How to Work From Home as a Teacher Through VIPKID

Sometimes, things that sound too good to be true are actually possible. That's what I thought when I first heard about VIPKID. There was no way that this company could be paying upwards of $22 an hour for teachers to work with students in China, teaching them how to speak and read English.

At first, I ignored the job, continuing my search for good telecommute options. Then I heard that a friend applied, was hired, and started working there. She loved the job. She referred another friend who was also hired. Both of them indicated that the interview process was rigorous, but that once through that, teaching these young kids was truly the most rewarding job they had ever had.

VIPKID is an educational company that connects North American, English-speaking teachers with Chinese students from Beijing and surrounding areas. The platform allows the student and teacher to see each other via a video and to share a mutual PowerPoint that contains the pre-scripted lesson for the day.

The students who take lessons from VIPKID have varying levels of English experience and are looking to perfect their speaking skills through practice with a native speaker.

The program is immersive, meaning that the teacher is speaking only English and uses TPR (Total Physical Response) to communicate with learners. For example, if a student is just beginning to learn English and you want her to repeat a word, you would say the word, and then put your hand to your ear in order for her to understand that she needs to repeat what she hears.

Students can use the TPR cues to begin to unravel the mysteries of the English language and become fluent speakers.

As of publication time, the basic qualifications for teaching at VIPKID are as follows:

• Bachelor's degree or higher
• An American or Canadian residency
• One year teaching experience or more

Obviously, if you have a higher education degree and if you have a teaching certificate, this can be looked at more favorably. Your degree does not need to be in English, the English language, or education in order to apply.

Peak hours vary based on your time zone. For an idea, you can find out how many hours time difference there is between where you live and where Beijing time is. (Use a search engine such a Google and type "What time is it in Beijing?")

Peak hours for most students are during the weekday evenings (after school) and for most waking hours on the weekends. Some teachers work the minimum each week, and some teach 10 hours a day. The amount of time you want to commit is up to you. It can truly work as a part-time job on weekends or mornings before going to your main line of work!

The pay rate varies based on your experience and your performance during your initial interview. Most teachers make $7–9 dollars per class, which means a minimum of $14–18 an hour. There are also monthly bonuses and incentives that are easy to earn, making your base pay rate per hour two or more dollars above your initial rate.

Applying only takes a few moments. When I decided to apply, I told myself that I had nothing more to lose than a few minutes of my time filling out the information.

Do you think you have what it takes to teach children on the other side of the world?

Once you've been accepted for an interview, I would suggest a few basic items to give you an edge during the interview process.

I won't lie, the interview process is rigorous, and you need to bring your "A" game to each step. You'll give a teaching demo based on materials provided as well as talk with the interviewer about your experiences teaching.

If the interviewer feels that you have potential, they will make you a base pay offer (remember that offer is per class).

Then you will move on to the teaching practicums.

New! Now your mock class is a total of 25 minutes with 10 minutes of teaching time and then feedback from the mentor. The process is called certification. You can certify for levels two/three, four/five, or interactive level two.

This part was the hardest for me. I needed to sing, make gestures, and be the same teacher that I would be for an 8-year-old student, but the person sitting across from me was an adult (and fellow teacher).

Before the practicum, you will be given a series of training videos to watch. Whatever you do, watch them all. Take notes. Understand how the job works, the teaching expectations, and how to use props and give rewards. I was so exhausted by the end of the videos, but I'm glad I watched them. They helped me to understand what the job entailed and what I needed to do during the practicum interviews.

You have unlimited attempts to pass your certification. However, no one wants to be stuck in an endless loop. Listen carefully to what your mentor is advising, implement the tips, and keep an open mind.

Pretty soon, you'll be certified and opening your schedule.

To set yourself up for success during your certifications, attend a coaching day in a city near you.

There is also a two-hour online coaching class. Email the application address to find out if you are eligible to attend it.

Applicants who attend a coaching class have a much higher chance of passing their certifications.

Once you have passed at least one certification, you are almost ready to set up your schedule and teach your first class. It's important to follow all the guidelines, including setting up your profile, banking information, tax information (they will send you a 1099 at the end of the year if you are American) and watch the remaining training videos. You will also need to submit a background check.

Once your teaching profile is set up, you will be able to go into the schedule and open up your availability for the coming few weeks.

Sometimes teachers get booked right away. Sometimes it takes awhile to build up a full schedule.

Either way, your first few classes will likely be nerve-wracking. But you will quickly find that the students are sweet and fun and full of energy. The time in the classroom flies by, and after a few classes under your belt, you'll begin to relax. And that's when you start to realize this could be the most fun job that you've ever had.

I have been teaching at VIPKID since September 2016. I can truly say that the experience has been life-changing and amazing. I really believe that they have found the future of not just English education, but education in general. Even though the curriculum is pre-written (another plus, no lesson planning), each student is different. As a teacher, working with the student one-on-one, you can adjust the lessons to their level, pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses, and truly watch the learning process unfold.

My students are a joy to teach. It's truly a job where you say, "Yes, I get to teach this morning!"

If you are interested in VIPKID, I encourage you to apply. It may just change your life for the better!

If you have a question, scroll down to the comments section, and I'll do my best to answer it.