ESL Teacher – Caitriona Maria

Stan T.

Day in the life of
ESL Teacher – Caitriona Maria

Caitriona Maria
ESL Teacher
TPRTeaching

I’m a private online ESL (English as a second language) teacher. I teach the English language to adults and children from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is eight hours ahead of my time zone, so I work morning hours (their evening hours). My day starts at 8 am, and classes finish at about 2 pm.

I teach students between the ages of five to fourteen. Teaching the classes is actually the easy part; there is a lot of administration work to do. I spend more time providing feedback and notes after each lesson and creating lesson slides that I can use for multiple classes. I believe in delivering value above and beyond what people pay for, so they keep coming back for more.

This is my first year as a private online teacher, so there is more work to do upfront; eventually, I won’t have to create as many lessons because I can reuse the same content year-on-year for my students. The more you can automate and streamline tasks, the better!

I usually take a break in the afternoon and then work again later until I complete my admin tasks, which can take 2-3 hours depending on my workload for that day. I have about thirty students, so you can see how the hours add up!

Pros

  • Teaching is a very fulfilling career, and it is so impactful in the lives of students. Teachers form personal bonds with their students. There are not many careers that provide such a rewarding experience.
  • I really enjoy the freedom of working from home. No waiting for hours in traffic! I initially began working from home because I wanted to travel, but I have not been very fortunate in that regard, given the circumstances.
  • As I have my private students, I have a much greater earning potential than any regular online ESL company. For example, an online ESL company might charge $40 per hour and only pay the teacher $20. By cutting out the middle man, aka, the company, you can earn more for your efforts. You can multiply that figure by taking on a group of students.

Cons

  • Teaching is tiring. Teaching online can drain your energy, especially for an introverted person, like me. A teacher can totally be introverted– they just lose energy in social settings faster than an extroverted person. While the job role might look easy on the surface, a few hours of it can take its toll. Therefore, coffee breaks in between classes are crucial!
  • Your bookings might not be consistent, and there is pressure to perform well, so students continue to book your classes. Most teachers start by working in online ESL companies that guarantee scheduled classes and fun lesson materials.
  • You have to manage your own taxes and make sure you put aside money for a rainy day. While other teachers receive paid holidays, you do not! This is why I diversify my income streams by doing some blogging on the side. It is safer not to put all your eggs in one basket! Many other online ESL teachers earn money by training new teachers, selling digital lessons, and even starting YouTube channels.
Caitriona Maria
ESL Teacher
TPRTeaching
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ESL Teachers

ESL teachers’ main responsibility is to teach non-English speaking people how to communicate fluently in the English language. They often work in elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as in adult education centers.

Salary: $45600
Salary Rank: C
Education: Bachelor's degree
Suitable Personality: The Helper