Archive for the ‘Teaching Online’ Category
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
Kyle Gooch
TalktoCanada.com Teacher since Early 2010
Hi everyone! My name is Kyle Stephen Gooch. I grew up and lived for most of my life in Newmarket, Ontario but I am currently living in Sackville, New Brunswick. I attended university in Sackville for my BCOMM at Mount Allison University (with a Major in Commerce and a minor in Psychology). I have been a teacher for many different things including teaching at Mount Allison University and I am also a martial arts instructor for the Korean art called Haidong Gumdo. I have never taught English online before and I can say that working as a teacher for TalktoCanada.com has been an exciting experience! I really enjoy working with all of my students and teaching them English, as well as being taught more about their country’s culture and customs. In my spare time I like to: Spend time with my family and friends, travel, practice and teach martial arts, play games and help others. I also really enjoy reading and the last book that I read was “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. If I were to describe myself in three words, I would say that I am: Honest, loving and helpful. The motto that I live by in my life is that “Success is 10 % Inspiration and 90 % perspiration.” We all may have great ideas or opportunities in life, but in order to recognize those opportunities it will take hard work and dedication.
Tags: bcomm, online teacher, opportunities, sacsville, Teaching Online, teaching online with webex
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Tuesday, April 27th, 2010
Jenn Foldi
Teacher with TalktoCanada.com since 2010
My name is Jenn Foldi and I was raised and currently reside in Ontario, Canada. I attended Wilfrid Laurier University and obtained a B.A. in Contemporary Studies, as well as, a minor in Psychology. I enjoy traveling internationally because I like to experience and gain a better understanding of the world we live in. In my spare time, I like listening to music, spending time with friends, and going for hikes with my dog. I also enjoy reading and the last book I read was Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. If I were to describe myself in three words they would be: kind, friendly, and patient. The motto I like to live by is “Live in the present moment”. I enjoy this idea because many people, including myself, tend to live in the past or future and when it really comes down to it the present moment is all we truly have. So, I try very hard to stay in the present and appreciate what is happening at that time. I really enjoy working for TTC because it is a very fun job and I love working with international students. I like how eager they are to learn English and I also take pleasure in learning more about their country and comparing the similarities and differences to Canadian life. I really feel that the more we learn about others and their ways of living, the more insight we gain about ourselves and who we are as people.
Tags: Canada, ontario, TalktoCanada.com, teacher of the week, teaching on line, teaching with webex, university, WLU
Posted in Teaching Online | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
Ok, maybe the title is a bit over the top and drastic but nonetheless it’s something that’s being talked about for online learners around the globe. For the record, I haven’t yet spent any time with the Apple iPad but have spent a lot of time reading and researching the device itself. If it helps to convince you further of my pedigree to talk about the Apple iPad, I just bought a Macbook Pro for the first time :).
All kidding aside, let’s get down to the question, can the Apple iPad revolutionize online learning. I think the answer is probably yes and no. No, it probably won’t do much different then your average netbook right now and yes, at one point in time it may revolutionize the online learning world. I wouldn’t count on it being the next greatest thing though, laptops can do what an iPad can do just a lot more plus they have usually have a webcam which is great for taking lessons with us (TalktoCanada.com). However, if your looking for portability and simplicity, this device has it covered. This device has some great applications or apps as those who use an iPhone will refer to them as, such as:
Learning English with the New York Times
English Language Teaching by the Cambridge Press
English at Work
Like any new technology, this one may require a lot of time before it becomes great for online learning. At the moment I think it’s more of a novelty, but as technology improves along with the software/programs behind it, I think it will vastly improve online learning. Just imagine, sitting in the back of a taxi taking a quick 30 minute lesson while you travel to your next location…one day this will be possible :)
Tags: apple, future possibilities, ipad, Learning English Online, macbookpro, netbooks, revolutionize learning, Teaching Online, technology
Posted in English Improvement, English for Business, Learning English Online, Teaching Online | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
Ok, this post isn’t going to be about working 9-5 because at TalktoCanada.com, nobody works 9-5. If you want to work 9-5, I suggest you find a nice cushy government job and if you think you can work 9-5 at TalktoCanada.com, you may be sitting around for a long time waiting for a call from us. We are always upfront and honest with teachers and try to be as open as possible with the long and hard hours that we work. Since TalktoCanada.com works a lot in Europe and Asia, you will be expected as a teacher to work nights. We aren’t talking about working up to midnight but rather through the whole night (Yes.. really people live in other time zones that are super different from Canada — Daily, I work in about 5 or 6 different zones – this is Jillian btw). Being an online teacher is hard, so don’t be surprised when we ask you for an interview and outline the job hours.
On some of our job ads, I feel like saying daytime junkies need not apply, we are just looking for hardcore night owls. We also look for staff who don’t mind working around the clock, if you’re only available limited hours and don’t like working like a maniac some weeks it’s best to avoid working as an online teacher (this is not just with us.. this is with almost ALL online jobs).
If you’re looking for that elusive cushy management job with TalktoCanada.com. Take a long hard look in the mirror and ask yourself, do I want to be available 24/7 (really I am available 24/7 – blackberry, skype, phone, chat — it’s all part of the job — and to juggle that job with real life sometimes is tricky — but OHHHH so worth it!). If you thought it was tough being a teacher with TalktoCanada.com, management jobs are 5-10 times tougher (ha! try 100 times harder Marc — this is Jillian again btw). Try being in bed (what??!! You get to sleep??!! – just kidding!!) and getting a call to replace a last minute teacher having connection problems or to do a last minute two hour demo for a new corporate client. For the record, TalktoCanada generally hires from within for management positions, so if you’re a teacher with TalktoCanada we may be watching to find those that meet the very difficult requirements for a management job. If you want to get a little glimpse into the jobs of managers at TalktoCanada.com, I suggest reading some of the multitude of posts by our favourite manager Jillian Zavitz (haha thanks Marc!) :) or by visiting the links below for our ‘Day in the life of Manager’ series.
Marc Anderson
Alysia Bartley
Jillian Zavitz
Thanks to Jillian for commenting on my post in RED.
http://www.talktocanada.com/2010/01/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-talktocanada-com-manager-marc-anderson-general-manager/
Tags: 9 to 5, around the clock, Asia, bog posts, different time zones, Europe, government job, hot new trend, Jillian Zavitz, management, TalktoCanada.com, Teaching Online, working from home
Posted in Teaching Online | 1 Comment »
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Each class that I have with my students I seem to learn something new — The other day I learned that Russia has Volcanoes — in South Korea they have a different birthday counting system — so they are 1 year older than what a Canadian would say – and that in Hong Kong – the rent is about 80% of your monthly expenses.. food is quite cheap. Call it ignorance or learning — I find it all quite fascinating. I sat down for a second (a LONG second) and started thinking of all the countries that I’ve worked with since starting working online — and was surprised at how many there actually were!! I’ve virtually visited almost everywhere! Check it out… and some interesting facts that I’ve learned from my students, and from some of my own observations…
Brazil (This year (2010) it rained for over 40 days straight in Sao Paulo)
China (Sea Cucumbers are very expensive to eat)
Hong Kong (is VERY overcrowded)
Argentina (is nothing like Uruguay – “vistes”)
Taiwan (is actually a really popular tourist destination)
South Korea (is really traditional or they’d like to be)
Japan (the cherry blossoms only last for 1 week — and it changes each year)
Peru (not everyone knows about the Mayan 2012 prophecies)
India (in the rural parts – they have a deity celebration almost everyday
Saudi Arabia (instead of horse races they have camel races and robot jockeys)
United Arab Emirates (is nothing like Saudi Arabia and is a multicultural hub)
Iraq (has safe zones – that are war free)
Russia (everyone is a fan of borsht)
Spain (is really really hot – like desert hot in the summer)
Italy (has a bazillion different types of pizza.. and pepperoni pizza is not one of them)
Switzerland (has 4 official languages – English is not one of them)
Germany (Oktoberfest is not always in October)
Slovenia (has LESS people than Uruguay – Yeh! I didn’t think that was possible either!)
Togo (most people are bilingual – English and French)
USA (has sooo many opportunities for foreigners to study or work)
Columbia (really knows how to market their coffee well – which is why coffee is now synonymous with Columbia)
Canada (is one of the top countries that foreigners what to study in or immigrate to)
Venezuela (for their 15th birthday – many girls ask for plastic surgery – what happened to cars??)
Mexico (has fireworks going off at all hours of the day – everyday)
France (Not a single student of mine from France was fifi–I wonder where they got that label from?)
Portugal (Do not speak the same language as Brazilians)
Luxembourg (is a really small country – some people commute to work every day to another country!)
Egypt (has beautiful beaches and is a popular vacation destination for Russians)
Turkey (although it snows – 99% of the population do not use snow tires – not even those who sell them)
Hungary (has 100% tax)
Greece (the water is actually really really blue – I saw via webcam)
Armenia (is in the middle of an active earthquake zone — but hasn’t had an earthquake for 40 years…)
UK (English teachers don’t like to work past 6pm — better for us! ;))
So I am missing quite a few — but having only done this for 2 years I’d say it’s pretty impressive. Some common observations:
Australia is the trendy country of choice for immigration for people from Russia, and Brazil.
Canada comes in close behind — and is the #1 place to study post grad or grad programs.
Many countries experience corruption — in varying degrees — but not a single country is free of it –
Every student is different – however – many students from the same country exhibit similar problems with the English language.
Countries in the same region — are OH so different
I hope to virtually globtrot to all countries one day — and perhaps even real life trot as well!
Tags: Canada, different countries, globe trotting, interesting, Learning English Online, learning new cultures, surprising, Teaching Online, travelling, virtual tourist
Posted in Learning English Online, Teaching Online | No Comments »
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
It’s true, working from home is my ideal job — I can wear my pajamas (just kidding!!!) and I can spend quite a bit of time with my family — which at this age and stage is quite important. Albeit, I actually work MORE hours from home than I did when I was working outside of the house — but my hours are broken up and actually most of them are when the kids are sleeping. How great is it to be able to provide for your family — and at the same time be there for their “firsts”, have a sit down dinner with them each night, and ask them about their day at school. Many people CRAVE to have this kind of flexibility, and I really think that it is a great working option for moms especially.
My husband used to be an at home husband before he was transferred to work closer to home — I would commute into the main city (2h bus ride away) work for a few hours and come back (another 2hs). It was worth it only because they paid me a pretty high salary – and I had Fridays off — but missed my son’s first steps and first words and for me, and I’m sure for ANY mom, when you miss these you feel awful, and like you should have been there for them.
Luckily for my second child, I was able to be there for her first steps — and be a really hands on parent. I can also see my son off each day for school and I’m there every afternoon when he comes back. We have time to sing songs, draw pictures, and be silly — you know – do the things that everyone wants to do but doesn’t have time for.
Of course – I have had to be mega flexible with everything — sleeping hours are usually cut short – but you learn to deal with it after a while — bodies adjust — schedules change. You can’t always have everything without giving a little bit back as well.
I recently asked another teacher who has been with us for the past year or so why she likes this job her answer: “The reason to why I like this job is because I have two purposes in life.. to be a teacher and a lawyer.. because of this job and because of the experience I got from it .. I was able to get into bachelor of education program this September.. The hours work perfectly fine with me .. sometimes in the morning I volunteer in a courthouse.. and no other job gives me that opportunity..or allows me to do any community involvement..and sincerely I do love working as an online teacher.. I do not find it stressful at all. The team is always helpful and the students are easy to teach. So for me this is an amazing opportunity..”
Now – to find the secret hub where all of these flexible, open minded teachers are hiding out!!! Hint – if your one of them, send us your resume over by applying through our online application form.
Tags: awake, first steps, first words, kids, milestones, providing for your family, SAHM, schedule change, sing songs, stay at home moms, working at night, working from home
Posted in Teaching Online | 1 Comment »
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Currently, being based outside of Canada – my preferred method of interviewing is via the Telephone..
or better yet via Skype. In almost all of my jobs I have had phone interviews — I remember one interview in a common hallway at a workers residence that I was living at for a summer camp job — it was the crazyness of a Friday night happening in the background of my informal interview – and me – answering questions about my experiences — regardless of the lack of privacy and obvious chaos going on in the background I was offered the job – and it was probably one of the BEST jobs that I ever had.
Now I don’t think I aced the interview — but I do know that I was able to relate to the director and that connection — and the “real life interaction” is what got me the job — I’m sure of it. Phone interviews are not meant to be scary — it seriously surprises me the amount of people that really do not know how to interact on the telephone — and especially in phone interviews. I question if these people are the same in real life interviews too — and for their sake I hope not — because, there would be no hope for them in the business world if that were the case.
In interviews that end as quickly as they start obviously are not interviews that are successful ones. The interviews that last a while are usually ones that end up with a job offer at the end. I recommend that you ask questions, yes – even the dreaded “What is the rate of pay?” question, show me or whoever else you may interview with that you are interested in the job — don’t ask questions that have already been answered for you — that just doesn’t help your cause — it is OH so important to pay attention to detail…plus spend some time doing research about the position and company — Ask me about my own experience, my own thoughts and don’t be afraid — I don’t think I sound too scary on the phone — take a chance — ask what is on your mind.
Tags: compensation, interview, job offer, nervous, phone interview, scary, skype interview, teaching english, telephone
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Saturday, April 17th, 2010
Nowadays many houses come with home offices, mine unfortunately did not. Luckily, we are “attached parents” so using the 2nd bedroom as an office didn’t really cause that much of a problem. My office is less than ideal, but it does have the fundamental basics that every office should have; a door, ample working space, natural light, and a white wall. Of course, other requirements are a comfy chair, organized desk, nice view (bonus points if you can see the sunrise), and few distractions are all important factors in creating the ideal home office.
Some wonder WHY it is important to have a designated space for a home office. Well, for any sane person — work and personal life need to be kept separate. When I close my door — I am in worker Jillian mode, I cut out the distractions, and am able to focus on my tasks. When I have the door open, I have a meowing cat looking for food, a curious baby searching for trouble, and a husband who wants to know what is for dinner — for example — these distractions make it hard for any kind of productive work to take place.
My advice to anyone wanting to work from home — and be taken serious about it — set up a space to work — just as you would have a space in an office — free of distractions (meowing cats, puppies that lick your feet, ferrets that look like rats) and really make an effort to keep that area designated as your working area. It creates all the difference, mentally you prepare yourself to start working once you enter that area, and this helps on low motivation days (yes we all have them — it’s normal). Plus it makes you stand out as a professional — everyone knows that you are working from home — but they don’t need to see it.
Tags: attachment parenting, comfy chair, computer, desk, Home office, ideal home office, natural light, sunrise, white wall, working from home, working space
Posted in Teaching Online | No Comments »
Saturday, April 17th, 2010
Ahh remember the good ol’ pajama parties of elementary school? Bowls of popcorn, chocolate cake, movies, and my favourite — comfy pajamas, you know the fleece ones with the feet? Ohh those were so great! — I have only fond memories of those days.
Many people automatically say — whether in joke or not — after I mention that I work from home “Ahh, in your pajamas right?”. Now, for me – I take my job really seriously — I may be working from home — but that doesn’t mean that I am any less professional. I may not do the whole make up and hair thing every morning – but I do get dressed everyday in regular clothes.
This comment although harmless — will always make a working from home job seem unprofessional and not serious. True, there are people who cannot grasp the fact that working from home means to ACTUALLY WORK — work as you would in an office — and actually I would venture to say it takes more effort to work from home than in the office — just to get into the “zone” and get rid of all of the distractions.. kids, spouses, fridges, movies..
Working from home is a REAL job.. just like any other job… It’s hard to find someone who understands what it means to work from home.. surprisingly — there are few that truly understand what it means to be professional — professional attire, professional atmosphere, professional attitude. But once I find these people I try my hardest to keep them for as long as I can.
So next time you want to apply for a work from home job — think twice about what work from home means to you — because I can tell you it sure isn’t anything like a pajama party!!!
Tags: bunny slippers, pajama party, teach english via the internet, Teaching Online, work from home
Posted in Teaching Online | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Tiffany Fudge
Working at TalktoCanada.com since 2010
Hello Everyone! My name is Tiffany René Fudge. I grew up in Nova Scotia, but I’m currently living in Sackville, New Brunswick where I graduated from Mount Allison University (with a major in Psychology and a minor in Music). I’ve taken many language courses. After University, I travelled to Japan to teach English; it was an ‘Awesome’ experience!! Learning about new cultures is fascinating to me. Teaching English online has been fun. Things I enjoy in life are: Eating food, cooking, biking, playing games, dancing, reading, teaching English, travelling, “hanging-out” with friends and spending time with my family. The last book I read was “The Lacuna” by Barbara Kingsolver. I consider myself to be a friendly, patient and reliable person. Three mottos I try to live by are to 1) Live Life to the fullest 2) Laugh Often -life’s too short to be serious all the time 3) and Love Unconditionally without judging others. In the future, I want to travel to all the continents, except Antarctica (I am Canadian, but I don’t like being cold). I hope you follow your dreams… Cheers! ~ Tiffany
Tags: Canadian native english speaker, efl, ESL teacher, Nova Scotia, teaching english, Teaching Online, teaching using webex
Posted in English Improvement, Teaching Online | No Comments »
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