One of my favourite things about being based in Europe is the access to the low cost airlines and being near so many wonderful destinations. North Africa has been on my travel list for a while now and I had been keeping my eye on flights to Marrakech. I was so pleased when I found…
Author: Jessica Rancourt
THE MAGICAL TOWN OF ALBEROBELLO, ITALY
I was visiting with a friend a few years ago and I noticed a travel magazine on the table. I picked it up and started to flip through it. The magazine feature was of a town I had never seen before. I was mesmerized. I asked my friend about this town. “Alberobello! In Puglia!” she…
IS VIPKID STILL HIRING IN 2023? WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH VIPKID NOW?
Anyone who is familiar with the online teaching world has probably heard of VIPKid. Before the summer of 2021, they were one of the biggest Chinese online ESL companies in the world. Since the Double Reduction Policy in China, that has changed. So what is happening with VIPKid now, in 2023? I still have a…
HOW I EARNED MY TEYL (TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS) CERTIFICATE THROUGH ENGLISH WIZARDS IN KRAKOW, POLAND
After acquiring my CELTA certification, I was ready to leave Canada to teach abroad. I was searching TEFL job boards to see what was out there and I found an organization called English Wizards. They are based in Krakow, Poland and they help ESL teachers to settle and find work in Poland. To be honest,…
THE CAMBRIDGE CELTA CERTIFICATE
The Cambridge CELTA is the number one TEFL course in the world and there is a reason why it is number one. It is an extremely intense teaching course and it cannot be compared to an online TEFL certificate, and I can say this for sure because I have completed both. In 2016 I completed…
10 FREE SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES FOR YOUR INDEPENDENT TEACHING BUSINESS
Whether you are an online or in class teacher, or you work with a marketplace, there are going to be moments in a lesson when you finish early and still have time to spare. It can be awkward if you have nothing prepared and it is important to always have a back up plan ready….
5 ESL CURRICULUM COMPANIES FOR YOUR INDEPENDENT ONLINE TEACHING BUSINESS
When everything happened in China (the ban on foreign online tutoring), so many people were getting on WeChat to reach out to their students and teach them independently. I was feeling overwhelmed at this time because I thought I would have to create my own curriculum, and I did not have the time or energy…
RESOURCES FOR YOUR INDEPENDENT TEACHING BUSINESS
I briefly introduced you to Tim Gascoigne (Online Teacher Dude) in my previous article THE TOP 3 FACEBOOK GROUPS YOU NEED TO JOIN NOW TO BOOST YOUR INDEPENDENT TEACHING CAREER. Now I want to get into this topic with more detail. Tim has many resources to help you get started with your teaching business. Tim…
THE TOP 3 FACEBOOK GROUPS YOU NEED TO JOIN NOW TO BOOST YOUR INDEPENDENT TEACHING CAREER
Deciding to go from a company or marketplace to an independent ESL teacher can seem daunting at first, but you are not alone and there is a wonderful community to help you on your journey. I have had many mentors to help me on my journey to become an independent teacher and I would like…
TEACHING ENGLISH ONLINE: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKING FOR A COMPANY, A MARKETPLACE, OR OWNING YOUR OWN INDEPENDENT TEACHING BUSINESS
Before the Double Reduction Policy in China back in August 2021, working for an online ESL company was a popular choice. There were so many companies to choose from, and the pay was quite good. VIPKid, PalFish, GoGoKid, Magic Ears, DaDa, and Whales English were some of the big name companies in the industry. If…