Online Teaching

Episode Forty-eight

What makes a “TEFLpreneur?”

Show Notes

Let's talk about my new favorite word: "TEFLpreneur." You've probably pieced together that it's a fun combination of "TEFL" and "entrepreneur." But what does it really MEAN to be an entrepreneur in the ELT industry? What do you need to get started, what does it take to be successful, and why attempt it in the first place? Join me for a reflection on the rise of the TEFLpreneur and some thoughts on whether you could be one, too.

In this Episode

Defining a “TEFLpreneur”

  • What is “TEFLpreneurship?”  

  • Why this word is important to me 

The pros of working in the ELT industry:

  • working with people from around the world

  • helping students reach goals

  • the love of teaching

  • traveling, adventuring, experiencing new cultures

The cons of working in the ELT industry:

  • being tied to the location where you can find work

  • lack of control over your schedule

  • lack of choice in terms of what you teach

  • cap on income

 The irony of the ELT industry

  • many of us are attracted to TEFL/ TESOL because we don't want a “traditional” job, and then end up feeling more tied down than ever

  • we envision a lifestyle of exploration and new experience but end up too broke or overworked to experience much more than lesson planning

My first thoughts about becoming a “TEFLpreneur”

  • realizing how things would be different if I could “cut out the middleman”

  • the obstacle of not having my own physical space in which to teach

How online teaching has transformed ELT possibilities  

  • every teacher has their own virtual classroom/ language school

  • possibilities beyond just live lessons

 What holds most people back from “TEFLpreneurship”

  • overwhelm about needing a perfect website, tons of followers, fancy equipment, etc.

  • imposter syndrome: thinking you don’t know enough or no one will want to hear from you

  • assuming you need to be the #1 expert

The only thing you really need to be an entrepreneur 

  • an offer

  • a buyer

What you don’t need

  • to know everything

  • to be the best

  • to be the only person doing what you do

For more on becoming a “TEFLpreneur”

Do you consider yourself a TEFLpreneur? Do you want to be one? What’s holding you back? Let me know in the comments!

Episode Thirty-six

Interview with Jessie Ebersole: How ELT Organizations are Adapting Online and Virtual Volunteer Teaching

Show Notes

I’m happy to welcome back a returning guest this week on Expand Your Horizons: Jessie Ebersole. Jessie joined me on the podcast in the fall of 2019, but in case you missed our previous conversation, let me briefly introduce her before we dive into our conversation. Jessie is the Director of Academic Programs at Washington English Center, which is a non-profit English language school for adult immigrants in Washington, D.C. WEC offers 14 levels of ESL classes, and they rely on volunteer teachers for all of those. Jessie started out in the TESOL field as a volunteer herself, and she later went on to complete a master’s degree in TESOL at American University. She has a lot of experience in this field, including teaching at American University’s English Language Training Academy, and working as a draft writer for parts of Intercambio’s textbook series Confidence and Connections.

I’m thrilled to have Jessie join me here again, because I have a lot of respect for the work she does and for Washington English Center as an organization. In our conversation, Jessie and I catch up on how WEC is adapting to online teaching, discuss her take on the current state of the ELT industry and share opportunities for volunteer teaching online.

Jessie Ebersole.jpg

In this Episode

  • How Washington English Center serves the community and what Jessie does there

  • How WEC quickly adapted and moved their programs online when the Covid-19 pandemic began

  • What a typical WEC class looks like now that everything is fully online

  • The benefits of online learning and what students and teachers have gained from the change

  • How online learning is making local organizations global

  • The challenges of moving classes online, for staff/ teachers and for WEC as an organization

  • If you’re interested in doing volunteer teaching online: what you should know

  • The process of becoming a paid staff member at an organization like WEC

  • The benefits of volunteer teaching and working with an organization like WEC

  • What Jessie loves about the ELT industry, and how that’s changed since we’ve all gone virtual

  • Jessie’s predictions for the future of online teaching: where she thinks we’ll go from here, even post-pandemic

  • Her thoughts about whether WEC will continue to offer online classes, even after it’s safe to resume teaching in person

  • How to get in touch with Washington English Center or learn more: check out their website, find them on Facebook, or reach out to Jessie directly at jebersole@washingtonenglish.org

Want to get certified to teach English online? Check out TEFL Horizons’ Online English Teacher training course

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