VIPKID truly changed my life and helped me save enough money to travel extensively while paying off all my debt!
Successfully applying to be a VIPKID teacher isn’t as hard as you think. Just follow these quick steps and you could be teaching by the end of the week!
Requirements to become a VIPKID teacher you have:
- A Bachelor’s degree （Or higher）
- Eligibility to work in the U.S. (Or Canada）
- 2 school years of traditional teaching experience or the equivalent in mentoring, tutoring, or alternative education（Or a teaching credential or certificate).
Number 3 is really important to pass the initial screening.
I don’t have any formal teaching experience, but I got the job because I had a few years of experiencing teaching Sunday School at my church, volunteering as a summer camp counsellor in the past and working as a mentor with the Boys and Girls club working with childrens ages 4-12.
Since a formal teaching degree isn’t required, it’s important to show VIPKID that you hae experience teaching in some way, and are comfortable working with children.
If you say you don’t have any teaching experience the equivalent in mentoring, tutoring, or alternative education working with children – then you will NOT pass the initial screening.
If you don’t meet these requirements, don’t worry!
Click here to read about other ways to make money remotely.
What is VIPkid?
VIPKID was founded in 2013 to provide a one-on-one elementary school experience for children in China while following a US curriculum.
VIPKID has won numerous awards such as:
- Shengjing Top 21 Global Innovation Award in 2015
- US-China Entrepreneurship Leader Award in 2014
- Sina’s China’s Most Valuable Online education brand and best teachers award in 2015
- Tencent’s China’s Most powerful education brand in 2015
Some investors include Kobe Bryant, Ali Baba’s Jack Ma and many more – trust me, if these guys are investing then you KNOW it’s legit.
How does it work?
All teaching is done through the VIPKID online platform where teachers and students can communicate online in a similar way as using skype or facetime. All lesson plans are provided by VIPKID and each slide has detailed instructions on how to teach it and the learning objectives for the student.
Using the VIPKID platform, both teacher and student can see the materials provided and can use their mouse to write, circle, draw and drag and drop items on the slides.
You do not have to create a lesson plan, VIPKID provides everything for you!
If you want more information about how a typical VIPKID class works click here!
How to apply?
So you meet all the requirements and you’re ready to start the application, let’s go!
*WARNING* It may look like a lot, and I won’t lie, it is a very thorough application process but this is how VIPKID weeds out the riffraff gets the best teachers and people who are serious about the job. Don’t let it intimidate or deter you, it’s easier than it seems. You got this.
1. Start your application on VIPKID’s site – this is a referral link and I would love and appreciate you for using it to sign up! I will help guide you and answer any questions you have, just email me at [email protected]
Once on VIPKID’s site, create an account, fill in the application and submit your resume.
Please ensure your resume is up to date and looks professional. As with any job you apply for, your resume counts!
Reminder: If you have any teaching experience at all include it on your resume! It doesn’t matter how long ago it was, if you were a tutor in high school, a Sunday school teacher, a summer camp employee – all of these count and will look great on your resume.
2. Select a date and time to do your demo VIPKID interview.
This interview is really important because this is where the interviewer will determine your base pay.
Once your application has been submitted, you’ll gain access to the VIPKID teacher’s portal. Here, you’ll have access to all the tools you’ll need for your demo interview.
You will be provided with a lesson plan and will conduct your mock class interview using this lesson plan.
You can complete your mock class interview in two ways:
- Schedule a 30-minute video interview with a recruiter
- Record your interview and send it in
I prefer scheduling the 30-minute interview so you can interact with the person in real time. Since you’re doing it live, they’ll have less time to nitpick at your performance – unlike a prerecorded video where they can really take their time to analyze everything you say/do. Another benefit is that you’ll be able to get feedback after the interview. Listen and apply all the feedback they give you as you’ll need it for step 4 – the mock interview.
Click here for tips on preparing for and successfully passing this mock interview.
3. Training
Once you’ve successfully passed your demo interview, you’ll move on to training. There are about 2-3 hours worth of videos about VIPKID’s technology, standards, and teaching curriculum. After completing all the modules, you’ll do a quiz, testing your knowledge on the materials provided.
Pro Tip: You can retake the quiz several times if you don’t pass the first time. Hooray!
4. Mock Classes – Breathe you’re almost there!
This was one of the more stressful parts of the interview process for me, but once it was done I realized I was stressing for no reason and it went completely fine!
You will be provided the lesson plan and will have 15 minutes to teach a Level 2 class (ages 5-7) and 10 mins to teach a Level 5 class (ages 10-12).
In this interview, your interviewer will determine whether or not you are suitable to be a VIPKID teacher. You must complete the lesson within the allowed time, so prepare by practicing the slides and timing yourself. You should aim for 1 min per slide, with a little less for warm up and review slides as the student should know these words already. Get the props necessary for the lesson and have your reward system ready.
Click here for what to expect and tips on how to pass your mock classes!
5. You made it!!! All you have to do now is to complete your contract and marketing materials.
To complete your profile, you’ll need to provide 3 photos, a short paragraph about you and a 15-second video introducing yourself. This part is really important because this is what parents will review when deciding whether or not to book you as their child’s teacher.
Click here for tips on how to successfully complete your VIPKID profile and get booked fast!
6. Sign in to your teachers portal, open up your time slots and be patient!
It took me about a week before getting booked and after that classes slowly started trickling in. Give it time, you’ll start being fully booked within a few months.
Parents can see from your profile the number of classes you’ve taught and how long you’ve been with VIPKID so it’ll take a little while to build your reputation.
VIPKID will also assign trial classes to you – be warned it’s a 50/50 chance that the class will be a no-show. When this happens, you still get paid 50% and you must stay in the class for a minimum of 15 mins.
However, if the trial class student shows up and they sign up with VIPKID, you get paid 100% and get a $5 bonus! SCORE!
Other helpful articles about VIPKID:
- How to successfully complete your VIPKID Profile and get booked fast!
- Preparing for your mock interview to ensure success
- What is a typical VIPKID class like?
FTC Disclosure: I may receive a commission for purchases made through links in this post. I only recommend products/services that I personally use and/or believe will add value to readers :) Love ya! Read my full disclosure.
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