Are you thinking about becoming an online teacher? Outschool is a remarkable online teaching platforms for those who want to share their knowledge, expertise, and skills with children (ages 3 - 18). It offers flexibility for students and teachers who speak English and live in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
I have more than 30 years of instructional experience teaching in traditional classrooms and online teaching platforms. I am also a TED and school assembly speaker and an education consultant. My online teaching experiences restored my passion for teaching!
As an Outschool teacher and hiring/interview coach, I teach classes about things I love: public speaking, writing, and sharing goal-setting strategies with students (ages 8 - 18). I became an Outschool online teacher because I can teach classes (1) the subject areas I love and (2) schedule classes during daylight hours.
I also teach immersion English classes to children in China as a VIPKID teacher and hiring/interview coach. I set my own schedule as an Outschool and VIPKID teacher. However, I can only teach classes between the hours of 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. (CST) as a VIPKID teacher. There is a 15 hour time difference between China and where I live in the U.S.
In this post, you'll find information about Outschool, why it is an amazing online teaching platform, and everything you need to become an online teaching success!
What Is Outschool?
Outschool is an online learning platform where students (ages 3 - 18) have opportunities to learn about different academic subjects and personal interest topics. English is the primary lesson language (although there are many foreign language classes). You choose what subjects you want to teach, the target age of your students, the class size, and the price you charge for students to enroll in your classes.
Outschool online instructors teach live classes to groups of students (typically 2 - 12 students) using Zoom. Teachers create their own curriculum and are responsible for creating their own lesson plans. Students and teachers interact throughout every lesson. These are not pre-recorded lessons sold to students. If you want your online teaching profit to be passive income, Outschool is not for you.
Why Should I Become An Outschool Teacher?
Outschool allows you choose the times you teach and the subjects you enjoy:
Outschool does not require teachers to have a college degree or teaching experience to apply.
Outschool offers flexibility. Many online instructors (especially those with students in Asia and Australia) teach through the night and early morning hours. You can be an online teacher across multiple platforms (such as VIPKid) and in different time zones.
Outschool also offers opportunities to teach classes about subjects and topics that most interest you. This includes academic subjects (such as algebra) as well as life skills and special interest classes (including painting, piano, or bee-keeping).
You select the hours you want to teach and create your own schedule. You can teach as much or as little as you want.
You set your own pay rate, class size, and student age ranges. You make 70% of the price you charge and 30% of the profits go to Outschool.
Is Outschool Like Other Online Teaching Platforms?
English is the language spoken in the Outschool classroom (unless, of course, the instructor is teaching a foreign language). Outschool students live in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Most students live in North America. That means Outschool teachers can work during the day and sleep at night (that is a big advantage if you're a VIPKID teacher who no longer wants to start your work day at 12:00 a.m.).
VIPKID and most immersion English programs have an established curriculum with specific lessons. Of course, you can supplement the lesson with props, rewards, and games, but the primary focus of every lesson is on the pre-designed content. There is only 25 minutes for most lessons. The primary objective of VIPKID is to give students opportunities to practice English speaking skills with a native English speaking North American.
Outschool teachers create their own classes, materials, and lesson plans. Outschool offers many instructional videos and resources to help you prepare to teach your first class (this was my first class video). Many Outschool teachers created YouTube videos that prepare new instructors to teach online classes.
You also select the price you will charge for students to attend your class. When I created my first Outschool class, I charged $10 per student for a 50 minute class. Although I have strong teaching and educational experience, I offered a reasonable price to attract the attention of parents and children.
Which Is Better: Outschool or VIPKID?
It depends. There are many advantages to being a VIPKID and/or an Outschool teacher. The table below offers side-by-side comparisons of the two online platforms:
Outschool Teacher Requirements
Outschool explains their teacher expectations in this article on their website. To be a an Outschool online instructor, you must meet the following basic Outschool teacher requirements:
Must be at least 18 years old
A resident of the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom
Able to pass a background check
You are NOT required to have a college degree or formal teaching credentials to teach on Outschool. As long as you have (1) expertise in a certain area and can (2) organize information into an engaging experience for students, there's a strong likelihood that your interview will be an awesome success and you will be free to submit lessons for Outlook's approval. Teachers must agree to follow community standards and class content policy. You must also have a computer (desktop, laptop, or iPad) with high-speed internet connection over 3 Mbps (Megabytes per second). I use an Ethernet cord with a laptop computer and it pumps up my internet speed to 11 Mbps.
What Can I Teach?
Create classes that align with your passions, areas of interest, knowledge, skills, and expertise. Outschool classes must be objective, secular, and adhere to their class content guidelines. Class content can include academic areas (like phonics or history), special interests (such as storytelling and table tennis lessons, or cake decorating). The possibilities are endless!
Outschool regularly publishes a list of classes requested by parents. Classes may include (but are not limited to) lessons about creative writing, Legos, geometry, Marvel comics, fairy tales, Russian or foreign languages, or how to take photos for Instagram, draw unicorns, or build your own website.
Other ideas include book clubs, how to edit videos for YouTube, and jewelry-making. Choose a class topic you can teach within 25 - 60 minutes. You may want to teach a series of classes related to the same subject. It's up to you.
How Are Out-of-Pocket Costs for Outschool Teachers?
It does not cost anything to create an Outschool teacher account. There are no sign-up fees. Outschool profits by taking a 30% commission on each class a student books with you. You don’t have to pay anything to use the platform. Outschool only makes money if you do.
Outschool Pay For Teachers
Teachers set their own Outschool pay rates. Teachers receive payment from Outschool via a Paypal account.
You keep 70% of your profits while Outschool keeps 30%. Keep in mind that multiple students can book a single class. This means that if you charge $10 per student for an hour-long class and 6 students sign up, you earn $42 for that hour ($60 x 0.7 = $42).
CONTACT ME if you would like me to assist you with the application and hiring process. Use this link before you begin the Outschool application process. This service is FREE! I receive a stipend from Outschool to assist you with the application process.
How Do I Apply to Be an Outschool Teacher?
If you think you'd like to be an Outschool teacher, go the Teacher Application page. Enter your email address and create a password. You will receive a message from Outschool to verify your email address. Return to the application and submit the following information:
Your contact information including your name, email, phone number, and address.
Describe your teaching background or experiences working with children.
Explain what types of lessons you are interested in teaching.
Submit an introductory video that showcases you, your personality, and a glimpse into your online classroom.
Use these suggestions from Outschool for "Creating a Great Teacher Application."
Outschool explains, "Your teacher profile video is a tool that you can use to market yourself to parents, showcasing your professionalism and personality." Outschool's video guidelines for your profile video include:
Recommended: 30-90 seconds in length (required: 10 seconds - 5 minutes long)
Clearly show your face for at least part of the video
Speak clearly and in an engaging manner
Good lighting
No background noise
Your video should include information about your education and experience, but more importantly, explain what and how you will teach students. Provide examples of strategies you will use to engage and inform students. This is my Outschool introductory video. It appears on my Teacher Profile.
What Happens After I Submit My Application?
Outschool generally responds to teacher application submissions within six to ten days via email. I received a congratulatory email of approval from Outschool one week after I submitted my application. Once the account was approved, I got an email prompting me to fill out information for a background check. The background check was completed within a few hours.
Don't despair if Outschool does not accept your application. Consider these questions before your resubmit your video and application:
Is my application free of spelling, punctuation, and/or grammatical errors?
Do I clearly share my personal education or experience related to my area of expertise?
Do I fully explain what and how I will teach lesson content on my application and in my video?
Did I submit a quality video?
Is the background in my video professional and free of distractions?
The background check is free, secure, and private. Outschool uses Checkr to conduct background checks.
Once your background check is approved, your request to teach will be granted and you will be ready to start planning your classes. You will now be able to:
Create class listings and schedule sections.
Submit your classes for review.
I created this lesson plan template to help you plan your first lesson.
Here are answers to commonly asked questions by new Outschool teachers.
Now you're ready to start teaching learners throughout the world. Use the links and information above to get started. Happy Teaching!
Would YOU like to be an online teacher? Curious? Or are you asking, "When can I start?"
Go to the OUTSCHOOL website and use this link to begin the application process. I will answer your questions and help you throughout the hiring process.
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