Education has been limited to stuffy classrooms with blackboards and uncomfortable benches for decades. Students of all ages and levels of expertise now have a far broader range of alternatives, including online classes. However, from a teacher’s perspective, is teaching English online worth it?
It is worth the effort for these ten reasons:
- Avoid commuting.
- Work while traveling.
- Pay is competitive.
- Flexible minimum and maximum working hours.
- Create your schedule.
- Lessons are usually provided.
- Formal education experience.
- Class sizes are smaller.
- Meet students from around the world.
- Job availability
It’s exciting to know that there are endless opportunities as the world moves towards online education. You’ll discover that online teaching gives you more time and freedom than most careers. You’ll acquire new skills and meet students from all over the world as a virtual tutor. With that said, what significance do these reasons have?
10 Reasons Why Teaching Online Is A Great Option
As an online teacher, life is fantastic. It is an excellent method to earn a great living while working from home and having a lot of scheduling freedom.
Smart courses and contemporary technical teaching tools have made the entire teaching-learning process more enjoyable and understandable. Aside from that, the pandemic scenario caused by COVID-19 demonstrated the value of online lessons when all educational facilities were closed.
Online teachers generally have very little prep work outside of teaching and can deal with small groups of students worldwide. Therefore, it is one of the most exciting travel jobs available!
Students and teachers from all around the world have realized that online classes are beneficial and necessary for continuing their education. However, there are several more advantages to taking online classes.
1. Avoid Commuting
One of the significant benefits of switching from teaching in a regular classroom to teaching online is that you don’t need to commute anywhere.
My morning routine used to include a 30-minute commute. Now it starts with a three-minute trip to the kitchen for coffee, followed by a trip to my workstation.
Aside from not having to commute, I immediately became enamored with the work-from-home lifestyle. By not waiting in traffic jams, I saved at least an hour every day, and I enjoyed having the little pleasures of home with me at work in the mornings, such as my favorite coffee mug and a comfortable desk chair.
People often bring up the question, “Can you work in your pajamas?” when discussing the benefits of teaching online and working from home in general, but who can blame them? Who wouldn’t want to be allowed to wear their jammies to work and not be judged?
Keep in mind that you’ll probably be on camera for many online teaching jobs, so a certain degree of the presentation will be appreciated by both your employer and your pupils. But, hey, you can certainly get away with wearing those comfy pants unless you’re standing up.
2. Work While Travelling
Having the freedom to work from home was great, but teaching online helped me go even further. It enabled me to earn money while on the road.
I liked being location independent, whether I was teaching from a tropical beach – alright, not actually from a tropical beach, but from a hotel near a tropical beach – or a friend’s house in another state.
Teaching online allows me to travel freely throughout the world. I could work from an exciting new trip place or visit a loved one, and I wouldn’t have to ask anybody for permission to take time off.
3. Pay is Competitive
That’s true; online English teachers make a good living. Depending on your supplier or agency, your fee may be hourly, per class, or even per minute; be sure you understand the terms before signing any contracts.
What are the current rates? For example, most employers pay at least $15 per hour for teaching English, and you may expect to get paid closer to $18 or more.
You can bargain more effectively if you have more experience – imagine $25 per hour or more. Is it possible that this is all too wonderful to be true? So, friend, go ahead and pinch yourself.
If you have a teaching certification, the pay can be pretty good. Qualified teachers are paid the most per hour and are in high demand at English teaching firms.
You might make an extra $2,000 each month by teaching as little as three hours every day. Part-time online teaching is a win-win situation since it allows you to maintain your regular teaching career and perks while still earning extra money.
For full-time online teachers, there’s an added benefit: you’ll save money on transportation, time spent traveling to and from work, lunch, and other job-related expenses.
4. Flexible Minimum And Maximum Working Hours
If you want to be flexible, this is a huge one! Most online teaching firms do not need you to teach a certain number of hours each week.
It implies that your working hours vary significantly from week to week based on your financial demands and schedule. One week you may work forty hours, and the next, zero.
Additionally, you won’t be required to ask for time off if you’re not able to teach – as you’ll not offer sessions on such days. It is a significant advantage of teaching online over many other occupations where you must seek time off in advance and have it granted.
5. Create Your Schedule
On the same point as before, most firms allow you to choose your timetable. Some will need you to commit to the same number of hours each week, but many will allow you to choose the days and times you wish to teach, and your students will book you.
Are you attending an important event soon? No issue; don’t start lessons on that day and you’ll be OK. Do you have to wake up early for a meeting? That’s OK; I don’t have any classes scheduled for that morning.
Being able to establish your schedule is a significant gain, whether you’re jet-setting around the world or just searching for extra cash that fits into your everyday life.
Having complete control over your schedule is one of the most appealing aspects of teaching online. Are you a morning person? Are you a night owl? In any case, you may change your work schedule to suit your needs.
Most of your pupils will be from different countries and will need lessons at various hours during the day (like before and after school).
Furthermore, courses are generally only an hour or two long. You’ll be able to choose how many classes you want to teach each day and when you want to teach them. It’s ultimately up to you whether you teach a class, go to the gym, then teach a class, go grocery shopping, and then teach another session before supper.
6. Lessons Are Usually Provided
I can’t tell you how great this one is from the stories I heard from a former science teacher who created all of his own courses; it was scary. Fortunately, The majority of online teaching firms will provide the lesson materials and goals for each session.
The firm may provide each student with appropriate materials for their level of competence, and all you have to do is teach. It benefits you in ways that save time and energy to focus on putting the information to use.
The advantage of teaching English online is that many companies may provide you with everything you need, including equipment (if they have particular software or hardware that they want teachers to use). You won’t have to go out buying, planning, or worrying. Everything is at one convenient location for you!
7. Formal Education Experience
While you will most certainly need some prior teaching experience, you will not require any professional teaching training to get started. In contrast to in-person teaching employment, you won’t require a teaching degree or a teaching license.
Working as a remote instructor is thus an excellent opportunity to gain teaching experience while also learning a new skill. Online teaching might be a great place to start if you want to teach abroad and have been inspired to work in education but didn’t know where to start.
Teaching English to international students online is a fantastic experience that will benefit you by gaining teaching experience as a teacher, which will offer you more control over your employment contract and higher compensation conditions.
8. Class Sizes Are Smaller
Anyone who has ever taught in a regular classroom or attempted to manage a large group of children will understand what I’m talking about. The majority of online lessons are either small groups or one-on-one. It is stunning from the perspective of a teacher.
Your pupils will receive personalized attention, and you will be able to tailor your class to their unique needs and interests. You may create stronger bonds and provide a more personalized learning experience with one-on-one or small group sessions.
In addition, unlike in a typical classroom, you won’t have to worry about things like classroom management. These students are all eager to learn!
9. Meet Students From Around The World
You may educate students from all around the world if you become a virtual English tutor. It means you’ll meet individuals from all around the world and learn about their cultures.
Because most of the pupils I have taught were from China, I’ve learned a great deal about their family traditions, festivals, and customs.
It’s also intriguing to gain a look into and interact with my students’ daily lives. Because most students take classes at home, you’ll be able to engage with them in their natural environment. They will demonstrate their toys, pets, and siblings to you.
You’ll frequently get the opportunity to speak with their parents and learn about their daily activities. My pupils are excellent instructors, despite the cliche.
10. Job Availability
Due to a scarcity of on-site teachers in their native countries, millions of students worldwide are rotating towards the internet to improve their English abilities. Were you thinking about how difficult it would be to schedule lessons as an online teacher?
Don’t worry; there will be plenty of pupils to go around. In fact, you could find yourself in more demand than you anticipated. North America’s K12 virtual education market is anticipated to expand at a rate of 13% per year through 2021.
Because online education in the United States sees unprecedented development, teaching English online with Skooli, VIPKID, DaDa, and QKids is an excellent opportunity to test the waters for a possible career transfer to teaching your chosen topic online at a K12 virtual school.
Furthermore, English language learners are a rapidly expanding sector of the student population in Canada and the United States, so online experience teaching English language learners may be valuable to your CV.
It’s time to put your teaching credential to work for you! Apply today to discover more about a teaching career (or part-time employment!) with K12 virtual schools in subjects you wish to teach, including future positions, prerequisites, and work environment.
Other Types Of Online Teaching Jobs?
Are you a teacher who is considering a career change? If the abovementioned reasons have you hooked, a pivot can seem appealing while you’re getting ready for work at 5 a.m. after spending up of the night completing classroom prep.
Telecommuting employment appeals to people in a wide range of professions, but chances for teachers to pursue careers in digital education are growing more substantial and more diversified every year.
It is especially true if you’re ready to mix and match responsibilities to develop your new professions, such as educational consulting and online teaching.
- Online teaching.
Salary: According to Glassdoor, online teachers annually earn an average of $42,579.
- Online Tutor.
Salary: PayScale reports that the average hourly wage for online tutors is $19.65.
- Online Adjunct Instructor or Professor.
Salary: The average yearly pay for online adjunct instructors is $58,849, according to Glassdoor.
- Writing Coach.
Salary: According to Glassdoor, writing coaches annually earn an average of $45,467.
- Curriculum Developer
Salary: Curriculum developers make an average yearly income of $62,512, according to PayScale.
- Educational Writer
The average yearly income for freelance writers is $39,555, according to PayScale.
- Test Scorer
Test scorers receive an average yearly income of $55,030, according to Glassdoor.
- Educational Consultant
Educational consultants make an average yearly income of $61,592, according to Glassdoor.
Conclusion
Teaching English online is an advantageous experience that allows teachers to be their own boss while maintaining their freedom and flexibility. The advantages are numerous, and it is ultimately up to the teacher to get the most out of teaching online. These ten reasons are only the tip of the iceberg of what good can come out of it!
More and more doors are opening each year as the demand for online education rises. Why should you teach online? When you consider the flexible schedules, excellent income, and the ability to work from home and even travel the world, you’ll wonder why you haven’t taught online before.
References
https://sites.google.com/a/hawaii.edu/new-de-faculty-orientation/Step-1
https://online.umkc.edu/on-the-fence-five-advantages-to-teaching-online/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im6IBahwWgg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUOeG4sZo08