Category: Teach

Categories
Teach

Teaching like a Sith Lord

So…

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.

Darth Sidious, the creepy cloaked guy from that famous sci-fi movie series, was a truly incredible teacher 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.

Categories
Teach

TEFL Online Teaching – Where to Start

ESL – TEFL – TESOL – Online Teacher

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 – World wide

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.

Check out my brief of things to think about in a TEFL job.

Step 4 – Money!

Experience – Money – More Money

Job Jobbed. All sorted. That’s it. Simple, no.

Well let me tell you what I did on my first time.

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.

Good luck. Any questions then Leave a Q.

Categories
Teach

At Least “7” Things to Look For in a TEFL School

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 individual curriculum 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, daylight savings.

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, bigger companies have actually began to thrive as smaller companies collapse 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 work for multiple companies. 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.

Categories
Learn Teach Travel

Don’t waste your time!

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.
  • Learnt Computer 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.

Please don’t waste your time!

Categories
Teach

TEFL or not TEFL – Good Question

ESL 2020

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.