V – VIP Kid (How Teaching English Saved My Life)

 

 

❝One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.❞
‒Frank Smith

❝The limits of my language are the limits of my world.❞
‒Ludwig Wittgenstein

Over Christmas Break this past December, my fellow teachers and I were called into an emergency meeting.  We were told that our small private school was suffering financially, and that there might not be enough to stay open for the Spring semester.  In a desperate move, every teacher agreed to take a dramatic pay cut, parents began fund-raising left and right, and the school was able to survive.

My mind was whirling with questions, however.  How would we pay our bills?  As the man of the house, how would I continue to provide for my family’s needs?  As I was praying about this, I came across a good friend’s Facebook post where she mentioned she was working for a company called VIP Kid.  It looked exciting to me, I applied for the job, and one week later I was hired.  With the extra money this has brought in, I’ve been able to keep my family afloat.

So what exactly is VIP Kid?  It is a company based out of Beijing, China, which hires native English speakers to log onto a computer and meet with Chinese students online to help them learn English.  The lesson plans are already prepared for you – all you have to do is show up and teach.  The only requirements are that you have a bachelor’s degree and are willing to work at least 7.5 hours each week.  Still not convinced?  Let me share what I love most about working for this company…

5 Things I Love About VIP Kid:

 

 

1.)  A Schedule That Works –  Since your students live in Beijing, they will be about 13-15 hours ahead of your time here in America.  That means you can choose to work in the early morning hours or late at night.  Either way, this job won’t hinder you from holding down a regular full-time job or doing other things during the day.

 

 

2.) Total Control Over Your Hours –  As with most tutoring jobs, you set your own schedule.  That means that you pick the time slots you’re willing to work, and students simply sign up for the time slots that work for them.  You’ll never be asked to work at a time that isn’t convenient for you.  Going on vacation one week?  No problem – you simply schedule your week differently!

 

 

3.)  Fulfilling Work  –  The students are, for the most part, respectful and absolutely thrilled to have an American friend helping them learn English.  I love seeing their faces light up every morning as I log onto the class, and seeing them make real progress helps me feel that I’m doing something important and worthwhile.  I love it just as much as they do!

 

 

4.)  Frequent Feedback –  Ever wonder how you’re doing at work?  Here the parents give you feedback after every lesson.  They can rate your lesson from 1-5 “apples,” and many parents choose to type a comment for you, too.  The feedback is encouraging  (“John is a good teacher – very patient to listen to student read and provide correction in a timely manner”)  and helpful (“Please allow more time for student to read”).   Reading the daily feedback helps me to improve my teaching style with each and every lesson.

 

 

5.)  Incredible Incentives –  This company loves to reward teachers who are doing well!  You receive a monetary bonus each time  a new student signs up for the program after having a trial lesson with you and each time you simply show up to class on time.  This isn’t to mention the additional contests and incentives offered on a monthly basis for taking surveys and participating in other ways.  This is one job that pays off in many ways!

 

 

Is VIP Kid for You?

 

 

If you’re sitting there thinking, “I could totally do that!”, then maybe you should look into it!  For more information and to set up an online interview, simply click on this referral link:

 

 

https://t.vipkidteachers.com/?refereeId=3201146

 

 

This job allows me to use my dual love for language and learning in a way that feels exciting and meaningful.  I enjoy working with my overseas students every bit as much as I enjoy working with students here in the States.

 

 

If you do join the team, let me know!   I’d love to hear how things are going for you!

 

 

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Today’s post is part of the A-to-Z Challenge, where participants commit to posting one article for each day during the month of April – one for every letter of the alphabet.  

 

 

 

 

Check back here at “The Artistic Christian” for a daily slice of art (art reviews, practical tips, and motivation for artists), all steeped in a rich Christian worldview

 

 

 

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