Written by: Elizabeth Jamison

Jennifer had been mentally outlining her novel for years, but with her hectic schedule, she never managed to find the time to write. Suzanne dreamed of running her own business, but was afraid to leave the comfortable safety of her current, stagnant job. At sixty-two, Joe was tired of the rat-race. He wanted “out” but didn’t know how to get there. Beth was a high school teacher, and although she loved teaching, she was tired of the endless bureaucracy and after-hours work that went along with the job.

Many hard-working people today are starting to lose hope in their own personal American Dream. It’s not because they don’t have goals and aspirations. In fact, it’s just the opposite. For those of us who dream big, sometimes it is simply too painful to allow “big” thoughts to enter our minds when we are at our everyday job. We are adults after all–adults with responsibilities.

51Talk has given countless people across the world the power to discover a way to find their true purpose. So, if you are interested in helping people a world away while doing what you love, keep reading!

If you’ve ever worked a full-time job, you know how comfortable a regular paycheck can be. Many people are afraid to leave their jobs because of the financial risk, but working for 51Talk is a different kind of home-based business. Why? It’s risk-free. With a steady flow of students and dollars into their teachers’ hands, 51Talk is making it possible for all kinds of people to follow their dreams.

Monetary Online Teaching Benefits
No Risk, Steady Money: When new teachers finish their training, which takes about two weeks, and open their timeslots for students, they are guaranteed to get customers. Period. There is no risk. In fact, the problem that most new teachers (myself included) encounter is having too much work that first week. Most teachers have no idea that their schedule will book as quickly as it does. Additionally, the fee schedule is steady; teachers get paid once each month for their last month’s completed lessons and can easily track how much money they are making. I love this feature, because I get to watch my earnings increase after every session—talk about intrinsic motivation!

Online Teaching Benefits: Flexibility
Convenient Hours: Teaching online means teaching when it is convenient for you, and that equals freedom! If you are a morning person, you can start your day at 5:00 AM and end it any time you want. If you have been daydreaming about finally having time to “write that book” or “start that business” then here is an answer. With 51, there is more time to do what you want, when you want. Teachers at 51 may also choose to work a full-time day, weekends, or at night. It is up to them.

Online Teaching Benefits: No Lesson Plans
NO lesson-planning; NO grading: What??? I know…most teachers shrink back in fear when they imagine the hours of time spent in planning the most interesting lessons and in grading those endless stacks of papers. Well, say “Goodbye” to all that hard work! With 51, all you are required to do is show up on time, look professional, make sure your equipment is working, and teach your heart out. There is no work before or after each lesson. No grading. No planning. And that means more time for you.

Online Teaching Benefits: Still Making a Difference
Helping the Kids: The one thing that most people want in life is fulfillment, and with 51 Talk, we get to help students of all ages to communicate. We get to share in their successes, we get to support them, and we get to learn about a new culture. Some people even find that with 51Talk, they are realizing their dreams.

This article is part of our thought-leadership series about online teaching. If you are interested in learning more about online teaching at 51Talk, please visit this page for information.

Written by: Elizabeth Jamison
51Talk Teacher
Editor/WriteWord Editing & Writing Services, LLC