It is hard to believe but I have been with VIPKID for OVER one year – WOW. It seems like just yesterday I was fretting about the interview and nervous about my mock lesson. This past year has absolutely flown by, and while the early mornings are rough, there have been some difficult students, and “weird” policies implemented, I wouldn’t change a thing. I started working for VIPKID with one thing in mind – Antarctica.
I saw working for VIPKID as a way to pay for this amazing Antarctica voyage thanks to the equally amazing Girls Love Travel group. Even with the discount to promote ladies traveling, Antarctica is my most expensive trip to date and I definitely needed the extra cash – luckily I had a year to plan! Along with planning (or lack there of until the end!) I have a year of experience under my belt. Here are the things I have learned while teaching for one year with VIPKID.
1. I am STILL not a morning person.
When I first began teaching, I needed as much moolah as possible, so this meant squeezing as many classes before my awesome day time job. I used to work at 9am, so I would try to work from 6:30-8:30 and head to work – a good solid two hours. Well a couple months in, my schedule switched to 8am and I had to adjust my hours from 6:-7:30. Meaning…I had to get up at 5:30. Me, the girl who suffers insomnia and could get 12 hours of sleep on the weekend getting up at 5:30! My family and roommate couldn’t believe it either, but I survived!
Alas, when I hit a year, though, I was done. The extra 16-20 classes a month are definitely missed, however that extra 30 minutes of sleep is vital for me. I now only do two classes before work (or one if working from home…oops). With changes in my personal life, diet, work, etc. I need those additional 30 minutes and I think I am a happier Erin because of it!
2. Seeing that a parent left feedback STILL gives me a heart attack (especially when there are a lot of feedbacks!)
When working for VIPKID, you are not evaluated by the company like you would be evaluated by a principal. No, instead your job is at the merci of parents and their fingertips. Teachers are rated on a 5-apple system (cute, eh?), 5 being the best, 1 being the worst. Apples are critical for many things – getting certifications for other levels, getting a promotion, getting offered a new contract, and most importantly getting booked. I have a mini-heart-attack any time I see that a parent has left feedback for me. Please be a 5, please be a 5, please be a 5! It isn’t the end of the world, but you would think it is in the VIPKID groups when someone says they got a 4-1 apple rating. I pray I stay in the 5-apple club because I am not sure my poor little heart or mind could handle it!
3. VIPKID changes things CONSTANTLY and are flip-floppers.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually really love work for VIPKID, but if you are wanting consistency don’t work for a Chinese company – you will never get it! The hiring process has changed 7 or 8 times since I started a year ago. And a lot of the time they don’t even tell current teachers! Yet they push teachers to refer, refer, refer but when you don’t know what the process is, I am at a loss at what to tell people when they ask me about the hiring practices. Also, they will implement a rule and then two weeks or so later, roll it back. Do I contact the fireman for a no show? Do I not? I DON’T KNOW ANYMORE!
4. Some of the lessons are awesome, some of the lessons are….not
When I was in Hong Kong, I used to be a Curriculum Executive and design the curriculum for all of our schools in HK, so maybe I am biased. There are some really great things about the curriculum at VIPKID and then there are others where I am like “what are they thinking?!” To go from “green“, “blue” to having them have to read and respond in full sentences the next page (and not about colors!) makes me scratch my head. Not to mention teaching 7 year olds about cold-blooded animals, how mammals give birth to their young in a live birth, etc. It can be a little all over the place. VIPKID is currently revamping the material, but my gosh I want to help out so much!
5. Your social life is going to take a huge hit
If you don’t already get up at 5 or 5:30 am, then chances are you may do things after work. Since I am an insomniac while I may try to get to bed early, I tend to just lie there for hours before actually falling asleep, meaning my midnight bedtime is so not conducive to waking up at 5:30. So, I had to push my bedtime to way earlier, I began not going out, doing things with friends and coworkers on weeknights, my personal relationships suffered. This is easy to do when you have a second job but especially one so early in the morning. A 8pm movie? NO THANKS. A concert? YIKES! That could go to 11pm! Fri-yay happy hour? Nah gotta teach at 7:30. Not to mention the strain on a significant other. I’ve tried to change this going into my second year of teaching. Here’s to a life!
6. and finally…I missed teaching
So, I never thought I would say this, but I did miss teaching. When I left Hong Kong, I didn’t want to step in a classroom ever again. I was over that part of my life – I liked making curriculum, I loved training teachers and recruiting teachers, but I was definitely over actual teaching. But my gosh, the kids are SO cute and I know I am a good teacher. That teacher gene is deep inside me no matter what. Finding VIPKID was the perfect balance – I can do my “adulting” job while teaching a few classes on the side. It’s great!
And there you have it – 5 things I have learned while teaching for one year with VIPKID. It has been one heckuva ride, let’s see how this next year turns out!
