By Korea Jim
Many ESL teachers practice freelance English teaching, also known as “private” tutoring. But before a teacher decides to engage in freelance work, they should consider the laws of the country in which they reside. Countries such as South Korea have laws punishable by deportation and high fines for working without a proper visa. And there are countries such as Japan and Taiwan where freelance work in encouraged and legal. There are still hundreds of teachers that continue to teach illegally in countries around the world, but they have made the conscious, albeit risky, decision the remunerations of freelance work outweigh the punishments.
The first thing a teacher should consider when engaging in freelance work is their schedule. Tutoring can have dry spells, when schools are on holiday or students cancel classes. Freelance work as a supplement to full-time income is the best situation to be in when these dry spells occur. It is inadvisable for a teacher to rely on freelance work as their primary income. Rent is expensive and with damage deposits, as well as first and last month’s rent, getting an apartment can be a large burden for a first-time English teacher. You should have enough money to continue with your daily routine without having to rely on income for a few months. You should also keep emergency flight money on hand, just in case you have to leave. You should also know your host country very well and understand the laws and risks you take by engaging in freelance work.
The second thing that you must keep in mind, you must be social and have many friends. You cannot make the transition into freelance work and expect many students without having a social network, because a teacher can find many students based on referrals by other teachers and their students. You should also socialize the local people of your host country when possible. Perhaps even have a “home stay” family to help you out for a few months.
Third, depending on your legal situation, you should advertise. Yes, word of mouth works best, but it can be slow in the beginning. Posting advertisements at local schools may help a little, but it’s the parents you need to focus on; they are the ones with the money. Leave a little leaflet with your information and experience in both your language and the local language, with little tear off sheets at the bottom with your phone number. You may even consider placing your picture in the local paper to help grab the eye of parents. Do not forget to ask permission before placing the advertisement.
Fourth, how much should you charge? You must consider your student and his/her financial situation and the local going rate. Check out the different Internet forums in your host country and ask what the going rate is. You don’t want to under-charge or over-charge your clients; this can upset other teachers or students. It is also wise to keep your dealings quiet and confidential. Only discuss your freelance work with those people you feel you can trust.
Many ESL teachers practice freelance English teaching, also known as “private” tutoring. But before a teacher decides to engage in freelance work, they should consider the laws of the country in which they reside. Countries such as South Korea have laws punishable by deportation and high fines for working without a proper visa. And there are countries such as Japan and Taiwan where freelance work in encouraged and legal. There are still hundreds of teachers that continue to teach illegally in countries around the world, but they have made the conscious, albeit risky, decision the remunerations of freelance work outweigh the punishments.The first thing a teacher should consider when engaging in freelance work is their schedule. Tutoring can have dry spells, when schools are on holiday or students cancel classes. Freelance work as a supplement to full-time income is the best situation to be in when these dry spells occur. It is inadvisable for a teacher to rely on freelance work as their primary income. Rent is expensive and with damage deposits, as well as first and last month’s rent, getting an apartment can be a large burden for a first-time English teacher. You should have enough money to continue with your daily routine without having to rely on income for a few months. You should also keep emergency flight money on hand, just in case you have to leave. You should also know your host country very well and understand the laws and risks you take by engaging in freelance work.
The second thing that you must keep in mind, you must be social and have many friends. You cannot make the transition into freelance work and expect many students without having a social network, because a teacher can find many students based on referrals by other teachers and their students. You should also socialize the local people of your host country when possible. Perhaps even have a “home stay” family to help you out for a few months.
Third, depending on your legal situation, you should advertise. Yes, word of mouth works best, but it can be slow in the beginning. Posting advertisements at local schools may help a little, but it’s the parents you need to focus on; they are the ones with the money. Leave a little leaflet with your information and experience in both your language and the local language, with little tear off sheets at the bottom with your phone number. You may even consider placing your picture in the local paper to help grab the eye of parents. Do not forget to ask permission before placing the advertisement.
Fourth, how much should you charge? You must consider your student and his/her financial situation and the local going rate. Check out the different Internet forums in your host country and ask what the going rate is. You don’t want to under-charge or over-charge your clients; this can upset other teachers or students. It is also wise to keep your dealings quiet and confidential. Only discuss your freelance work with those people you feel you can trust.
2 comments:
Dear Korea Jim,
Great article. You are truly a resource.
I would like to provide some ideas about private teaching. I am an old veteran who used to teach.
Here are some guidlines for teaching well, making money, and surviving.
One:
Be kind, courteous, and creative. Even for the top teachers, this is necessary. We are building relationships when we talk and teach others to talk. Nice people do that well, and nice, creative people can even manage to do it with a minimum of teaching experience.
Two:
Be Knowledgeable. I recommend the teacher (private or classroom teacher, it doesn't matter) read these books:
1. Teaching English To Koreans by Susan Oak and Virginia S. Martin, and;
2. Teaching English to Children in Asia, by David Paul of David English House, Japan.
Three:
Come on time. Woody Allen said, "half of life is showing up." In Korea, it is more like 90% of it.
Four:
Have a lesson prepared, even for the demo. It helps you evaluate the student--which is 1/3 of your job; the other two thirds being Inspiration Source and Instructor. Prepared lessons or at least guidelines for the class also help with your interaction skills.
Business-wise, a lesson prep or general guideline (especially when written up) shows you have rigor and are not teaching "on the fly," which beyond its utilitarian purpose, can cinch the 'sale.' Over all, it shows professionalism.
If you are not going to use a coursebook for at least a third of the class time--the other two thirds being reserved for Activity and Free Talking (which you evaluate and transcribe for the students' perusal with corrections), then have a general idea of what you are going to do.
Since language is best learned when the student is very interested and emotionally involved, you do not have to have everything planned because ideally, you want the student's curiosity guiding things. Just have a general scope in mind, take lesson notes, and give assignments for homework that build proficiency step by step.
Four:
Lay The Law Down: Have policies and stick to them regarding homework, practice drills, diary writing, and home listening practice. Learning to speak a foreign language can be a technology, but it is better as an art--like music. Music is about rhythm, cadence, phrasing, and creative application. How does one master all this to make art? With Practice.
Why set rules? First, the laid-back, "hippy traveler/teacher" eventually (if not right away) is disrespected, and eventually cut loose.
Pedagogically speaking, with no rules, your students do not learn (1) Respect, or (2) English--in a timely fashion. The result is, you get a bad reputation, and then we all do. What does that mean for NETs and English itself? The final result is non-NETs get the chance to teach more non-standard English by ramming grammar-only and translation-oriented lessons and "Konglish" into the students' heads.
What does that mean for the language (Yes, it has its effects): As the English language is poorly taught, learned and spoken in more and more non-native-speaking nations, it is mutated.
Business:
A. Payment is made up front--for classes planned on certain days of the week. This is to ensure the solidity of the schedule, the seriousness of the student, and the regularity of pay--basicaly ensuring the solvency of your bank account--which in a foreign country is essential.
B. NO Constellations. If the student cancels, s/he loses the money, period. Why are there are NO cancellations? This may seem mean, but isn't; If you go to a school, a college, or "hakwon," can you make up lost classes? No; only at the hakwons that are running out of money and placating tyrant mothers, and running out of students--not to mention, self-respect.
No cancellations means you are more than a tutor--you are a teacher with an agenda: TEACHING A LANGUAGE. This shows you mean business. Here is what business boils down to:
(1) Everyone reserves time on the calendar; that time is owned by the student who reserved it. That time is prime time as a private teacher prepares for and occupies it with one person or a group that displaces others who could/would like to study in it and pay you but cannot. It is prime 'real estate' too. You cannot give it away at the last minute to make up the loss and continue the sharpening of your skills.
Remember everyone wants to study during generally the same hours, and you don't have a school. You have one or two or three or four in a small group at that particular time, and you are depending on that income to be there, not floating all over the calendar. You are also running all around town (if you are a House Call Teacher), and that means usually one hour to get there, one hour to teach, and one hour to get home. If you make W30,000/hour (1996 pay), what is your hourly breakdown for the three hours you now have on your hands being wasted? Right, McDonald's pay back home.
You cannot stop the whittling away of that time according to the precedence that will be set by rescheduling and causing that to possibly (eventually) become habit. You cannot complain about it either, because once you have done it, you are in essence saying it is always okay if a proper excuse is given. After a while, you will develop gaps in your schedule and you lose time and money, not to mention confidence, because you don't want to cut someone and you end up like an addict addicted to a drug, thinking, 'how can I cut this money source, though it is very unstable?'
The most convincing reason my book is this one: When the student or his parents cancel and get a free make-up lesson, they are getting two sessions for the price of one; not fair, bad business practice, undisciplined teacher--just plain 'not serious.'
I hope this helps.
Great comments. I think it is very important for the teacher to “Lay down the Law” as you said. I find if you don’t do that right from the first class, both students and their parents will walk all over you and take advantage of you. Make yourself clear and show that your time is valuable. You will have students studying harder and you will not get the last minute call as your walking up the stairs to change times. Planning is very important no matter what you do as a professional teacher. I know far too many teachers that go into work and crack open the book the moment they step into the class not knowing what to find on the page.
Keep up the great work and let me know more feedback in the future.
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