Do you ever wonder what it would be like to make an income from home? Do you homeschool and want to make an income from home? Perhaps you’ve tried and you just never found something that worked. Or maybe it just wasn’t the right season. Maybe you never knew it was possible.
When I made the decision to leave a full-time teaching job and stay home with my children, it was not an easy decision. However, it was a burning desire in my heart. If you’ve ever contemplated the idea of staying home but it seems daunting, these words are for you.
My Decision To Stay Home
I had always wanted to stay home from the moment my daughter was born. But I loved teaching as well. A few years ago, both my husband and I were full-time teachers. After I had my son (who is now 3 years old) I wanted nothing more than to stay home. So, we took a leap of faith and made the decision for me to stay home.
There was, however, a concern regarding finances. We knew our family couldn’t survive on my husband’s income alone. So, I began a seemingly endless search for the “perfect” job and found a wonderful blessing that allows me to stay home with my children. I teach online with an amazing company as well as teach my own kiddos every day.
I Homeschool and Make An Income
I searched many different “work-from-home” jobs and quickly discovered there are more scams than legitimate jobs. After researching, I discovered an online teaching company that was based in China. VIPKID is one of the leading online teaching companies in the world. I learned that I could teach online and make my own hours and it sounded wonderful! I finally applied and set up an online interview.
I Was Nervous
Even after teaching for 10 years in the classroom, I was still nervous! My interview was at 10 pm and at my kitchen table. I taught a 10-minute lesson and then my interviewer asked me some questions after. The whole process was about 35 minutes.
How Did I Prepare?
Prior to my interview, I was sent all the power-point slides for the lessons as well as specific tips to help me succeed in the interview process. I passed! I then had to watch a few hours of educational videos and take a quiz. Then, I moved onto the demo lesson process.
This had more preparation as I planned to teach a full 25- minute lesson to a VIPKID mentor. She was wonderful and helped me along the way.
Pros and Cons Of Working With VIPKID
First, let me explain that there are pros and cons to EVERY job! Although, I have discovered that working with VIPKID has more pros than cons.
The Not-So-Awesome Side
As much as I love teaching online and making money, there are some not-so-awesome aspects of the job:
- You have to get up early (like, really early. Seriously. So early). On most mornings, I’m up at 4 am to splash water on my face, put in my contacts, pull my hair back, grab some coffee and look like I’m alive.
- Sometimes you get up early and the student doesn’t show up to class (this happens, but it’s not normal).
- There are students that have shy moments and you’re left talking to yourself for 25 minutes.
- Sometimes parents don’t like how you teach (so they do it themselves, right on camera) but that’s the same way with classroom teachers.
- Sometimes you accidentally oversleep, miss your class, and then don’t get paid (okay, so this one is completely understandable).
- It took a few weeks for me to build up credentials with the parents. I chose to put in some extra time in the beginning to make myself known on the platform. This helped me gather more long-term students.
The Awesome Side
There really are more pros than cons in this job. As long as you’re willing to put in some time, train your body to sleep differently, and smile, it’s worth it.
- You get to laugh even though it’s really early in the morning. When you’re super tired and your student smiles and giggles because you’re funny, it’s awesome.
- You get paid between $14-22 per hour! This amount varies based on your experience and pay rate.
- You set your own hours! You don’t have to work all day long to make money. I usually teach from 4:30 am – 7:30, Monday-Friday. I teach Saturday morning from 6:00 am-7:30. Once in a while, I teach on Friday nights but I don’t make that a habit. You can make your schedule your own.
- You don’t need a lot of preparation! Your lessons are already planned for you! The VIPKID curriculum is already set for you. All you need to do is add some props and a reward system to make it fun for the student. I usually review my lessons the night before and I’m good to go.
- Professional development is free! VIPKID wants its teachers to have all the resources they need to teach expertly teach Chinese students. There is no shortage of workshops, Facebook groups, and certifications you can earn.
- Fun challenges are always happening. The company makes teaching as fun as possible. There are always exciting challenges that help you earn more money each month.
- Learning about Chinese culture is awesome! I always have fun learning about their holidays,
- You get to teach children English as a second language! They love learning about American culture.
The Best Of Both Worlds
This job came at a time when I really needed the additional income. Otherwise, I couldn’t stay at home with my children. I knew that’s what I wanted and so I gave it a try. I didn’t envision that I’d still love it 2 years later. I wake up early, teach for a couple of hours, and have the remainder of the day with my children. With this job, I can focus on one thing at a time.
Can You Teach For VIPKID?
I’ve talked with several people over the past 2 years about teaching for VIPKID. Most of them say, “I could never do that. I’m not a teacher.” Well, let me tell you that I thought the same thing and I have a teaching degree. We’re all uncertain when it comes to trying new things.
VIPKID doesn’t require you to have a teaching degree!!!! Isn’t that cool? There are many moms who teach for VIPKID so they can stay at home with their children. Some of these moms (like me) even homeschool their children.
Although you need a Bachelor’s degree to work with VIPKID, it doesn’t need to be an educational one. (**China values academic education and therefore this is a requirement. The parents look very highly on this as well.)
Is This Job the Only Option For Me?
Absolutely not! There are several different options for working at home. Honestly, I tried out several “jobs” before I found that VIPKID was the best solution for our family. If you’re struggling to find a way to work from home, I invite you to check it out.
If you’ve been thinking about working from home but can’t seem to find a legitimate job, give VIPKID a try. Follow this link (or use my personal code : DANIE0076) and you’ll get all the additional information you need. I’ll be able to answer any questions you have.
I’ve been working with VIPKID since June 2017 and I’d love to help you through the process. It’s much easier to have someone walk alongside you on the journey! Are you ready to try a new adventure?!
-Danielle