I have been teaching ESL online for 2 years and I LOVE teaching ESL online!
I teach for two companies (DaDa and Cambly). These two companies fulfil different roles in my life and each have their place. I will write a post about them in the future to discuss how they benefit my lifestyle.
But, today… I will discuss five things I love about teaching ESL online.
I spent 11 years teaching ESL to students at my school. It was when my son was born, that I stopped teaching in a physical school. When he was old enough, I started teaching online. I love teaching my students every day and am enlightened by their ability and stamina to continue to learn a new language. I am in awe of my adult students that start from the beginning and don’t give up.
It was difficult to choose just five reasons, but I think, at this point, these are the most important reasons why I continue teaching ESL online:
I love teaching online because:
1. The students
Every day I get to transport to another country and live in the moment with a student on the other side of the world. I love learning about their countries and teaching them about mine. Majority of my students are regular students that I see on a regular basis. I have experienced birthdays, family deaths and happy experiences they want to share. All teachers know that teaching is so rewarding but to form a relationship with a student through a screen is something special in itself.
2. Flexibility
With Cambly, I have the opportunity to choose my own schedule. I schedule my openings on a Thursday for the week ahead. My students then reserve time according to when I am available. This allows me to be available for my children’s school outings, self care like going to the gym and that long-overdue hair appointment, spontaneous play dates and an evening out at parent meetings.
Cambly also allows for cancellations in the cases of emergencies, without being financially penalized. I had an experience when my car would not start after dropping my daughter at school – what a disaster! I used the app to cancel my classes and reschedule with my students.
3. I work from home
Especially during this time of COVID, I have been unbelievably grateful for my flexible job at home. My children’s school schedule changed and they were attending online school from home. Fortunately, I could be at home to support them and assist in their learning, and still fit in my classes. This has been such a blessing for my family.
4. Variety
I love teaching ESL online because I am exposed to students of all ages and abilities. I enjoy searching for activities to do with my students that will keep them engaged on the level they are working on. My day is never the same. I am never bored. With both of my two companies, the amount of preparation required is left up to the teacher. I enjoy including a variety of activities like Boom Cards™ and websites in my lessons to make learning enjoyable for my students and for me.
5. Earn as I Teach
Let’s face it… it does not matter how much I love teaching, I still need to put food on the table at the end of the day. Again, my companies compliment each other so well. With DaDa, I earn more than Cambly but don’t have nearly as much flexibility. Cambly allows me to fill in the gaps. I used this income for extras. If my daughter needs a new uniform or my son wants to participate in a cricket tournament or we want to go on a special family vacation.
Cambly allows me to work extra hours in order to earn what I need to.
That sums up my the Five Things I Love About Teaching ESL Online. Please leave a comment with why YOU love teaching ESL online!
*disclaimer – This post contains referral links which may result in me getting a commission for referring teaching to my online companies.
