Online ESL Teacher Kristie on Working With GOGOKID

If you’re keen on teaching English online, you may be curious about how you can land a position with GOGOKID, one of the fastest-growing online ESL companies, and about what’s it like to give classes with this company. We interviewed Kristie Hunter, a GOGOKID teacher and coach, to get some insider info on what to expect when you apply to and teach with GOGOKID.

Hi, Kristie! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m from South Carolina. I have an undergrad degree in psychology and a Master’s in the Art of Teaching Early Childhood. Previously, I was a public school teacher for 10 years, teaching second and third grades. I resigned from classroom teaching when my youngest child was born to become a stay-at-home mom.

This year, I completed my 10th year of homeschooling my two sons who are in the sixth and 10th grades, respectively. I have been teaching ESL online for about five years and have been with GOGOKID exclusively for the past three years, joining the company just before their public launch in June of 2018. In addition to teaching student classes, I also work as a coach to other teachers and help with admin tasks.

What inspired you to teach ESL?

After several years of being a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to feel productive again and once again contribute to my family’s finances.

Why did you decide to teach English online?

It seemed like the perfect way to reignite my professional side while still remaining at home and available for my family.

You shifted from teaching in a physical classroom to teaching online. What were some of the things you had to adapt to when you started teaching online?

• One of the biggest things I needed to adjust was my teaching approach and expectations. I was going from being the primary educator to teaching an extracurricular class.
• I also had to adjust from teaching in-person to teaching virtually. This caused me to have to develop a new approach to teaching, relax my expectations, and think a bit more out of the box for ways to interest and engage the student.
• Additionally, I was transitioning from teaching native speakers to ESL students. This caused me to really have to scale back my use of incidental language and increase my use of Total Physical Response (TPR), props, and other visual aids.

Here’s a breakdown of teaching online vs. teaching in the physical classroom.

How did you choose GOGOKID?

I first heard about GOGOKID in a Facebook group for another company I was working with at the time. GOGOKID was a brand new company that had not yet launched publicly, and the thought of joining a brand new company was really appealing to me.

These companies are currently seeking online English teachers.

What do you like best about working with GOGOKID?

It’s hard to choose just one thing that I love about GOGOKID, but if I had to, it would be the relationships I’ve made – relationships with my students and their families, my fellow teachers, and our wonderful home office staff.

What was the job application process at GOGOKID like?

The application process at that time was fairly standard as compared to other online ESL companies:

1. I scheduled a live interview where I met with home office staff.
2. I taught a demo lesson.
3. The company offered me a teaching contract.
4. I attended a live orientation session as well as a mock class.
5. I created my teacher profile.
6. I signed my contract.
7. Finally, I started opening class slots.

What’s the typical hiring process for online teaching jobs? Find out!

Who are your students?

GOGOKID students are primarily Chinese children, ranging from about four years old to around 13.

What’s your schedule as a GOGOKID teacher? Do you set your own hours?

Yes! There are no requirements as far as hours or number of classes per week, so as a GOGOKID teacher I’m able to teach as much or as little as I choose. The flexibility to work around my family’s schedule is the best! I typically work around 30 hours a week, but sometimes more or less, depending on my family’s schedule.

Get tips for creating your ideal online English teaching schedule.

What are your responsibilities as a GOGOKID coach?

I feel very fortunate to have the opportunities that I’ve been given at GOGOKID. I have two professional passions – teaching students and working with new teachers. My work at GOGOKID gives me the opportunity to do both.

• In addition to my student classes, I coach four workshops for teachers per week.
• I help run our official Facebook groups, where I answer teachers’ questions, offering advice and guidance as needed.
• Additionally, I help create video-based learning materials for our teachers regarding GOGOKID policies, curriculums, new course types, and other important updates.

What’s the best thing about teaching online?

The ability to create my own schedule and to work from the comfort of my own home. What could be better than a job with zero traffic or commute, working in my own space while wearing PJ bottoms if I choose?

See other reasons to become an online English teacher.

What are your favorite activities or strategies for your online classes?

I love engaging my students in free talk. I like to challenge them to use the language they’ve learned to express their own ideas, thoughts, and opinions. I will often ask open-ended questions and then follow the student down the rabbit trail of their creations by asking various follow-up questions to promote further critical thinking.

Check out these 11 low-prep ESL games for teaching online.

Do you have any advice for people who are now looking at teaching English with GOGOKID?

What are you waiting for? Come join us in our Prospective Teacher Facebook Group, let us help you prepare, and then submit your recorded demo! We’d love to have you join our GOGOKID team!

Interested in teaching English with an online company like Kristie? Check out the best online English teaching companies!