So there I was jogging down the road listening to the 4 Hour Chef on audiobook when I was stuck by an idea that stopped me in my tracks. Tim was describing how former number 1 ranked surfer, Brad Gerlach, taught him how to pop up on a surfboard from 9000 miles away via Skype.

I thought to myself, ‘wow that is great but we aren’t all celebrities like Tim Ferriss and able to call up number one ranked surfers and have them agree to teach us.  How can the rest of us find experts willing to share their knowledge?’  This is where the idea for an online marketplace that connects students and teachers was born.  I called it SkillsChat.com.  Actually, that is not entirely true, there were many other names that were ahead on the list but all of them were taken so SkillsChat is what stuck.

The post How Tim Ferriss Inspired me to Create an Online Marketplace for Learning Skills.. appeared first on SkillsChat.

Looking for a Coaching Website to Replace Google Helpouts? 

Whether you were a regular user of Google Helpouts, or only used it once or twice; chances are you have heard that as of April 20, 2015 this service will no longer be available. Since 2013, Helpouts has been available to help connect people with the experts they need to answer their questions. So, now that it is no longer going to be available; what should you do? Don’t worry, Helpouts is not the only coaching website out there; in fact there are others just as good if not better then Helpouts such as SkillsChat which ranks number one on our list.

What is SkillsChat?

SkillsChat is a one of a kind coaching website similar to Google Helpouts that offers help to students who need it. Students who need extra help and teachers that want to provide their expertise are paired together to provide an educational coaching website that brings students and teachers together when it is convenient for them both. Students can choose from a variety of subjects to request assistance such as language, mentorship, math, computers, financial, computers, music, games and much more.

Teachers can sign up for a free profile where they can set the rates they request for their expertise as well as the hours they are available. Students simply log on, choose the subject area they are interested in and choose a time slot open on the preferred teachers profile page. Students then make a one-time payment with PayPal and the two are connected on Skype or any other platform agreed upon by the teacher and student. Within moments you can provide Skype Lessons to a student in need of assistance.

Benefits of SkillsChat

Teach What You Are Passionate About – When you choose SkillsChat, you can choose what subject you want to offer assistance in. For example, if you love to play the violin and have always wanted to teach others how to play then sign up under the music subject to provide private lessons to students anywhere which can really expand your reach and provide you with the ability to touch lives all around the globe.

Earn Extra Income to Teach What You Love – All you have to do to earn some extra income is to provide ‘one on one’ private chat Skype lessons with students interested in learning the subject which you are passionate about. Choose the subjects that you love and can offer expertise advice and we will pair you with students from around the world that are in need of your services. Best yet, they are willing to pay to chat with you about your area of expertise.

Affordable Student Tutoring – SkillsChat makes specialized tutoring an affordable option for students across the globe with their affordable Skype lessons that pair the educational needs of the student with a qualified teacher that can show them the ropes. Whether you want to learn a foreign language, how to play an instrument of simply need help extra help with your math homework on a lesson you just don’t understand; you can get the Skype lessons you need at an affordable rate when you choose SkillsChat.

As you can see, Google Helpouts may have been your favorite because you did not know about this other popular coaching website that can bring students and teachers together like never before. We are sure that once you check out SkillsChat, you will soon forget all about Google Helpouts closing down.

The post Looking for a Coaching Website to Replace Google Helpouts? appeared first on SkillsChat.

We are all familiar with those Myers Briggs tests that many of us had to take in school.  These tests are interesting but they really aren’t that useful in helping you become a success.  Most personality tests measure how you see yourself, not how the world sees you.

While listening to the podcast Entrepreneur On Fire, I heard about a new personality test called the Fascination Advantage Assessment.  It attempts to measure how others see you when you are at your best.  The goal of this is that if you can identify what you do well and maximize that; then you can be much more effective speaker, coach, leader, etc.

When you are acting in your natural state and doing what you do well then you come across as relaxed and energetic which is exactly what you want to portray to your students or colleagues.  In addition when you are being your natural self you feel more connected and everything seems to come easier.

I took this test and found it to be pretty accurate.  It said that my archetype is a combination of Mystic and Innovation, which I thought was right on.  I am most comfortable sitting in the back of a meeting, listening and analyzing and then coming up with new solutions.

The test also helps to identify your “dormant” area, which is a trait that does not come as naturally.  When you are using this trait you will look awkward and appear to struggle; which is because you will feel awkward and less connected.  You have to expend way more mental energy in this task then you would do what you do well.

The test identified my dormant trait as “trust.”  Which means that in situations where I have to gain someone’s trust, I have a hard time.  This isn’t to mean that I am not trustworthy, it is just that when I think through concepts I tend to skip a lot of steps and go directly to what I think is the most reasonable solution.  It becomes uncomfortable when I have to try to explain that to someone else.  Which is a little like when you were a kid in school and the teacher made you show your work.

As a teacher, if you know that your archetype includes passion then you should work on doing more of that.  Let your passion shine through in your teaching, you will come across more natural and feel more at ease while doing it.  It may seem like this is a fancy way of saying “be yourself” but actually it is saying “be your best self.” Emphasize what you do best and don’t worry about the rest.

If you would like to find out your archetype for free, the go to www.howtofascinate.com/you

Enter the code “fire” where it says, “book code.”

Remember to visit our landing page and sign up if you are interested in learning or teaching online.

The post How Learning Your Archetype Can Make You a Better Speaker, Teacher and Boss appeared first on SkillsChat.

As a Skype tutor, I have found that my students often hire me because they have failed to learn the language using local resources. Moreover, many of these students are dealing with various learning disabilities. As someone with a background of working with children with disabilities, I can use more specialized skills to meet their needs and so my students want to give my services a try. However, in hiring a Skype tutor, they often wonder if the distance barriers will make things harder. So, as their tutor, I have to help them understand that it is through the online platform, coupled my experience, that I am uniquely equipped to help them through their struggles. In my experience, if this foundation isn’t laid in the first session, students tend to procrastinate and avoid studying because of their dread of it. Then my lessons are ineffective from the beginning. To tell you how I accomplish this, I will tell you the story of Andrew, a Dyslexic student who was failing his Spanish class.

The First Session

When I began working with high school student, Andrew (name has been changed), his mother called me looking for someone who could help him work through learning Spanish despite his Dyslexia. During our first session, I tried get a fair assessment of his ability to succeed. In doing so, I was not necessarily looking for some type of magical aptitude for it, but simply what his attitude was toward the subject. For example, I began by asking him why he was hiring a tutor. In turn, he explained that he had been in his required Spanish classes for two years and was failing. He worried he wouldn’t be able to pass the class, which would affect his ability to get into college. In my experience, a student who gives me an answer like this fears failure. And, to help him take advantage of my services, he needed a pre-tutoring pep-talk. In this talk, my plan was to use the Skype platform to go about changing Andrew’s perspective on the learning process so he could excel.

The Pre-tutoring Pep-Talk

In general, there are two parts to this pep-talk. The first part is to establish my expertise so my students will trust that I can meet their needs. The second is to help them view failure as an opportunity.

Demonstrate Expertise

Flickr image by: Steve Snodgrass

Though Andrew and his parents came to me because they felt his needs were not being met locally, as is common with new Skype students, Andrew still had some apprehension about working with a Skype Tutor, especially given his struggles even without the distance barriers. So, to help ease his apprehension, I had to establish my expertise around my ability to better meet his needs as a Spanish tutor and as a Skype Tutor. First, I shared my credentials and a brief overview of my experience with Spanish including the work I have done as a professional with the language. Next, to help Andrew understand his struggles were not uncommon and, even more importantly, were not uncommon to overcome; I shared a little about my initial struggles with the language. I find my students feel a lot more comfortable struggling and letting me help them with their struggles when they know I’ve been through them myself. And, lastly, for extra reassurance, I explained that I developed my curriculum specifically to make those struggles easier to overcome. Next, it was time to talk about my industry expertise. As a student who with Dyslexia, Andrew’s most difficult hurdles to overcome were learning to read and write in the new language. So, to help him overcome his anxiety about hiring a Skype tutor and the distance barriers involved, I introduced him to cramberry.net. Though this is only one of many online tutoring tools I use, cramberry.net works specifically on both reading and writing skills while still following my philosophy of using baby steps and building on failure to learn. It does this by looking for the concepts the student is having the most difficulty with and focusing on those concepts until the student has mastered them. In introducing Andrew to this tool, he realized that not only can I better support him because of my past experience with helping students with learning disabilities, but because, as a Skype tutor, I know how to better integrate virtual tools that will specifically make things easier on him.

Failure as an Opportunity.

Flickr image by: Celestine Chua

To help Andrew see failure as an opportunity, I began by telling him the value of failure. Really, after studying and working with so many successful leaders throughout my career and as an MBA student, I have learned one all-important lesson: all success is built on trial and error. I like to pass this tidbit of information onto my students. In this way, they can begin to see failure as an opportunity instead of something to dread. Next, in light of this perspective, I told him that we will deal with failure together. I explained that when he fails, it is an opportunity for me to see what he does and does not know. Then, using cramberry.net and my other online teaching tools, we could slow down a little and work on what he was struggling with until he had mastered it. Undoubtedly, with small steps, I assured him he could master anything.

The Plan in Action

I enjoyed watching Andrew come to understand and trust in this process. In doing so, he went from being fearful of failing – to being enthusiastic enough to take creative risks and correct his own mistakes. While viewing failure as an opportunity and using my Skype Tutor virtual tools to support this process, Andrew began to excel. As we worked, I used every opportunity to help him continue seeing failure in a different light. Here is how I went about doing this: –I always warned him beforehand when a concept would be a little challenging to grasp. Then, I reassured him we would take all the time we needed to learn it together using baby steps. And, I manipulated my virtual tools to support him in his new struggles. –As we started learning the new concept, we took it slowly and I always told him that we would work on it until he was so good at using the concept that he would never forget it. In using baby steps and my Skype tutoring tools to support them, he saw himself excelling and gained confidence and enthusiasm. –I praised him even through his mistakes. For example, when he used a verb correctly but didn’t use the right pronoun, I expressed how happy I was about how well he had conjugated the verb and then told him we needed to do a little refresher on the pronouns. –Lastly, I followed through. Andrew knew I would always remember his struggles and develop lesson plans we could work through together to overcome them. By responding quickly to failure, he didn’t have to fear it in other contexts when virtual supports weren’t available (such as in class).   In our forum below, we would love to hear your stories on how you used online tutoring platforms to help your students through their fears of failure! Sign up here to let us know if you are interested in teaching or learning online.

The post How to Keep a Student’s Fear of Failure From Getting in the Way of Learning. appeared first on SkillsChat.

Congratulations on deciding to start your very own Skype tutoring business! Starting your own business is exciting but can be a little challenging. However, once you have word-of-mouth on your side, your business will often build its own clientele. But, you must first get the ball rolling and then keep it rolling. In this post, we will discuss some of the ways in which I began building my own clientele. Though some of these tips can be used to start any business, others are specifically catered to starting a tutoring business. I hope these tips will serve you as well as they have served me!

Start a word-of-mouth advertising campaign online.

Though search engine optimization (SEO) may sound like a complicated, technical term, it really only means tapping into online word-of-mouth advertising. When you have lots of people talking about or engaging with your company, your potential clients will more easily find you on search engines like Google. This is because Google will begin to see you as valuable to its audiences and rank you higher. To garner word-of-mouth, you must show your audience that you are an authority on your subject and are accepted as such. In addition, you must engage your audience by providing share-worthy resources. Here are a few ideas anyone can use to begin an online marketing campaign. (Yes, as a business owner you must know how to market your services. But, with a little patience, it is really quite simple to do):

Engage your audience on Social Media and Blogs

Of course, a website is a great way to gain visibility on Google, Yahoo and other search engines. But, not all of us have the expertise to design a website. However, social media can also be a very effective marketing tool. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs are some popular social media platforms. The key is to use these platforms to interact with your audience. By interacting and responding to your audience, you create trust and establish yourself as an authority.

If you’re like me and don’t have an extensive background in graphic design but want a professional social media page, visit canva.com. Here, regardless of your graphic design expertise (or lack thereof), you can easily create a logo, graphics for your posts and a professional Facebook or Twitter template that can be copied and pasted onto your business social media pages.

Build Relationships with your networks.

Once you have some web presence, be it through social media or a blog, be sure to engage with others in your industry. You can do so by following them, friending them, and sharing and commenting on their content. By sharing their content or referencing them in your content, you help them reach their goal of more search engine visibility. And, most likely, they will be happy to return the favor.

Provide valuable content and resources.

On the web, your content is the best way to gain clients. What do I mean by content? Well, a post like this one spreads awareness about my business and a similar post will spread awareness about your own. You can write about tutoring in general or information pertaining to your area of expertise. In your posts, create share-worthy content by being authentic and offering helpful information to your audience. When your content is shared, it introduces your business to potential new clients. Here are a few more tips to remember when posting content:

- Your posts should include a picture. Why? Well, a Facebook study reports that a photo increases views by an average 120%.

- People want unique content that helps them in some way.

- People like it when you ask their preferences or opinions because it shows that you care enough to listen.

To avoid sounding like a salesperson, post some information that promotes your business but also some that is simply useful to your audience. As a general rule, for every 1 post you share about your business, you should be sharing 3-4 posts about useful information. Take advantage of these 3-4 posts to share relevant information from someone in your network, or at least reference them with a hyperlink in a post you have written.

Tap into your local resources to get word-of-mouth rolling offline.

In offline advertising as well, word-of-mouth is sure to be your best friend. But, word-of-mouth must start with your students. And, without any students, it can be difficult to get word-of-mouth started. So, here are a few ways I looked for my first students.

Put together a pitch.

To put it simply, a pitch is a succinct description of what you do and, more importantly, why your services are valuable to your listener. In it, you should focus on what makes you the better choice. And, lastly, you might throw in a little story. For example, sharing what inspired you to begin offering your services makes you memorable. Lastly, to reduce your risk of being boring, your pitch should be no more than 2-5 minutes. For more information on creating an effective pitch, check out Amanda McCormick’s entrepreneur.com post on “How to Create a Killer Elevator Pitch.”

Design some Business Cards

Next, make sure you have a business card to hand out when you are networking. These must include all contact information, including your websites or social media pages. I always order enough so I can pass out a few to each person who shows interest. By doing so, your clients can do some advertising for you, as well, initiating your word-of-mouth campaign. To easily create business cards even on a budget, visit Vistaprint.com.

Contact your School District

My district, like many, keeps a tutor list for parents and their students. It was through this list that I received my first student. To be added to the list, I called my school district’s central office and asked what steps I needed to take. I was emailed a form to fill out. Once submitted, the district manually added my name, contact information and a brief list of my credentials. Contact your school district to find out if you can be added to its tutoring list.

Get in touch with some relevant people at nearby universities and colleges.

Second, many professors and heads of departments at the college and university level appreciate having a backup tutor to refer their struggling students to. Many college level students live on campus with limited abilities to travel even around town. And, many are online students who span the globe. In both of these cases, your Skype-based services can uniquely meet their needs. For this reason, I visited my nearby university language department head-of-department and introduced him to my services. I was pleased to discover he was very interested in taking a few of my cards to pass along to any struggling students.

Offer your services at your local library.

Next, many local libraries keep a running list of qualified tutors in the area. Also, many parents and adult learners search the library bulletin boards for tutor business cards. So, it would be a good idea to post some there. And, of course, as a Skype tutor, you don’t necessarily have to be in the area but can provide resources to libraries outside of your district as well. So, do some Googling of public libraries and give them a call with your information.

Once your word-of-mouth campaign begins advertising for you, your business will more easily build its own clientele. However, it is through continuously offering a good service and genuinely helping your audiences that you can enjoy an enduring and cost-effective word-of-mouth campaign. I wish you the best of luck in your new business.

If you have something you would like to teach, sign up here.

The post How to use Social Media and Networking to Start your Skype Tutoring Business appeared first on SkillsChat.

Why not just hire a tutor in the area?

Well, Skype is starting to catch on among many students and adult learners for some surprising reasons. Remember when Hurricane Sandy wiped out a large portion of the East Coast of the United States. Many families lost everything. However, many parents were able to smooth the blow by allowing their children to keep up with their education through Skype tutors. And, surprisingly, many fell in love with all that Skype learning had to offer their children. In this article, we will introduce you to the wonderful, limitless world of Skype learning. And, we hope it will be a great tool for you, just when you need it!

Is Distance Really a Problem, or an Asset?

To start, many students hesitate to hire a Skype tutor because they believe the distance will stand in the way of learning success. After trying it, however, many were surprised to find this could not be farther from the truth. Skype tutors can be reached from anywhere, anytime! Let’s say you are a college or high school student who wants to keep up on your studies during the summer. However, you have a vacation planned. With Skype tutoring, this is not a problem. You can meet with your tutor while lounging on the beach via a mobile device. With Skype, no distance or traveling adventures can stand in the way of learning! Even more exciting, this works in reverse as well. Skype teachers are easily accessible, whether they live a block away or an ocean away. For instance, say you are looking for a tutor to teach you a foreign language. But, you want the real thing. You want a native speaker. Well, you can hire a Skype tutor that lives in France just as easily as you can hire a local tutor, but you will get much more value for your dollar. Native speakers will be able to teach you about the culture, history and customs—all very important lessons to truly understanding how to use a new language.

Skype Tutors offer more Flexible Learning.

Because of the expenses involved in meeting with students in a central location, many traditional tutors offer a set session length or a minimum session length. For example, many tutors will not meet with their students for any less than a one hour session. However, you may need a little more flexibility to succeed in school or learning a new skill but cannot pay the minimum amount for a short “power” session. For Skype tutors, arranging a half hour session to refresh your memory or answer any last minute questions before a test is more doable. Skype tutors can remain more flexible when they do not have to factor in travel costs and time.

Cut down on your time and financial commitments with a Skype tutor.

While Skype tutors save on time and costs, so do their students. Fitting in a learning session with your tutor is much easier when you don’t have to arrange for time to travel to and from the session. Moreover, you don’t have to pay associated travel expenses, either. Not only do you save on gas costs with a Skype tutor but, you can often cut down on material costs as well. Many tutors use virtual platforms to create flashcards, notebooks and provide virtual lessons. And, you can complete many of these assignments online as well, further saving you in material costs such as pencils, pens and paper.

Do Skype Teachers have the Right Tools to Teach on a Virtual Platform?

So, now we know that Skype tutors can be more qualified, more flexible and cut down on time and costs associated with tutoring. Still, many learners hesitate to hire Skype tutors because they worry the tutor will not have access to tools that sufficiently make up for distance barriers. Well, the world of technology has certainly stepped up to the plate in this regard! Let’s take a look at three of many, many apps and websites Skype tutors use to make learning successful and fun.

-  Evernote

Evernote is the perfect app for organizing learning materials on a virtual platform. Tutors can make a notebook for each tutor student. In it, they can insert videos, Skype session recordings, pre-prepared lecture recordings, assignments, relevant articles, and even hand-written notes. On the platform, for example, a history tutor can designate a notebook for different historical periods and organize and store all materials on each period. Moreover, students can search by tags such as “Abraham Lincoln,” or “Civil War” and have instant access to all assignments, handwritten notes, documentaries and any other materials that include those tags. Evernote notebooks are then stored online so you can access them from anywhere, anytime, by simply logging in via phone, PC, tablet or any other internet connected device. Lastly, you never have to worry about organizing handouts or losing session materials, leaving you with an organized subject notebook to reference even years down the line.

-  Cramberry.com

On Cramberry, your tutor can either choose from a plethora of already prepared flashcard sets on subjects ranging from Spanish to medical terminology or they can create their own. Then, you, as the student, can log in to the platform from any internet connected mobile device or computer and begin the challenge of answering each flashcard prompt correctly. Amazingly, as you do so, the platform keeps track of which cards you struggle to answer correctly so it can be sure to review them with you more frequently until you’ve mastered them. Lastly, tutors can update sets even on a daily basis.

-  Trello.com

Trello is accessible from a desktop computer and almost any mobile device. On it, your tutor can arrange cards on a bulletin-board-like virtual platform. For example, he may label one card “To-Do,” another card, “Doing,” and another “Done.” Your tutor can also create a designated “board” where only your cards are displayed. On each card, you and your tutor can attach documents, make comments, ask questions, assign due dates and label cards with colors. To add a little fun, tutors can even set it up so you can “vote” on which assignments you want to do. And, conveniently, all changes are accessible to both of you in real-time.

Conclusion

So, the next time you are looking for a tutor, consider a Skype tutor. Enjoy a highly qualified, flexible tutor who can teach you anytime and anywhere. Moreover, cut down on costs and time while benefiting from the unique tools a virtual learning platform can offer you to make learning fun, productive and flexible!  Visit our forum to discuss topics you would like to learn or teach online.

The post How Learning via Skype can be Fun and Productive! appeared first on SkillsChat.

How to Teach Better Online 

The Internet has changed the teaching landscape forever. Teachers no longer have to be face to face with students in order to educate effectively. Students today were raised with technology, so communicating with their teacher through a webcam is easy. Digital teachers are on the rise and with a new way of teaching comes the need to adjust and improve. Here are six ways to expand and develop your Internet teaching ability. 

-Continue the Conversation

The conversation shouldn’t stop when the webcam shuts off. Students today are very connected to the online world. Teaching can be supplemented through email, chat and text. Have the student write and email a summary, in their own words, of what they just learned. Have them send email updates on their progress and any questions they might have about the material. This keeps them engaged and thinking about their lesson throughout the days, weeks and months. A more engaged student is a better learner. Email is also a way to send students an assignment sheet. This keeps the student focused on their task list and helps teachers remember exactly what was covered.

-Be Creative With Your Equipment

It’s very easy to record a quick video message on Skype; the student will have a video message waiting for them when they log on. The student could also record a question they have for the teacher, or show something they’ve learned. Both student and teacher could record YouTube videos and upload them to the same channel. This is a personal and fun way to ask questions and creates an ongoing conversation. When teaching a science lesson, bring the webcam outside to discuss nature.  In teaching golf lessons, have the student set up a tripod to hold the computer or smartphone so that you can see them swing.

-Make it Fun

Online teaching offers the opportunity for countless ways to turn an ordinary lesson into a fun experience for the student. There’s so many websites that offer free flash cards, online quizzes, and worksheets, depending on the subject. The best way to supplement virtual teaching is with more online learning. If you can’t find a website that offers what you’re looking for, why not make it yourself? Type up your lessons and have your students review what you’ve taught them online. Make printable pdf flash cards and upload them to your website or email them to students.

-Flexibility

The best part of teaching remotely is the ability to be flexible. Find a lesson time that is the best for the student’s learning environment. Late at night when students are tired is not ideal. Just because you can be flexible doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a set schedule. The student should know exactly when you will be meeting over Skype, and you should always be prompt. However, also be ready to be flexible with your lesson plans. If the student isn’t processing certain information, switch up your game plan and keep them interested. Skype lessons work best when the teacher is ready and able to adjust at a moment’s notice. Virtual teaching will not be effective if the student is disinterested. Online learning should be based on the individual student’s fascinations.

-Be Accountable

Whether it’s for yourself, the student, or the student’s parents, accountability is important with virtual learning. The lack of face to face interaction might leave some participants wondering about their progress. It’s more important than ever to keep yourself, the students and the parents involved about the process and where each student is at. Assessment rubrics, email updates and online grading can help assist in this process.

-Build a Relationship

Most importantly, the best teachers form real relationships with their students.  Just because you’re looking at a computer screen does not mean there isn’t a real person on the other side.  This aspect of teaching will never change, no matter the technological advancements.  Students can tell when a teacher is just doing their job and when they truly care about their students. If a teacher cares about other aspects of their lives, students will look forward to the lesson and strive to please. An encouraging teacher is a better teacher.

The post How to Teach Better Online appeared first on SkillsChat.

6 Reasons Skype Teaching is Awesome

Over the past century, there have been prominent developments and innovations which have led to an evolution in the education world. We now have an interconnected global network which allows for changes in the way that we do many things. A respected face-to-face education can be facilitated from the comforts of home, or wherever in the world a teacher desires to be.

One of the most significant services that has been utilized for internet teaching is Skype. As many people have discovered, Skype is a free VoIP (Voice-over-IP) service which allows for normal calls, video calls using webcams or the sending of instant messages to anyone in the world who has an internet connection. It has been used to allow instructors to teach remotely from anywhere in the world. This new way of teaching opens the door for many great opportunities.

Here are 6 reasons why teaching remotely via Skype is awesome:

#1 Teach what you love

 People who have a passion to teach a particular subject, but have not had the means to make it happen, can now do so much more easily. The topics that can be taught virtually are limitless, allowing for an efficient way to share information and increase knowledge. Traditionally, teachers were limited by the physical amount of classrooms available and the curriculum approval by institutions. Many times, certain topics would not fit in with an institution’s syllabus. Thus, some information was just not shared. Skype has provided the freedom for people to teach what they want and love, even to the extent of expressing what they believe.

#2 Broader Job Opportunities

The fact that the internet is global, and many people can easily get access to it through their computer, tablets and mobile phones, has made distance learning extremely popular. You often don’t need to physically be in a certain college to teach or learn there, rather you can be anywhere and teach or be taught the same curriculum as those who are actually within the physical walls. It may be possible to teach at different schools simultaneously, which was previously not an option.

#3 A Vast Potential Audience

With social media sites and services, Skype included, you can easily meet new people from both your own country, and from any country in the world. This connection to such a vast audience, opens up the opportunity for freelance online teaching. A course can be advertised online, and students from anywhere in the world can enroll. This exponentially increases the amount of potential students that can be reached. The amount of students who can take a course exceeds what is possible in a physical class.

One major problem in classrooms today is a limited amount of space and an excess amount of students. It is not uncommon to hear about a student who couldn’t join a class due to it being at maximum capacity. It is only possible to physically fit so many people in one room comfortably. On the other hand, with Skype teaching, there is no limit to the amount of people who can access your teachings. In addition, each student is getting an up close view of the course as if it was one-on-one. Wherein a classroom, both site and sound can be obstructed.

#4 Reduced Costs

Let’s say you do want to start your own school. Opening a physical school is a very large undertaking. It involves having to rent, build or buy a physical facility, paying for utilities, meeting all of the codes required for an educational facility and purchasing physical supplies. Now, look at the savings with an online school set up, the costs include an internet connection, a web cam and a computer.

 #5 Convenience and Location Freedom

We all prefer doing what we like, in places where we enjoy being. This is now possible thanks to Skype. Today, you can teach on the beach and still relay your information as if you’re on official business. This has provided a freedom that no longer restricts a teacher to a life anchored by an educational facility. How great to be someone who desires to teach, and also be able to go wherever you want in the world, while still being able to hold classes and meet with your students.

In terms of convenience, a teacher has the option to become more of a freelance contractor who can set their own schedule. Skype has a convenient service that records conversations so that students who wish to view previous teachings, can still get access to them after they occur.

#6 Job Security

In the education profession, teachers are often modestly paid and must meet strict benchmarks. When employed by a school, the teacher relies on that pay for their livelihood and must adhere to the guidelines and hope for the best. Remote teaching allows for more freedom and more diversified opportunities. Many remote teaching jobs are available that utilize Skype, whether they are organized by an institution, or are freelance opportunities. A great place to look for contracted teaching jobs is on freelancing websites, where clients are looking to hire qualified virtual teachers.

Remotely teaching via Skype sounds pretty awesome right? We thought so too. With the technology available today, teaching can really be done from anywhere. Hopefully this has inspired teachers interested in virtual education, to look into the possibility of supplementing your income with teaching via Skype!

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5 Benefits of Teaching Online

Conventional education generally involves a teacher and a student or group of students who meet in-person. The online teaching alternative allows for many benefits that you normally wouldn’t have access to with traditional teaching methods.

1. Teach What You Love

The real beauty of teaching is sharing your passion with another person. Every person wishes to teach what they love but sadly, it isn’t always possible. Perhaps you live in an area where people simply aren’t interested in your craft or you wish to work with a specific type of student. Using Skype to teach online opens up endless opportunity to teach people who are truly interested in what you have to offer.

2. Meet New People

The internet is the ultimate place to network with people. You might have noticed already that there is literally nothing you can’t find online. Even if you teach an obscure craft like tatting you are sure to find many people through online resources that are just as passionate on the subject as you are. Not only does teaching online link you to new students but also with fellow teachers who you can brainstorm with.

3. Location Independence

Being tied to a classroom has many disadvantages, especially for those with busy lifestyles or who wish to travel. An obvious advantage of a virtual Skype classroom is that you only need your computer and an internet connection to teach. You can be on vacation, traveling for other business or in a coffee shop for example. The ability to teach where and when you want allows you to choose your own hours.

4. Job Security

Regardless of how secure you think your teaching position is, if you’re working for someone else or are relying on rented space, it isn’t. Surprise lay-offs due to budgets are far too common and often strike during the worst times. If you rent space for your classes you may very well find yourself suddenly without a place if your landlord loses the building or otherwise must end your contract. Teaching online means you are self-employed. It is up to you to create lesson plans and find students but it also means that you’re responsible for your job security. No surprises!

5. Efficiency

Rather than spending half of your day commuting from lesson to lesson; instead you can schedule lessons online back to back.  All you need is enough time between lessons for a bathroom break and another cup of coffee and you are ready to go.  Less time driving means more time teaching or having fun.

Conclusion

Online teaching means organization is even more important to ensure your students have all the material required for a lesson. You might need to invest in extra equipment, such as a webcam and headset, if you don’t already have them on hand. You will also need to setup safe payment process, like PayPal for example. Despite these extra steps, teaching online can be a wonderful, freeing process that can match any lifestyle.  Even if you don’t wish to switch solely to online teaching, you might consider adding some aspects of it into your teaching lifestyle.

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