Working from home on your computer can be a dream come true, if you can find the job(s) that is right for you. You might be working for global freelancing platforms such as Upwork or FlexJobs, and right now you’re looking for something more substantive. Or you are brand new at finding work in the wide open global marketplace.
Do You Have a Bachelor’s Degree?
If you do, then you qualify for a very unique job. You can teach English right from your home computer on a regular basis. You can work from home or anyplace at all, set your own schedule every week and work as many hours as you choose. It really is as simple as all that. Where is this place?
VIPKid Is The Place
It’s VIPKid, and if you’ve not heard of them before, they provide an international learning experience to children in China. These kids are all between the ages of 4 – 12 and you become their mouthpiece for learning English. VIPKid is headquartered in Beijing and they offer one-on-one English language instruction.
In case you’re wondering, the US Common Core State Standards are what VIPKids learning is based upon. So, here is your opportunity to put your teacher skills to work. You don’t have to worry about grading papers, writing lesson plans or giving grades. All you have to do is turn on your computer to begin the learning.
How Can I Join VIPKid and What’s It All About?
Who is VIPKid?
Would you believe VIPKid is working in 32 countries, with over 30,000+ teachers and over 200,000+ students? You could never fit all those people in one school, but virtually there’s no problem. They believe there is a better way to learn a language and that way is through direct contact with those who already speak it. When you as the teacher introduce creativity, critical thinking and curiosity into your online sessions, the lessons become even more fun.
How Do I Join?
Just go to the VIPKid website and join for free. You can live anywhere but you MUST have a Bachelor’s degree to work for VIPKid. Once you join, there is a 5-step hiring process.
Once you complete this, you’ll be invited to schedule an interview, where you will demonstrate how you will go about conducting your 30-minute online sessions. You’ll have plenty of preparation time and demos to study, so take advantage of those in order to familiarize yourself with VIPKid in its entirety. All teaching contracts run for six months, with the option to renew, of course.
What Happens When I Am Ready to Teach?
Students will book your time slots and they don’t have to be the same student over and over again. You will teach English to the students who sign up in your time slots. Rather than having to rely on a platform such as Skype, VIPKid has developed its own education program that you will be using.
What Does My Classroom Look Like?
At VIPKid, all learning is one-on-one, so you will be teaching English to one student at a time. This is ensure that a student’s needs are being met by you 100% of the time.
The VIPKid curriculum team has already prepared the teaching materials you will be using, so there’s no need to spend time on lesson plans and coming up with tests and other learning materials. You also don’t communicate with parents, either; that is handled by the VIPKid office staff if needed.
How Do Bookings Work?
Each class you teach is 25 minutes long, and then you get to make some comments to your student in the remaining minutes. All teachers must let VIPKid know what hours and days they are available one month in advance. Teacher schedules are sent out every Saturday at 10AM Beijing time. Just as with any other job, you are advised to check your email and your schedules on a daily basis.
How Do I Get Paid?
You are considered an independent contractor and your pay will be determined first by your demo class performance, and will be divided into 30-minute time slots. Each slot pays a minimum of $7-$9 plus incentives. So, really you are looking at $14-$18 per hour. That’s very good money for working from the comfort of home. There is additional money called a participation incentive and there is also a finished class incentive. Total pay for one hour is anywhere from $14 -$22.
Teachers are paid through direct deposit to their bank on the 10th and 15th of each month. Once your six months is over, you will be evaluated and your pay may increase. Because China is on the other side of the world, there are times which they refer to as “Beijing Peak Times” and VIPKid would like all teachers to be available for at least 7.5 hours during those peak times. The most requested time slots are Monday – Friday 6-10 pm and Saturday – Sunday 9am – 10pm. All times are Beijing time.
As with any other job, you have to put the time in to make the money. The more availability you have, the more students will be booking your time slots.
Here’s a little food for thought: of all the “Top 100 Work From Home Companies” that were ranked by Forbes in 2017, VIPKid is #1. There are online freelancing jobs and then there are ones which are truly success stories. Become part of a loving online community where you will be making a difference right from your home computer.