Work from home and anywhere in the world?! Is it reasonable and realistic?
In 2018, 6 months pregnant with my second child and a 1 year old, along with a boyfriend whose work could take us anywhere in the world, I did not feel like work was ever going to be an option. Independent and strong headed, depending on someone else was not ideal for me, so I scoured the internet looking for work from home options. But living in New Zealand with almost two babies and no remote work experience, left me with limited options. A lot of remote jobs wanted remote experience or for you to be in a certain location. Through months of web searching I came across the e-learning industry, a miracle for this mom!
E-Learning at a glance
E-learning allows teachers or tutors to teach students remotely from most locations around the world. The industry is vast, with subjects ranging from but basic requirements are a passion for teaching and a fast internet condition.
What are your passions and interests? Would you love to teach Novel Studies, Kids Yoga, Mediterranean Cooking or Audio Engineering?! Outschool might be your place! Outschool offers the freedom to teach any subjects, whether traditional or unique. For teaching with Outschool you must be based in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. Outschool does not require formal teaching credentials, but rather hopes that teachers can "offer rewarding classes based on their experience and interests." During the application process you will asked your experience with working with children whether professionally or personally, classes you would like to teach, and you will be asked to submit a 30-90 second video showing your space and teacher personality. You can find the application here, or if you're interested in having your child take a class use this link to get a $20 credit towards your first class!
Online English as a Second Language Companies - September 2021 Update
The statement I get the most often when telling people I am an online ESL teacher is, "Oh, you must speak a second language then." Myth-You do not need to speak a second language to work with most online ESL companies.
Another myth is that you need a formal education in teaching. My degree is in Integrated Marketing Communications! Most companies do not even require you to come up with a lesson plan. You are there to guide, correct, and make learning intriguing and fun! The three most important aspects for higher-paying companies are being a native English speaker, eligibility to work in a native English-speaking country (although not necessarily be located there), and a Bachelor's Degree.
Update:
Due to new rules and regulations in China at the end of July, unfortunately, a lot of these companies started to close, with the golden days of high-paying ESL coming to an end. VIPkid teachers are still teaching at the moment, although weekend and holiday classes are no longer allowed. GOGOKid abruptly closed its doors at the begining of August 2021.
The highest-paying companies are currently companies that specializing in courses for children in China, and although you are not required to have a degree in education, the Ministry of Education in China does require you to have at least a 120 hour teaching English, TEFL (more used in Europe or Australia) or TESOL (primarily used in North America) certificate. These courses are easy and can be done in your own time and will give you key insights on foreign language learners, basic pedagogical (teaching) techniques, and a greater understanding of your students and your role as teacher to them. International Open Academy is a great place to get started on your certification, which is accepted by most companies, including the ones listed below:
VIPkid-#3 on Forbes Top 100 Companies for Remote Jobs-An O.G. of online ESL companies. Typing in "VIPkid" in any search engine will give you millions of hits of fellow teachers promoting the company and offering everything from teaching tips to teaching shirts. If you like a strong community support system and spirit squad, VIPkid is where it's at. Like GoGoKid, you can work from anywhere in the world but must be eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada, and have a Bachelor's Degree. Demos are easy and can be done one-on-one or fast track pre-recorded videos. Start applying today!
Cambly- The easiest (albeit lowest paying) company out of them all! You can read my full overview here. Whereas the other two require Bachelor's Degrees, Cambly has no other requirements except being a native English speaker. Focused more on conversational English with adults from all over the world, it's more like getting paid for having coffee with a friend.
Closed August 2021- GoGoKid-A newbie in the e-learning industry. Formally launching in late summer/early autumn of 2018, GoGoKid is financed by ByteDance, owners of the TikTok app. The platform has been innovative and interactive, albeit not without its growing pains. Basic requirements are you must be eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada, have a Bachelor's Degree, although you can work from any location in the world with a good internet connection. You can read my full review.