It has been just over a couple of months
since I started my VIPKID journey. I absolutely love it! At first I was a
little suspicious about it being a legit deal, so I did some research. I found
that VIPKID hires people to be online teachers for kids in
China. They want the kids to learn English correctly, so they hire native
English speakers. After feeling comfortable that VIPKID was not some sort of
scam, I decided to follow through. I logged onto the sight and started the
interview process. I clicked through the questions and was immediately given
the option to set up an interview. The
requirements were a bachelors degree and teaching experience. The website that
I learned about VIPKID from also mentioned them wanting a commitment of at
least 7.5 hours a week, but that was never brought up during the interview
process.
My online interview took place 3 days
later. I chose to give myself some time, because after the first portion of
talking with an interviewer I had to do a lesson. I wanted to be sure I was
prepared. It was pretty easy. The interviewer acted like a student from China
as I went through
a lesson that was
provided. The
key is that you definitely need to be energetic, animated, talk slowly, smile,
and use TPR (total physical response – hand gestures). At the end of the
interview I was offered a position and given my pay rate. I was also told that
I would need to submit all of my documents, and pass a mock lesson before
I could start teaching.
I didn’t pass my first interview, which was
a bit nerve racking, but It didn’t seem like a realistic expectation for me to
have passed it the first time through. I had no idea what I was doing. Teaching
online is definitely different than teaching in the classroom. Anyways, the
tips I got after my first mock interview and tips from YouTube videos were very
helpful. I passed the second time.
I have to say, that it was quite a
process getting started.
If you are a quick learner I’m sure you will find the process much easier.
I
have to study hard for everything. Anyways, I was ready to start teaching. This is
probably the stage in which most new hires get discouraged. They have gone
through the process and are
ready to
start rolling in the bucks. That doesn’t always happen right away. It
takes time for parents to know you are out there. I only
wanted part-time, so a slow start was fine with me. As it
turned out, I was pretty lucky. I spent my wait time getting a couple
more
certificates. You are certified to teach certain types of classes. It
was about
2 weeks after passing my mock lesson that all my open slots started getting
booked. This is
about
15
hours a week, which equals 30
classes. That is plenty for me, because again I only want part-time.
Okay, so there are some other things to
know if you are considering a job with
VIPKID. First
are the hours, remember that
you are
teaching kids in China. I live in Arizona, so it is a 15 hour time difference.
The kids go to school during the day, so that means VIPKID
teachers need to be available
during the very early morning hours. Their weekends are our Friday and
Saturday, so all-nighters are a definite option. Basically, the hours are ruff.
The pay is good, especially since you get
to work from home. It varies based on your experience. I have classroom
experience with a Masters in Education. I have a Bilingual supplement, but I am
not a certified ESL teacher. My pay is $10.50 for a 25 minute class (5 minutes
feedback/prep) x 2 is $21.00 an hour. This rate is broken up. It is a base
pay of $8.50 plus $2.00 of incentives. It equals up to a pretty good check for
part-time work. I get paid twice a month.
At VIPKID you are considered self
employed with a 6 month contract. You get to choose when you want to work, but remember our daytime
is
their nighttime.
That means this is not an 8-5 job. Being self employed also means the company
does not offer employee benefits. There are lots of incentives though if you
want to do the extra work.
Having a reliable internet service, a
good computer, good headphones, and a good camera is important. If you don’t
have these things then teaching can be a bit of a challenge. The bad part is that
you can get dinged for it. Internet issues could cause you to miss a
class. This could
mean getting charged for it, or it just showing on your record. I don’t know
how much of an impact that has on your VIPKID journey, but the fear is
not having your contract renewed after 6 months.
As all teachers know, prep time is part
of the teaching gig. I
think the amount of prep time that you put in as a teacher really depends on
what you feel comfortable with. Also, some people have a gift for seeing
something one time and remembering it. I don’t have that gift at all! So even
though the
lessons are on
PowerPoint slides, I still have to spend time looking through each
lesson and getting
my props ready. I know that the longer I teach with VIPKID the less I will have
to prep for a lesson, but at this point it still takes time.
Lastly, the best part of teaching with
VIPKID is the kids. There are some that are a challenge, but understandably. They
are tired after a long day and are listening to someone that they may not
understand. Other students are so fun! They are excited about learning and just
bring a smile to your face. You leave the class hoping that they will book you again.
Okay, since this post is already way
longer than I had planned, I will stop. I hope that you find this information
helpful. Good luck! Anna
