Freelance Teacher in Vilnius, Lithuania

My life’s flowing quietly and peacefully. I have my private students
and my college students to keep me busy. My income is getting a bit
better with a few students willing to have lessons three times a week.
That means working on Fridays but since it’s my preparation day and
I have to go to the office, I don’t mind having a few morning lessons.
My problem is I cannot say no to money at this stage of my career.

This week I have attended two teacher development seminars. One
was held by OUP and aimed at Business English. The gratis book we
got was Business Result Upper-intermediate. It contains a CD (they
must have forgotten to rip it off :D) with listenings tracks, so it’s a gem.
The other seminar was by Pearson Education and was aimed at
exam classes. The gratis book is called Premium. I need to have a
closer look at it. It’s got a CD-ROM so that’s a plus.

Using the discounts they gave during the seminar, I bought
‘Across Cultures’, a one-level book with a CD and a Teacher’s book
to supplement my lessons on different cultural topics.

I keep going to my Italian lessons. The method used is by all means
not communicative and the majority of the time is taken by L1 being
used to introduce new grammar and vocabulary. I still need to decide
if I like it or not. Also, there’re special membership tickets at the Italian
centre of culture for those who want to borrow books and watch Fridays’
films at their place. I still need to find time and go there to have more info.

The coming Friday is important because it’s a double celebration: my birthday
(on the 15th) and one year of my self-employment. I will give a pot-luck party to
my students and friends.

englishdroid, where ARE you?
http://www.englishdroid.com/node/519

I revised my rates and increased the price for individual lessons by 10 Litas.
My October timetable is crazy, I work from 9.00 to 21.00 with a lunch break
and short coffee breaks. I expect a long and barren summer plus the winter
break is never easy, so I need all the money that comes in.

I am happy to say that (after upgrading to a paid domain, too) the
number of emails/calls is very big and I cannot accommodate all students, so
I keep a waiting list. Naturally, many want to study after work, that is, 5 or 7
p.m. and that time slot is almost always taken.

The turnover is not high so far but I expect it with some students who
aren’t really putting English lessons as their priority. For example, I have an
elementary group that wants lessons once a week because the other day
is ‘good for leaving’. Talk about progress! But this time I’m getting less
ambitious and more practical-even if it’s an affair for one month, it’s
a cash affair, isn’t it?

This post refers to those students who sign up to attend an
interview, you agree about the time and the price, you even
prepare for the first lesson and then suddenly they call to cancel the
whole thing. They give a variety of reasons ranging from a business trip
to having found something cheaper. Today I had to of them.

Next time a person comes for an interview I will charge a fee. I will
deduct it from the first month’s total. I am sick and tired of people
who suck my time and effort.

Well, the weather is not communicative enough to do something else
but sit and browse the Internet, tracking down all ‘English teacher
needed’ adds in the country and boosting my ego-self with the fact
that they need me and I can say no. Bear with me, I have my reasons.

Another thing is that I signed up for Italian lessons. I will have
lessons Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7.30 pm to 9 pm. The time is
a bit late but if I can pull a group for my 5-8.30 pm slot, that
will be worth it.

There will be coming a few more people for an interview/placement test
next week. That will make me a couple of hundred litas richer, so I don’t mind.
I have only one slot free anyway, and that’s morning time. I’ve got
a few colleagues in the same business, so we share students we cannot
timetable ourselves. So many people woke up to find they need
lessons after 5 pm! This time has been booked since August, for that matter.
A rude awakening for some folks who still don’t get the importance of
private tutoring and expect to have a private tutor at their door whenever
they wish. HHAHAHHA!!!

Next, there will be a conference for business English teachers in Vilnius.
That’s on the 9th of September, a Thursday. Some people think
other people don’t have to go to work, eh? This publishing house
has been organizing their events on working days for I don’t know
how many years, that’s so embarassing. However, it’s better than
having to come on a Saturday. The point is, WHO IS GOING TO
COVER YOUR CLASSES?

Yada yada yada.

Okay, I’m still alive and kicking. That’s good news.

My private students are filling up spaces in my timetable. I hope there
will be fewer cancellations of agreements but new students will have
to pay for their interviews, that’s decided.

My college groups are a mix of something. They’re only a couple of
years my juniours so it’s tricky to establish discipline. However, my job is
to make sure the educational process goes on, so I’m not going
to worry myself over their progress, should they decide they don’t need any.

The first official week of work has almost passed. This is what I have at the
moment: 6 private students who have paid for this month. That means they will
attend, hopefully. Then, a couple of lessons at a college in their business
studies faculty for evening and distance students. I have also
received my bill for the office, bah. And a couple of cancellations of agreed
timetables, which hints at starting to charge for interviews.

An abundance of teachers have advertised online and I have left a few
comments there asking if they have tax inspection’s permits. That should scare
their adds away, I hope. I have fixed rates and I don’t want to lower them
not even for one Litas, better I’d stay at home in bed.

Now I’m trying to sort out a lesson for the evening group (one a week,
18.00-19.30, 27 people -TWENTY SEVEN!!!-, small classroom) from
Market Leader Intermediate. It’s Unit 7 for Wednesday. I also need
to make copies for their individual reading and activities folder
to be left in the library, but copies are for free for the teachers
there, so all I need to do is to pull together a nice selection on
activities on advertising management.

Lately I’ve been troubled with the idea that I don’t want and it will
really not be possible to teach for a profession for ever, so
I’d need to have another qualification, something that English
would be a plus to. I still need to work for this idea.

So far, so good. Could be better, though.

8:45 a.m. I switch on my mobile and I get an SMS from a friend
that a college is looking for teachers of English.
9:00 a.m. I drink my morning coffee and send my CV.
9:15 a.m. I get a call from the college. We arrange a meeting at 12.00.
I am officially employed at about 12.45.

YATTA!

Who: students of distance studies and two classes of evening students.
Distance students will attend for two weeks from time to time and
evening classes will be on Wednesdays 18.00-21.05. My grandma lives
across the street, too, so very convenient to sleep over.

Why: the pay is low but I have social security and will not need
to pay over 2,000Lt for that annually myself. I can still work freelance
or self-employed as I have time for that during mornings and afternoons. Plus,
they have many projects to take part in that result in higher pay and
exchange projects.

When: starting next Wedensday. On Monday there’s a reception for their staff.

A couple of calls and some new private students enrolled.

Not bad for one day.

OKay, so here are some things that happened in my life and which
I burn with desire to share.

First of all, the school year starts on the 1st September
(next Monday) and the demand for state school teachers
is evident. The magazine “Veidas” published statistics:
Sept.1 2006- full time teachers needed 398, part-time
teachers needed 594, Sept.1 2007- full time teachers needed 574,
part-time teachers needed 679. Over 2, 000 teachers
graduate from Vilnius pedagogical university but few go to
work in schools. As far as English teachers are concerned,
the same source states that a few years ago full and part-time teachers
of English needed were 171 and last year-208.

One reason to account (of so many!) is the fact that teacher
salaries are below the level of horror. A qualified (M.A.) senior
teacher of English with 15+ years of experience with 25 contact hours
per week (that amount to 36 paid hours that include preparation, exams,
correction, audit, term plans etc.) earns roughly 500 Euros net per month.
That’s 7 lessons 5 days a week, different classes of up to 18 kids.

Another amusing thing was an email I got a few days ago:
“Hi! I am from COMPANY NAME REMOVED. We would like to hire experienced
tutors/teachers on to teach others in your area. Here is how it will work. We
will hire you and try to find jobs for you. You will give us your rate per hour.
You will get to keep 80% of the money. We will keep the other 20% for our site
and staff needs. If you are interested, please reply as soon as possible. Thank
You.”

My reply was I’d rather find a job myself (given the demand for teachers, it’s easy,
the very problem is finding a job that is paid well)
and keep 100% to myself. Their reply was I lost a good deal of teaching online
and earning loads of money. I didn’t reply to that.

My private students are filling up bit by bit.

Okay, so here’s some briefing about my life for the past couple of days.
First, the complaint with the travelling company was placed. They
refused to refund but we agreed about a 15% discount for another
trip that doesn’t exceed 1,000Lt. I find it agreeable. I mean, you pay
cheap and you get cheap.
Second, I didn’t call back about my second job offer. I have my
private students filling times like noon and after, so I’d rather have
a long sleep than a couple of early lessons at that place. Yes, I’m a lazy cow,
that cannot be helped.
Third, I gave an advertisement in a newspaper but they put my email wrong.
I went to complain and got a free add next week, but made up that wrong email
account anyway. Yahoo rulez V.
Fourth, I ordered my Mom’s business cards. Had to go and complain two times
because they kept printing them with mistakes. On Monday they have to be ready
for the third time. Not much of use since it’s a teacher conference day.
Fifth, Lithuanian basketball team lost to Spain and now will meet
Argentina for the bronze medal. Hrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I updated my website. English version is under construction. I need
to work with the content first but I hope that interested parties can find me
via my blog. Moving onto a professional design is still on hold.

Here are some pics for you. Enjoy.

That’s an updated pic of my office.

Flowers at my aunt’s place

‘Bean’ the dog, enjoys car ride.

Vilnoja Stone Sculpure Park