Freelance Teacher in Vilnius, Lithuania

I messed up what day of the week it was today three times.
I also put a suger box in the fridge. Translate: I need a break.

The summer camp from hell is going on well in that respect that
it ends this week. I will be drinking all weekend for that very reason.
It is going on badly in that respect that kids from hell don’t want to
do anything. How am I supposed to keep them from killing
each other for 60min without actually doing stuff? We’ve watched
a video, we listened to their CD (Metallica?) and we tried to do
some handouts like wordsearches or crossowords. We can’t do any games
because there are too many of them, they move up the walls, they try to
hit somebody with a pencil (preferably, into the eye) or bite. Blowing a whistle
doesn’t help. I consider locking them up in the basement for the last lesson.

My other contract is going on well. I’ve got three group and each has five
lessons left. I informed them that during the last lesson we can a) do a test
b) drink coffee and eat cake.

Today we did an activity on ‘Wonderful Tonight’ song. Lately I started
enjoying doing songs in class. Of course, the content depends on the
students and these do appreciate songs. I had a chance to try out
a variety of warmers as well, plus reading strategies like kinaesthetic
reading race.

July was rich in private students’ calls. Since I cannot take them myself,
I passed them onto my Mum (a senior teacher of English). She’s trying to
get into teaching adults and learns her way by leaps and bounds. Today one
new student didn’t show up for the first lesson. I got two calls during my own
lesson that I skipped because I was working. This might have been the student
asking for directions. Why don’t some people look up their way before they go?
I have too much work to answer the calls.

Blah.

These are advertising tips for those who want to find private students
AND are working legally (with freelance permits or other paperwork from
tax inspection, this differs from place to place). My tips include publicising
your services so what I want the least is a tax inspector knocking at your door.

1. Advertise local Internet advertising pages. Make sure you put many
buzzwords in your adverts: x years of experience, education, such and
such certificates, a picture/photo of where you teach to show it’s not
a basement but a decent room, native speaker (if you are one). My
adverts are all the same placed on a variety of websites that offer free advertising:
A private teacher with x years of experience and M.A. teaches General,
Business, Conversation and ESP English lessons on private basis and in groups.
Teaching in your company is possible should you have 3-4 people to start
with. I sign contracts, write out a receipt. Rates for lessons are x to y.
Contact: xxxxx. Stating these things is essential because people have to see
that you know what you are doing. I see many illegally working teachers do
the same (and they undercut my rates!) but they usually don’t give guarantees,
live in sleeping districts, can have few lessons after work or late at night, etc.
My rate that is double than their draws attention to the advert

2. Set up a webpage. I have a basic one built by myself but it takes
wisdom to make it be pulled by Google when people are searching for
‘English lessons’, so I turned to a specialist for help and by September
I should have a professional ad-free website where I can advertise my
services. You can start with a blog, too. Make sure it’s named like ‘Private English
Teacher Diary’ or something like that, so search engines pull it up when people
enter keywords. Then go and post in other teacher’s blogs, leaving your name
and blog link I don’t mind exchanging blog links to be put on blogrolls.

3. The printed word. This can result in a) flyers in mailboxes of office buildings
or well-off residential areas that are annoying spam but sometimes is very effective
b) small coloured poster on the billboards in the streets, café notice boards,
other notice boards, bus stops (not sure the latter is legal, by the way!)
c) advertisement of the same content as in Step 1 but in a local newspaper.
Make sure you advertise in the beginning of a high season, it draws attention
(is in bold, etc) and you may want to give only your email because it’s possible
you receive tons of calls and your quiet life is over or you have another phone
for business. Some teachers have been rather sceptical about newspaper
advertising but it does show you’re serious.

4. Business cards. If you want to start it professionally, it’s a good idea to have
business cards. They are cheap to make yourself and not so expensive to have
them made and 100 cards in a set are usually too many for me. Make sure every
person who talks to you about lessons gets one (including those who decide not
to take your lessons) for future reference. Also, you can give a few to your friends
and colleagues so that they can pass them around for people who ask them if they
know somebody who could help them with their English. That’s what friends are for!
Surely, this method is not quick in feedback but it does work.

4. E-mail to local companies. Google up ‘yellow pages’ for companies located in
your area, find their websites/emails and send them a short message about who
you are and what you do. Don’t spam them with your CV or anything, just inquire
if they are interested. This method didn’t work for me but other teachers say
they got positive replies.

5. Your current students. They’ll advertise you anyway when they’re asked
about lessons but you can also tell them you’ll lower the rate per person if they
find and bring a friend or colleague with the same level of English.

The most important thing is to realize that it takes time to become established.
It may take up about two years until you have built up a certain reputation in
the field, drop-out students leave and the faithful ones stay, you can raise your
rates slightly, start turning down students you dislike as people and working
hours you want to work.

From 2008 autumn DELTA certificate course is going to be
modular. There will be 3 modules, each certified seperately,
and a certificate for a full DELTA will be given after completing
the three modules.

The website of Cambridge DELTA says it will give teachers
more flexibility and fit in with their career plan, but I disagree.

First of all, there is no centre for DELTA in Lithuania, that means that
I will have to go abroad for it. The nearest centre is in Poland. That means,
should I want a full DELTA (and not a modular one cert.) I will have to
travel three times. Also, the pay is different for modules and
now one module costs an arm and a leg! Plus, I will have to pay for
my accommodation, food and other stuff. What is more, I will
not be able to work during that time, so I will not earn anything.

To my mind, this is another money scam. I really wanted to do a
normal DELTA and was even saving for it but now I don’t see a
reason. I’d rather enter for a second Master’s degree. I already
know what I’d like- the faculty of Educology, Andragogics studies.
Now I have tod ecide whether to make it day or distance studies.

I’m about to survive my first week in the second summer camp.
The good news is that there are much smaller groups and
they’re slower, so we do less but it takes time. The bad news
is that it’s still hard work and kids aren’t motivated. It
cannot be helped. I try to pass my time and leave asap.
The little ones are a terrible mix from first to fourth graders,
so while some do handouts others get to colour pictures
(otherwise they burst into tears!). Sometimes I feel I am
very cruel by insisitng on correct spelling but if not me, who else?
What’s also good, I received my pay for the first camp.

My other work is slowly going forward too. I excpect to
start Present Simple with the two low-levels and
Present Continuous wth the higher-one. I’ve got
only one month left but that is manageable. What is
left to be desired is their actually learning new words by heart.
I hate to do all the speaking because they keep
ruffling their notes for that or another word.

There are also two or possibly three private students
who want lessons but I’m fully booked, so I will pass them onto
my Mom. I’m going to the local tax inspection tomorrow
to sort out the paperwork. I’m also seeing my dentist,
working and meeting a friend from Poland.

My toe stitches were removed yesterday and the doctor
will phone me in case my mole biopsy test was bad. I cannot
wait to go picking berries this weekend! Below you can see some
pictures of what our berries are like.

Yesterday I googled advertisment pages for work offers about
translating. One company replied with a trial translation. I think I
did it well but I will leave it for a couple of days to rest before
the final revision and sending. Translating isn’t my cup of tea
but when the season is low, ‘even a crab is a fish’.

I’m feeling very burnt-out. The second summer camp starts
next week and I don’t really want to do it. It’s a good job
with one or two clock hours per day only and it seems
that there will be less kids than in the previous camp, but my
motivation isn’t up. It’s unfair that teachers have to take up
classes they hate just because they need money.

I haven’t thought about my holidays yet. I’m going to
go to a gym and language courses (Italian or Japanese)
for my own pleasure. I can’t wait for August to come!

The good news is that I got another private students
who got my number at the summer camp I hate, so
it’s a bargain. The pay is good and the work isn’t a burden.

My mole was removed and I had my toe bandaged
again. The stitches are to be removed on Wednesday. I’m not
sure how I will be able to walk then but I cannot take
a sick-leave because I’ll lose my hours and my pay.

I am seriously planning to take on tons of work
beginning with September so that I could afford to leave on holidays
in July and August next year. My mom got her paycheck
today with her vacation money and we really need to
find her a second job soon. Luckily, there are still
one or two private students asking for lessons. Our rates
are low as compared to language courses.

Incoherent today, please do excuse me.

Even though everything I did during this weekend was to sit
with my bandaged toe up and watch TV (I am a proud
addict of Criminal Minds, the Foxcrime TV channel), the
world seems to turn quite the other way than I was
asking for.

First, from the 1st July my self-employed certificate will
double in price. With inflation as this, that will also mean
my school room’s rent will go up and the bills as well. Taking it
all into consideration, I will have to readjust my rates. I will
give up those students that attend only once a week in search
of those who can attend more. I will not raise my lesson fees
(though I’m charging way less than other schools) but I will
introduce a fee for photocopies made. I will also
advertise more to compile at least one group per term, then
4 daily private students will be enough. I am buying
stationery supplies in bulk.

The good news is that I have two ideas to work on.
The first idea is mine and evolves around a day centre
for children. I was surprised by the lists of the enrolled
students to the basketball summer camp (37 kids per group!)
and that hints at the new market. I imagine there kids would
be kept busy with lessons of English or French, music,
art, crafts, or something else until their parents pick them up.
The centre is packed with such places but the new districts
are bare. However, I don’t like kids (it’s mutual mutilation)
and as my old friend says’ there is a kid-there is a problem’.
Hopefully, those problem’s parents pay.

The other idea is that of my friends. He is suggesting starting
a course of distance online learning. It is all in a plan phase
and there are many things to look into, so I won’t talk more
about that.

All I know is that the next time I go shopping I will
not look into the price of bread or else I may get a heart
attack, and I am not covered for a sick-leave even though
I pay my taxes. Welcome to Lithuania.

According to the new law, this autumn is when a foreign
language is introduced in the second grade. Until then it was
only in the secondary level and in the primary level if the
parents asked for it. Now it is going to be compulsory, though
many schools had it anyway. This is a chance for primary teachers
without English and English teachers without primary teacher’s
qualifications to obtain new competences in different courses.

I am also looking into gaining another degree in educology, such
as androgogics (spelling?) but then again it will be paid studies
and I doubt they will be highly useful. Maybe it’s time to study
something I want, not something I need? That will make
me somewhat happier, I guess.

I have a plan to go to a teacher development course in
England next year. I am saving for that because I don’t
think that applying for grants is very effective. At the same
time it will be a chance to see London, finally! Not that I
am craving for it, but that would be interesing.

So, today I had a mole on my toe removed and sent
for a biopsy. I have to keep my leg up for some time,
so I had planned this surgery before St. John’s
festivities that account for another extended weekend.

I still have my two summer contracts and a couple
of old private students. I get some call about July
lessons so I take it my business is going well.

I bought New Headway Advanced all set and with this
I completed the set of my coursebooks. I was
interested in getting Aviation English for my own
pleasure but it was too expensive, 80 litas! With
inflation up like this, I think I do need to obtain as much
books and materials as I can before they become more
expensive in autumn. When I leave for August holidays,
I will have time to spend at the bookshops and
screen for good investment.

Now, have fun searching for the blossom of
‘papartis’! Fern blossom is said to bring extreme luck
to the person who finds it. However, this plant never
blossoms. However, this is not a hindrance for a try!

(Original picture location: http://www.gamtosproduktai.lt/lt/info/alb/2007/2007_II)

Well, just thought to update the world about my life.
First of all, my summer camp for kids is halfway through.
The kids are a noisy lot but we are managing so far. I
feel bad about using too much paper with them as
they use up five or six handouts per lesson and there
are 30 of them in each group (I’ve got 3 groups). I
would love to make them do something but they just scream,
run around,throw pencils at each other and leave a mess
after them. I try not to take things too personaly as
it’s just a summer camp and I’m not expected to teach
anything, just keep them from killing somebody.

Next, my work contract at a rehabilitation centre for
disabled people was signed and I strated my work there.
Transportation to and from leaves a lot to be desired.
They try to support me with copies and equipment, so
I can’t complain about that. What I don’t like is what
turns out to be a free attendance system. Today I had
one person in my group in their third lesson who came
for the first time and we dealing with irregular past.
Moments like this I feel I am not made to teach.

My plans don’t change: two contracts and many individual
students. My June is filled in so much that some students will have
to change their timetables because I cannot take them at their
usual time. July is also half-filled owing to the two contracts.

What bothers me at the moment is that I went to a plastic surgeon
for a third opinion about a mole on my toe. He recommended surgical removal
with testing it for cancer. That’s 500 litas (1/3 of my salary) and it’s on
June 20th. So, cross your fingers for me!