How To Inject Fun In Every Lesson

Being an Online English Tutor, in whatever platform is one of the toughest jobs in the world. Imagine teaching students from all ages with varying culture and personalities. Sometimes, if not most of the times, we encounter difficult to handle students. Some would even question our ability in the language, tend to be rude and disrespectful at times and worst give you a poor rating that can affect your overall standing in the platform. Only the tough ones will remain if that's the case. If you're a newbie you will get discourage and stamp a fright on your head in plotting your next class schedules.

In many situations, in any job, we usually encounter dilemmas. However, these shouldn't stop us from doing the job or doing the best we can for the job. It's hard at first! Yes, who said it isn't? The first step is always the hardest, just cross the bridge and overcome. How do we handle difficult situations? How do we face difficult students?  

Let's all face it, difficult people and situations are everywhere. Yes, we can be affected by them at some point, but we need to get used to their presence. Be immune and think of ways how to handle them.

Some of us are having a hard time handling with kids, especially those kids who lack focus. They tend to do something else instead of listening and focusing on the material. In this situation, always remember that kids are kids, just let them be. If they don't want to follow the material, then focus on what they are currently doing. If they're into drawing, ask them to do draw something. You can even play, sing and dance with them. Just keep asking them questions so that they will also practice their speaking ability, still, you are in the game of making them practice and speak the language.

Change the atmosphere. Most of the students are actually from a heavy and serious task at school or work. So, on set of the lesson, change the mode. Praise them for a great smile, appreciate their loud and audible voice or cute voice. You can even crack jokes during the small talk and self introduction. Just be human, I mean be natural. The ESL platform is way beyond the four corners of the virtual lesson room, it's preparing the students for an engaging English conversation in the future. So, talk like you are having a normal conversation with them. 

In my five years in the industry, to be honest, I'm not really that proficient in the language, grammar and vocabulary are my weaknesses. However, experience helped me. I have already encountered difficult to handle students, I was even reported and my attention was called by the support team. Tough times, indeed. 

In general, students love to learn and at the same time have fun. Most of my 5-star ratings are because of injecting fun in the lessons. Here are few of my actual lessons where me and my students are just having fun while learning, watch it here:  

No Show Scenarios In Engoo

When a student is unable to attend the lesson due to various reasons, then, it will be tagged as  a "No Show". To some ESL platforms this is a dilemma because tutors will not be be paid in half or worst in full. It's totally a waste of time for any tutor. 

However, in Engoo it is a happy pill. Why? Lessons tagged as a no show will be paid as if they were fully conducted. Additionally, for tutors like me who plot consecutive lessons, it is a moment to breathe, and a time to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.

In my experience, I had a multi-booking no shows, three straight paid lessons in a row. Imagine that! I even had a student who kept on booking but not attending as shown in the picture below:

Here's one more thing, to tag a lesson as a "no show" is a "no sweat" for tutors. You know why? Because the system does it. No need to send speed test results, messages to the student, or even explain what happened to the "Tutor Support". So we leave it all to the system. 

But of course, there are some things about it that a tutor must remember and be aware of, especially in handling them while on the lesson time. There are cases or scenarios that a class to be tagged as a "no show". Actually, I made a video in my channel to discuss all these cases and scenarios. Please watch it here:

 

How To Avoid or Lessen The Class Cancellation Penalty in Engoo

Sometimes things don't go according to plan. There are situations that we are not in control of. You opened classes, got fully-booked, all of sudden, boom - power interruption!!! Then your daily schedule will turn into red.

ISP downtimes, power outages, natural disasters, sickness etc. are some of the reasons why we need to cancel classes. Sometimes, we find the material too difficult to handle and filed a class cancellation, haha, who's guilty?..... I am, I did that couple of times when I was new in the industry. 

Class Cancellation is a headache for all ESL teachers because it is subject to monetary penalties depending on the nature of cancellation that was incurred. It can also affect overall standing in the platform. 

However, understanding the guidelines for cancellation will ease the monetary burden that class cancellations may result to. In Engoo, we are lucky because we have a company that is very considerate to waive the penalties as long as we have valid reasons. 

By the way, I made a video discussion on how to avoid or lessen the effect and penalty accompanying the class cancellation as well as its guidelines.

Please watch the video here: 

How To Make Engoo Lesson Notes In One Minute

Can we finish the tutoring and lesson notes within the five-minute break? Can we actually do it in one minute? In ESL platform, as tutors, we need to provide the most timely and comprehensive lesson notes for the students to review at their convenience. 

Most students, if not all, are actually looking forward for the lesson notes from their tutors. At some point, it can also become their basis for a rating. We have the whole 24 hours to submit the lesson notes. However, sometimes, students will complain if you can not submit the notes in the fastest possible way they want.

To answer the questions above, yes we can finish the tutoring notes within the prescribed five-minute break or even finish it in one minute. Just look at the picture below, I have completed all the prior lesson notes before I finish the last lesson. I've been in the industry for quite a while now, so experience really helped me. 

 

I find it really time-consuming if we will write the lesson notes at the end of the last lesson or the next day. Actually, my wife does, hahaha, she even forgot to make the lesson notes, 24 hour have passed already. We have to remember that "no lesson notes, no pay". But, Engoo is very considerate, just make sure to send it right after the e-mail reminder from the support team.

By the way, I made a video discussion about tutoring and lesson notes and how you can accomplish it in one minute. Here's the video:

How To Increase Bookings In Engoo

To maintain a high booking rate is the ultimate goal for any tutors. In this manner, we will have a stable supply of students and above all - a sufficient income. 

In my own experience, I started with having a very low booking and I thought that's normal. For some- yes it is. However, in the case of my wife, of course, we're all in this together, from the application and up until now. When she plotted her schedules for the very first time, she got full bookings, amazing right! In my excitement, no, not really, actually, I was very nervous doing my first ever lesson, to top it all, it's a free conversation lesson. I don't want to go back to that situation again.

With nerves overall my body, I plotted my first ever schedules, I plotted eight slots, so brave of me, hahaha...you just don't know how I felt that moment I ticked the time schedule and clicked the "update" button. So, I waited. To make the long waiting short, I didn't get any bookings, surprise!!! To be honest, I did not feel any disappointments because during that time, Engoo encourages newbies to open a schedule and you get paid even if you don't have bookings.

The next day,  I opened again another eight slots and got one booking, thank God. I don't usually get full bookings, unlike my wife, every day she always felt the exhaustion because of  full bookings. 

Then I started looking into the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars to uncover the reasons why my wife always got full bookings and I don't. And, they answered, "Maybe your wife is more pleasing than you are?". ha-ha...just kidding....but actually, that's what I really thought. I married a beautiful wife, so, it was my fault. The end of the story. Haha!!!

Kidding aside, there are reasons why other teachers get full bookings and others don't. I made a video to uncover these reasons. Please watch the video below.

 

How To Get and Issue an Official Receipt for Non VAT Taxpayers

One of our responsibilities as an Engoo Tutor is Tax Compliance. As a registered professional it is our prime responsibility to adhere to tax laws, memorandum, circulars and new policies. 

Issuance of Official Receipt is one of those important things that a tutor must comply. Every pay day, we are required to issue Engoo the receipt especially if we have availed the 0% tax. 

For newly accepted tutors and who are not registered in the BIR, you can include the request for an Official Receipt together with your Application for Registration (COR and SD), here's the link how: https://youtu.be/TrmQ3Z15-l0 

By the way, here's how to register for an Official Receipt:

• Fill-out  three (3) copies of form 1906 or the Application for Authority to Print (ATP) Receipts and Invoices. Also, bring a copy of your COR or BIR form 2303 and 0605.
• Submit them to your RDO and you have to wait up to two (2) weeks for the ATP to be released.
• If you already have the ATP, look for a BIR accredited printing press to arrange the printing of your Official Receipt. 
• It may take Ten (10) to Fifteen (15) working days for the release of your receipt. You can request for it to be rushed because you have a deadline to comply. 

Here's my filled-out official receipt as a sample and for your perusal. This is how you fill out your official receipt as a Non VAT Taxpayer.

I actually made a detailed video discussion about how to get and issue an official receipt. 

Disclaimer: This material is for training purposes only. Any conflict between this material with the Revenue Regulations, Memorandum Orders, Memorandum Circulars, Tax Advisories, and the TRAIN Law (R.A. 10963), the latter shall prevail.

Fo more information please visit the BIR website here: https://www.bir.gov.ph/

How To Acquire COR and SD | How To Avail 0% Tax

One of our responsibilities as ESL Tutors is Tax Compliance. However, some of us are hesitant to register and comply because of the tedious process of registration, filing and payment.

Actually it's really challenging to file for registration at first. The first year is going to be hard because you need to learn and undergo the laborious process plus the difficulty of understanding tax and accounting parlance, unless you pay for an accountant or bookkeeper to work for you. But, the next years are going to be a piece of cake and that's a guarantee. 

Alright, to make it simple and easy, let's focus on two things first - COR and SD. These are the documents you need to process especially if you want to avail the 0% withholding tax. Here are the sample copies of the documents for your reference:

By the way, I made a video how to acquire and process the Certificate of Registration (COR) and Notarized Sworn Declaration (SD) of Gross Receipts/Sales. Please watch the video here:

Disclaimer: I'm not working in the BIR and also not providing accounting, bookkeeping or tax services. What I shared in this video is my own personal experiences when I applied as a professional to the BIR and followed the steps in acquiring the COR and SD. The video is for training purpose only. Any conflict between this video with Revenue Regulations, Memorandum Circulars, Tax Advisories and the TRAIN Law (R.A. 10963), the latter shall prevail.

For more information about taxes please visit their website here: https://www.bir.gov.ph/ . You can also get information from the Engoo website, just go to the "Announcement" or "Help" section and look for an article about withholding tax. 

Hope you find this video helpful. God bless you all!!!