own hours. Unlike a lot of other online ESL companies, VIPKid has no minimum or maximum hours that you need to work, so your schedule is completely up to you. Want to take Tuesday off to get coffee with Janet? Do it! Want to take a week off to focus on your mental health? Good plan. This is a super flexible company.
You don't have to create lesson plans. I went to college initially for education, so I know the amount of effort that goes into creating lesson plans. How amazing to just get a presentation containing what you are supposed to teach delivered to your portal and to simply focus on what you can do to make the lesson unique and fun? This way the kids are all getting the same content! It also means a lot less prep to clutter up your free time.
Moola, baby. While it's very unlikely that you are going to coming out running at $22/hour, the pay is still really decent. The average rate runs at $7.50 a lesson (25 mins), so $15.00 an hour. However, if a kid books you less than 24 hours before their class, you get an extra $2.00 a class! Also, there is a tier system, so the more classes you teach, the more incentives come rolling in. These are truly some of the best rates I have seen through my research. VIPKid is the cream of the crop, so parents pay more, which means you get more as well! Win-win-win.
The perfect balance between knowing what to expect and something new everyday. Oofta, that is a mouthful, but it's so true. The lessons are very reliable and nothing is going to switch up on you. Once you're in the system for a year or so, you'll probably know the content inside and out (I can't wait!), but every day brings new kiddos with new challenges. Online teaching is unique in that you are separated by thousands and thousands of miles. If a kid decides to run off and play the piano, there's not much you can do. Sometimes the kid will doodle a little heart with your name on the slide. Sometimes you will draw a really wonky cat and the kid will think it's the funniest thing EVER. You never know what's going to happen.
The kiddos, am I right? Why does anybody go into teaching? It's to work with the kids! Is there anything more fulfilling than knowing that you are helping shape the youth of today? I love coming out of each lesson knowing that at the very least I made a child smile and at the very most I taught them grammar and vocab that they can use to advance themselves in school and the real world.
WHO IS VIPKID PERFECT FOR?
If everything above sounds good to you, then go for it!! But here are a few people I think would really benefit from this wonderful job...
Stay at home moms/ moms on maternity leave. Hear me out! This is a wonderful way to bring in just a little bit of supplementary income AND if you are in the States or Canada, it is likely that your kids will be sleeping at the early and late hours that you can teach for VIPKid. You can get up, teach a couple lessons, and then have the rest of the day to look after your kids, house, etc.
Brick and mortar teachers. You already have got this teaching thing down pat (and you don't have to take the VIPKid TESOL course if you have a teaching degree). Why not wake up super early and teach a bit before you leave for work? Or teach in the evenings? OR the weekends? If you're in U.S. Central time, peak hours are 5-8 am, 7:30 pm onwards, and the whole of the weekend. We all know that teachers are not paid nearly enough, so this is a great pay to pillow your income.
Those who want their days to do their passion project. Have you been wanting to start your own business? Sell your crafts? Finally start becoming a full-time painter or actor? I love the arts, and studied them throughout my life, and the first thing that you always hear is 'you're not going to be able to make a full-time living off of that'. So, we see people pursuing theatre working all day, performing all night, and wondering if they should have listened to those annoying voices. This is the answer, teach all morning, have the day to go to auditions or just take the time for yourself, and then pursue your passion in the evenings.
ANYBODY. Whether you are looking for a career change, you want to travel full-time, you want to make a difference, you desperately want to work from home, you want more free time to do activities, you love the English language, you are struggling to find a job, etc, etc.
Alrighty folks, I think that's all for THIS blog post. I will be adding more posts in the near future that goes over the hiring process, the dreaded mock class, the free TESOL course that VIPKid now requires of their up-and-coming teachers, a classroom tour, a look into my first few weeks of teaching, and so much more!!
If you are interested in ANY of the above and would like to pursue a career with VIPKid, I would be delighted and honoured if you would utilise my link HERE or use my code ABIGA0441 when signing up. As I have just undertook the journey myself (with all of the COVID-19 changes) I would be a helpful guide as you start to navigate the ESL world and we could be on our journey together. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have ANY questions whatsoever! Comment on here, or email me on 'oshaberi94@gmail.com'.
Until next time,
A.C.Woodruff
xx