Ever had a friend who thinks their clever because they learnt about the Serial comma also known more famously as the Oxford comma.
Well, they aren’t sorry. Make sure you point it out.
Simply put – You don’t need it.
Put the pitchforks down grammar police and hear me out…
It is a very useful comma and helps to improve readability. That being said…You don’t need it.
Now, raise your hands, how many of you have used the Serial comma just to say “Well I use the Oxford comma, you really should too you know”, you smug little…. anyway.
For those of you who don’t know the Serial comma, also known as the Oxford or Harvard comma, is a grammar style choice that helps with breaking up text to be more easily readable. In it’s simplest explanation…
Putting a commabefore the and in a list. For example:
“I wrote a letter my parents, David and Santa Claus.”…
Your parents are David and Santa Claus? Perhaps you meant…
“I wrote a letter to my parents, David, and Santa Claus.” This leads to four separate people, not 2 people being named.
While this maybe very useful in explaining yourself more clearly, you could also argue you’re being lazy by not simply rewording the sentence…
“I wrote a letter to Santa Claus, David and my parents.”…
In American English is can be a mandatory requirement depending on your region, as well as at some universities such as, you guessed it: Oxford and Harvard as a part of their referencing style guide.
It really doesn’t matter if you want to use it or not, however, if you do use it, like all good grammar, you must use it. You don’t spell some words in British English and others in American English, so don’t do it with grammar either. Consistency is what is key to good grammar…ignore mine…what?…
Anyway, that’s my venting done for another day.
What do you all think? Serial comma, yea or nah?
Despite my works I am quite fond of the serial comma…never seen a hypocrite before…anyway…
I noticed that I hadn’t actually posted any of my new blog posts in quite a while.
Why?
Because I seemed to be stuck in an over planning kind of rut.
Recently I have been trying out so many new things and focusing so heavily on not wasting time that I decided to plan my time out perfectly for everyday. Seems easy enough right? I get up, exercise, work, lunch, work, study, study some more, dinner, study a bit more and then bed. Easy.
Not surprising to most of you reading this but, being up from 7a.m. to 11p.m. working and studying isn’t really sustainable but that’s for another time. I wanted to optimise my time.
Having preached to you all about not wasting time I decided to take my own advice…and then some. I planned out exactly what I would do, at what time, Yes, including how long I could take to shower, eat, study specific topics, the list gets more graphic so I think I’ll stop there…for now.
It actually worked like a treat, until I started to lose momentum. I would get frustrated when I over ran as I lost time on studying other topics or increasing my exercise. Being annoyed then made it harder to study and more time and effort to absorb information.
Long story short: Over Planning leads to less work!
Don’t get so flustered with using your time “efficiently” that, you don’t use your time efficiently. I spent so much time planning and tweaking to get the most effort for my day, that I wasted lots of them, before and after.
When I started using the plan, I worked myself to the bone and failed, leaving me exhausted and needing time to reset.
Don’t be an idiot.
Just Do It!!
Shia LaBeuof
If you want to know a fairly sustainable pace then I found separating my time into 1 hour slots worked well.
Just like your body you need to work other parts of your brain. Topics can become tedious more so than interesting if you force them, let it flow.
If you’re on a roll, keep going, hit a wall, change things up. Make a cup of tea, stretch your legs between each topic, get your body and mind linking there habits together, this will make things far easier to sustain.
I actually found doing a study topic, then my exercise, then another topic worked excellently and prevents TV procrastination.
Anyway, that’s my sob story for today. (worlds tiniest violin plays)
I’m sure most of you now will have heard of this model, maybe not by name but, definitely by practice. Put simply the VARK model is: a breakdown of the learning process; it’s how you learn.
VARK
According to this model there are 4 basic styles to learning:
Visual – graphical summaries of given data; charts, graphs, etc.
Auditory – listening to aural (verbal) information.
Reading / Writing – reading documentation and taking notes.
Kinaesthetic – performing the physical action; playing the sport or conducting the experiment yourself.
You’re learning wrong
Now, this is where the trick comes in…
Effective learning comes down to efficiency; you need to learn the broad content quickly and logically to retain it – effectively. The VARK model directs you to your best learning method.
Studies show that preferences and actuality don’t always match.
A recent study (Jurenka, et al., 2018.) shows that subjectively, students chose auditory learning as their preferred method however, test results showed students had greater results with kinaesthetic learning.
The current generation does seem to follow the general trend of preferring kinaesthetic style learning, as opposed to the older generation preferring reading/writing styles. This is down to the change from traditional eduction to newer modern standards.
How to learn
Schools use a combination of different methods that invoke each learning style. This is to help students to learn, despite their individual styles, but also to aid them in recognising how they learn: Most people don’t fully understand what method is best for them.
Learn Smarter
If you wish to learn efficiently and easily, take a simple VARK test – you will thank you.
Below are a few links if you wish to do a little more digging for yourself.
So, what type of learner are you?
Are you different from what you thought?
Feel free to leave a comment, anything more, Leave a Q.
You speak a language, just the 1, makes sense. Why bother with another language?
I mean seriously, with all of the technology out now, who needs to speak more than their mother tongue. I could point my phone camera at a sign and it would translate it for me. I could even leave my phone on a table and it would translate, aloud, what someone is saying to me. Brilliant.
Sure, that may be true and be enough for holidays, but with more and more people travelling, personally or for work, and even emigrating, the world is becoming a much smaller place.
Let me add a local point, especially for those with the English mother tongue. How many more jobs could you get if you spoke a second language, even at a basic conversation level. I would be willing to bet it doubles, yes DOUBLES.
“But that’s absurd” I hear you cry. …Why?
How many times have you been at an interview and not got the job despite having the exact same skills as everyone else. It comes down to personality and other “irrelevant” skills at that point. A language will be right at the top of the list even if there is no need for one.
…Why?
It shows you not only have a very difficult skill to attain but have a more extroverted personality with, being able to speak to people who don’t know your mother language, or perhaps struggle with it. You would be a perfect fit for any “human” based companies where you talk to clients or even internal staff members as someone who understands and has an interest in other people and cultures. It would put you in good standing as a leader or manager and not just “another grunt”.
Now, that might not be true for you, but that’s what it looks like on a CV, …just saying…
Anyway, on the more advanced side, a language shows that you have a very adaptive mind.
Languages are stranger than you think. There is plenty of research that shows how drastically your brain chemistry alters in comparison to a monolingual. You form new connection to the same ideas you already hold.
As a side note, what do I mean by ideas?
If I said the word "Book", you instantly know what I mean, but why? The word has an association in your brain to your senses. That's why you get a feeling of nostalgia when you see or smell certain things. An old book smell could bring back a time of reading as a child or seeing a pebble reminds you of a holiday, these examples are more drastic associations of the idea you have of that specific thing, but back to words. Standard words like: dog, book, ocean, tree, will likely instantly give an image in your mind, not necessarily clear but you have a significant understanding of what it means.
That is where languages make things really interesting….
Take someone who speaks a Germanic language, such a English, and an Asian language, like Japanese. The way these languages function are so drastically different that your brain literally works differently when thinking in 1 language to another. This is down to the different pathways formed within your brain to be able to link different ideas in your mind.
Example:
English: I went shopping yesterday.
Japanese: 私は昨日買い物に行ってきまし
Romaji : Watashi wa kino kaimono ni ittekimashita.
The Japanese literal translation would be along the lines of:
I yesterday shopping went. With shopp’ing‘ and ‘went‘ being muddled together at the end. Logically, Japanese is a ‘simple-ish’ language to grasp, with specific rules for each thing.
to go (present/future)
(行きます)ikimasu
to do
(します)shimasu
not go (negative)
(行きません)ikimasen
not do
(しません) shimasen
went (past)
(行きました)ikimashita
did
(しました)shimashita
These are just some examples, how logical it is despite being complex. Basically, each word is the same, but a different ending changes the tense.
The syntax of the Germanic languages works completely differently to the Asian languages. The ideas people have in the mind for each word will be similar, but how they are connected to each other will be different.
This leads to a different way of thinking, and potentially, even a different personality depending on the language you use at that time.
This means that problems could be solved much more efficiently by a multilingual due to their brains being able to match similar ideas in different ways.
Think outside of your language limited box.
2 Languages means “3” times the amount of people
What?….How?……
Now, obviously this number is subjective. Logically, if you speak 1 language you can speak to anyone who speaks your mother tongue, yes? Therefore, speaking 2 languages means you can speak to twice the amount of people right, everyone who speaks either of the two languages you can, your mother tongue and their’s, following me?
Well, what about other multilinguals. Around 70% of the global populous are some degree of multilingual.
Hypothetically, let’s say you can speak English and Japanese. You can speak to someone who speaks either English or Japanese, yes? Including those who speak different combinations of languages. You can’t just converse with English and Japanese people, you could speak to anyone who knows either language, follow? What if you met a person from Brazil who speaks Portuguese and Japanese. This may seem fairly obvious but expand it a little more. You and your new friend become a translator for anyone who speaks English or Portuguese too, by using your common language, Japanese.
Now this might sound a little drastic but it goes to show just how wide your world can grow by simply knowing another language.
Sure, languages are hard at first, but once you understand the logic behind them you can progress faster and faster as you are able to use it more and more. Watching movies, talking to new people, playing games. Not only do they allow you to do these things in other languages but expand the amount you can do; new games, new shows, new people.
The world is a much smaller place and it is getting smaller. You are far more likely to meet someone who doesn’t speak your language than ever before with everyone being able to explore everywhere.
Or are you?…..
With around 65%-75% of the global population being multilingual, monolinguals are a “dying breed”, you could even argue inferior, if you want to start getting cynical. You are less adaptive, more isolated, and with most businesses being international you would be unable to even have a conversation with a large proportion of those you “work with”.
Hmm, perhaps I should brush up on my languages.
Anyway, what do you think?
Am I being too harsh on monolinguals?
Are languages boring and pointless with technological developments?
Will Elon’s ‘neuralink‘ brain chip mean you won’t even have to speak?
You find yourself in a job you hate, understandable. Welcome to the club, current member count, 7 billion. In our club new or “rookie” members get treated like children and are given lots of work for poor pay. Where as our long standing “veteran” members have to deal with the same old …rubbish… different day.
Now, here’s the kicker, the answer, the number 1 rule to enjoying work…. [insert generic rubbish here]…
Yeah, there isn’t one sorry, thanks for listening.
….what?
…still here?
Okay. So here is my answer. It all comes down to how you perceive your job, for which, there are 2 choices in the entire lifetime of a persons career. To you personally, is your job:
A job that is your love and passion?
or
A job that pays for your love and passion?
Now, the first option is always the preferred choice, but, for everyone to be happy, the odds that there is someone out there that actively enjoys each available job, is quite slim. Even if everyone on Earth actually enjoyed their jobs that would not last. Why? The population keeps growing and jobs don’t. The competition for those jobs adds stress, killing any sort of enjoyment we scrape together.
That leaves us with 2 main problems with work (I know another 2): unneededstress or mind-numbing boredom.
I would be willing to bet that every single person who has read this has experienced both in there working life. I know I have.
This is why peoplehate there jobs, we need enough pressure just to keep things interesting but not so much as to make associate a job with discomfort orstress.
Everyone is capable of working under pressure, just different amounts. When we reach our limit, that’s when pressure becomes stress.
As of the time I am writing this there is a pandemic which, rightly so, adds the extra stress to you work life, reducing the amount of extra pressure we can endure.
Is your current job the issue or is it stress from your personal life melding with work stress. Some of my previous jobs were excellent with nice little perks which kept me content. But, I know that I would have up and quit, with them being front facing jobs, as my personal stress would have been unsustainable with work life.
Anyway, let’s leave that annoying 2019 associate there, that might not concern you.
Now, back to jobchoices.
Since I was young I have chopped and changed what I wanted to be so many times I developed an odd miss match of skills and interests leaving me a bit of a Jack of all Trades and, unfortunately, a Master of Non. But, this has left me with the realisation that it is far easier to get a job that funds what I enjoy doing than getting a job I enjoy.
This may sound sad to some of you, but please stop and think about this for a moment. All jobs, whether you love it is or hate it, have their ups and downs, let me give you an example.
How cool would it be to be a stunt-person. You’re physically fit and talented enough to perform awesome fight scenes, jump over cars and all of the crazy stunts you wanted to do when you were just a child. You also get paid to do this, whilst hanging out with famous actors. Awesome right…What about injuries? Being contracted to do stunts you have never done before, that are potentially fatal, if you get them wrong. Must be stressful, no? What about the old adage, “Never meet you heroes”, turns out your favourite movie start is, a piece of work, upsetting, no?
Now, think of something that is widely considered boring…accounting. Looking after spending documentation of others enjoying there money. Boring, no? Well, accountants get paidwell. With most accounting you…
Do the job, then go home.
Lots of my points sound silly, but the amount of people who don’t consider these things carefully are immeasurable.
“A job you enjoy is not a job at all”…
…Sure, but that also means you are always thinking about work. A stunt-person has to ensure they are always at the top of their game, physically and mentally, to perform well and safely. An accountant, whilst being an incredible difficult job, that’s not even up for a debate, will get very good at their job due to the more repetitive nature of data science roles, meaning they can work through logically and finish at the end of each day.
For me, there is no job that I could do, with my current skill set, that I would say is “so excellent” that I would give up a job to do it. I am happy with what I do now because it gives me time to do things I enjoy. Like all jobs there are ups and downs, but nothing that would stop me from doing my role or think, “I can’t do this anymore”.
Anyway, that was a long tangential ramble, let me try again.
Is it better to find a job that you love or find a job that pays for, and gives you the time to do, the things you love? I will always argue the latter. Especially for people who don’t know what career path they wish to take, yet….
Finda job thatallowsyouto do the things you love.WorktoLive!
Russell
For me, I wanted to be able to travel the world and explore everything and learn all I can. For that I need 2 main things (really 2 again): money and time. So, I am always looking for jobs that give me enough money to support myself and give me time to use it on the things I want to do. Which, honestly, when you simplify life, is what everybody really wants.
Now that I think about it, it almost seems to good to be true…
Anyway, just something I am always surprised no one thinks about.
A job that you enjoy or a job that pays for what you enjoy. Both make work more bearable, but 1 actually separates your work and your life. That balance is the most important of all.
So, what do you think?
Should you enjoy your job like a hobby?
Do you agree with me?
Do you like your job.
Leave a comment below, any questions please, Leave a Q!
Having gained some experience of teaching first hand through “educating” many students ranging in ages and skill levels I have come to develop into something I like to refer to as…
A Palpatine Teacher
Bare with me here. I have noticed this, not only in myself, but also in may others within the TEFL field of education.
Fear not, it’s not a bad thing, per se, just a little…evil.
Now, I would like to propose an argument that, once you recognise, is an irrefutable FACT.
DarthSidious, the creepy cloaked guy from that famous sci-fi movie series, was a truly incredibleteacher and mentor. Sure, he was “evil” and “manipulative”…and an insurmountable dictator of indescribable power…but he wasn’t half bad as a teacher…
I realise this maybe falling apart a little but please bare with me.
As Palpatine he was a great friend to Anakin, guiding him into, quite literally, becoming THE CHOSEN ONE. He was a just leader and helped unite all the planets and nations of the galaxy.
Sure, this was all in a case to become the Emperor, but he hid it quite well and still, technically, did all those things for “good”.
As Darth Sidious he was a supreme being of unquestionable intelligence and strength, capable of raising and moulding Anakin Skywalker, the chosen one who will bring balance to the force, into a true “force” to be reckoned with (see what I did there), debatably more powerful than if he stayed with the Jedi order.
Now,…
What’s with all this nerd stuff?!?
You say
…well, with this in mind I have noticed that in a “Dr Jackal and Mr Hyde” fashion, teachers too, do have this form of mentality.
Just like The Sith Lord himself, we seem to seamlessly swap between a superior evil intelligence manipulating the minds for the future to come… to a wise old friend offering a guiding hand, forging a thirst for knowledge and truth.
…Hmm, sounded much less sinister in my head…anywho….
This is, in my interpretation, an excellent construct of a true teacher.
Why?
Teachers are foremost, placed in a position of power over blank humans. We are dedicated to moulding and sculpting the perfect beings through a pursuit and love of knowledge.
…Or…
Are teachers the friendly wise guide, helping those blank souls find their own path and push them forward into the best self they can be.
Darth Sidious or Senator Palpatine?
To be a true teacher you need to have a balance of both. You cannot be a friend as the respect is lost. Your guidance becomes less significant but expected, more of a suggestion than a direction.
Do not become the book of knowledge, but the map to its library.
Russell
A teacher needs to be the guiding hand to our young padawans, someone they can always rely upon, but not so forgiving as to allow them dependence upon us. How will they ever become the little “Sith Lords” we guide them towards, or make the decision for which path to take?
The underlying creed of the Sith is knowledge is power, no matter the source. This is true for teachers, too. Instilling a sense of gain, greed and gluttony towards knowledge is a good thing. It comes down to the Palpatine side for how to use that knowledge.
When it comes down to it, our very creed, as educators is not to spark the fire, but to fan the flames that keep a burning desire for knowledge. You will always get students who don’t wish to learn, but that is our burden to bare. We carry that weight for the day when they find something they are willing to learn for.
The day when our shoulders lighten will be the day our students no longer need us.
Will they use their new found knowledge to improve the world or will they “throw us over the rails”(episode 6 *wink wink nudge nudge*), be it more figuratively in our position than literally.
Anyway, that’s my rambling for another day. What do you think?
Am I onto something?
Do I watch too many movies?
Should I stop using a new line for each statement to make it seem more profound?
Please do let me know. Any questions please Leave a Q.
Whatever you want to call it its about “imparting wisdom” to others through the magic of the internet and, most importantly, it’s super easy to get started.
Step 1 – What to teacher
Languages – Skills – Etc
What ever you want, simple.
Yes, you can literally teach anything. If there is something you are good at, there is someone willing to pay for you to teach it to them. If you’re a computer wiz, have a degree in something interesting or even just good at playing an instrument, people will pay to see how you do it. Places such as Udemy and Skillshare are a prime example of this.
For me, I happen to be better than 80% of the global populous at the English language, and that’s not arrogance as only 20% of people actually speak English, so we’re off to a great start already.
Languages are also something that are in very high demand as the world becomes a much smaller place through the use of web based meetings and even faster and simpler travel. People want to learn another language for work or travel and English being the Business Language of the World does make a great starting place.
Step 2 – What Do I need.
Internet – Computer – Headset
Depending where you look at working this list may be a little shorter or longer but these 3 are the average. You need a decent internet connection if you are to teach face to face lessons, for obvious reasons, students won’t stick with you for long if they can’t see you clearly or you keep dropping out of class.
Companies such as EF, and Whales English have their own standard set curriculum so it’s as easy as “reading off a PowerPoint with a smile on your face“.
Most companies have the option to teach children or adults so you decide which is best for you.
If you have gone a longer way into teaching then you may decide to look for a higher earner. These will require you to produce your own curriculum.
Qualifications are much more helpful than not. Don’t worry, this can be done online, too through companies such as tefl.org and i-to-i. Find a reputable service and purchase a course. They can be a little pricy but do your research. I would recommend a 120hr course. This will be enough for any school and, if you wanted, this will also be enough for those with degrees to try their luck abroad, too. Some companies however, only require a 40hr course or even just a good knowledge of English.
If English isn’t for you then might I recommend a camera. You can try out recording your own lessons and uploading them to places such as the fore mentioned Udemy and Skillshare and have a steady income as people purchase your course. Be warned, you will need a full curriculum. Might I suggest breaking your skill down into bite-sized chunks.
Step 3 – Where to teach it.
Online – Worldwide
Now, depending on your nationality this can be different(ish). You can teach with no problems online through hundreds of different companies big and small. However, some do have some requirements such as location with companies like Qkids and Magic Ears needing North American teachers or others like EF-kids needing someone who doesn’t travel.
I would recommended perusing through the well known companies that are super easy to find with a basic search and seeing what you actually want. What has a bigger influence on your choices; money, 1 to 1 lessons, group lessons, adults, children, hours or even curriculum.
I looked at several different companies including EF, Qkids, Magic Ears, Whales English, etc and decided what I wanted to do. I was comparatively young so I thought teaching kids would be better, some adults don’t like having a teacher younger than them and companies like someone who is energetic for children, so I’ll have a better chance there.
Money was important, obviously, but not as important as being able to actually do the job. I chose a company with a fully set curriculum so I wouldn’t have to worry about planning until I had more experience.
I wanted a steady time schedule, which actually most do have now so, no issues there. That in mind I did choose a company with a minimum hours per week, my logic being that if they have a minimum hours per week they must have a larger number of students with teachers being in high demand, meaning more work…and more money!
Any who, I sent in my application and the next day I received an email asking me to book a slot for an interview in an ‘online timetable thingy‘ that every company uses nowadays. I booked a slot for the next day where I chatted to the interviewer, they didn’t ask me too much on teaching as most are expecting lesser experienced people. We just talked about my interests and had a general conversation. Don’t let this throw you, it’s a simple but effective technique to see how enthusiastic you are in unknown or mundane situations. Are you enjoyable to speak to and easy to understand.
When I say general conversation I mean we chatted for 20 minutes about different movies we liked because I added ‘movies’ as a hobby, easy no.
I had to do only a small “test” to see if I could actually teach a lesson and how I deliver the information. Be enthusiastic with lots of praise and you will have no problems at all. Others I have done simply want to understand what you would do and why. Lots do however, want you to do a full lesson, with the interviewer as the student, even as a child which can feel weird let me tell you. But, they are very supportive and give you very good and obvious points to pick them up on.
Once the interview was over I received an email with an offer. I then booked an appointment for a short orientation on how the companies teaching portal worked. Other companies do the orientation and interview in one, easy.
Step 5 – Let me know
Interested – Nervous – Unsure
I hope this was even remotely helpful to someone. Please, do drop a comment here, on Facebook or Twitter and let me know how it went or if you are interested in TEFL.
Want to teach English online but don’t know where to start. What should you consider? What is important to know?
Let me break it down for you as to what I think are some important things to consider:
1. Money
Wages are obviously a priority.
Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you the things that make you happy!
How much you will earn will depend greatly on the company. There is a general bracket for the total wages of each company averaging between £10 – £15 over all of the online companies with the higher end giving you more work and less assistance such as preparing your own lessons.
The first you will see is the ‘base rate‘. The standard you will be paid, per hour, for your services. Some do appear quite low but usually offer substantial “incentives“. Be careful when reading the base rate as it may be per hour or per lesson. Lesson usually lasts either 40mins or 25mins.
Now, incentives are where the trick comes in. This can be the make or break for your monthly remuneration. Each company offers these, aptly named, “incentives”. Depending on certain conditions they will pay you more. Had a student sign up after your lesson, bonus, hold a high rating for a month, bonus, complete your lesson review within 24 hours of the lesson, bonus. These may only be a small sum hear and there, but, they will soon add up to a very big part of your wages.
2. Curriculum
The curriculum, what your students will learn, can be a fun one. Most companies now have a set curriculum to ensure all of the students reach a set level, and to be sure that teachers are all able to offer a higher quality of education(ish).
Each company has their own individualcurriculum with its own upsides, and flaws, but generally they are all much of a muchness.
Companies which request you produce your own curriculum will also offer high base rates for lessons, but will require significantly more work, for obvious reasons.
As a warning, be sure to check which language you are actually supposed to be teaching in: British English or American English. This can become quite confusing with lots of companies, surprisingly, using a blend of the both. This makes it difficult to teach some lesson and vocabulary but, that’s what you’re there for I guess….
3. Platform
What are you using to teach?
Again, most companies have there own platform to teach through. All of the platforms have the same basic structures: Timetable, Notifications, Dashboard(next lesson, etc) so joining or changing companies shouldn’t be to much of a hassle to find your feet or be a bearing on which to join.
The real question is whether it is software or online based. Downloaded software tends to run a little smoother with solid builds and not random updates which break the entire system leaving you with lessons to teach but unable to access for the day….
Any who, this also means you have to store more company data. If you computer breaks you will need to find another and quickly download the files and re-setup, as opposed to jumping onto any old computer and working away.
Some other companies offer an app to work from, allowing for on the go teaching from a smartphone or tablet, these are usually more freelance orientated, connecting teacher with students.
Others will actually require you to have a Skype, Zoom or other video conferencing software to work. This may not seem like a big issue, but it will build-up with all of the contacts you will need to track yourself, including time zones.
4. Hours
Due to issues with the pandemic and people having new priorities most companies have moved away from the idea of minimum hours so this isn’t a big issue anymore. However, not all have dropped them so be careful.
Peak time depends per company, as do time zones, but it will normally tell you in the FAQ. These are the periods when they have the highest demand and will sometimes offer an incentive for the times to be booked.
Now, some companies also require a specific schedule, not just hours, such as a minimum of 6 hours during peak time. If the company registers 1 hour per day as their peak times then, doing the maths, this becomes a six days a week job. If you have no problem with spreading out a small amount of work over more days then, go you, but me, I prefer to work longer hours and less days. Be careful, it’s not always obvious.
The lesson length will be another point. Generally, 25minute lessons mean 2 per hour and you get a small gap between each lesson of 5 minutes. However, depending on the base rates, you may earn more by squeezing in an extra lesson every few hours with the 40 minute lessons, just be sure not to leave to little time between to move from lesson to lesson, you will be penalised.
Please, check to see the companies stance on student no shows. Will you still be paid if a student doesn’t turn up to the lesson or cancels last minute.
5. location
If you are considering TEFL as a route to nomadic freedom then join the club, just be sure not to make the mistake I made many moons ago and join a company that doesn’t allow you to travel due to there “policies” of a strong, wired, internet connection. Ironic really considering I get better and more stable connection tethering from my mobile than I did through our house Lan but, that’s their choice.
Most will allow you to travel as you please, as long as you can prove that you have a stable connection where you are.
6. Students
This may seem like a strange thing to consider but hear me out.
As a new teacher I would worry about presenting to other people, the entire role of a teacher but don’t question my life decisions, that’s for another post.
The main things I always consider are: age and number.
Do you want to teach adults? – As a relatively young person I stay clear of adults as some people don’t enjoy the idea that a person, younger than them, are teaching them. Although, most people in this form of education are usually there for business so see this as simply a tick box and will work hard and focus.
Teaching young children can be easier for the traditional teaching style, mildly patronising. Children are used to being corrected and learning through school and exams. As well as always being older than them they should have a little more respect. You will have to be very enthusiastic and energetic, as well as patient when you get a really naughty little…
Anyway, the last thing with your students is what they are learning: conversation, exam based, business.
Business English students will work hard, but that puts the pressure on you to work hard, too.
Conversational English can be more relaxed as it is down to the student to practice as they wish, but you ill have to be more imaginative in your teaching methods.
7. Other
Here are a few extras to consider if you are still torn between companies.
Commission – Companies often offer you a small commission if you refer other to join the company.
Timezones – Where are the students and where are you. The U.K. to China, for instance, currently has a start of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. working day. Do also note, daylightsavings.
Company Age – if the company is several years old, lots have sprang up in recent years due to the increased demand. Are more teachers being let go than taken on, this may show the company collapsing. Other, biggercompanies have actually began to thrive as smallercompaniescollapse and students look for other places to learn English.
“8”? More than 1 company
If you feel unsure about some companies, don’t be afraid to workformultiplecompanies. As long as you teach the minimum hours most businesses will allow you to work for others, too. This is usually stated in the FAQ so do take a look. This can also help fill up your day to make a standard 9-5 if thats what you’re looking for.
So, these are the things that I always consider while looking for different companies. I hope this break down helps you to decide who to work for, or even whether to change who you work for and teach.
If this helped, please do let me know. If you would like more information then please ask. Any further questions Leave a Q.
With the pandemic going on I, like a lot of people, had a sudden reaction as if I was back at school during summer holidays. I was being paid to simply stay at home and doing all I can to help keep others safe. So, I stayed home, used all my free time enjoying the piece and quiet, played games, caught up on my anime and TV shows and slept the rest of my day away. By end of the first lock down I had left my home a grand total of two times, in 6 months.
It wasn’t until I realised how long had past that I suddenly felt sick with fear. How much of my time had I wasted of my life doing literally nothing. Despite the misfortune of so many, we were granted a great gift of time. Time that I could have spent improving myself or furthering my career.
What could I have done with my 6 months.
Learnt a Language – Being an English speaker I could have learned any of the Germanic or Romance languages to near fluency, including; French, Spanish, Norwegian and even Swahili.
LearntComputer Programming – There are numerous methods for this available such as an online learning platform like Udemy or Team Treehouse. A 100 hour course could give you all of the knowledge you need, as long as you read around and practice. You could even simply use Youtube for free.
Got into Fitness – Improve my health and mind by exercising, improving my strength and confidence.
Or Literally any skill I wanted – and be a ‘good’ 6 months ahead of the game. Most people will do no more than 1 hour a day after work, what about a 9 to 5 equivalent of training, or even just studying something interesting when I would have gone to the pub.
It wasn’t until people began going back to work and meet their friends that I realised how foolish I had been, not using my time to the fullest. Now, I feel frustrated every time I don’t do something to improve myself, I feel as though I am wasting my time.
This was truly the point when it finally made sense to me. All those years as a child being told to: “work hard”, “don’t leave it to the last minute” and, “time goes faster when you’re older”. I now find there isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that I want to do.
So,What am I doing now
It seemed like the right time to quit my previous job as a member of front of house staff. At this point in time, I am working online as an ESL (English as a Second Language) Teacher. Fortunately, or unfortunately, this isn’t a 9-5 role, but it does give me lots of time and enough money to survive. With my free time I keep myself in a ‘9-5ish’ routine but add in studying.
So, I am currently;
Working as an ESL Teacher
Exercising – I no longer have the ‘tired’ excuse and I need to be healthy to travel well
Studying Japanese – for travelling Japan and Asia
Leaning Web Development – to supplement my income, and a role you can travel with
Blogging – to establish a semblance of presence for developing an online business
In any case I can say whole heartedly, “I have learned my lesson”. I refuse to waste my time. If I want to make my life easier in the future, why waste the time I have been given now, especially with a second lockdown coming into play.
What do you think? Are you wasting your time? Learning new skills? Got a new job? Please let me know. If you have any questions then Leave a Q.
2020 has been an interesting year to say the least, but have no fear the teacher is here. Despite the pun yes, now is a good time to get into online teaching. People have been loosing their lively hoods left right and centre and yet I have had no problem with walking straight into a job as a Kids Online English Teacher, why?
“With zero experience and the right attitude you can go anywhere, everyone has to start somewhere.”
Russell 2020
Teaching isn’t for everyone. Sitting in front of a screen for several hours per day explaining a dreaded school subject to someone who doesn’t speak your language can be daunting to say the least, but it does have its little rewards. When you suddenly recognise your students improvement as they answer a question you never thought they could in perfect English… using your accent. Absolute gold.
ESL now?
There is some debate over whether it’s a thriving industry right now. With an international super plague encompassing the Earth, lot’s of smaller businesses are struggling to keep staff and students alike. The good thing, is for the bigger companies with their well established online presence. These companies are actually expanding and actively hiring to meet the demand. With each small business that closes, hundreds of new students are looking for teachers from the more well developed companies.
Now don’t get me wrong, the pay isn’t perfect, you will likely be earning around £10 an hour plus incentives, especially if you have just started. But this is more down to a choice than a restriction. I am of the mind that you should learn the ropes before earning the money. I went for a company that gives you all of the help you need as a beginner, with zero lesson preparation. Once you have gotten used to the lesson styles and layouts you can increase your wages, most do his by 6 month reviews or simply by changing companies.
To be honest there are lots of businesses out there, each already have their own curriculum that you literally just need to ‘read of the powerpoint’ to be able to complete the lesson. However, that’s not really teaching is it. You will find that you quickly develop your own separate mannerisms and techniques for delivering the lesson to different students, be it someone who struggles or an English language prodigy.
Do I need another language?
The single most terrifying thing that I remember, and get asked regularly, is how do you teach a child who doesn’t speak your language. Well, first things first, that’s kind of the point of ESL in the first place. I find it actually benefits you if you don’t speak the same language. You learn how to adapt to not being able to say an explanation and the child develops quickly by being “forced” to learn and understand more. Ignoring this, there is no need to worry at all, the lessons are specifically designed to slowly develop an understanding of the language and be built upon. There really is no need to worry.
Hours
The best thing I have found with teaching English is the time difference. For me being in the UK, I get up and start work at 8:00 a.m. but finish at 1:00 p.m. This means it leaves me the whole day to do as I please.
I am also not bound to any set schedule. I can choose my working hours, meaning if I don’t want to work a specific day or time, I don’t. I book time off when I wish, as long as I give some time in advance, and I can also pick up more lessons if I am free. If my plans fall through and I get the day free, no problem, I’ll do some teaching for extra money, win win.
Anywhere
Finally a great factor for online teaching is something you can’t do with teaching in class. I can work from anywhere in the world, as long as I have a good Internet connection. This will depend on the company that you work for and their eligibility requirements. Some more strict companies will allow you to work in a foreign country if you are going to a set location for an extended period and can prove your connection is good. This means travelling is still perfectly on the table, as long as you account for the time differences for the students you teach of course.
Personally I would recommend a company that teaches in China, purely for the times and remuneration. The country’s sheer size means there are literally hundreds of companies to choose from, all wanting teachers, leaving you with a better wage per demand and if you live in the UK, the time difference is near perfect.
Not online
If online ESL isn’t for you but you would love to travel for a while then try a physical school location. An excellent part of these ESL schools is that you are not the students only teacher. Each student goes to an in country physical class to learn, you are the local English teaches native assistant. The students come to you to practice what they have learnt with a truly fluent speaker, meaning most of your students will already know the material if not more. You could choose, if you wish, to go to one of these school on yearly contracts where they will help you to set up your life for living abroad whilst you can travel the country from a home base and live in the culture. This is one of the routes I am considering taking myself.
For warning
When choosing an ESL company there are many, many schools to choose from, take reviews of these companies with a pinch of salt. I spent weeks looking for companies and kept swaying due to former employees reviews. When I joined a company I realised something important, you are wanted in this field. Thats not to say you are irreplaceable, but they know what to expect from a beginner and will generally make allowances when you first start.
Reviews
If you don’t like where you are at, just leave and go to another company. I personally have never experienced any of the issues that I have read about, even for the company I work for. Some of the issues were even things that, now I have been in the situations, I recognise as, honestly, the employees fault not the company. I think every business will get disgruntled employees. That’s not saying that at times the company isn’t to blame, these do happen too, just like everywhere else, but things can be blow out of proportion. Does anyone ever review something unless they had a terrible experience and want to hurt them back, just food for thought. But as I said, just leave, it is very easy to walk into another ESL job, especially now. And if you really don’t like it, go back to what you were doing with the experience you have in that field, simple. You can even work both, get your feet wet so to speak. Most of the companies now have removed any minimum weekly hour requirements so trying it out is perfectly fine, even for 1 lesson a week.
Any who…
Long story short, don’t spend too much time overthinking everything like I did. I believe this to be the best decision I have made as of my journeys so far. I earn as much money as I did previously, working less hours and at sociable times. I spend the rest of my time learning new skills that will be useful for travelling.
What do you think, is this something you would be interested in trying? A change of pace from the daily grind or perhaps even a career change. I hope this helped anyone who was on the fence or has, at least, made some of you think more about this less spoken job sector.
If you have any further questions feel free to Leave a Q.
