Teaching English Online for Parents

As a parent, it can be difficult to find a job that is flexible enough to fit around your daily responsibilities. If you are someone who is home-bound, looking after children, babies, or other family members then you might have given up hunting for work. 

One career path you may not have considered is teaching English online. The popularity of online teaching is in no small part thanks to its incredibly adaptable nature: work from home (or any environment for that matter), be your own boss and save time. If you are fluent in English, want some cash coming in, and are looking for a change then online teaching may be for you. 

I first started teaching online in May 2019 in the afternoons while continuing my morning job. The afternoon slot is peak teaching time in China, which is their evening. We are six hours behind them. I started teaching adults and this year I have been teaching kids as well. I think at the back of my mind I always remembered coming back from Taiwan with a lot of money – enough to keep me going for a year, study and buy a car. Teaching English Online is going to be my ticket to financial independence.

Read on if you want to learn more. 

Why should a parent teach online? 

At no other point in someone’s life will they prioritise another human’s wellbeing, safety, and security so much more than their own. The experience of parents worldwide has recently been shaken up thanks to the Covid-19 global pandemic, with millions being laid off work and having to look after children unable to attend school. 

This combination of economic insecurity and inability to leave the home has led many parents to seek work online – and it’s no wonder why.

Work from the comfort of your own home

Online teaching has a lot of benefits. For instance, it provides an economic opportunity without the need to leave your living room. Whether you decide to go freelance or work with a company, the Web allows you to connect with anyone from anywhere. The potential pool of customers is vast. Plus, not having to commute every day will help save a lot of money in the long term! 

And, of course, working from home means that parents can ensure their children are looked after. 

During this pandemic I have been able to work at home downstairs in the afternoons while Nicky watches TV upstairs. He is eight years old now so he is able to do most things by himself. We still have times when he gets stuck and needs me and we have had the odd bad moments, but on the whole this set up has worked well for us. Now that he is going back to school on alternate days I will also be able to work some mornings as well. Depending on the company you work for there is normally at least a 5 minute break between classes so you have a quick chance to sort out problems.

Please note that with the really little kids you are going to need some help. Family and domestic care have worked well for me. I will still be using my mother as much as possible, because that is obviously better than using a TV for a baby sitter.

More time 

Working at home also means you do not have to waste x number of hours travelling to and from your workplace. This gives you more time to spend with family, on your hobbies, or just relaxing. I don’t miss the morning commute at all.

Another way online teaching gives you more time is due to, generally, greater autonomy in deciding your work schedule. If you decide to go freelance then you are truly the master of your own time. This, of course, does mean a bit more work in finding students, marketing yourself, etc., but it pays off. You can choose to work for a company with a set curriculum and set hours or a company where you have to come up with teaching materials but you have more freedom in your schedule. At the end of the day it is probably best to have a balance of both.

Income 

The biggest draw, understandably, for a lot of people is the promise of a relatively stable income. There are a ton of different tutoring agencies out there, all offering wage variations. It’s really worth doing a little bit of research to figure out which one matches your needs and abilities the best. It is also worth noting that pretty much all these companies will have their own requirements, usually something along the lines of a teaching certificate and occasionally a degree. 

Rates vary massively from employer to employer. For example, SayABC offers hourly rates of $15 – $28 (250 Rand – 471 Rand), while another company like Italki offers around $3 – $35 (50 Rand – 530 Rand) per hour. Things like qualifications and experience can affect how much you get paid (and how well you do in the demo lesson/ interview).

Incidentally, South Africans are typically taken advantage of. Unfortunately we have a bad reputation after load shedding etc. but setting up an uninterrupted power supply and proving yourself is best practice.

Not sure about certification? Scroll down for more info.

And, if you decide to go about it solo then the pay is up to you, which can either be a blessing or a curse. 

My Experience

Teaching English online is incredibly rewarding. You meet children and adults from around the world. You see how their English improves and you make lasting relationships. 

The most important thing I would like to tell you though is like most things in life it is not a quick, easy way to make money. You can make consistent income teaching English online but you have to work at it. You have to keep applying to many companies before you find success. You have to accept rejection and learn from it. During this year I have failed many times. 

But I have learnt something. 

– to improve my background

– to improve my lighting

– to improve my communication with the children I was teaching

– to slow my teaching down and to test comprehension

– to use props and gestures

– to use reward systems

– to find support

– to further my education

– to improve my video advertising myself

Guess what? I only learnt all those things through failure. Experience has been the greatest teacher this year.  Every time I failed an interview, I asked for feedback. Every time I lost a student I had to ask myself why. Every time I got a bad rating I had to dig deep and improve myself and become a better teacher. 

Successful ESL teachers have more than one gig going because you never know when one may fold or when you will suddenly lose students. Which is why I work for two companies. The market may be flooded with teachers right now because everyone wants to work from home due to the virus but the most important thing that will make you stand out is your commitment to improve yourself and become a better teacher. Educate yourself and you will reap the benefits. 

Getting Qualified

Okay, so now you’re convinced (I hope) of the benefits to teaching online. Except, you’re not quite sure how to get there. Well, I’m here to tell you that there is no single, undisputed path to virtual teacherdom. 

That being said, there is one route that I would highly recommend: complete a teacher training course, obtain a certificate, and go from there. 

You need to get a TEFL certificate in order to teach Engish online. You can also have more opportunities if you have a degree. But TEFL is non-negotiable. 

TEFL Certificates

Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is a general term for an industry that sees thousands of people, from all backgrounds, tutor the English language physically and online every year. Many of these teachers will possess qualifications that meet job requirements and visa regulations, enabling them to teach abroad or on the Web. The qualification? A TEFL certificate. 

To obtain a certificate, you must complete a course with an accredited provider such as The TEFL Org. Accreditation means that the company has been endorsed by relevant educational organisations to say that their courses are worthwhile and of high quality. An employer often won’t trust a certificate from an unaccredited provider. So, check before you buy!

Remember these two important points about certification: 

• Accreditation – as just pointed out, a course without accreditation is a no-go.
• Hours – generally speaking, the more hours a course has the more attractive to employers it is. 120 hours of training is the bog-standard qualification and is often the minimum requirement of teaching positions. 

Costs

As you will find with a little bit of Googling, there is an overwhelming number of providers out there, each with their own prices and courses. Gauging what seems standard, what is a rip-off, and what is suspiciously cheap can, therefore, be difficult. 

For some guidance, here are what would be counted as ‘average’ prices in the industry: 

• 120-hour course: between 5000 – 8500 Rand. 
• Larger course with practical classroom training: 8000 – 11000 Rand.
• CELTA: 20000+ Rand

As you can see, a TEFL certificate is an investment that requires a lot of consideration prior to purchase. Make sure you check the accreditation and the number of hours before you make such a financially important decision. 

Disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with TEFL.org.

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