Fancy all the flexibility of teaching English online but with fixed hours and a guaranteed salary regardless of whether these classes go ahead? First Future may be the answer.
Unusually in the Chinese online teaching industry, First Future work directly with schools rather than individual children. They also offer extensive training and teacher support, flexible hours for those that want it, but fixed schedules and a guaranteed salary for the right people for their special projects.
We wanted to hear more and so were introduced to First Future teacher ‘Boggie’
Meet Boggie: a fixed-schedule online teacher at First Future
Hi Boggie, why don't you introduce yourself to everyone?
I’m Stephen, but I go by teacher Boggie. I thought it would be fun to devise a nickname of sorts to better connect with my younger students. I've been teaching English online for 8 years and I've taught about 9000 classes. I am currently a Teacher and mentor at First Future and I have my own YouTube page, where I give advice for online Teachers.
What is it that makes teaching online a good fit for you?
I made the transition from a brick and mortar school when I realized what a big market online ESL is. It’s been a long journey but I’m at the point where I love the lifestyle I have.
What do you look for in an online teaching job?
Ever since day one, I've been looking for a stable and dependable teaching job.. I like to keep a routine and so I want my online job to provide me with a constant workflow. At the same time, I enjoy some of the freedoms that remote working gives.
Boggie's advice for new online teachers
Any advice for aspiring online educators?
It can take a while for things to pick up at first, especially if you're fresh and new to the field. Stay positive and take whatever opportunities you can to build your skills. If a company is offering free training or other opportunities to learn then I would bite their hand off for that because when I started those things were so limited. Try to talk to as many people as you can, build up a network. Be perky and enthusiastic! The reality though is that it’s not all great. Month to month it can be uncertain how much you will make and it’s a bigger commitment than some people imagine.
I would say to end that’s one of the things I have enjoyed about working with First Future. Being able to balance a Fixed schedule where I get guaranteed pay with more flexible hours has been perfect for me. Good luck!
Thanks, Boggie. You can hear more from Boggie about what to expect from First Future in the video below.
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Curious about other ways to earn from teaching English online? Explore our specialist online teaching course.