VIPKID Review and Online Teaching Opportunity Info

Our family isn’t a one income family – but we’re not quite a two income family either.  I’d say we’re a 1 ½ income family.  That’s because I work from home, when I can; between homeschooling, other mom duties, and my other Church, etc. responsibilities. Although I don’t make a ton of money, our family is grateful for my income – it’s really nice to have the extra funds.

And I’m always looking for additional ways to make extra funds – I’d like to get us up to a 1 ¾ income family (or higher!).  Because of this, I’m ESCATIC about VIPKID.  I think you’ll be pumped too. Read on to learn more about my VIPKID review! I think you’ll really enjoy the online teaching opportunity!

VIPKID provides an international virtual classroom to children in CHINA – so they can learn how to speak English from the comfort of their homes (sounds like homeschooling to me!).  On the VIPKID website, they write that their virtual classroom “streams passionate, qualified teachers into Chinese homes, linking the world through education”.  I love that phrase! It speaks to me.  And here’s the super part – VIPKID is looking for ADDITIONAL passionate and qualified teachers!  In fact, they’re looking for homeschoolers!

Interested?

Want additional info?

Here’s a little 411 about the company.

• VIPKID is a successful company (growing quickly) – headquartered in Beijing.
• VIPKID provides an international learning experience to children in China, between the ages of 4-12.
• The classes are 1 on 1 online, full immersion language and content classes.
• The curriculum is based on the U.S. Common Core State Standards (I know, I know, you may not like the Core, but Chinese parents appreciate this structure/format).
• VIPKID also stresses curiosity, creativity and critical thinking – which as a homeschooler you’ll appreciate and can easily provide.
• VIPKID is currently looking for online teachers for their Chinese students – teachers from the U.S. and from Canada. And as mentioned above, they’re specifically reaching out to homeschoolers.

What does it take to be a VIPKID teacher?

• You must be eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada.
• VIPKID requires teachers have a Bachelor’s degree – can be in any subject.
• You should have one school year of traditional teaching experience or the equivalent in mentoring, tutoring, or alternative education (homeschooling!).
• They want teachers that are high-energy.
• Naturally, they want teachers that are great with children. This means using props, smiling a lot – you should make a special effort to ooze personality.
• You can work with VIPKID from anywhere as long as you have a stable internet connection. You can check here for their full tech requirements (you might need to pay for faster internet).

Do people like working for VIPKID?  The short answer is YES!

• Here are two main reasons people like working for VIPKID – teachers have total control over their schedules (more on that below), and the pay is good. You can make up to $22/hr.  (Teachers receive a minimum payment of US  $14-$18/hour, and there are incentives for every lesson, so the pay ranges from US  $14-22/hour. )
• VIPKID gets a 4 star rating on Glass Door – you can see anonymous reviews here. There are over 300 reviews, with titles like The BEST part-time job I’ve ever had, Great for stay at home mom or travelers, and Awesome.
• At Indeed.com, you can also find anonymous reviews – and again, the company gets a 4 star rating.
• I spoke to a number of VIPKID teachers and overwhelmingly, they like working for the company. They stressed the pluses of flexibility, the pay, and the experience of working with the kids. After speaking with them, I’m going to apply (maybe we’ll  become a two income family after all!), and I’m going to suggest a teacher-friend of mine apply too – she’s always looking for ways to supplement her income.

Interested in applying?  – https://t.vipkid.com.cn/register

If you do apply, here’s some info about the interview process.

• Since a picture (graphic) is worth 1,000 words –

• What will you be evaluated on? You can check out this list –  Applicant Performance Indicators, which highlights all areas candidates will be evaluated on when they interview at VIPKID.
• You can record or book an interview+demo lesson. If you decide to record the demo lesson, you can do so right away. It is the most flexible way to finish the interview step at VIPKID. If you prefer to book an interview, on the day of your interview, you can enter the classroom one hour before the interview to test your equipment before the interview starts. Make sure you test your equipment beforehand, since during the interview, the company will not only evaluate you, they will evaluate your equipment to see if your internet connection is able to maintain a 30-min connection with a server in China. Both interview methods are equivalent.

Once you’re a teacher: Question and Answers

Will I need to prepare teaching materials?

No, the VIPKID curriculum team has already designed materials for every class. You will need to prepare for class by reviewing the class materials beforehand. Teachers can preview class materials in the classroom on the teacher portal 6-12 hours prior to the scheduled class.

Is there a minimum number of hours a teacher needs to teach per week?

In order to maximize the number of classes you can schedule, VIPKIDS recommends that you be available for at least 7.5 hours (15 time slots per week at 30 minutes per time slot).  These 7.5 hours should be during Beijing peak times.

Is there a maximum number of hours a teacher can teach?

VIPKID sets no limit on how much a teacher teaches during peak and non-peak times (you won’t have many classes during non-peak times as students aren’t usually available at these times).

Teachers have 100% control over their schedule.

It can take up to a month to get a relatively steady stream of classes, as students and parents get to know and try new teachers. VIPKID makes no guarantee that a teacher will have a steady stream of classes.

What are Beijing peak times?

Do teachers need to communicate with parents?

No, VIPKID office staff does that.

 Interested in applying?  – https://t.vipkid.com.cn/register

Did you like reading about this VIPKID review? Check out our other reviews here: https://howtohomeschool.com/curriculum-reviews