Friday, March 6, 2020

Private Lessons Dont Need to Be Expensive - Heres How to Save

Private Lessons Dont Need to Be Expensive - Heres How to Save Suzy S. Want to learn how to play guitar? Speak a second language? Step up your selfie game with new photography skills? These days, there are plenty of ways to get started and many routes to reaching your goals. But if you want the best learning experience, theres no question that hands-on lessons and classes are the way to go. Sure, youve got options for online programs and video series that cost next to nothing. But for most students, working with a teacher one who will hold you accountable, correct your mistakes in real-time, and customize your lessons just for you is  well worth the price. Worried about your budget? Heres the good news: private lessons dont need to cost an arm and a leg! Keep reading to find out some of the ways our  budget-conscious students decrease their costs and make room for music lessons, language lessons, and more. Opt  for  online. Many TakeLessons teachers and tutors offer online lessons and our research has shown that, on average,  students taking online lessons spend  20% less than those taking in-studio lessons. Its a convenient option for both student and teacher: theres no need to commute anywhere, which saves you money on gas or public transportation. Moreover, online lessons allow you to work with teachers from all across the U.S., giving you more options for finding the right teacher, at a lesson price that works for you. Money-Saving Example:  If youre in a major city  and want to find cheap lessons, you might see  a teacher charging $35 for a 30-minute lesson, while an online teacher in another location might charge $25  for the same duration. If you take lessons once per week, this saves you $520 over the course of a year. Here are some example  prices from TakeLessons teachers: Teacher:  Julia H. Lesson location:  In studio  Seattle, WA Price:  $35 for a 30-minute lesson Teacher:  Kevin M. Lesson location:  Online Price:  $25 for a 30-minute lesson Choose your teacher based on price. For some students, finding a teacher who offers the right availability is important. For others, price is the most important. Thats why we leave it up to you:  we let our teachers set their own prices, so you can find the one that best suits your needs. And with our handy search filters, finding those teachers is easier than ever. Once you run your initial teacher search, youll be able to see their starting price for lessons immediately; click into their profile to see how their rates change by location and duration. Money-Saving Example:  If budget is a concern, even a $5 difference will add up over time. In fact, if youre taking weekly lessons, this saves you $260 over the course of a year. Keep in mind, though: the price a teacher sets doesnt indicate whether one is better than the other.  Your specific needs and goals should also influence your decision. Aiming to be the next breakout singer? Working with a vocal  teacher in Los Angeles or New York with experience in the industry might be non-negotiable for you. For others, you  might work best with a teacher who doesnt have 20+ years of experience, but is still enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Here are some examples of  how violin  lesson prices can vary by teacher: Teacher:  Leanna L. Lesson location:  In-studio Austin, TX Price:  $35 for a 30-minute lesson Teacher:  Megan  C. Lesson location:  In-studio Austin, TX Price:  $25 for a 30-minute lesson Adjust  lesson length frequency. Yes, learning a new skill takes time. But that doesnt mean you need to cram it in as a beginner! While some students  can certainly benefit from an hour (or longer!) lesson, most teachers agree that starting with a 30-minute lesson, once per week, is perfectly fine. (You can always bump it up when youre ready!) A shorter lesson time gives you the opportunity to really gauge your interest in the subject, without overwhelming yourself or overcommitting. Its also ideal for younger students, who have a shorter attention span and tend to get antsy during lessons. Another option, although risky, is to switch your weekly lessons to every other week. Heres the kicker: if you must go this  route, most teachers will recommend upping your commitment to practicing outside of the lessons. To stay on track, youll need to supplement your lessons with other learning methods, such as online classes or  apps. Money-Saving Example: If youre looking for cheap lessons, consider booking a 30-minute timeslot to start. Youll likely see a $10-$15 difference in price compared to the 60-minute timeslot, which saves you $780 over the course of a year. Here is an example of guitar lesson prices based on lesson length: Teacher Brian P. Lesson Location:  In-studio Culver City, CA Price:  $40 for a 30-minute lesson $45 for a 45-minute lesson $55 for a 60-minute lesson Shop around for your materials and gear. Most hobbies require some additional purchases: instruments and books for music students, cameras and software for photography students, mats and workout gear  for yoga students, and so on. And those materials  can add a good chunk of change to your learning expenses, theres no doubt about it. The good news is, its totally OK to start out slow and postpone  the pricey purchases until later, after youve been learning for a while. As a beginner music student, for example, it’s not necessary to buy a brand new top-of-the-line instrument.  Used instruments can be just as good as new ones, depending on how well the previous owner cared for it. Younger students can also rent instruments from local music shops. Ask your friends or family if they have extra instruments they arent using, or look on eBay, Craigslist, or Amazon for used instruments at heavily discounted prices. Your teacher  can also be a  great resource for this;  before you book your lessons, feel free to use our  Ask a Question feature  to get their  insight and recommendations. Hold yourself accountable. The best way to save money on lessons is to avoid wasting your money. Weve shared how to stop  wasting money on language lessons, specifically, and that  also applies to music lessons, art lessons, and everything else! Hold yourself accountable and commit  to practicing in between your lessons. As you practice, take notes of what youre struggling with, so you can review it  with your teacher. And during your lessons, stay focused! Youre paying  for your teachers time and expertise, so make the most of it. Mastering a new skill can be a  fantastic  experience. And when youre speaking Spanish fluently, performing a killer guitar solo in front of a crowd, or simply feeling confident at karaoke night, youll realize those lessons were money well spent. Thousands of students have started new hobbies  and  reached their goals with TakeLessons teachers will you be next? Photo by  Andrea Rose Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

If You Have a Job Why do You Need to Use LinkedIn - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / If You Have a Job… Why do You Need to Use LinkedIn - Introvert Whisperer If You Have a Job… Why do You Need to Use LinkedIn? Most of the commentary about LinkedIn usually has to do to with job search, yet those with a job can also benefit from the use of LinkedIn, if they have any plans for career growth.   Four things you can accomplish with LinkedIn easier than ever before are: Nurture your existing network Expand your network Extend and reinforce your personal brand Entertain career opportunities = Get Recruited Do you know what your next career step is? I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" CLICK HERE! Let’s look at why these things are important to anyone with career growth goals. 1. Nurture your existing network. Your relationships with your co-workers can help you in countless ways. They can help you negotiate the political waters, educate you on multitudes of things and help you accomplish projects.   You can’t do it alone.   A key commodity we trade off as part of our relationships is information.   Your co-workers and others you know outside of work will always benefit by introducing them through LinkedIn to people you think they could benefit by knowing.   Additional advantages come through sharing valuable information about your profession or industry that you will get shared with you by your LI connections and groups you join. 2. Expand your network.  Who can’t use a few more relationships?   All of us can.   The people we know today will come in and out of our life (although keeping track of them or finding them again in LinkedIn is a great feature) making it important to constantly be meeting new people.   It’s all too easy to get in our jobs and ignore the outside world, but you can’t afford to do that anymore.   You need to make connections to your peers in other companies and perhaps even other industries.   You can more easily find these people in LinkedIn groups.   If you’re sitting there wondering what you would do if you met a peer at another company, I think the best action is to benchmark with each other.   It will expand your creative thoughts about your work when you can see other best practices.   The boss will think you’re brilliant. 3. Extend and reinforce your personal brand.  You can’t and shouldn’t hide your expertise.   Many people either think their work speaks for itself or that talking about their expertise is bragging.   First, you can’t count on who will observe your great accomplishments, so it is your job to help people know what you’ve accomplished.   Second, bragging has many characteristics to it, but mostly it is boastful, arrogant and excessive. You are smart enough to avoid doing that obnoxious behavior.   By extending your brand on LinkedIn, you help people to understand who you are in more depth rather than simply categorizing you based on your profession.   In LinkedIn, you can define your brand all over the place in your profile and you can weigh in on your industry and profession in LinkedIn groups, which will further allow people to see what you bring to the party.   This also gives you valuable visibility. 4. Entertain career opportunities and get recruited.    A well constructed LI profile and active group participation on LinkedIn can garner you ongoing recruiting inquiries.   Of course, this does great things for your ego, but it is also good to help you understand what’s out there that can help support your career direction.   You can easily become too enmeshed in the dynamics of your current company; and sometimes need a reminder of your worth.   Certainly, when the time comes for you to look for a job the effort to launch your job search will be greatly reduced if you already have a pipeline of interested companies. LinkedIn is a great, professional website that can support you in all facets of your career from job search to career growth and into business ownership. Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Heart Math Tutoring Thanks Charlotte-Area Media - Heart Math Tutoring

Heart Math Tutoring Thanks Charlotte-Area Media - Heart Math Tutoring Heart Math Tutoring Thanks Charlotte-Area Media Heart Math Tutoring Thanks Charlotte-Area Media September 16, 2016 As part of our volunteer recruitment drive to secure volunteer tutors to serve 600 students during the 2016/17 school year, we have been busy spreading the word. We are very grateful to our Charlotte-area media for helping raise awareness about Heart and our recruitment drive for volunteer tutors! The following are media outlets and links where we have made recent appearances. Happy watching! • WCNC “Charlotte Today” • FOX 46 Charlotte “Good Day” • Time Warner Cable News Charlotte “In Depth” • WBTV • Bounce TV on WBTV • WCCB “Wilson’s World” • CharlotteFive • The Charlotte Observer/South Charlotte News For more information about becoming a Heart tutor, call 704-931-3209 or email eaton. To sign up online, visit http://hearttutoring.org/volunteers/become-a-volunteer/.

Positive ACT Changes for ADHD Students

Positive ACT Changes for ADHD Students Standardized tests like the ACT can be extremely challenging for students with ADHD. The exams are long, requiring a level of sustained focus that is difficult for many students with ADHD to achieve. These are also not forgiving of careless mistakes, which are a hallmark symptom of ADHD. And they require students to perform well across multiple subject areas, which can be stressful for students with ADHD, who often have marked strengths and weaknesses. Changes to the ACT, coming in September 2020, may help students with ADHD better manage some of these test-taking challenges. While the content of the ACT will remain the same (with English, math, reading, science, and writing sections), students will have the option to retake individual sections of the exam without having to retake the entire test. The first time they take the ACT, all students will still be required to complete the exam in its entirety. But with section retesting, any time they retake the exam, they can choose which sections they want to complete. This can mean completing only one section during a testing session, or two or three sections if they prefer. So, if a student scores well on the English and reading sections and poorly on the math and science sections, for example, they can be more focused in their study efforts and retake only the math and science portions of the exam. For students with ADHD, who tend to have less predictable test performance, this means that they will not need to worry about putting their stronger section scores (like English and reading, in our example) in jeopardy when they retake the exam. Theres no limit on how many times a student can retake sections of the exam, but there are of course fees that apply, and the cost of multiple retakes can add up. When reporting scores to colleges, students will have the option of selecting their highest individual section scores along with an ACT Superscore, which is a composite score that reflects the average of the four best subject scores from each of the test attempts. So, colleges will have no indication of how many times a student completed each section. A more minor change to the test will also help students with ADHD who may need to retake a section more than once. Students who take the computer-based version of the test will receive their score within just two days. With this quick turn-around, students will know which sections to focus on during the retest and can study and retake the sections fairly quickly, leaving enough time for an additional retake if its needed. Standardized testing is stressful for all students, and it is especially stressful for students with ADHD. The upcoming changes to the ACT wont eliminate all the stress, but they will help students with ADHD overcome some of the unique challenges that come with taking college admissions exams. ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.

Online Language Tutoring The Groundbreaking Solution to Your Learning Woes

Online Language Tutoring The Groundbreaking Solution to Your Learning Woes So you say I should go out and  find a language tutor, huh?Someone who I can meet up with for valuable face-to-face learning?  Oh, no thank you. Ill stay right where I am, curled up on the couch with a steaming cup of coffee.But then the guilt wells up.Ohhh, how long will it take before Im fluent at this rate? I certainly wont be a bilingual casanova anytime soonThats when it hits me. I  can have it all. I  can  get language lessons and be lazy at the same time.Its time for some mindblowing online language learning. Boot up the computer. Open the web browser. A little searching and then, yes!Online language tutoring. A cure for what ails me. And whatever may afflict you as well. For the world of online language tutoring is both broad and deep, and whatever goals you may be seeking in your language learning, youre likely to reach them there.But this is a new field for many of us. Naturally, we feel skeptical, and a multitude of questions arise whenever were approached with something n ew.Lets have a close look at just what this world of online language tutoring is all about, and see for ourselves that its an invaluable tool worth a small investment of our time. Why Choose Online Language Tutoring?Now the first question that springs to mind is why choose online language tutoring at all? What advantages could it possibly have over the time-tested, one-on-one, in-person language tutoring sessions that have existed since time immemorial?One answer to this question has already been given: Location, location, location. You can meet anywhere you like and, moreover, whenever you like. It has the convenience factor. Not only does this mean that you can have your tutoring sessions while wearing your leopard print sweatpants, it means that youll be able to save some serious time by avoiding commutes back and forth from a physical classroom.If thats not enough, how about saving a good chunk of change?  Online language tutors can be significantly cheaper than in-person tuto rs. Since they also can avoid commutes, are often self-employed and may be living in a country where the cost of living is much lower, online tutors are able to charge significantly less and often make just as good of a living as they would through traditional in-person tutoring.And of course theres perhaps the most important advantage of online tutoring: availability. Whether youre trying to learn an obscure language that has few tutors anywhere or whether youre living in a small town in the rural Midwest with an extreme dearth of foreign language speakers, online language tutoring makes possible that which would otherwise be impossible. Anyone with a decent connection willing to shell out a bit of cash can now fulfill language learning dreams regardless of physical location.How Can I Identify a Good Online Language Tutor?Unfortunately, the Internet is rife with bad deals, if you havent learned that yet from the talking moose in the popup window asking for your credit card number. So obviously were going to need some clear and hard criteria to ensure were getting our moneys worth.FlexibilityFirst off,  your tutor should be willing and capable of tailoring their lessons to your needs and interests.For beginners, this perhaps is not so important. Everyone starts out needing to learn the basics, and your conversation topics will probably be constrained to food, colors, introductions and other fundamental building blocks.But at higher levels, a tutor should be able to properly assess your weak points, as well as focus on any points you wish to improve upon, and continually present fresh lesson topics rather than hashing out 50 lesson plans around ordering in a restaurant when youre already an advanced speaker.InteractionNext on the criteria list is interaction, which is one of the most important criteria because its the thing most often complained about with online language lessons.Good teacher-student interaction and interaction between the student and online me dia leads to greater, higher-order critical inquiry skills.Interaction is all about having tasks that motivate a learner to use their language skills. This could be role-playing a real-life situation with your tutor or posting a video project on YouTube around some specific goal. Whatever gets you to interact with the language in a new way.Resource knowledgeThe third and final criteria is how well the teacher helps you to find new resources. While this may not be hugely important for advanced students, students new to language learning often cant tell which resources would be helpful for learning their target language. This is a fairly easy and straightforward service that any tutor worth their salt should be able to provide.Where Do I Find Tutors?Now that we know what qualities we should be looking for, the question arises as to where exactly these people can be found.Most people will probably find that Verbling satisfies most if not all of their demands. It seems to outstrip any o ther online teaching platform in its popularity, and it may well offer access to the most professional teachers and the most languages of all the online teaching sites.You’ll be able to explore hundreds upon hundreds of online language teachers and find exactly the one who’s right for you. When you search, you’ll get to search based on prices, availability and even the other languages they speakâ€"so if your native language is Chinese or German, you can find a teacher to instruct you in that language. Plus, the technology here makes accessing tutoring sessions extra smooth! You don’t need Skype or another third-party program. It’s all here!WyzAnt is an incredible resource for locating stellar language teachers near you. This site is professional and polished, and it features well-educated and well-qualified tutors in your local area. Follow this link to see whos available close to home.italki is a well-designed website for finding tutors and casual language exchange partne rs, equipped with easy-to-use features such as a calendar converter for figuring out schedules (a huge time-saver for tutors and students separated by time zones).But How Do I Find the Right Tutor for Me?Finally, we reach the most concrete of decisions. Who, when it finally comes down to it, will be the person staring me down from the other side of the screen on a weekly basisand will they be nice to me?Thankfully, most sites offer a rating system for the teachers with a comments section, and some sites,  such as italki, even separate the teachers  with certification from those without so that you can be sure of who has what experience.Remember to look out for the hallmarks of a quality teacher that we talked about above when trawling through those comments and teacher profiles:tailor-made lessonsa high level of interactivitya wealth of knowledge concerning learning resourcesWhile that last one probably isnt talked about too much, the other two at least are probably common sense to most individuals and are likely to be major points of praise or criticism for each teacher.But when it comes down to it, were all individuals and we click with people in different ways. A teacher I might have great respect for could very well bore you to death.Naturally then, its best not to stop at one or even two different tutors. Rather, pick out a handful you like and try each of them out, even if you think you really like the tutor you have your first session with. By having several different teachers, youll be able to see each of their strengths and weaknesses before you whittle down to your final selection.So, How Effective Is Online Tutoring?This is all very wonderful, you say, but is it really worth my time and money? It may be cheap, convenient and adaptable, but am I going to learn anything?The answer to this question is quite simple: yes. But just as with the traditional learning methods, online language tutors are a tool, and your success with them depends on how much e ffort you, as a learner, put in.So go take a look and start breaking ground on your new online tutoring experience.Then youll be lounging inside with a beverage and a comfortable chair, and of course with your new online friend who hopes to have you fluent within a few months.

More Standardized Testing What is the SBAC

More Standardized Testing What is the SBAC SBAC: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium What is this new SBAC test anyway? First off, SBAC stands for Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, which is a long name that basically stands for ‘a test your child has to take’. Some of your children took the first version of this exam already as some schools administered it in spring 2014. All of your children will be taking it in spring 2015 (its never too early to get an Orange County private test-prep tutor). To get a taste of what your children will be going through next year, I decided to take a section of the practice test myself. You can also take a section if you want. So how did I do? Unfortunately I didn’t get a score because of a technical error (I couldn’t answer all of the questions because some of the electronic components where inactive. This does not give me a great first impression and brings up a whole other issue: Is computerized testing really better than paper testing, given that, on paper, I could have filled in all the bubbles with my pencil? That is another topic entirely but one worth exploring. So, aside from the technical difficulties, what did I think of the test? To be honest it seemed a tad like the SAT, but in a simpler format. It was multiple choice and the section I took was based on a short passage. However, there were some important differences to consider. First, there are multi part questions. For example, If your child gets answer 6A wrong, they will most certainly get part 6B wrong, as part B directly relates to or supports part A. I highly recommend that you take a practice test yourself to better understand what the changes will be: View an SBAC practice test here: Smarter Balanced Practice and Training Tests Why do we need an SBAC? The general theory behind grade level standardized testing is to measure the following: How well students are learning, how well teachers are teaching, how effectively school districts work, and if the current content of aforementioned standardized tests represent the ‘average’ student (READ: Content Knowledge and the Common Core Standards). Keep in mind that the ‘average’ student in the state of California might be different than the ‘average’ student in another state and that the ‘average’ student in 2014 might be different than the ‘average’ student in 2020. The term ‘average’ is also a tricky one since its definition can change so rapidly and extensively. For instance, a C grade used to accurately define the average student (technically it still does) but the average college bound senior will certainly not have a 2.0 GPA (that would be straight Cs). Most students and parents are not really happy with being defined as average but we still have to define average in order to become ‘above average’. The justifications go on and on and, whether we like it or not, consistent standardized testing is a reality of 21st century student life. To get some more official definitions and reasoning about the SBAC, take a look at the CA department of education site: California Department of Education Just down the road from Irvine Unified, Capistrano Unified offers some helpful information about the SBAC, check it out here: Capistrano Unified School District My next thought about the SBAC is, why do we need to keep changing standardized tests? (We will also see a new SAT in 2016.) The main goal of standardized testing at the secondary level is to determine if common core ideals are being met and to what degree as well as to identify areas for remediation. So why is it so difficult to meet common core? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that different children learn in different ways and it is hard to test the abilities of every student in one exam. Perhaps finance comes into play. The more money going into a school district means more teachers, better qualified teachers, and smaller class sizes. Unfortunately the opposite holds true, less money means less quality. Regardless, the best way to cope with all these changes is to be informed. One issue that is of great concern is that I can’t seem to figure out how the SBAC is graded. (The SAT, on the other hand has a handy formula in the back of their practice test book Make sure you run through the test book with an Orange County private SAT tutor). I would like to know which questions are worth more than others and which, if any, give partial credit and so on. This is what a few public school teachers have to say about speculation of the SBAC: UHS Evaluates Upcoming Common Core Smarter Balanced Assessment. It seems that these teachers are as curious as I am. However, curiosity means that we, as educators, don’t really know what all this means yet. I would be very happy to see children learn about things that they can apply to everyday life and to learn interdisciplinary skills, but I am not yet convinced that an update in standardized testing will result in this. I am waiting anxiously, along with all of you, to find out if SBAC takes our children’s’ education to greater heights or keeps things stagnant (An Irvine in-home academic tutor will take your childs learning to greater heights). The only way to know for sure is to wait, listen and find out. All blog entries are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about. Orange County parents and students, listen up! Beat the summer slowdown with a private, in-home tutor. We work around your schedule so you can stay sharp while having fun in the sun. Read: 10 Reasons You Need a Summer Tutor. What are you waiting for? Call us. Teach.com

Teaching English in Korea What are the requirements

Teaching English in Korea What are the requirements South Korea is colloquially referred to as the Land of the Morning Calm, but for the millions of people who live, work and teach English there, it is the land of Korean BBQ, K-pop, and stunning natural beauty. Where else can you explore a secluded Buddhist monastery in the hills and, 20 minutes later, be in the center of one of the world’s largest and most vibrant metropolises? Plus, Korea is home to some of the best food on the planet - a fact that Koreans themselves will be happy to remind you of at every opportunity! (Be warned: You will develop a serious kimchi addiction when you are there!) South Korea has long been one of the most popular places toteach English abroad. For ESL teachers, Korea is like the goldilocks of countries. It boasts just the right balance of great pay, reasonable visa requirements and plenty of perks and benefits, even for first-time ESL teachers. Given all that, along with a seemingly insatiable demand for ESL teachers, Korea is a great place to work both for new and experienced instructors. What requirements do I need to meet to teach English in Korea? If you want to teach English in Korea, you will need to apply for an E-2 (teaching) visa through your nearest Korean embassy or consulate. To qualify for an E-2 visa there are four minimum requirements that you absolutely must meet: Possess a bachelor’s degree/diploma from an accredited institution. Be a citizen of the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, South Africa or New Zealand. (Note: citizens of India may also be eligible if they have a teacher’s license in English. Also, if you are from Quebec then you may need to show that you are fluent in English, such as by possessing a degree/diploma from an English-speaking CEGEP or university). Pass a health and drug test. Have a clean national-level criminal record. Remember that these are the minimum rules set down by the Korean immigration authorities simply to obtain a visa. Your employer may have additional requirements. For example, if you want to teach at a public school throughEPIK, there are a few other basic criteria you must meet. What paperwork do I need to teach English in Korea? Sure, nobody likes filling out paperwork, but if you want to teach in Korea then you’re going to have to get your documents in order. To meet the above requirements, you will have to submit a these documents to your nearest Republic of Korea consulate or embassy when you apply for your E-4: A copy of your diploma/degree. If you are a non-Canadian or non-US citizen, you will have to get your diploma/degree apostilled. Canadian and US applicants will have to get their degree/diploma certified through a notary public. Sealed university/college transcript. (Please, don’t try to use unofficial copies you printed out at home!) Passport photos. Your original passport. Copy of your employment contract, which will be supplied by the school or recruiter. National level criminal background check. In Canada, this is obtained through the RCMP, while in the US it is through the FBI. Non-Canadians will need to have their background checks apostilled. Canadians need their background checks certified through a notary public. Wondering how your salary teaching English in Korea stacks up against other countries worldwide? Find out with the help of our freeteach abroad salary calculator! Teaching English in Korea through EPIK When looking for an ESL teaching job in Korea, you will need to decide whether you want to teach at a public or private school. If you plan on teaching at a public school, you will likely do so through EPIK (English Program in Korea). Theapplication process for EPIKis a bit more complicated and restrictive than it is for working in a private school. You can apply for EPIK either directly or through a recruiter. Be aware that because EPIK is for public schools, teaching positions are only available for the beginning of the school semesters. So all EPIK positions start in either February or August. When applying for EPIK, you will need to provide all of the documentation outlined above that you will need for the E-2 visa. Additionally, you must be TEFL/TESOL/CELTA certified, although this requirement is waived if you hold either a bachelor’s or baster’s degree in education. You will also need to complete an interview. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. What do I need to teach English at a private school in South Korea? The vast majority of ESL teachers in Korea teach at private schools (called “hagwons”). In major cities in Korea, it is hard to walk down any street for five minutes without passing one (or a dozen!) hagwons. Korean parents place a lot of value in their children’s education, especially when it comes to learning English. As a result, most Korean children are enrolled in hagwons, which can range from small schools with just a handful of teachers to nationwide chains. Each hagwon is different and sets its own application requirements. As with any job, you will need to submit your resume and complete an interview (usually conducted over the phone or online). When submitting your resume, keep in mind that it is normal in Korea to include a picture of yourself with your application. While some hagwons may require that you meet additional requirements, so long as you have all of the documents you need for the E-2 visa and you aren’t too picky then you can probably find a job at a hagwon somewhere in Korea. Higher paying jobs may require that you have a certain amount of teaching experience or TEFL certification. Hagwons in popular destinations, such as Seoul or Jeju, may also be pickier about who they hire. EPIK vs Hagwons There is no clear advantage of teaching through EPIK as opposed to in a hagwon. The hours tend to be similar, although you are more likely to be teaching during school hours through EPIK whereas in hagwons you may be asked to do more morning and/or evening shifts. The pay is also similar at both. You will also need a degree to teach as an ESL teacher in Korea, regardless of whether you work at a hagwon or through EPIK. Both hagwons and EPIK also provide similar perks, such as roundtrip airfare and basic accommodations. Hagwon jobs are generally easier to get simply because there are so many hagwons in South Korea in the first place. Even if this is your first time teaching ESL, you can still get a job at a hagwon in Seoul or another large city. Hagwons also hire throughout the year. The downside to hagwons is that because they are private and there are so many of them, the quality can vary quite a bit. If you’ve already researched ESL jobs in South Korea, then you may have come across quite a few horror stories about working at hagwons on ESL discussion boards. You should probably take these stories with a big grain of salt. While there are certainly some bad apples in the hagwon business, the vast majority of schools are professionally run and treat their teachers very well. Those happy teachers are more likely to be enjoying their time in Korea rather than posting to ESL discussion boards! So remember, for every bad hagwon you read about, there are probably a dozen good ones that don’t get talked about nearly as much as they should. One potential downside of EPIK, on the other hand, is that you may have to settle with working in a smaller city or even a rural area (which can still be a great experience, but it isn’t everybody’s cup of tea!). EPIK also hires only twice a year, so it may not be a great choice if you’re itching to get over to Korea as soon as possible.