So, I started going through the hiring process at OpenEnglish.com (check it out!). I'm not so sure it's going to be a great experience but it will be at least an experience, and a paid one at that. They're specifically looking for people with Portuguese right now since they cannot provide enough teachers for the demand. It pays USD$9/hr for the first three months then you start getting raises after that up to USD$12 after 2 years. Not too bad of a gig for someone living overseas and looking for some extra cash deposited into a US bank account in US currency. I've observed a few classes and it seems pretty simple, just exhausting probably, but I'm up for getting exhausted every now and then if it pays in greenbacks.
Anyhow, upon going through this process I found quite possibly the coolest webtool ever for language teachers. Vocaroo.com. It's an online voice recorder which saves the file (small) on their cloud and then students can email, tweet, or whatever. I'm looking forward to incorporating this into my English courses.
Check out my recording: Click here chicas.
Anyhow, if you've got free time and you feel like sitting around in your PJs making 9 bucks an hour is worth it, take a look at OpenEnglish, too. I'm not so sure it's the BEST out there (I've talked to a friend who has done it who wasn't too impressed) but from my point of view it's teaching experience at best, and I need it. A lot. This girl got the wrong college degree.
Bangs head against the wall.
Showing posts with label teaching online. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching online. Show all posts
Monday, April 23, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
How to find students!?
Alright, this post is for all of you who provide private lessons. How the HECK do you find private students?
I have tried social networks, this has been a huge fail for me in Brazil.
After a year of banging my head against the wall, phone calls have been becoming much more common and it looks like I am going to have a full load of teaching this semester. These are the things that I have found that have been working best for me.
1) I printed a ton of COLORFUL business cards. These business cards I ALWAYS have with me and I try to leave a few at every place I go after talking with the owner or manager of the establishment.
2) Keeping a really good profile at the school I teach with. I had one student through the school who insisted I take her on as a private student (even though I charge the same thing as the school basically....) and I refused based on etiquette. I told her that unfortunately, I would not be able to do that for her, as she found my services through the school and that I thought it was rather underhanded, especially since she was looking for conversation practice alone, and I would charge exactly what the school charges and the same hours as the school. A few weeks later she gave my information to two individuals who now are doing private lessons with me. She respected my honesty and respect for my employer and rewarded me with new clients. She's the owner of the largest car-parts distributor in the state and has a million connections. This will definitely help my business to grow.
3) Keeping a really good public profile. I don't go out to the clubs on a regular basis nor do I frequent bars. This is a result of how the first time I went out and got fly like a G-6 in Ji-Paraná, I ran into one of my students and was so incredibly ashamed, I didn't know what to say when I saw her in class the following week.
Has anyone taught online? I have heard of some websites that provide this as an opportunity (and let me tell you, it would be nice to be able to just teach from my computer). I would love any advice on these options if you guys know anything!
I have tried social networks, this has been a huge fail for me in Brazil.
After a year of banging my head against the wall, phone calls have been becoming much more common and it looks like I am going to have a full load of teaching this semester. These are the things that I have found that have been working best for me.
1) I printed a ton of COLORFUL business cards. These business cards I ALWAYS have with me and I try to leave a few at every place I go after talking with the owner or manager of the establishment.
2) Keeping a really good profile at the school I teach with. I had one student through the school who insisted I take her on as a private student (even though I charge the same thing as the school basically....) and I refused based on etiquette. I told her that unfortunately, I would not be able to do that for her, as she found my services through the school and that I thought it was rather underhanded, especially since she was looking for conversation practice alone, and I would charge exactly what the school charges and the same hours as the school. A few weeks later she gave my information to two individuals who now are doing private lessons with me. She respected my honesty and respect for my employer and rewarded me with new clients. She's the owner of the largest car-parts distributor in the state and has a million connections. This will definitely help my business to grow.
3) Keeping a really good public profile. I don't go out to the clubs on a regular basis nor do I frequent bars. This is a result of how the first time I went out and got fly like a G-6 in Ji-Paraná, I ran into one of my students and was so incredibly ashamed, I didn't know what to say when I saw her in class the following week.
Has anyone taught online? I have heard of some websites that provide this as an opportunity (and let me tell you, it would be nice to be able to just teach from my computer). I would love any advice on these options if you guys know anything!
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