Our Homeschool Reviews

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

VIPKID Update and Q&A

In August 2017, my daughter decided to go from homeschooling to public high school! That was a huge shift for me, so I started to look for a job with flexible hours. In September of the same year, I began working for VIPKID. It's been an amazing experience and I am greatful I had found it!

I have been with VIPKID for

513 days

taught 1,159 classes

and met 218 students!!

If you are looking got a job to make some extra cash with flexible hours that you can do from home, I would love to tell you more about it! Below are some frequently asked questions.

What is VIPKID?

VIPKID provides an international learning experience that allows you to teach Chinese children (ages 4-12) from the comfort of your own home. Through their online platform, they provide 1-on-1 full immersion language and content classes based on the US Common Core State Standards.

You can earn from $14-$22/hour {plus referrals, bonuses, and other opportunities}. Classes are 25-minutes long and you pick your hours. The hours available for EST are 7:30PM to 9:00AM and 8:30PM to 10:00AM {during Daylight Savings}. The lessons are already created and you can work from anywhere.

What Do I Need To Get Started?

1. A Bachelor’s degree or higher in any field.

2. One year of teaching experience of any kind. This includes tutoring, coaching, mentoring, homeschooling, or other life experiences.

3. A computer, headset with a microphone, and camera.

4. A high-speed Internet connection.

Is This A Real Job?

Yes! VIPKID provides all of the training and curriculum. You choose the hours you want to work and you are paid each month. Families in China select you based on your profile. It is not an MLM and there is no selling. Your job is to teach English to children in China from your home.

What Hours Do You Work?

I drive my daughter to school from about 6:45-7:10 so I teach 3 classes from 7:30-9:00am. I also teach some evenings from 7:30-9:00pm and 2 classes on Sunday mornings from 7:30-8:30am. It comes out to about 15-20 classes a week.

Can I Work Full Time?

Yes! Some people teach in addition to their regular job for extra income and others teach full time. You pick the hours you want to work!

Why Do You Love Working For VIPKID

I just love teaching! I get to set my own hours and work when I want. I get to make an impact in a child's life who lives across the globe! I get to form relationships and learn about these families likes, dislikes, and interests. I am there when they have a bad day at school and when they want to share an achievement! It is an amazingly rewarding job! And I get to help my family by making money doing it!

Is VIPKID Hiring?

Yes! They are always hiring! If you would like to hear more, I can send you information on the hiring process and help you along the way. To get started, click here to JOIN VIPKID!

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©2010-2019 Our Homeschool Reviews. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/

Monday, October 23, 2017

Part-Time with VIPKID

I know I have posted about VIPKID a few times now, but I'm just so excited to share my news!

Today marks my 49th day and 70th class!

Not bad considering I only work about 2 hours a day M-F, and during the weeks of Hurricane Irma and the Chinese National Holiday I had no students.

I had a bit of a slow start, but now I'm teaching about 20-25 classes a week, which was my goal. And I have a good mix of regulars and new students. This week and next week my schedule is booked.

Things I love about VIPKID:

I can teach as little or as much as I want! Right now I teach just 2 hours a day, M-F, from 7:30-9:30 am. That's just 4 classes a day, 20 classes a week. Then I am free the rest of the day!

I get paid to have fun!! I love these kids and they love to learn! Pay is different for everyone, but the range is from $7-$11 a class. So that's $14-$22 an hour. Not bad for staying at home.

VIPKID is a great company that listens and supports their teachers! They just celebrated their 4-year anniversary and are growing at a tremendous rate. Teachers give suggestions and VIPKID tests them and makes improvements. They also offer numerous incentives to teachers each month.

I'm learning about Chinese culture. I didn't even think about this when I applied but the students share their lives and their culture with me and I've learned a lot in the short time I have been working. For instance, did you know that when Chinese students count to 10 using their hands, they only use one hand. Now when I count with them I use their hand symbols instead of ours.

I LOVE my students!! I didn't realize how attached I would get to these kids! I feel sad when they have trouble booking with me and I miss them when they have to skip a week due to my limited schedule or because of family plans. I try to carve a minute or two out of each lesson to get to know each child and make them feel more comfortable.

Interested in applying?

It's easy!

1. Sign up on their website. You just need a Bachelor's degree and some sort of teaching experience. Homeschooling, co-ops, church, camps, etc. count.

2. Join them for a 30-min interview where you showcase your teaching skills.

3. Watch videos to learn about the VIPKID technology, standards and curriculum.

4. Practice teaching 1-2 full-length mock classes with one of their VIPKID teachers.

5. Send them your information so they can create a profile for the students and parents to get to know you.

6. Put your timeslots on your portal so that students can start booking you.

Use my referral code (CHRIS0314) and VIPKID link and I'll help you through the entire process. It took me 10 days from start to finish and was easier than I expected it to be.

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©2010-2017 Our Homeschool Reviews. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://ourhomeschoolreviews.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 28, 2017

I ♥ VIPKID

What I really want to say is that I love all the precious kids that I'm teaching at VIPKID!!! I've started an Instagram account just for VIPKID and will be posting fun stories, tips, and reward ideas there daily instead of here. It's at VIPKID.Teacher.Christine or https://www.instagram.com/vipkid.teacher.christine/ Below are a few of the things I have shared so far.

Below is a screen shot of the fourth class I taught. At the end of class she wrote I ♥ Y on the slide. How sweet is that?!!

Here is a drawing from another little girl who prepared it for the class on family. She showed me photographs of her mom, dad, two sisters, and brother and this drawing of her grandma and grandpa.

This little guy was cracking me up! He was very active toward the end half of class and his mom was sitting off screen right next to him. I would see her arm from time to time trying to settle him down. He took off his sock to show me so I added it in the lesson and had him tell me what it was. He is my first student to re-book with me, so that is super exciting!!

This little girl was showing me her stuffed Dino. I had put the hat on the Dino behind me as a reward and she was putting a pretend hat on her Dino.

If you want to learn more about VIPKID, you can see my two others posts about how homeschoolers can teach at VIPKID and what is VIPKID.

If you are interested in starting the application process, you can you my link here. See you in the classroom!

Monday, September 25, 2017

Homeschoolers Can Teach at VIPKID!

https://t.vipkid.com.cn/?refereeId=7277842&partnerId=6843213

Did you know that a growing community of VIPKID teachers are also homeschoolers! If you love teaching, have a little time either in the evening or early in the morning, and would like to make a little extra income, why not take a closer look?

You can teach just one, 25-minute class a day or teach five. It's up to you!

VIPKID provides an international virtual classroom to children in China, so they can learn how to speak English from the comfort of their homes. Sounds a lot like homeschooling, doesn't it!

You can find more about VIPKID in my original post here.

So what does it take to be a VIPKID teacher?

* You must be eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada.

* You need to have a Bachelor’s degree.

* You should have one year of teaching experience and homeschooling counts.

* High-energy and love working with children!

* A stable internet connection, desktop or laptop, camera, and headset.

Three reasons to work for VIPKID?

1. You have total control over your schedule. You open the time slots you are available to work each day. You can teach just one class a day or 5-10 classes. It's totally up to you!

2. The pay is pretty good! You can make up to $22/hour! Teachers receive a minimum of $14-$18/hour and then there are incentives for each class, so you could make $14-$22/hour.

3. The kids are so stinkin' cute! I've taught about 15 classes and each child has been so sweet and willing to learn. I'll be posting more about those sweet kiddos soon!

So if you love teaching and have some free time, why not give it a try?!

If you would like to get more information about the hiring process or you have any questions about the company or my experience so far, let me know!

If you do decide to start the process yourself, please use my VIPKID referral link or referral code: CHRIS0314. I'd love to hear from you!

Friday, September 22, 2017

Have You Heard About VIPKID?

If you missed it, earlier this week I shared that after 11+ years of homeschooling, our daughter had made the decision to enroll in high school. It has so far been a great decision for her, but left me with some free time on my hands.

I few homeschool moms that I know had recently joined VIPKID, so I set out to learn more. I watched several videos about the company and the interview process {there are a ton out there} and decided to start the process myself.

It ended up being super easy and more fun than I expected, and within a week I was part of the VIPKID community!

So what is VIPKID?

VIPKID provides an international learning experience to Chinese children – all from the comfort of their homes. They provide one-on-one online full immersion language and content classes.

VIPKID provides all the training and resources. I set my schedule and wait for families to book with me. Each morning I get the pleasure of sitting for 25 minutes at a time, one-on-one with students from China. They are the sweetest kids!

All you need is to have at least a Bachelor's Degree, a desktop or laptop, a good internet connection, a camera, and a headset. The application process takes about 1-2 weeks.

Here's the entire process:

1. Sign up on their website so they can screen for basic requirements and teaching experience.

2. Join them for a 30-min interview where you showcase your teaching skills. They explain how to prepare for the interview.

3. Watch videos to learn about the VIPKID technology, standards and curriculum.

4. Practice teaching 1-2 full-length mock classes with one of their VIPKID teachers.

5. Send them your information so they can create a profile for the students and parents to get to know you.

6. Put your timeslots on your portal so that students can start booking you.

Super Simple!

It's a great way to supplement your income and you can add as many or as few classes as you would like. Right now I open just 3 classes each morning but have time to open 5 classes if I'd like. I'm obviously very part-time, but there are plenty of people who teach full time. It's very flexible!

Yep, that's me after teaching this morning.

If you would like to get more information about the hiring process or you have any questions about the company or my experience so far, let me know!

If you do decide to start the process yourself, please use my VIPKID referral link or referral code: CHRIS0314. I'd love to hear from you!

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Homeschool Update

It's been a while since my last post so I wanted to update everyone on our homeschooling journey. We have homeschooled since the very beginning. It really wasn't something that I planned on doing until our daughter was around 2-3 years old. I started researching curriculums and looking for homeschool groups, and what began with teaching letters and numbers, turned into homeschooling for the next 11+ years!

PreK -- K -- Elementary -- Jr High

It was so fun and so rewarding! We loved it! Some years we were involved with co-ops and some years we did our own thing. We made so many great friends along the way too!

As our daughter started her second year in Jr High though, she was starting to feel like most of her days were spent in her room...doing school work.

Alone.

She really didn't need my help any more...and didn't want it. She enjoyed her work and met with a co-op once a week, but it was boring being at home by herself most days.

She wanted a change.

So we spent months looking into and talking with guidance at the local high school. After months of discussions and many, many...many questions...and prayers, we decided to officially enroll her in school. Ekkk!

Fast forward through many anxious nights {for me, not her}, she had her first day.

She LOVED it!!

And she has loved it every day since! She's doing very well. Challenge A and B and all the hard work she had done the past two years paid off. She is enrolled in Honors and AP core classes and is taking Sign Language, Chorus, and Musical Theater. She's doing a good job balancing school, homework, and dance, and so far her grades are excellent!

My job isn't done quite yet though!

I may not be the one giving out the homework but I am very involved with overseeing it all. Checking work, studying for tests, talking about classes and teachers each day. It's just as exhausting and time consuming. Just more so in the late afternoons and evenings instead of the mornings.

So there I was, mornings now completely free and not sure what to do.

More on what I've been up to while she is at school in my next post. :)

Friday, May 26, 2017

Roman Roads Media: Fitting Words

Have you heard of Roman Roads Media? They are classical Christian publishers, "with the goal of making high quality curriculum accessible, affordable, and flexible for the Christian homeschooler."

Roman Roads Media was founded in 2011 from the love of classical education and the desire to publish material for the homeschooler.

If you are interested in either Latin, Logic, Poetry, History, Literature, or Rhetoric, take some time to browse their site. We've tried a few of their products in the past, but for now, I'm going to tell you a little about the Rhetoric product they offer, Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric for the Christian Student.

The complete Fitting Words curriculum includes five parts:

* A non-consumable, hardbound Student Textbook
* A consumable Student Workbook
* An Answer Key and Teacher's Guide
* An Exam Pack
* A video course which can be pre-ordered and is releasing soon but was not available at the time I placed my order.

In my opinion, Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric for the Christian Student is an excellent choice for a high school Rhetoric curriculum. And according to the author, the text was written with one goal in mind: to help Christian high school students learn to speak with elegance and persuasion, through theory, imitation, and practice.

So first of all, I love that the Textbook is hardcover. It includes 30 lessons that follow the classical five canons of rhetoric: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery. Lessons include key concepts, famous orators of the past {with beautiful illustrations of each}, Thinking Deeper questions, quotes for Developing Memory, and suggestions for Reading Further.

Speeches are assigned in later lessons so students can practice applying the concepts. I personally love this idea!

The Student Workbook goes along with each of the 30 lessons and includes 1-2 exercises for each lesson. The workbook is consumable and the pages are perforated so that each exercise and corresponding judging sheet can be removed.

The Answer Key includes answers for all of the exercises and tests. It also includes one and two-year schedule examples, which I like.

The Exam Packet includes 9 exams covering all the major concepts from the course. Also included are test review sheets and speech judging sheets.

Again, I did not receive the Video Course, but, according to the information online, the author introduces and teaches through each lesson. It's available in multiple formats.

So what do I like about this curriculum?

COMPREHENSIVE

I like that it's comprehensive and introduces and reviews the classical five canons of rhetoric.

CHRISTIAN

I also like that it is Christian and scripture is used throughout the book. There are several speeches listed in the Appendix but what I think is most impressive is that every single speech in the Bible is listed by verse, speaker, intended audience, and title or quote. There are more than 500 listed!

CLASSICAL

I like that it introduces famous orators of the past. From Cicero, Aristotle, and Socrates to John F. Kennedy, C. S. Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr.

RELEVANT

What we need more than anything is for students to learn to speak with elegance and persuasion, confidently delivering well-prepared speeches and points of view in situations they encounter.

***

Find Out More: You can find out more online at Roman Roads Media. The Fitting Words: Classical Rhetoric for the Christian Student Textbook Bundle is $115. The Video Course is $79 for streaming and $89 for Blu-Ray and streaming. It is recommended for high school students and above.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

IEW U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons Review

Today I'm going to take a few minutes to tell you about the Institute for Excellence in Writing and one of their theme-based writing products, U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons.

The mission of the IEW is "to equip teachers and teaching parents with methods and materials which will aid them in training their students to become confident and competent communicators and thinkers."

IEW offers curriculum for children K-12, college students, special needs, English Language Learners, and Professional Development.

Over the years we have used several IEW products and have enjoyed each one. Today I'll be sharing with you some of my thoughts about their U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons.

We received the spiral bound Teacher/Student Combo which includes both the Teacher's Manual and Student Book.

I love that with this curriculum, the student is developing their writing, while learning about important people and events in U.S. history from Christopher Columbus to the twentieth century.

The Teacher's Manual starts with a short Introduction, suggested weekly schedule, and scope and sequence. There are a total of 30 lessons and each can be completed in just four days. This is great for a day off or a day to catch up. Each lesson in the Teacher's Manual mirrors the Student Book, as well as gives suggestions, teaching tips and examples to help guide the students. It also includes lesson planning tips, vocabulary quizzes, and answer keys.

The Student Book also includes a short Introduction, suggested weekly schedule, and scope and sequence. In addition, it contains assignments, instructions, source texts, blank outlines, checklists, sample compositions, and vocabulary cards.

The Student Resource Packet is necessary for this curriculum. If you have purchased the curriculum, there are instructions to download it in both the Teacher's Manual and Student Book. The packet includes things like charts, reminders, style samples, tips, exercises, and word lists. It is a great resource!

Lessons follow IEWs Structure and Style course layout, starting with key word outlines, and moving on to dress ups, sentence openers, decorations, mechanics, and structure of the introduction, body and conclusion. Each step builds upon the last and the student goes from note taking to retelling to summarizing to finally a formal essay.

I highly recommend IEWs U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons, especially if you would like to integrate U.S. history into your writing. Other writing curriculum includes Ancient History (grades 3-8), Medieval History (grades 6-8), and Advanced U.S. History (grades 9-12).

Find Out More: You can find out more online at IEW. The U.S. History-Based Writing Lessons Teacher/Student Combo, which includes both the Teacher's Manual and Student Book is just $49. It is recommended for grades 6-8 and designed to be used by an instructor who has been through the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style seminar, either live or on DVD, though I think you can teach it without it. If you have purchased the books, the Student Resource Packet is downloadable for free, but if you did not place your order through the website, you can order the Student Resource Packet for just $19.

Friday, May 12, 2017

Homeschool Technology

We are constantly using technology throughout our homeschool day. When you think about it, it's really hard to get through the day without it. Below are just a few of the resources we use day to day.

Computer

I don't know what I would do without my computer! It's a lifeline to my friends and with that comes encouragement and help. And I can't count how many worksheets, forms, documents, planning pages, and crafts I've created with it over the years. Our daughter uses it to write stories and reports, as well as take online classes.

Printer

As much as I hate wasting paper and ink, I absolutely need my printer! I've had several over the years. I currently have the HP Officejet Pro 6830 and it works really well! Just wish the ink was cheaper.

High Speed Internet

This is a must! I just do too much online to not have it.

Netflix

We LOVE Netflix!! It has so many educational movies and documentaries that I'm sure you can probably find something to go along with any topic you are learning.

Amazon Prime

We actually still don't have Amazon Prime but I always think about getting it for the instant streaming of movies and TV episodes. Plus, there's FREE 2-day shipping and over 350,000 Kindle titles to borrow for free. Still something we are thinking about.

iPad

We use the iPad all the time for downloading books and educational apps. It's also a great way to sit down and read lessons anywhere in the house. Our daughter now uses a program to draw and another program to write and organize chapters in stories. It's just so convenient.

DVD Player

Got to have this! Over the years some of our curriculum has come with DVDs to watch as the lesson. As our daughter gets older and the subjects get harder, I expect we'll be using more {especially with math}.

Facebook

Yep, it can be a time waster, but also a lifesaver! I probably spend way too much time on it myself, but I've also made friendships I would have never made otherwise. And we have joined several local homeschooling groups because of it.

Pinterest

Another probable time waster, but Pinterest has so many ideas!! We have used it for plenty of craft ideas, but it's also been helpful for homeschool ideas too. I really only try to use it when I want to search for a specific topic, otherwise I could be on there all afternoon. Oh, and it's great for menu planning too!

Laminator

I almost hate to admit it, but we have never had a laminator. I don't think I would use it as much now that our daughter is older, but I know I could have put it to good use when she was little. I'm certain this is a must for many homeschool families, so I wanted to add it to our list. And if you are looking for a good one, I've heard great things about the Scotch Thermal Laminator.

Modern Appliances

We don't cook together as much as I would like to, but we could never do the baking we do without modern appliances. I know it seems silly, but a modern kitchen with good working large and small appliances is a necessity!

Sewing Machine

I'm not a sewer but hubby got me one when our daughter was younger. It's sat more than not, but I've used it way more than I thought I would. When she was younger I made her a simple dress, a purse, and things like doll pillows, which she can now make herself. I never know what it will be used for next, so it's nice to have on hand.

Keurig

No explanation necessary! Use this daily!!

***

What technology do you use in your homeschool?

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Memoria Press: Classical Composition I: Fable Set

We have used many Memoria Press products in the past, but I have yet to try their writing and grammar program, Classical Composition. So as you can imagine, I was interested in taking a look at it.

As I've mentioned before, Memoria Press is a family-run publishing company that produces simple and easy to use classical Christian education materials for home and private schools. Memoria Press’ educational philosophy can be best described as classical Christian education.

Something interesting about Classical Composition is that it is based on the original classical method of teaching writing called the “progymnasmata.” This is something completely new to me. Progymnasmata is Greek for "preliminary exercises." These exercises were taught in ancient Greece and Rome to boys so they could learn the art of speech writing. It involved learning fourteen skills, organized from very simple to more complex.

Classical Composition 1: Fable Stage, is the first of the fourteen skills. In the Fable Stage, students begin learning how to use and imitate words, using Aesop's Fables. I received the Classical Composition: Fable Stage Set.

It's really an interesting process of learning. The Teacher's Guide is very helpful in planning each day. It takes the instructor step-by-step, so there is no questions as to what to do next.

The process is outlined below -

1. The Fable - First the fable, which is included, is read aloud to the student. It's helpful to read it a few times, letting the child read it aloud if they can. Then review and discuss new vocabulary, and discuss and write down three plot components, recognition, reversal, and suffering. Lastly the student can narrate back the fable if they are able to.

2. Variations Part 1 - The Variations help students to paraphrase words and sentences. Two sentences are given and they have to come up with synonyms for different words and then come up with three new sentences. You can see some samples above.

3. Outline - Outlining the fable may seem a little daunting to a child, but the guide provides help and prompts.

4. Narration - The student retells the story with the help of their outline. They should not be referring back to the original story.

5. Paraphrase 1 - Here they will use their outline and sentences from Variations Part I to write the story in their own words. Prompts are included to come up with creative sentences.

6. Paraphrase 2 - During this second paraphrase, the student rewrites the story but with inverting the sequence of events.

7. Variations Part 2 - Two more sentences are given and they must again change the selected words.

8. Final Draft - Using paraphrase 1 or 2, students correct and rewrite the story in their own words.

Did you get all that? Seems like a lot, and at first was a little confusing, but after reading through it all, I now understand it's purpose. And the best part is that if you get the set, the DVD is included. I highly recommend getting the DVD because it leads the student through the entire process.

You can split this up however you would like. Each step can be done in a day, or two steps can be combined in one.

Levels cover each of the fourteen skills:

Fable (4th)
Narrative (5th)
Chreia & Maxim (6th)
Refutation & Confirmation (7th)
Common Topic (8th)
Encomium, Invective & Comparison (9th)
Characterization (10th)
Description (11th)
Thesis & Law (12th)

It's recommended students begin in 4th or 5th grade, but those who start at 6th grade or higher can catch up by completing two courses in one year.

Find our More: You can find out more about Classical Composition online at Memoria Press. The Classical Composition: Fable Set is $85 and includes the Student Text, Teacher's Guide, and Instructional DVDs.