Find out what it’s like to teach English online with Qkids! I interviewed current Qkids teacher Anika Aguirre about her experience teaching children English online. Keep reading to see if Qkids is the right online English teaching company for you.
Edited for August 2021: Due to China’s recent policy change regarding foreign teachers, Qkids will be closing down. Check out the video below for 6 non-Chinese teaching companies, online teaching marketplace options & online freelance teaching tips.
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How long have you worked for Qkids?
I’ve been working with Qkids for 2 years and 6 months now!
Do you need a degree or teaching certificate?
Yes, a bachelor’s degree in any field is required. I have a BA in Dance. A teaching license/certificate is also required. I got my TESOL certificate through the International Open Academy.
(If you need a TEFL certificate, I recommend checking out Premier TEFL. They have a variety of fast track affordable TEFL courses as well as level 5 government-regulated courses. You’ll need a certificate with at least 120 hours to teach online.)
Do you need to be from a specific country or countries?
I believe right now Qkids is only working with teachers from Canada and the US.
(According to the official website, you just need to be able to legally work in the US or Canada.)
What is the hiring process like to teach English with Qkids?
The application is fairly simple. There are general questions to make sure you meet all the qualifications. There is also a video submission part. I read a children’s book for my video submission which was a lot of fun!
If you get invited to continue the hiring process, you will then do 2 demo interviews which include talking to one of the hiring staff members. You’ll then go on to your trial classes.
Then, once all of that is completed they’ll move on to a background check and contract signing.
(You can find out more about the hiring process from the official Qkids website.)
How many hours per week do you teach?
This is my only job so I currently work 18 hours a week when my schedule is full, which is 90% of the time.
What equipment do you recommend for teachers?
My headset and camera are both made by Logitech and I’ve had no problems with them. My desk is from Walmart and I just use a chair I already had around my house.
How much are you paid for teaching English online with Qkids? How much can a beginning teacher expect to be paid?
With my current hours, I get around $1000-$1300 USD a month. That’s without missed classes and with bonuses!
If you are a beginning teacher, you probably won’t have a full schedule for the first couple of months. However, this is completely normal.
Tip: Only open availability that you know for sure you will be able to teach because even though Qkids is lenient, you don’t want to lose bonuses for missed classes!
What advice do you have for interested Qkids teachers?
I definitely encourage anyone who is interested to apply. It’s been such an amazing experience so far and you never know if you don’t try!
What are the students like?
The students are great! I’m not going to lie though, kids are kids no matter where they are from. They’ve been a real pleasure to teach!
I’ve met 3-year-olds who are doing so great with their English and 12-year-olds who can hold amazing conversations. It’s really such a treat to learn about who they are every day.
Can you take days off when teaching online with Qkids?
Definitely! It’s important to take a day or two off. As much as this job is flexible, you still have to use your voice. Depending on your timezone, you might have to start teaching early in the morning. I’m on EST time, so I start around 6:30 am.
Do you have any inspirational or funny stories to share?
The kids have all made me laugh one time or another with their silliness! You’ll definitely meet plenty of “Elsas” and “Annas” and you’ll occasionally have the pleasure of meeting parents as well.
Some of my favorite lessons to teach are the food lessons because the kids like to tell me what their favorite meals are. I always love asking them, “Can you eat 10 hamburgers, pizzas, apples, etc.?” And they’ll always laugh and say “Nooo!” which always sets a good, fun mood for the rest of the class.
Anything else you want to say about teaching for QKids?
Join the groups on Facebook if you want to know more! There is a group for newbies and once hired, there are groups for teachers. I would also like to say that it might be scary at first, but you’ve got this!
Sign up to teach English online with Qkids
If this sounds like the right job for you, sign up to teach English online with Qkids using Anika’s referral link:
https://teacher.qkids.com/ref?code=LXJKVX
Or simply input the code LXJKVX when applying.
Do you teach for Qkids or another online English teaching company? Please leave a comment below explaining what your experience has been like.
Want to learn how to make materials for your online or in-person English classes? Check out this video!
