In June of 2019, I found out that I had been chosen as a Top Community Contributor for VIPKid and had won a trip to Beijing! The trip was August 14-22, 2019 and was absolutely amazing!
I’ll tell you all about the trip in these videos! This is Part 1 – “Getting There and VIPKid Day” when we toured the VIPKid offices.
If you’ve already applied and did not use a referral code or link, I can help you more if you add my code to your application. You can do so by going on the VIPKID website where you signed up (the portal) and clicking on “My Account” in the top right corner. There is a place there to add a code from a referring teacher. Please enter code PENNY0008 (Penny zero zero zero 8).
Once you do this, let me know and I will send you more information to help you through each step.
If you already used a referral code or link but they are not helping you, you can’t switch but you can create a new account. Use a new email address and phone number and my link so I can help you! As my referral, you get my personalized help, access to private coaching sessions and to the exclusive VIPKID Bootcamp on my website with extensive training materials to help you through the process.
There is so much confusion on reward systems with VIPKid! Should I use the built-in reward, an external reward, stars, no stars, external reward plus stars? AAaaarrrrrggghhhh!
I have helped hundreds get hired with VIPKid and have seen some changes in what the mock mentors are looking for over the past few months. I want to help you understand rewards and which ones work best so you can get the highest scores and get hired quicker. These are tips for the interview and mock classes as well as for when you start teaching. It’s for any VIPKid teacher!
If you hear conflicting info in my past videos, know that this is the most up to date info that I am getting from my teachers going through the process now!
If you are looking for some of the printable rewards mentioned in the video, please look here: Printable Rewards.
If you’ve already applied and did not use a referral code or link, I can help you more if you add my code to your application. You can do so by going on the VIPKID website where you signed up (the portal) and clicking on “My Account” in the top right corner. There is a place there to add a code from a referring teacher. Please enter code PENNY0008 (Penny zero zero zero 8). Once you do this, let me know and I will send you more information to help you through each step.
If you already used a referral code or link but they are not helping you, you can’t switch but you can create a new account. Use a new email address and phone number and my link so I can help you! As my referral, you get my personalized help, access to private coaching sessions and to the exclusive VIPKID Bootcamp on my website with extensive training materials to help you through the process.
We’ve all shown up for a class, click “Start Class” and then not have a student there. Panic mode sets in! Am I in the right class? Will it be a no show? Do I contact the Firemen? Oh, there they are? What? They can’t hear me! I can’t hear them. Now what?
I’m going to walk you through the procedures to follow in the event of a no show or tech problems on the student’s side or on VIPKid’s side.
To screenshot on a Mac – Apple key (cmd) and 3. To screenshot on a Windows computer – Windows key and PRT SCR.
Hold on to the screenshots until you have been paid for the previous month’s classes then delete them. Or keep them, just in case!
I love to use props to enhance my lessons. Whether it’s a silly hat, a flashcard, or plastic fruit, having some basic props helps you teach.
Some people are prop minimalists and only use a set of flashcards and whiteboard. Others have rooms full of props. I fall somewhere in the middle but still have way too many!
When I first started, I thought I just HAD to have all these super complicated props. I couldn’t teach without ALL the animals and ALL the food and…and….
Yeah, that’s just part of them. Seriously, I need to downsize!
Don’t fall into that trap when you are new. You don’t have to have everything! Keep it basic and expand over time.
Now, at 2300+ classes, I find that I reach for the same props over and over. So this is my list of my top 10 favorite props. Some of them are a category and include similar items.
Spoiler alert: my #1 favorite props are digital props. I am a huge fan of Google Slides digital props and use them in almost every lesson! They are Google Slides presentations that have already been prepared by other teachers and go along with every lesson. You can display them on your phone or tablet and hold it up to the video camera or use a program like ManyCam or CamTwist to show it as a part of your video feed.
Another tip that’s not in the video: if you print lots of stuff, consider getting an HP printer that uses their “Instant Ink” program. For a small monthly fee they keep you supplied in ink in advance of running out. You can choose plans with just a few pages or lots and anything unused, rolls over to the next month. Use this link and get a free month for both of us! try.hpinstantink.com/lRQ2g
So what say you? What are your favorite props? Leave me a comment here or on my YouTube video!
Wondering if you have what it takes to teach for VIPKid? Do you meet the basic requirements for the company and the government?
I’ll walk you through those requirements in this video. Then, if you meet those requirements, I’ll tell you how to fill out the basic application for VIPKid to make sure you pass their screening.
July 11-14 I went to the VIPKid Journey conference in Las Vegas. It was amazing!
Here’s my recap of the weekend and why you should go to the next Journey, no matter where it is!
I’m including my notes from several of the sessions here.
Opening Key Note Speaker: Zak Dychtwald “Young China Group”
Zak is American but has lived in China for about 10 years and speaks fluent Mandarin. He studies the newer generation of Chinese and sees how they are changing due to technology, work opportunities, global influence, and increased economic prosperity.
337 million people have been born in China since 2000. That’s 10 million more than the entire population of the US.
180,000 VIPKid classes every day.
Instead of asking “where are you from?” The better question is “when are you from?” That’s how important it is to understand the new generation.
America’s GDP has grown 2.5 since 1969.
China’s has grown 27 times.
The older generation in China grew up with the motto “eat bitter” and “security.” This is the idea that they expect their life to be bitter and hard but that they will endure it to make a more secure future for the coming generations.
The younger generation lives in the moment and has learned to play with free time and consumerism.
1 in 3 foreign college students in the US are from China. China graduated 8.5 million from college this year.
4-2-1 demographic. 4 grandparents, 2 parents, 1 child. Little emperor concept. Funnel for love, attention, resources, expectations into this one child.
All the hopes, expectations and dreams of the grandparents and parents is now being funneled down to the kids. Along with the pressure.
Average life expectancy used to be 40. Now 65.
Mobile generation
Crossing the river by feeling the stones. The idea that you’re supposed to try and expected to slip and fall.
Mobile payment transaction in US is 1 trillion rmb. In China 60 trillion rmb. Everything is paid for with Wechat.
About 12% of Americans create original content for social media each week. In China it’s 33%.
Pride – easternization
Modernization equals westernization.
1996 Atlanta Olympics was the first experience in which many people in China had the chance to see an American. US won 51 gold and China won 15.
2008 Beijing Olympics. Known as the coming out party for China. US won 28 golds, China won 51. Finally seeing themselves as powerful
We give them a chance to build a bridge of empathy and compassion every day in class.
Zak Dychtwald “Young China Group”
This is his book. I’m going to read it soon.
Cindy Mi – CEO and Founder of VIPKid
We’re here to listen to you our teachers.
Goals for the future of VIPKid, more diversity and choices for our students therefore more teaching opportunities for our teachers.
She lives in an apartment in the office building for VIPKid. These are the office cats. She’s been training to run marathons.
We’re connecting cultures to make learning accessible to all students. Humanity is empowered by technology.
In the field of education and online communities we will see even larger growth.
Dr. Liu, head of education for VIPKid. He was the head of TOEFL. Just started with VIPKid.
Our goal is to move our students from being high level English Learners to high level English users.Your role as a teacher is not only a teacher. It is facilitator. You facilitate conversation. You are a peer having a conversation with them. Your role as a counselor as you keep the student awake in class. You are cheerleader: you need to constantly engage the learner.
Teacher identity: not formed in one day. It is formed daily.
Julia, head of Student Experience, brought her twin 11 year olds to explain the student side of the portal.
The student’s portal
All the options the student has for activities to extend their Major Course lessons: Digital library, Themed readers, Comic Stories, Virtual Field Trip, Learning Extensions, Soft Skills, Review Book, Free Video
Example of a digital library reader
Galaxy Store: this is where they spend their stars. They can purchase pets, space ships, accessories, etc.
They earn energy stone after each lesson and other tasks. They can exchange them for SWAG, toys, and other cool stuff. I don’t know how many energy stones they get per lesson but this RC car is 18,000! That’s a lot of lessons! They can personalize their Dino avatar with clothes and accessories purchased with gem stones. The Greeting Card station. Please reply to your greeting cards from the kids! They use their precious energy stones to send them. 3 takeaways from the parents.
VIPKid introduced the Summer Showroom videos this week! These are teacher submitted videos that will be featured on VIPKid’s website, in advertising, social media, etc.
These could help you get bookings as the parents and students will see them and hopefully book you for a class!
What are you good at? Are you the prop queen and have some amazing prop you want to share? Do you live somewhere interesting? Do you have a fun pet? Do you sing?
The sky is the limit for these videos. They are only limited by your creativity.
You can make it as simple or detailed as you want. You can shoot it all on your cell phone and submit it directly there with no editing. You can record it on Photo Booth, iMovie, ManyCam, Zoom, or any host of other programs on your computer.
Edit it and add music and graphics if you want. Don’t know how to do that? Ask a teenager!
Then upload it to the VIPKid phone app by clicking on the Summer Showroom banner at the top.
Here’s a video about making your own. It has my Summer Showroom video in it.
Oops! I called it Summer Showcase, not Summer Showroom. Oh well!
Hello, Penny Davis 