VIPKID Teacher Stories: Stories from 70 Teachers in 30 U.S. States on Workplace Flexibility and Online Teaching

VIPKID Teacher Stories
How has workplace flexibility helped you
thrive - personally or professionally?
Stories from 70 teachers, 30 U.S. states
http://t.vipkid.com.cn
@TheVIPKIDLife

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.F.
(Elementary School Teacher for over 20 years)
I am a cancer survivor and had to give up working in a classroom teaching
because it was too much for me. The flexibility of working with VIPKID allows
me to work around doctor appointments. What is nice is not feeling
exhausted after teaching a minimum of 7.5 hours a week.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–L.F.
(ESL)
Workplace flexibility means that I can stay at home and raise my two
children.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.T.
(B.S. in Elementary Education with dual certification in Early Childhood
and Elementary Education. Over 7 years experience teaching in the
classroom ages 5-12.)
My job with VIPKID has impacted not only me positively, but my family as well.
As an at-home mom with 4 children, 1 dog, 2 cats, and a lizard; I'm able to get
a majority of my classes taught before my husband and children are even out of
bed! I charge myself up with lots of coffee, and I'm ready to go. If my family gets
up early, they know to quietly get their breakfast while Mom is finishing teaching.
Our whole family is excited for the opportunity I have to teach for China,
and it is often a topic of conversation here in the U.S.A. where we live. We
all love the Chinese culture, your beautiful children, and are trying to learn
Mandarin at home. My husband and son, have even been to the country four
times already! Online teaching for VIPKID has opened up a whole new world
that we never would have imagined. Now, we are even host parents for two
Chinese students that go to college in our area. I'm learning how to cook
authentic Chinese meals for them to enjoy. Before working for the company I
taught close to 600 elementary school students, and now I appreciate the
privilege of the one-on-one learning offered to our students. If I could do flips
personally, I'd say that this is "an adventure of a lifetime.”

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.P.
(10 years in the classroom at the elementary and middle school levels.
Master’s in Reading and Literacy.)
..meant true financial peace of mind while building good memories with my family. …I have
worked for VIPKID from several remote locations and it is part of many good memories that
would not be possible without it. I can also schedule in days off whenever I want to so I can
take the time off when I really need it.
But most of the time, I can keep working because everyone else is asleep and I do not have
to try and be two places at once.
With my other clients, I still have to juggle childcare and all the other normal working parent
stuff like getting kids to ballet and practice. My family actually enjoys hearing me work in the
morning and we have all become very fond of my VIPKID students.
Professionally, I have gained priceless knowledge as an ELA teacher working one-on-one
with English language learners. They are learning the written and oral language
simultaneously instead of the oral language first and then trying to learn what that looks like
in writing. It make me a much more effective tutor working with my clients here in the US
who are struggling readers because I can see their disconnects and use this training to help
them build comprehension skills.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–J.B.
(I have a teaching certificate, and have taught English in Central
America, Latin America, Hong Kong, Thailand, and East Africa. I also
teach other subjects besides English. )
I have lived and taught English on almost every continent - and when they say, “You can’t
go back”, they aren’t kidding. After spending a decade moving around this big ol’ earth, it is
hard to conceptualize landing in one single spot and getting a job that only allows me to
work in a certain, specific, 8 hour stretch. Having a flexible job allows me an
understanding of what works best for my own productivity. I can work when I am
happiest, and therefore most productive. This means my students get the best of me,
every day, by design. Also, having a flexible schedule creates a shared focus on all the
important things in my life. Some days, I spend a lot of time behind a computer dealing with
the tasks that are part of maintaining a job I feel lucky to have. But also, some days, I’m free
to maneuver my schedule so that I can make, and take, food to a friend who has a new
baby and is struggling. I can join my family for a week vacation, because I can take my job
anywhere. A flexible schedule makes me happier to be at work because I am happier with
life in general. I know how fortunate I am to be working for a company that allows me that
flexibility. That flexibility allows me to be extremely productive, very grateful, and also it
allows me the ability to place equal importance on all the things in my life that mean a lot to
me… from being the best teacher for my students, to being a helpful friend, to getting to
spend extra time with my family, to baking sourdough bread on a perfect Sunday morning.
It’s true, what they say - you can’t go back.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–H.R.
(Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Elementary Education. I taught
mostly K-2 in a variety of public and private schools in several states. I
also taught early childhood for several years.)
The flexibility of VIPKID has allowed me to stay home with my three children
(and earn more money than I did full time when I still had to pay for
childcare) and also work around my husband's inconsistent work schedule.
I live far away from my family and I am able to change my hours week to
week if I want to take the weekend off to visit family up North. My daughter
has recently started preschool and I teach in the mornings, however,
because I control my own schedule, I take a break before my children leave
for school so that I can see them. Most jobs don't let you take 30 minutes in
the middle of the morning. After I'm done, I am able to pick her up from
school.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.S.
(1 year ESL in South Korea)
I do standup comedy, so I need a flexible job that lets me travel and keeps
me available in evenings.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–I.D.
(Taught 4th grade students for 10 years in an Urban District. Now, I
teach ESL writing, reading , and speaking at two community colleges.)
It has helped me thrive professionally because I am immersed in this
innovative model of Blended Learning and I am experiencing how it
really works. I really enjoy that we are implementing research based
instructional strategies to help our students learn. Being part of this
team has also helped me thrive personally because we can see how much
stride our students make daily.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–G.D.
(Educator at various levels — elementary, education professor)
Workplace flexibility has allowed me to become a part of my children's
day again. In the past I was working daily from 6am-4pm. I did not get to
see my children until after 4pm each day. My little girl and little boy mean
the world to me! There are many things I love, and working for VIPKID
allows me to teach and also be a mommy which are two of my most favorite
things!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.C.
(I have a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Childhood Education.
I taught high risk children and youth in a classroom and residential
settings for 9+ years.)
Since it is very difficult to obtain employment as a teacher, VIPKID has given
me an opportunity where I can teach from home, which frees up my time to
concentrate on other aspects in my life. I never thought I would teach again,
and after being accepted and completed the training, VIPKID had welcomed
me with open arms. It is also nice that I will not need to drive through
snow and ice storms this winter. Having a job from home is definitely a
dream come true.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.S.
(Former English Teacher)
Workplace flexibility has been such a relief for me! After two years of caring
for my injured husband and ailing mother, while raising two girls, teaching
full-time was far from ideal for me. I knew I needed to continue to work to
help support my family, but being physically present at home was also
necessary. Thankfully, I was able to transfer my teaching and
administration experience to education companies that offer flexible
work options. I now have more time and energy for my family and
starting my new business. It's a win, win.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–K.P.
(3 years as a classroom teacher, over 1 year with VIPKID)
The flexibility of teaching with VIPKID has allowed me to commit more
seriously to my volunteer work. Thanks to the awesome salary I get from
my part-time job, I am able to fully support myself while volunteering
with organizations around the world. My journey began as an ESL
teacher in Thailand, led me to working with an education non-profit in
Colombia, and now I am currently assisting refugees with their higher
education pursuits in Israel. Not only that, but as I prepare to attend
graduate school next fall, my part-time job will ensure I never run out of cup
noodles for those late-night study sessions. In all seriousness, I am so
grateful to this job for giving me the time and flexibility to pursue my other
passions!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–K.B.
(Taught elementary school age children for 10 years,
Master’s in education)
I recently started teaching for VIPKID and I love it! Each week I am adding a
few more hours in hopes to get close to 30 hours per week. The flexibility
offered by VIPKID is truly amazing. I have four boys, three at home (my oldest
just went off to college). Our life is extremely hectic and my children are all very
unique with many different needs. When I was working in the schools as a
teacher, there was much added stress to our household because I could not be
available to my family. There seemed to be one issue after another (all
occurring while I was at away at work) which added to the stress. I was in a
complete bind; my family needed my income, however working away from home
seemed to cause more problems. Then I discovered VIPKID! Wow! The
flexibility VIPKID offers allows me to work when I am able to and take the
time off when my family needs me. I have found the balance to be such a
blessing. My children are all thriving at school and our home life has
become less hectic. I work almost every single day and I look forward to
seeing my students' smiling faces. I love this job and the opportunity it has
given, not to just me, but to my entire family.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.J.S.L.
(Teaching preparation classes for past 4 years)
VIPKID has really helped me personally in being able to plan my days to allow
for family and personal time as well.
As an academy teacher in a small city in Spain, it can be difficult to find morning
work hours. The majority of classes take place in the evening. Not only this,
but almost all businesses close from 1PM to 5PM to honor the sacred siesta!
This divides my day in half, and I had been unable to spend much time with my
5 year old daughter as I´ve had to work instead.
VIPKID has changed all that. This kind of scheduling is parent friendly, since
you can choose the amount of hours you work on what days. With good
planning, classes will never have to interrupt my daily life. And because of the
time difference, I´m able to give classes from late morning to afternoon, which
are hours that I couldn´t work before. This way I only have to supplement with
MUCH fewer hours in academies, and I earn more per hour as well! And finally,
I´m able to take my daughter to the park, which I think is the best reward, since
both of us win!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–D.G.
(I am a Kindergarten teacher with ESOL, reading, and special education
endorsements certified in teaching birth-3rd grade.)
I am a Kindergarten teacher and wanted to make some extra money while
interning doing sometime I love. So when I found VIPKID I knew I had to
give it a try! Not only can I teach a lesson or two before going to work, but I
can teach a bunch of lessons during the weekends, too! I simply have to
prepare the night before, teach my lessons early in the morning from the
comfort of my home, and then I have the rest of the day to work, run
errands, or relax! I have a lot of ESOL students in my Kindergarten
classroom so it has been fun comparing strategies used in the
classroom and VIPKID. It has also helped me see recurring patterns in
students learning English whether as an ESOL student or a regular
student.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–E.L.
(I have a Bachelor of Music Education, a Bachelor of Education, TESOL
and bring 17 years of teaching globally to business professionals.)
VIPKID enabled me to move to a new city to start a new life with my new
husband and where I did not speak the daily language. While teaching, I
was able to return to school to study French and still help to contribute to our
family budget. VIPKID started as a part-time job and quickly become my full
time job and has enabled me help pay for family vacations and further
improve our overall lifestyle. An example: I am very involved in dog rescue
and always have between 6-8 dogs in our home. This job has enabled me
to interact with the dogs more, take them for walks and to find them new
homes for our fosters.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.N.
(I taught junior high and high school language arts and ESL for three
years.)
Almost ten years ago, when my husband and I had children we decided that I would
stay at home with our children while he determinedly pursued a career in educational
administration. …I felt myself missing my career, but still wanting to be available to be
present for them at home… .Before finding VIPKID, I often felt like a part of myself was
missing, because teaching was a part of me. I love igniting the spark of understanding
with in the eyes of a student.
I am now able to have the best of both worlds. I am able to teach my classes in the
mornings and still take my children to school. I love that I can still give them their kisses
goodbye and be present in their lives. I am able to take days off for their school
assemblies and field trips. I just love that VIPKID allows me to be both mom and
teacher without feeling I have to make a sacrifice. My children now see me in a
different way; they respect my profession and view me as someone other than
their Mom. I can see their pride when they talk to their friends about how mom
teaches children in China. I am grateful for VIPKID changing my life; this job has also
allowed me to grow professionally. I am thriving in the ASU TESOL program and I have
been invited to become a PE.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–B.A.K.
(Teaching ESL in rural South Korea. Teaching health and fitness
classes to the Canadian military. Coaching soccer and volleyball.)
Working for VIPKID is the epitome of flexibility for me.
Last year I taught VIPKID classes before the kids woke up in the morning, I
woke them at 7, got one ready for school, took him to the bus, walked the
dog, and was back in time to work again. I could work in short stints to allow
me to still be home with my other son who hadn't started school yet.
Over the summer I was fortunate to become a Practicum Evaluator with the
ability to fill more of my day with VIPKID work. In the morning I taught for 3
hours, ate a banana, drove the kids to tennis, jogged while they were playing
tennis, took them to swimming lessons, and made it home in time to do a
few hours of PEs. Then play, beach, supper, and sometimes off to coach
their soccer and home again to do PEs. A hectic schedule but one that gave
me the flexibility to support my family, spend quality time with my family, and
coach and be involved in their extracurricular activities.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–A.Y.
(I have been teaching ESL to elementary children for 20 years and
obtained a master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language
.)
I love the fact that this job has allowed me to continue getting my children on
and off the school bus. It is so important for me to be there for my own
children and not have to rely on childcare. It is also wonderful that the
teaching hours I choose can complement my job as a public school ESL
Teacher. The experience teaching children half way around the world
through technology is amazing. It reinforces that even though we may be
from different continents and cultures we are similar in many ways. It really
is a "small world."

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.P.
(BA in Elementary Education, 5 years of teaching/tutoring before
VIPKID)
Having workplace flexibility is something I never thought I'd have and yet
now it means everything to me. My husband is a full time college student. He
spends 10 or more hours a day on homework on top of 4+ hours in class.
…We have two little kids…I was petrified that I would have to leave them to
"bring home the bacon" and miss all of those precious, irreplaceable
memories. Thankfully a friend recommended VIPKID. I started teaching after
my son was born and now I work every morning before my kids wake up and
before my husband goes to school. It has saved our family! This job has
given me the flexibility to work out of my own home and yet use my degree
in Elementary Education. I have the flexibility on what times I want to work, if
I work here in Idaho or in WA while visiting family, and if I want to wear
sweats or PJs to work. This job is the best! I can't speak highly enough of it!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–R.V.R.
(I lived in Mexico for 14 years where I would volunteer teach children in
very remote locations who didn't speak Spanish or English! I started
online teaching a year ago.)
I was living in Mexico when I started online teaching. This allowed me to be
a mom and go to remote locations to teach extremely disadvantaged
children Spanish and English. I enjoyed teaching in person and online so I
decided to return to college to get a second degree to help educate children
and women across the globe who don't have access to education.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.R.
(I taught 7th grade Language Arts for 1 year.)
I value the flexibility of hours I have with VIPKID. The minimum requirement
of hours is low enough that I don't need to worry about asking for days off of
work unless it is an unforeseen emergency. The maximum hours are high
enough that I know I could work more if I had the time and energy to do so.
Even though the time of day is not flexible (due to the timezone differences),
I love that I can still pick my own schedule within the peak times and it
actually works very well for my family situation. I am the sole provider for my
family at the moment and also the primary caregiver for my 2-year-old. I am
able to work every morning while my son is still sleeping so that I can have
the best of both worlds: provide for my family and stay home with my child. I
am expecting another child in the Spring and I have no doubt that with the
flexibility of the schedule, I can continue to work at my own pace and not
have to worry about taking time off of work or asking for breaks. I have
control over my schedule and will always be able to choose what works best
for my family without sacrificing my career plan.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.S.
(I worked in Japan and China teaching ESL and mainstream classes for
7 years in training centers and most recently at an international
primary school in Beijing.)
I started working for VIPKID while I was full time teacher at an international
primary school in Beijing. VIPKID gave me the flexibility to work with my full
time job. Since VIPKID sends money direct to our American accounts, I was
able to pay off my student loans each month with money I made working
these extra hours during the week. I later moved from Beijing back to the
US. I was able to take a week off while setting up my new home, get
internet, and then jump back in to my routine of teaching. I am now getting at
Masters in education and I am able to work in the mornings for VIPKIDs and
attend my university courses in the afternoon. Everything about working for
VIPKIDs has aided me in fulfilling my professional and personal goals. I
would not have been able to move so easily and seamlessly without the
flexible scheduling that VIPKID offers.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–A.P.
(High school history and social science teacher)
It has allowed me to make my own hours and spend time with my friends
and family throughout the week. If something suddenly comes up I can also
rearrange me schedule to fit my needs for the time being. I am also in
control of how much I want to work or am able to work each
day/week/month.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–E.F.
(2+ years teaching in a bilingual public school in Spain)
Working for VIPKID has provided me with the flexibility to lead a lifestyle I've
always wanted. I travel between countries without missing a beat! This
company makes it easy and painless to teach on the go!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–K.A.
(I taught high school English for 12 years, and I have National Board
certification in adolescent and young adult English Language Arts.)
I'm currently staying home with my little ones, and VIPKID helps me earn
some extra money while I'm not working outside of the home. I can teach
while my kids are sleeping. ! Teaching for VIPKID has also made me realize
that I actually love working with younger kids (I only taught older kids
previously). I love that I make my own schedule and I can adjust the times
when I offer classes.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–N.K.
(I have been teaching ESL online to young adults - adults since 2013. I
also have a TESOL certification.)
I am a mom of two school-aged children and a 3 year old toddler! I gave up
my full time job to become a part time business development analyst at the
same company and teach ESL online to young adults just to be able to take
care of my children. Frankly, I love the fact that I can bring my youngest
daughter to work but I must admit that working two days a week in the office
is a little boring. There is not a lot of action. So, teaching at VIPKID enabled
me to wake up early in the morning with a smile on my face knowing that I
will be teaching a child and put a smile on their face. It also enabled me to
work as much or as little as I want. Bringing in extra cash along with my part
time job, imparting knowledge and making children happy -- that's what
flexible teaching is all about.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–J.L.B.
(2 years teaching high school ages 14-18)
Workplace flexibility allows me to travel the world without worrying about
bills. I love teaching at VIPKID because I get to make a difference in a child's
life. I love making my students smile and they make me smile every day!
The flexibility of setting my own schedule at VIPKID allows me to travel on
short notice have a new adventure almost every week.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.Y.
(I have been a teacher for over 6 years and have taught English, ESL,
World History, Geography and Philosophy.)
I love online teaching because it’s very good for my schedule. I don't have to
spend time going somewhere and I just stay at home. I thrive with working
online and love being able to help students. …Good to have online teaching
experience. Overall, its a win/win for VIPKID and me! I hope to continue for a
long time with the company.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–A.E.
(Was a language analyst in one of the world’s best
language learning centers.)
It has allowed me to get through full time school to prepare for Law School.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–K.A.
(Currently pursuing a TESOL certificate through VIPKID and have vast
experience teach ESL via the online platform.)
..the ability to adjust my my schedule to work with a totally different timezone
is an invaluable perk. There is no other job that would allow me this
tremendous flexibility!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–B.G.G.
(Taught English online to IT professionals from China using QQ)
Work flexibility is the best decision I could have made. I heard about
VIPKID at the right time and I was already located in the right place to
deliver my classes, New Taipei City, Taiwan!
I am now able to work as many hours as humanly possible or just a
couple of hours and enjoy the weekend exploring the landscape
around Taiwan, take a flight to visit my friends in Beijing for the
weekend, or venture around Asia and see new places!
Having this freedom while being able to live and visit affordable places
around Asia is my motivation to be the best English teacher!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.J.
(22 years of teaching experiene)
The flexibility of working with VIPKID is stellar! I am able to start a little later
on Wednesdays since I have to be up so late Tuesdays for our home
business meeting. It is great. I also am able to stop a little earlier if I need to
get one of my girls to an orthodontist appointment. I can plan all of my days
on M-T when I have to be gone for a business meeting on Friday and
Saturday. This has allowed me to continue to teach, while being available for
my two homeschooling daughters, and I can still get to my local tutor
students in the afternoon! I love the flexibility of VIPKID!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–J.B.
(Taught fifth grade for 2 years in Japan, K-5 for six years in the U.S.)
Workplace flexibility has made a tremendous impact in my life. I can take my
desk with me wherever I go. I have travelled to weddings, family gatherings
and even events while not losing time at work or taking a vacation. I
schedule my classes around what works best in my schedule as well as my
family's schedule. I have even scheduled classes around a surgery enabling
me the opportunity to take care of a family member during a difficult time.
My productivity has increased, I have fewer office distractions and I make
my own schedule. I have the ability to set my start and end times for the
week and if this changes because a family member needs me, I can set
different hours. Thank you VIPKID for providing a place for me to work
where I not only help children half way around the world to achieve but also
for providing a place for me to help my family achieve!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.P.
(ESL teaching experience)
I'm partially disabled due to an accident and some health issues. I have not
been able to work at a regular job outside of my home for many years. Having
workplace flexibility like we have working at VIPKID has allowed me to once
again feel productive. Having control over how much I work and when, gives
me the ability to work within my limits and still have a wonderful and fulfilling job.
My life has changed dramatically since I've started working again. The job that
we do and the children we work with have brought me great happiness and a
sense of accomplishment. I find myself inspired to be more creative, to learn
another language (Mandarin) and further my education in ESL, Chinese history
and culture, and traditional Chinese brush painting. None of these things would
have been a reality without a flexible job.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–L.P.
(I was an ESL kindergarten teacher for 8 years and ESL first grade
teacher for 3 years.)
VIPKID has been a huge blessing for me! My dad was finally correctly
diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in May 2015. His quality of life has
greatly diminished since then due to Parkison's and several other health
issues. He struggles to go grocery shopping, pay bills, go to doctors
appointments, etc. Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who encouraged
me to quit teaching to care for my dad. Even with my husband's support, I
felt terrible that I was not contributing to the household monetarily...then I
found VIPKID. Now I have the best of both worlds! I still get to teach
amazing children in the early morning and have the days free to help my
dad. I am so thankful and so grateful that I found such an amazing company
to work for. Your company truly is a blessing.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.W.
(Associate’s degree in child and youth studies)
Flexible work with VIPKID has allowed me to work from my new home in a
new country, relatively seamlessly. I love how easy it is to pack and go!
Thanks to this company I am able to work minimal hours but still make
enough to live on. This allows me to truly LIVE.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–D.G.
(kindergarten and 1st grade teacher for 6 years, a literacy/technology
facilitator for 1 year and an intervention specialist for 1 year.)
I love the flexibility of this job! I resigned from my career in education to
become a brand new stay-at-home mom to my 2-month old son. This job
has offered me the opportunity to work from the comfort of my own home
while my little one sleeps as well as help my household by bringing in some
extra cash each week. I also love that I can choose the days and times I
want to work. If I feel like taking off on a Friday I can do that! Wow!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.S.
(Been teaching for over 20 years)
I have been able to work around my schedule so that I can do my internship
in counseling.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–F.A.
(Third grade teacher for over ten years )
With having a toddler who currently needs my attention during his waking
hours, the ability to create my own schedule during the hours he is sleeping
gives me the freedom to still make money while being a stay at home mom.
My daily-life schedule remains uninterrupted because I get my hours in
before he wakes in the mornings and also on the weekends. And I still have
the opportunity to add more classes if I wanted to in the evenings when my
son is again sleeping. What other at-home teaching job gives you this kind of
flexibility and freedom? I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to be a VIPKID
teacher because of this. I literally share with others how blessed I feel to be
a VIPKID teacher because it absolutely fits my life perfectly, enabling me to
make great money with incentives and opportunities for growth, while still
being a full time mom.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.B.
(Classroom ESL teacher-3rd, 5th & 8th grades. 7 years of classroom
experience.)
Being able to work while my kids (1,3,5) are sleeping means that I can stay
home with them, earn extra income and be ready to go for the day when
they get up! My oldest thinks it is pretty awesome that I get to teach kids
from the other side of the world! I think he is secretly trying to figure out how
to get in these classes. If I need to be free for something, I am able to adjust
my schedule accordingly.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–V.V.W.
(Teaching since 1998)
Although this is a part time position for me, the flexibility of teaching at
VIPKID has presented a unique opportunity for me to teach online, make
extra cash, and do it all without impacting my time with my family. I am a
card carrying member of the soccer mom club. So being able to teach late
at night or early in the mornings means I never miss a goal or a game. I
really enjoy teaching my students and since teaching is second nature to me
(I have been doing it for almost 20 years), this is a perfect fit. Thanks
VIPKID for this awesome opportunity.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.C.
(1 year of ESL teaching experience)
I love never having to say "I can't because I have work". It's so nice to be
employed and know that I can always make any other activity in my life still
work. I don't have to sacrifice my family life or personal pursuits. It's great!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.A.
(16 years working as a teacher assistant in elementary schools.)
It has eliminated my travel time, reclaiming an hour and a half that I can
spend on my grad school work.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–A.O.
(Experience teaching Elementary education )
Personally, VIPKID’s flexible workplace has impacted my life because I am
now able to stay home with my new baby. This amazing job has given me
the chance to teach during the hours that she's asleep. I can watch her
milestones as they happen and have fun with her throughout the most
important months of her life.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–E.B.
(Early Childhood Education teacher for 9 years)
For nine years I worked as a teacher at an early childhood education center in Northern
New Jersey. I loved my job and looked forward to working with my kids every day. When my
husband and I were ready to start a family, this job had many benefits to make up for the
small paycheck, namely a 50% discount on child care. However, in North Jersey, 50% of
tuition still amounted to more than half of my paycheck. Money was very tight, but we made
it work. However, when we discovered I was pregnant again, I knew that my time at that
school had come to an end. While I truly loved my students and my coworkers, with two
children enrolled in child care, I would have OWED money at the end of the month instead
of receiving a paycheck.
To complicate matters even further, my mother became very ill at this time and needed
constant care. With a toddler at home and another baby on the way, there was no way I
could continue to work outside the home. I found a job online scoring standardized tests, but
the hours were nowhere near what I needed to make ends meet. Three months pregnant
and with no real child care options, I was looking for any work I could find.
After a month of desperate job hunting, my sister-in-law showed me an ad for
VIPKID…Working for VIPKID, I have been able to homeschool my toddler (she is now
bilingual and learning to read!), gave birth to my second little girl, and been able to take care
of my sick mother. I am so grateful to VIPKID for this amazing opportunity. I work every day
to prove myself and help this company grow.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–R.P.
(Master’s in Education in Curriculum & Instruction, previous 1st grade
teacher & 6th grade Western Hemisphere Geography teacher)
Workplace flexibility has helped me both personally and professionally.
Working for VIPKID has allowed me to continue teaching students as I did in
the classroom but without the stress of commuting (I use to drive almost an
hour and a half to school). The flexible schedule has allowed me to
homeschool my own children as well. I am also able to begin volunteering
for CASA, which is a court appointed child advocate for deprived children,
which is something I have been wanting to do for a long time but never had
the time to do so. Now I do!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–D.P.
(two years of professional TEFL teaching experience)
As I transitioned back into life in The States after a year of teaching abroad, I
needed an opportunity to keep my TEFL instructions skills sharp and
relevant. I also needed money as my savings began to dwindle very quickly.
VIPKID provided an opportunity for me to do both! Above everything, I enjoy
the flexibility. Well maybe not 'above everything' but the flexibility is definitely
a top 3 reason for why I enjoy what I do. Workplace flexibility at VIPKID has
helped me survive during this "professional limbo.” I have been able to
maintain financially while working out what my next teaching opportunity will
be.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.A.
(substitute teacher in the US for two years)
Workplace flexibility helped me immensely as I have been able to work for
VIPKID in Florida helping take care of my elderly grandparents, then in
Seattle while visiting family, and now while I live in Asia and work as an
English teacher! I was able to keep income coming in the entire time, as well
as stay active in my teaching field which helped me land the job I have now.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–K.B.
(Substitute teacher)
The flexibility of being able to work from home and to make my own schedule has been
life changing for me. I was substitute teaching in a local school and have been there for
over four years. While I loved the flexibility of being able to come and go with my own
kids, we were running into may obstacles. We left home and came home together,
which was great, but with two boys in extracurricular activities we had maybe 20
minutes at home, not enough time to feed them, let alone cook! I also thought that by
being a substitute that when they were sick or something came up I would have
flexibility, that was not the case, because I was often booked too far in advance that it
was too late to change if there was a problem.
Since starting working for VIPKID I feel like I am a better mother, wife, and teacher! I
love the kids I work with everyday and they make me happy. I am a happier person
since starting this job. I am home and do not have to worry about last minute problems.
My mom is older and not always in the best health. I no longer have to worry about
asking her to do things I was afraid she wasn't up to. I am also able to help her more
now.
I will be honest here and say the money is much better too! With the raising cost of
everyday life this is a blessing I really am thankful for! I feel like I was given a golden
opportunity and I have never been happier! Many jobs that you work from home are not
what they are cracked up to be. I feel like I have a dream job! I love VIPKID, my job,
and am so thankful to them for letting me do a job I love and showing that they value
their teachers! …I feel like I am the best teacher I have ever been.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–D.I.S.
(Experience: ESL and homeschooling)
I live in South Carolina, but my oldest son lives in Utah. Needless to say, I
don’t get to see him often. I had two glorious weeks with him when my family
and I flew out for his wedding almost two years ago. But he’s been working
in private security overseas on and off ever since, and his vacations never
coincide with ours. My job with VIPKID, though, allows me to see him before
he ships out again. I can now simply rearrange my teaching schedule for my
flight days and take my computer with me to do my job at his home. For me,
workplace flexibility means that I get to be with my family.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–A.H.B.
(Teaching since 1960s)
A flexible work schedule allows me time to pursue my hobbies, like painting
and gardening, while still keeping me active in the education community. As
a professional educator I understand the value of feeding the intellectual,
physical and spiritual parts of myself. I am grateful to VIPKID for giving me
the opportunity to pursue these components of myself, while staying
engaged in the process of global education.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.H.
(I am a certified Early Childhood (Birth-3rd), Elementary (K-6), Special
Education (K-12), and Art (K-12) teacher. I mostly have worked as an
elementary teacher, and as a Title I Reading Specialist K-12.)
The workplace flexibility I found at VIPKID has really been a miracle for me
and my family. My husband became seriously ill just over a year ago, and it
was hard leaving him at home every day to go to school. As much as I loved
my job teaching gifted middle schoolers, I submitted my resignation at the
end of the school year so I could stay home and help my husband recover. I
found VIPKID, and the rest is history. I work as many hours as I need to in
order to support our family, and then I wake up my husband for breakfast.
His health has improved since I have been home, and I can honestly say I
adore my job. It's still a very professional environment, but it's fun and low
stress, and it allows me to be where I can make the biggest difference,
which is the best thing I could every ask for in a workplace.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–I.K.
(Experience: Homeschooling, Substitute teacher, Teacher Assistant)
VIPKID has been a huge blessing in our lives. My husband has a horrible
unpredictable schedule at work and therefore we decided to homeschool our
kids and me working was really never an option. Family time is priority to us
and VIPKID has allowed me to contribute to our family and grow myself all
without leaving the house or our family. I still cant believe this is real. It’s so
flexible to be able to schedule your own classes and do it all from home.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–M.J.
(worked with children with special needs for 3+ years)
VIPKID has allowed me to feel like I'm making a difference in the world from
my living room. Education can connect the world in a way few things can.
I've loved seeing students and their parents overjoyed with the progress
their student is making. VIPKID has provided me with a way to make a
GREAT income for my family. Working a normal 8-5 job would require a
large amount of my income to go towards childcare for my daughter. I love
that I can work in the mornings and evenings and enjoy the day with my
daughter doing whatever we want!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–B.P.
(8 years of ESL and international Kindergarten teaching in Korea and
China)
Flexibility means global and musical freedom for me. I love living abroad and
I'm a musician… It has been a lifelong dream to have the flexibility to live and
travel where I please and I'm finally living it!… I'm currently posting from
Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary outside of Siem Reap where I'm volunteering for a
week helping to revive protected jungle and caring for 2 rescued elephants -
another dream fulfilled that wouldn't have been possible without the flexibility of
my job with VIPKID. I'll also be able to visit my family in North Carolina at
Christmas. I just signed my second contract and I can't wait to see where it
takes me!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–L.M.
(Have taught ESL to kids in China, Hong Kong, and Australia for over 7
years.)
Flexible working means freedom to me. It gives me the freedom to work when I
want, where I want, and how much I want. I have had desk jobs in the past and
honestly they do not work for me. I am not a 9 to 5 type of person. Though I do
tend to work hard and sometimes work a lot of hours I can do this better if I
know it is on my terms. Working with VIPKID has given me the freedom I need.
I can work as much or as little as I want, I can work from wherever I want (all I
need is a laptop and an internet connection), and even though there are peak
hours of time when there are more students looking for classes am not obligated
to work just those times all the time. Working for VIPKID I also have time in my
life for other things, like travel, my family, my own interests and even another job
if I wanted one. Most of all it has given me the chance to teach kids in China
while I am half a world away. I lived in China a while and loved teaching kids
there but because of family I have had to move back to America. I would dream
of going back to teach again but never thought it would be a possibility and
there are so many other places I want to see. Now I can teach kids in China
while living in America and traveling the rest of the world.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–B.C.
(7 years of public school teaching)
For seven years I followed the same routine most school teachers in America know far too well. It was
day after day of fighting traffic to get to work on time, grading papers during my lunch period, lesson
planning during the evenings and weekends, and never feeling that I was truly caught up. While I
loved being a brick-and-mortar school teacher, the birth of my daughter made me wonder how I would
balance being a dedicated teacher and mom at the same time.
The flexibility that VIPKID offers is truly what makes it such a unique company and appealing for so
many individuals. The early morning and late night hours are perfect because this is when my
daughter is tucked away, sound asleep in her crib. The flexible nature of the schedule also allows me
to take off when I need to, as long as the minimum number of classes are still met. One of the
greatest things about VIPKID is that you can take the job with you anywhere you want to go! Because
of this wonderful company, I am able to travel with my daughter to see her grandparents and cousins
who live hours away from us. When I was a traditional classroom teacher, I was always confined to
certain times to travel (Christmas, spring break, etc.).
Aside from VIPKID being a great job for stay at home moms, it is also ideal for families that have to
pick up and move a lot. My husband has a job that requires us to move quite frequently. …It was
extremely difficult to “start over” year after year and learn everything that comes with being a new
teacher in a different school. Many administrators were also starting to notice how frequently I moved,
which in the end, could be the reason they hired a different candidate over me.
VIPKID is a company that I plan to stay with for a very long time. With the amount of stress public
school teachers face these days in regards to testing, documentation, large class sizes, etc. it is a no-
brainer that this is the path I was meant to be on. It has boosted my love of education ten-fold and
most importantly gives me time with my family that I would not have if I was in the traditional
classroom.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–A.K.
(I have taught ESL for 4 years in a local school district. I am certified to
teach ESL, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and
Business Education.)
Workplace flexibility at VIPKID has positively changed my life! In March
2016 I gave birth to my son. Prior to this, I had been an ESL teacher for 4
years and truly enjoyed my job! I was a dedicated and hard working teacher
whose job took up most of my time. After giving birth to my son, my world
changed. While I still enjoyed teaching, my first priority was now to spend as
much time as I could to care for my son. Since I started working for VIPKID
in August 2016, I now have the best of both worlds! The flexibility that
VIPKID offers has allowed me to not only take care of my son 24/7, but
teach ESL students while still providing for my family.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.O.
(1 year of teaching experience)
Workplace flexibility at VIPKID has changed my life, both in personal and
professional aspect. Professionally, it has allowed me to supplement my
income in ways that were previously. I have realized more benefit in my
person though. Meeting, interacting with, teaching, even befriending these
students, has enriched my life beyond words. I have gained experiences and
memories that I would not have come to anywhere else.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.W.
(Freelance and volunteer tutoring English for 15+ years)
Workplace flexibility with VIPKID has significantly impacted my life in a
positive way. During my time a freelance ESL tutor, I was primarily employed
in retail; the ever-fluctuating schedule was a hindrance to doing what I love
the most: working one-on-one with students to improve their English skills.
Now that I am employed through VIPKID, I am able to choose the days and
times in which I work; I no longer have to cancel classes and meetings due
to juggling two schedules. Another benefit is that I have the flexibility to
travel and I am able to donate more of my time to causes I care about.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–L.D.
(5th and 6th grade teacher of gifted students (all core subjects))
The workplace flexibility I found at VIPKID has really been a miracle for me
and my family. My husband became seriously ill just over a year ago, and it
was hard leaving him at home every day to go to school. As much as I loved
my job teaching gifted middle schoolers, I submitted my resignation at the
end of the school year so I could stay home and help my husband recover. I
found VIPKID, and the rest is history. I work as many hours as I need to in
order to support our family, and then I wake up my husband for breakfast.
His health has improved since I have been home, and I can honestly say I
adore my job. It's still a very professional environment, but it's fun and low
stress, and it allows me to be where I can make the biggest difference,
which is the best thing I could every ask for in a workplace.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–J.S.
(I am a gifted and talented bilingual(Spanish/English) teacher and have
thought all grade levels in elementary.)
I love to travel and I love to teach.VIPKID has helped me broaden my
horizons by creating the opportunity to teach in China from my house! I plan
to go there in the future and meet my students face to face one of these
days.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.W.
(I have taught elementary age kids in churches and homeschooled my
5 kids ages pre-school through 8th grade.)
I am a mom of 5 school-age kids in the U.S. One of my daughters has Special Needs.
She is 14 years old, and wasn't doing very well last summer. I needed to find a flexible
job that I could do from home so I could help her with all her intensive therapies during
the day, while also earning an income to help pay for these very expensive therapies
that she needs.
I stayed up at nights poring over the internet, searching every forum/blog/lead I could
find. Once I started googling like crazy for online teaching jobs, my heart sank. I
couldn't find anything that panned out. I finally found a different company in China (not
VIPKID) hiring online ESL teachers. I was excited to be hired by them for a teaching
job I could do from home! I thought this was the answer. I taught with them for a few
months. But... the pay was low, the classes long, the curriculum unorganized, and I had
up to 5 students at one time in an online class.
Fast forward to 2 months ago.....I found VIPKID! I was blown away by how smooth
and professional VIPKID is in comparison. BLOWN AWAY. I think from my previous
online teaching experience I had a lot to compare it to, and so I was so happy to find
VIPKID! The teacher community is amazing, there are incentives and achievable
bonuses, the company communication is open and respectful, the curriculum is clearly
laid out, and I love my 1-on-1 students! Oh yes, and the pay is so much better. :) It's a
night and day comparison!…The flexibility is priceless for lots of reasons. In my case, it
has changed my daughter's life.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–J.P.
(ESL for adults and Spanish as a second language for both children
and adults.)
As a homeschool mother with three children and a small business owner,
VIPKID's workplace flexibility is one of the business's greatest assets. This
job allows me to wake up and earn money by doing something I enjoy
completely and then walk away from it ready to give by kids my full attention.
As a small business owner this job gives me peace of mind. It is consistent
and reliable but the schedule’s flexibility allows me to make adjustments to
my sometimes overwhelmingly full schedule. Life can change so quickly, I
appreciate that within limits I can add or take away my classes taught. I like
that I could flip and work evenings if a morning wasn’t going to work because
my girls have an event. I love working from home and I actually love the
hours. My business is teaching Spanish classes to young children. This
takes my attention off of my own children daily. I love that VIPKID allows me
the flexibility to work from home, set my own schedule as well as alter it and
gives me the possibility of travel while keeping my job. VIPKID’s flexibiliy
gives me confidence and freedom to continue living my outside of the box
lifestyle.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–N.R.
(Reading K-12, Elem. Ed., ELC. Ed., ESOL, )
I taught for many years in the classroom before having my sons.
While they were growing up, I either taught at the same school or
I was at home. The balance between work and family is very
difficult at times, especially for a single parent.
I've worked from home for the past few years for a testing
company. That job in addition to VIPKID gives me the flexibility
to still be available for my guys. It has also given me the chance
to connect with other teachers that "Have my back"! Once again,
I feel like I'm on a TEAM! I'm so happy to teach, have fun, make
money all at the same time! The encouragement and resources
provided have been AWESOME as well!
Another wonderful thing about VIPKID, I was rewarded for my
previous years of experience!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–L.S.
(I have a K-8 teaching credential. I've taught grades 1, 4 and 5. I ran a
nationally known tutoring company for 4 years and owned my own
tutoring company for 14 years.)
I've spent the last 14 years operating my own tutoring business out of my
home. It was the perfect fit when my kids were little. I could be home when
they needed me but also work! But, now that my kids are preteen and teen
aged - they need me in the afternoon for homework and to drive them to the
after school activities they like to do! With my own tutoring business I
worked afternoons and evenings. It was clear it wasn't the best fit anymore.
When I found VIPKID, it was the perfect solution! Now, I can work overnight
- sleep during the day when the kids are at school and be ready to go when
they get home from school! I love the flexibility for VIPKID - but I also just
love teaching for VIPKID!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–C.S.
(I have 12 years teaching experience K- 12.)
It allows me to be creative and have one-on-one with my students all from
the comforts of my home! I have wanted to work from home for many years.
Some of the great advantages are that I don't have to travel in bad weather
and I don't have discipline problems that are found in a large classroom! It is
a dream come true!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–B.V.
(I taught elementary school for 7 years and have been a home educator
for an additional 7 years.)
It is so amazing to be able to stay home with my family to be a wife, mother
and teacher, all while still fulfilling my love and desire to teach kids!
Teaching in the morning and evening allows me to have the best of both
worlds. It also keeps me sharp and allows me to continually learn and
challenge myself.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–K.B.
(I taught ESL in the public school system in the United States.)
Having flexibility in my job has been a tremendous blessing to me and to my
family! I was a teacher in the public school system. After learning that I was
pregnant with my first son, I started looking for a job where I could stay-at-
home, but still teach. Working with VIPKID has allowed me the perfect
workplace flexibility! I can teach while my son sleeps.

@TheVIPKIDLife
–S.M.
(Variety of educational jobs for 18 years)
.. a severe night owl. Because of my flexible schedule, I can earn a good
living while maintaining my sleep health. I am so thankful for this job - who
would have thought I could be teaching late at night when all of the kids in
my city are asleep?!

@TheVIPKIDLife
–P.J.
(Retired science teacher)
I live to travel! Now I can keep working and still see the world!

VIPKID Teacher Stories: Stories from 70 Teachers in 30 U.S. States on Workplace Flexibility and Online Teaching

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VIPKID Teacher Stories: Stories from 70 Teachers in 30 U.S. States on Workplace Flexibility and Online Teaching