As you may have already heard, it’s possible to make a living teaching English online. Several teachers have made a full-time income from teaching in this way, others have quit their corporate jobs or changed careers entirely and many are supplementing their income by teaching English online. Becoming an online teacher can be a daunting task, but one that is rewarding for those who stick with it. The following steps are a great place to start.
Train and become familiar with the online teaching platform.
The first step in becoming an online teacher is to train and become familiar with the online teaching platform. If you’ve never taught online before, this is an important step to take. The more comfortable you are with the platform, the more confident you’ll be in your classes and the better experience you’ll provide for your students.
The next step is to apply for a job as an online instructor at a company that offers online teaching jobs. This can include large companies like Amazon or small startups like Skillshare. Once you’re hired, you’ll be given access to training materials and a sample lesson plan to get started on your own.
Create a course syllabus.
Create a course syllabus.
The first step toward becoming a successful online teacher is to create an outline of the course you want to teach. This will help you organize your lesson plans and prepare materials for the class.
A good way to do this is by creating a course syllabus. A syllabus is basically a short description of what your course will be about, including:
You don’t need technical skills to create a course.
Course description. What is the subject matter of your class? How long will it take? What prerequisites are required? What materials (textbooks, software, etc.) are needed?
Learning objectives or outcomes. What will students be able to do when they’ve finished your class? For example, if you’re teaching math, you might want them to be able to solve complex equations or understand the basics of financial accounting. If you’re teaching a foreign language, maybe you’d like them to be able to converse in everyday situations with people who speak that language fluently.
Grading policy. Be upfront about how much work students will have to put into your class and how much time they’ll have to complete assignments and tests. Also let them know if there are any consequences for poor performance or missing deadlines (for example, failing the course).
Required materials list/links/etc.. Include any textbooks, software or other resources that students must purchase before
Reach out to schools you are interested in.
Your first step should be to reach out to schools you are interested in. Reach out on LinkedIn, or send a letter that includes your resume, transcripts, and a cover letter.
You should have at least one year of experience in your subject area, but if you lack this experience, you can still apply as long as you have the right credentials. For example, if you want to teach high school math but don’t have any experience teaching math classes, consider getting a teaching certification in another subject area (like chemistry) and then applying for teaching jobs at high schools where they need someone with those credentials.
Once you have applied for a few jobs and gotten some interviews under your belt, focus on building relationships with local teachers who work at those schools. They will help guide you through the process and give you insight into what it’s like working at these schools specifically.
Gather course materials
As an online teacher, you have to be prepared to teach a variety of lessons. The first step in becoming an online teacher is to gather all of the materials needed for your course.
Students need to be able to access all of the materials that they will use during the course, so make sure that you have everything together and organized in advance. This will allow you to focus on teaching instead of searching for necessary materials during class time.
In addition to teaching material, students may need textbooks or other resources related to your subject matter. If this is the case, make sure that you have copies of these books available so that they can read them during their own time.
You should also create a syllabus or outline for each assignment before students begin working on them. This will help them stay organized and give them a better understanding of what is expected of them throughout the course.
Conclusion:
It’s easy to get started as an online course creator with the right tools and resources at your fingertips. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start building the online course of your dreams today. Create something that will change people’s lives for the better; build something that can help others open their own doors to a brighter future.
