The Best Free Online Teaching Jobs

I remember back in my days you actually had to leave the house to go to school. Nowadays online classes are common place. That's great for students and even better for teachers looking to make money at home. In this article we'll help you find the best free online teaching jobs.

But we'll also break down the good, the bad and the ugly. So, let's get cracking!

What Kind of Online Teaching Jobs Are Available?

Depending on what level, grade or higher education class you are willing and able to teach, online teaching jobs are available across all levels of education. From a kindergarten teacher to a college or university professor, it all depends on your expertise and experience in the subject you want to teach.

Who Hires Online Teachers?

There are so many institutions and companies that hire online teachers. The list is long, but if you are looking to teach online, here are the most popular sources of work at home teaching jobs.

Colleges and Universities – These institutions offer employment opportunities for experienced and trained professionals in the teaching industry. Besides teaching, you can also be employed as a course instructor, course developer, instructional designer, subject area expert, writer or editor.

School districts – There's a growing demand for teachers willing to teach in school districts. You'll be teaching the K-12 education remotely.

Online Teaching Companies and Websites– You can work as an independent contractor, employee or entrepreneur as a tutor working for different online companies and websites. You'll basically be using your knowledge and experience as a teacher to tutor students in search of online tutors through these websites. You can read my Online Tutor Jobs feature article here to know more about available tutoring jobs online.

ESL and Foreign Language Companies – If you are fluent in two languages and in some cases licensed to teach, you can sign up as a teacher on websites offering ESL or foreign language teaching job opportunities.

Academic Course Work Book Companies and Publishers – You can work as a writer, editor or consultant for individuals and publishing companies that produce course work textbooks, education materials and resources for students. Your work will basically be using your teaching expertise and experience while working under different employment capacities.

How Much Money Can I Make As An Online Teacher?

The average remote teaching job pays anywhere between $1,500 and $2,500 per semester. However, how much money you make teaching will depend on a combination of factors including

Field – highly technical subjects in fields such as medicine, law, sciences and engineering are more lucrative than the Humanities.

Education/experience – Your level of education and experience also counts. College educated teachers with Masters/PhD degrees earn far much more than the rest.

Where you are working – as is the case with the conventional mode of teaching, private schools pay online teachers higher wages than public schools. Same case applies to companies, corporations and other learning institutions

You can choose to work as an independent contractor, employee or entrepreneur. Different companies hire differently. Some companies may ask you to develop your own course work, teach and grade students and pay you an all-inclusive package.

So depending on how much input you are contributing, your salary will combine all these factors and come up with a salary cap. According to various online sources, the least paid online teacher earns $10,000 gross income annually while the highest paid teachers earn a little over $100,000 in a year.

What Type of Experience Does An Online Teacher Need?

If you've ever worked in a real classroom as a normal teacher, then you can apply for an online teaching job. You only need to find a company or website that is willing to pay you for your services. We'll look at some of these sources later on in this article.

Additional certification courses for online teaching are available. These certifications will make your job hunt easier as your resume will appear more attractive. However, these certifications are usually not a requirement.

It seems most online companies assume that the skills acquired while teaching in a normal classroom are transferable. You'll only need to be familar with the various equipment needed to teach a virtual classroom remotely.

What Type of Equipment Does An Online Teacher Need?

Most websites will provide you with the necessary tools and software to teach remotely. However, you'll need the basic equipment to work from home. You'll need high speed internet and a laptop or desktop. You'll also need a word processor like Microsoft Office. If you don't have any of these, you can find a laptop such as Chromebook for about $200 at Amazon.com. You can also purchase Microsoft Office at a great price at Amazon.com. You'll also need a headset and webcam if your laptop doesn't have one.

Useful tip: It's not a requirement, but you may want to sign up as an online student first to experience first-hand how life is as an online student. You'll then know what equipment including software and reading material an online teacher needs to teach a student ”like you”.

All in all your main tool of trade is what's between your ears. More often than not, employers will try and narrow down your requirements to a computer, the internet and word processing software.

Virtual Teaching Software and Tools

Before you start applying for online teaching jobs, you may want to be familar with certain software and teaching platforms most of these companies and websites provide to teachers. Examples of these tools include MyGradeBook, Blackboard, Engrade, Classroom 2.0, and TeacherTube. These tools basically narrow down the gap between a virtual classroom and an actual classroom.

Complaints About Online Teaching Jobs

So far it may sound pretty easy to start working as an online teacher. However, there are a few pitfalls that you may want to know about before laying down your tools and saying bye to your normal teaching career.

Technology can be a pain in the…

Online teaching relies heavily on technology or some may call it virtual classrooms. Whereas a normal teacher only needs to walk into a classroom and bore the hell out of the students, online teaching is a little different.

You'll need to call on your tech-savvy friend to interpret the computer specifications language to you, and help you out when something goes wrong. Some online teachers say they have to call tech support of the company they are working for almost daily.

Fewer Teacher Benefits

No more teacher unions. I won't claim that I know nitty-gritty of how unions work, but I know they come in handy as far as teachers' welfare, retirement and paycheck benefits are concerned. If you've ever worked as a teacher in a public institution, you can say bye to the benefits you received being part of a union.

Most normal companies will fire your ass faster than a speeding bullet if they hear some sort of union talk. So most online teaching websites and companies outright dismiss the benefits teaching unions have.

Lesser Pay

You'll have to accept humongous pay cuts if you want to teach online. You might have 20 years' experience as a normal teacher, but that doesn't translate to the same pay online.

So with that in mind you might need to supplement your income somewhere else such as sites like SurveyJunkie.com. You can also earn money doing the things you basically do online like visiting websites, watching videos or listening to music and more at SwagBucks.com or FusionCash.com.

Be Prepared To Work Odd Hours

Unlike My Top Work At Home Recommendation where you choose when to work, online teaching might not be as flexible as you'd wish. Depending on your employer and what you are teaching, be willing to forget the 9-5 schedule. Some online teaching websites especially those that teach foreign languages will require you to be awake when the other side of the world is awake.

For example, if you live in New York City teaching English to Chinese students, China is 12 hours ahead of your local time. You'll have to work at night while your students are awake to make money.

Online Teaching Jobs

So, now you know the good and the bad about online teaching jobs. But where do you start? We've compiled a list of some of the best online teaching companies out there and how much they pay. So, in no particular order, let's take a look!

Flexjobs.com is always a good resource to find many types of jobs including online teaching jobs, So you can start there. But we've listed some additional companies below.

Kaplan – Kaplan is an online learning institution that provides the K-12 learning system, higher education, test preparation and professional training to students. To apply, you'll need to upload your CV via the website and if they pick you, you'll be invited for a virtual interview. Kaplan pays anywhere between $10-32, depending on your performance, experience and the subject you'll be teaching. They pay via check or money order every end of the month. You'll have to submit your resume to know whether there's an opening for teachers from your country.

Connections Academy – Connections Academy is another online institution that offers the K-12 learning program. As a teacher you'll basically be teaching any subject within the K-12 program. To apply you'll have to submit your resume. Once they accept your submission, you'll be invited for a virtual interview remotely. On average, the company pays teachers $40,000 either bi-monthly or monthly depending on the program you applied for. Again, they accept teachers from all over the world based on available job openings.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?k12 – As the name suggests, K12 offers the K-12 program to students. As a teacher at K12, you'll basically be teaching the K-12 programs, special education, offering advice and working as a school administrator. Once you submit your resume for consideration, you'll be invited for a virtual interview if successful. It's not clear how they pay but since you are on a salary a working bank account will do. There are no country restrictions; you are considered based on the available openings.

QKids – OKids employs native English speakers from Canada and the United States to teach Chinese students the English language. If you have a degree in English or you're enrolled in a university you can apply. They pay $16-20 an hour and payments are sent to your bank account every end of the month.

SameSpeak (currently not accepting applications) – At SameSpeak you'll be teaching the English language to students, if you are fluent in two or more languages including English, you are free to apply and they'll notify you via email once openings become available. If you are above the age of 16 and live in a native English speaking country, you can apply with your resume. You'll need a Skype account for an initial interview and training if you make the shortlist. They pay $10 per 30 minute session via PayPal once the money shows up in your user account.

GoFLUENT – GoFLUENT is an ESL website that employs native English teachers from the United States and Canada. You must be eligible to work in either country to apply. You'll be teaching students from France, Italy, Russia, Germany and Japan the English language. All you need is any formal or informal teaching experience including mentoring, alternative education or coaching, or any Bachelor's Degree. GoFLUENT pays every month via direct deposit.

Cambly – Teaching and tutoring website Cambly employs native English teachers. At Cambly, you'll basically be holding live sessions teaching the English language. If you are a trained English language teacher you can apply. Cambly pays up to 17 cents per minute via PayPal every week. The minimum withdrawal amount is $20. If you speak native English you can apply at any time online.

VIPKid – VIPKid is also an ESL website that hires teachers from the United States and Canada. With a computer and high speed internet, you can submit an application following a series proficiency and skills test. You'll only be teaching students ages 8-12. VIPKid pays $7-9 an hour and pay varies depending on your performance. You'll earn anywhere between the 10^th and 15^th of every month via direct deposit. You can read my full VIPKid review here

More Online Teaching Jobs

So you now know where you can find online teaching jobs and what's required. The sad fact is, these sources don't always have work. Fortunately you can go to FlexJobs.com and find legit teaching jobs online. It's totally risk-free so if you don't find anything that works for you, you won't lose a single cent. The company is also listed with the Better Business Bureau with a high rating for an additional layer of security.

Alternative Work At Home Opportunities

Teaching is seasonal, and you'll only be guaranteed work when schools are open. You might need to supplement that income during holidays. So, you can also make money at BBB listed companies like SwagBucks.com, FusionCash.com and SurveyJunkie.com. You don't need any special software or equipment to make money with these sites. All you need is access to the internet and an email account.

Are Online Teaching Jobs Worth It?

If you've ever taught in a real classroom, you can definitely teach online. If you are a well trained and highly experienced professional, you can definitely work online as a teacher. You can make upwards of $55,000 a year although that's no guarantee.

Some companies like Kaplan and Connections Academy also offer benefits including insurance cover, paid holiday leave and bonuses.

However, you'll need to know how to operate a virtual classroom from your computer. Most websites don't teach you squat on how to use the damn software before you can start teaching. You might also have to work when everyone else around you is snoring. Turn that frown upside down because with FlexJobs.com you can find legit teaching jobs within your area or region.

At the end of the day, if you fit the profile you can sign up for any of the above website if you have what it takes. If not, check out My Top Work At Home Recommendation if you are looking to work online part time or full time making real money.

I hope you now have enough information to start making money teaching online. Feel free to leave us a comment below.

Until next time

Eddy ”with a Y”