Online ESL Teacher for Wonderkids
Summary(Review): Wonder kids like many other Chinese-based schools teach children aged 5 to 15. You must have at least one year of previous teaching experience, but you do not have to have a college degree or a certification. Of course, if you have either of these or both it will improve your chances of getting a job. They require that you work at least five hours a week and suggest that you start off slow and build up your hours. They do have trial lessons where you are paid only five dollars for each 30-minute trial lesson. The normal lessons are 45 and 60 minutes long. They do require that you are 23 years old as a minimum. All of the materials are provided by the school so all you need to do is show up prepared and ready to teach. You are also expected to create regular homework assignments along with plans that are unique to each student. Furthermore, you also need to give written feedback on a regular basis. Like most of these other sites, you will be graded by the students and their parents through feedback system so understand this before you sign up. Nearly all of their classes are one-on-one. The pay rate starts out at $15 an hour for one-on-one lessons and $20 an hour for group lessons. The higher rate lessons are for special types of classes and are paid at $20 an hour for one-on-one and $25 an hour for group lessons.
Job Overview for Online ESL Teacher
Pay Rate per Hour:
Minimum: $14
Maximum: $25
Class Size:
one-on-one
Student Ages:
Elementary & Junior (age 5-15)
Class Schedule:
Late Afternoon (3pm-6pm)
Evening (6pm-9pm)
Job Details for Online ESL Teacher
Accent(s):
Native North American
Native UK
Native Australian/New Zealand
Native Ireland
Native South Africa
Degree Required:
No
Certification:
No/Preferred
Years Experience:
1
Min Hours Week:
10
Internet Speed(Mbps):
Min Uploading: 3 MB/s
Min Downloading: 8 MB/s
Online ESL Teacher Job Description
- We are looking for teachers who are respectful and sensitive to cultural differences
- have a positive and optimistic attitude
- are good listeners, patient and willing to help
- value the freedom and flexibility that working from home allows
- are highly professional and have high standards of ethics
- enjoy working with people and learning from others
- feel comfortable giving and receiving constructive criticism
- have a good working knowledge of English grammar and a strong vocabulary
- love what they do!
- All of our students are from China and aged 5-15 with various levels of English ability.
- We require a minimum weekly commitment of 5 hours. You may teach as many hours as you’d like as long as it doesn’t affect the quality of your lessons. We’ll start you off slow and build up your hours as you become comfortable with our materials and style of lessons.
Do I need give trial lessons?
Yes, before a student signs up for your formal lessons you will provide a trial lesson for him or her. Trial lessons are 30 minutes in length and give you a chance to showcase your approach as well as get an idea of the students’ ability.
Are trial lessons paid?
Yes, of course! We pay $5 for each 30-minute trial lesson.
How long are formal lessons?
Generally speaking, our lessons are either 45 or 60 minutes.
When are classes taught?
The majority of our lessons are taught UTC+8 Mon-Fri from 16:00-21:00 and Sat-Sun 09:00-21:00.
How soon can I start?
We’re actively recruiting professional teachers. The time from your first interview with us to your first class is approximately 2-3 weeks.
Do I need to have a college degree or professional training?
While not requirements, applicants possessing a degree and/or professional teacher training will be considered before those who do not possess them.
Are teaching materials provided?
Yes, we will provide you with all the necessary materials you will need to effectively plan and deliver your lessons.
Am I expected to lesson plan?
While we do not require our teachers to submit lesson plans to administration, we expect our teachers to be well prepared for each and every lesson.
Will I need to create homework, tests, and give regular feedback to students?
Yes, our teachers are expected to create regular homework and tests unique to each student’s needs. Formal written feedback is also given from teacher to student on a regular basis.
How are teachers evaluated?
We have a close relationship with our clients. The parents of your students, and the students themselves, will regularly provide us with feedback. We also conduct random observations and reviews to provide you with personal feedback and ensure you’re on the right track.
Will I need to sign a contract? What’s the minimum length?
All Wonder Kids teachers are required to sign an open-ended contract. The minimum duration of employment is 6 months.
Are all your classes one-on-one?
Approximately 90% of our lessons are one-on-one.
Will I need to wear a headset?
We require our teachers to wear headsets with built-in microphone to ensure quality audio quality.
How much are teachers paid?
General English classes start at USD15/hr. for 1-1 lessons and $20/hr. for group lessons. Subject-specific classes generally start at USD20/hr. for 1-1 lessons and $25/hr. for group lessons.
Online ESL Teacher Job Requirements
- currently, only employ teachers with a minimum of 1-year teaching experience.
- Applicants must be at least 23 years old.
- While college degree or professional training are not requirements, applicants possessing a degree and/or professional teacher training will be considered before those who do not possess them.
Online ESL Teacher Salary and Compensation
How and when are teachers paid?
We pay our teachers on the 10th of every month for the previous month’s work via Paypal or bank wire transfer. And we cover the fees.
How to Apply to Online ESL Teacher?
Company Information for Wonderkids
Formed in early 2014, Wonderkids is an online educational institution with ambition of changing our young pupils’ lives and providing our teachers with rewarding and meaningful teaching experiences.
We’re a comparatively small school. We have a faculty of under forty instructors and a student body of under four hundred, allowing us to maintain a personal connection with our staff and students and provide the support they need. Our main goal is to provide the best education we possibly can for our young students. As corny and cliché as it sounds, they truly are the future.
Online ESL Teacher Reviews
Teacher Reviews
Read the post here.
I was originally asked to do a review for Wonder Kids English, but then one of my colleagues provided a review, so I didn’t think it was necessary to post mine as well. As I still get additional questions and requests to post a review, I decided to write one that is very thorough, with the hope that it answers any possible questions. This is very long, but if you are genuinely interested, please read through to the end.
I stumbled upon this company over two years ago after interviewing with several other online ESL companies that were significantly less desirable in their approach to teaching and running a business (two areas where I possess education, experience, and other expertise). I had almost given up on the idea of teaching online after having a few years of experience in brick-and-mortar schools in East and Southeast Asia and then realizing that most of what is out there in terms of online ESL teaching simply did not represent an approach that I wanted to be a part of in any way. I had a great interview with Dino, the American co-owner, and was offered a demo class. After what I had encountered previously, I was surprised to be interviewed by someone who wanted to have a real conversation and genuinely cared about my expertise, abilities, and personal teaching philosophy. After I completed the demo class (30 minutes, with a real student) successfully, I was offered the job and sent a contract to sign. Following that, I began to build my schedule.
With WonderKids you teach the same kids at the same time each week. You build your schedule by setting your available times with admin and then doing paid trial lessons as they are offered to you (not frivolously) until you reach the maximum number of hours that you are willing to take on. Most trial lessons turn into repeat students. You keep that schedule and those students as long as no issues arise. I have not lost a student yet.
While WonderKids does offer classes for general English, Social Studies, Reading, Writing, Science, and Phonics (coming in July), I prefer to only teach the general English classes, so the information I am providing here is in relation to my experience with that only.
For general English classes (“Wonders,” as we call them) we use the full range of McGraw-Hill Wonders materials. You are responsible for organizing your lessons from the materials provided or any supplementary materials that are appropriate. I hesitate to call it planning, (since you are more or less following along with the Reading & Writing and Literature Anthology books) as it really isn’t that extensive unless you make it that way. I only spend a few minutes “planning” most lessons. You also send the lesson notes (notes on topics and content covered in class) to the student/parent after each lesson by email. You assign homework once per week; the homework can be something that you design, or you can just use some readily available worksheets for the student to practice the grammar point introduced in the lesson. Until now, we have been responsible for designing our own tests, which take place once per unit, which is about every 2-3 months per student. However, standardized tests will be introduced in May or June, so that will no longer be a factor. Pay for Wonders classes starts at $14/hr. If you are good, you will get a raise. I got a generous one after only nine months. Other classes pay up to $25/hr.
—————
• review: WonderKids English
• website: www.wonderkidsenglish.com
——— click on FAQ for info
• student nationality: Chinese
• student age/grade: 4-15/K-6
• pay for regular classes: $14-$25/hr
• pay for trial lessons: $10/hr
• available teaching hours:
——— 4pm-9pm (Mon-Fri)
——— 9am-9pm (Sat-Sun) China time
• requirements:
——— one year of teaching experience
——— neutral accent
• platform: Zoom (added to school business account)
• contract length: 6 months
• minimum hours weekly: 5
• regular class length: 45 or 60 minutes
• trial lesson length 30 minutes
• breaks: 10-15 minutes
Additional notes:
• A certificate and/or degree are not required but are given priority in hiring.
• Payment is sent by the 10th of each month (for work done in the previous month), via PayPal, with all fees covered by the school.
• An employee of the month is chosen each month, with a $100 bonus given on the next month’s pay.
• The newly launched referral program rewards the referral and the referee with $100 each upon successful employment. Use “Alta Sacra” as the referral name on the application if you are inclined to do so.
I will say without hesitation that WonderKids English is NOT for everyone. There are many online ESL teachers who prefer to work for a company that pays the most money and provides ready-to-teach lessons, without a lot of thought given to the methods and work environment being conducive to actually utilizing teaching expertise that one might possess. That said, I believe the pay is fair at WonderKids and the opportunity exceptional. I appreciate being valued as both an individual and teacher who can build a relationship with my students, understand their learning styles, and properly differentiate the delivery of content based on their unique needs. That is what being a teacher is really about for me.
I am a native English speaker from the United States with an undergraduate degree, a TESOL certificate, and years of experience. Currently, I teach 15 students for 45 or 60 minute lessons, once or twice per week, for a total of 19 lessons per week and 16.25 hours. I am also a graduate student, and will finish my Master of Science in Education later this year. Beyond teaching, there are sometimes additional opportunities for curriculum development that come up that allow you to make extra money and work whenever you want. This has been very beneficial to practicing the knowledge I have acquired during my graduate program. I will also note that I was able to continue working through my pregnancy last year and took a several week break at short notice when my child was born. As they were aware in advance, the school was very supportive and understanding. My students and their parents were also quick to express their happiness for me given the relationship we have built. These small aspects are what help to create an ideal environment for an online ESL teacher to have a sustainable job and not experience burnout.
While there are policies in place for tutors cancelling at short notice, I have found them to be very understanding and flexible when it comes to things like internet or electricity issues, as well as illness. I have yet to be penalized for those issues on the occasion that they have come up.
I am very happy with my job and wouldn’t leave it for any amount of money <3
Please feel free to comment or PM with questions. As I am a busy mom of a 6 month old, graduate student, and teacher, please bear in mind that I may not be able to reply swiftly, hence the reason that I included as much detail as possible in this review.
Past Teacher says
I was originally asked to do a review for Wonder Kids English, but then one of my colleagues provided a review, so I didn’t think it was necessary to post mine as well. As I still get additional questions and requests to post a review, I decided to write one that is very thorough, with the hope that it answers any possible questions. This is very long, but if you are genuinely interested, please read through to the end.
I stumbled upon this company over two years ago after interviewing with several other online ESL companies that were significantly less desirable in their approach to teaching and running a business (two areas where I possess education, experience, and other expertise). I had almost given up on the idea of teaching online after having a few years of experience in brick-and-mortar schools in East and Southeast Asia and then realizing that most of what is out there in terms of online ESL teaching simply did not represent an approach that I wanted to be a part of in any way. I had a great interview with Dino, the American co-owner, and was offered a demo class. After what I had encountered previously, I was surprised to be interviewed by someone who wanted to have a real conversation and genuinely cared about my expertise, abilities, and personal teaching philosophy. After I completed the demo class (30 minutes, with a real student) successfully, I was offered the job and sent a contract to sign. Following that, I began to build my schedule.
With WonderKids you teach the same kids at the same time each week. You build your schedule by setting your available times with admin and then doing paid trial lessons as they are offered to you (not frivolously) until you reach the maximum number of hours that you are willing to take on. Most trial lessons turn into repeat students. You keep that schedule and those students as long as no issues arise. I have not lost a student yet.
While WonderKids does offer classes for general English, Social Studies, Reading, Writing, Science, and Phonics (coming in July), I prefer to only teach the general English classes, so the information I am providing here is in relation to my experience with that only.
For general English classes (“Wonders,” as we call them) we use the full range of McGraw-Hill Wonders materials. You are responsible for organizing your lessons from the materials provided or any supplementary materials that are appropriate. I hesitate to call it planning, (since you are more or less following along with the Reading & Writing and Literature Anthology books) as it really isn’t that extensive unless you make it that way. I only spend a few minutes “planning” most lessons. You also send the lesson notes (notes on topics and content covered in class) to the student/parent after each lesson by email. You assign homework once per week; the homework can be something that you design, or you can just use some readily available worksheets for the student to practice the grammar point introduced in the lesson. Until now, we have been responsible for designing our own tests, which take place once per unit, which is about every 2-3 months per student. However, standardized tests will be introduced in May or June, so that will no longer be a factor. Pay for Wonders classes starts at $14/hr. If you are good, you will get a raise. I got a generous one after only nine months. Other classes pay up to $25/hr.
—————
• review: WonderKids English
• website: http://www.wonderkidsenglish.com
——— click on FAQ for info
• student nationality: Chinese
• student age/grade: 4-15/K-6
• pay for regular classes: $14-$25/hr
• pay for trial lessons: $10/hr
• available teaching hours:
——— 4pm-9pm (Mon-Fri)
——— 9am-9pm (Sat-Sun) China time
• requirements:
——— one year of teaching experience
——— neutral accent
• platform: Zoom (added to school business account)
• contract length: 6 months
• minimum hours weekly: 5
• regular class length: 45 or 60 minutes
• trial lesson length 30 minutes
• breaks: 10-15 minutes
Additional notes:
• A certificate and/or degree are not required but are given priority in hiring.
• Payment is sent by the 10th of each month (for work done in the previous month), via PayPal, with all fees covered by the school.
• An employee of the month is chosen each month, with a $100 bonus given on the next month’s pay.
• The newly launched referral program rewards the referral and the referee with $100 each upon successful employment. Use “Alta Sacra” as the referral name on the application if you are inclined to do so.
I will say without hesitation that WonderKids English is NOT for everyone. There are many online ESL teachers who prefer to work for a company that pays the most money and provides ready-to-teach lessons, without a lot of thought given to the methods and work environment being conducive to actually utilizing teaching expertise that one might possess. That said, I believe the pay is fair at WonderKids and the opportunity exceptional. I appreciate being valued as both an individual and teacher who can build a relationship with my students, understand their learning styles, and properly differentiate the delivery of content based on their unique needs. That is what being a teacher is really about for me.
I am a native English speaker from the United States with an undergraduate degree, a TESOL certificate, and years of experience. Currently, I teach 15 students for 45 or 60 minute lessons, once or twice per week, for a total of 19 lessons per week and 16.25 hours. I am also a graduate student, and will finish my Master of Science in Education later this year. Beyond teaching, there are sometimes additional opportunities for curriculum development that come up that allow you to make extra money and work whenever you want. This has been very beneficial to practicing the knowledge I have acquired during my graduate program. I will also note that I was able to continue working through my pregnancy last year and took a several week break at short notice when my child was born. As they were aware in advance, the school was very supportive and understanding. My students and their parents were also quick to express their happiness for me given the relationship we have built. These small aspects are what help to create an ideal environment for an online ESL teacher to have a sustainable job and not experience burnout.
While there are policies in place for tutors cancelling at short notice, I have found them to be very understanding and flexible when it comes to things like internet or electricity issues, as well as illness. I have yet to be penalized for those issues on the occasion that they have come up.
I am very happy with my job and wouldn’t leave it for any amount of money <3
Please feel free to comment or PM with questions. As I am a busy mom of a 6 month old, graduate student, and teacher, please bear in mind that I may not be able to reply swiftly, hence the reason that I included as much detail as possible in this review.
Ted says
They are not WonderKids anymore. They are now Donnish Edu and the owner is still the ever rude Vivien Wu.