👩‍🏫 How I Became an English Teacher (This is how I really talk) | Advanced English Podcast

Summary

In this candid and unscripted video, the speaker shares their journey to becoming an English teacher and content creator. Starting in 2018 at a local bookstore in Kentucky, they transitioned to online English teaching while pursuing a master's degree and navigating a long-distance relationship. After moving to Florida in late 2019 and experiencing the pandemic, they explored different teaching platforms before ultimately becoming a private teacher. The video highlights the challenges of online teaching, administrative work, and content creation, while emphasizing the freedom, fulfillment, and creativity they now enjoy. The speaker also reflects on future plans, including courses, workshops, and expanding their reach to help more learners.

Takeaways

• 😀 I started working at a bookstore in Kentucky in 2018, which was my first real job and I loved it.
• 😀 I met my husband in 2018 and we did long-distance dating for over a year before I decided to move to Florida.
• 😀 When I moved to Florida, I needed to find a new job, which led me to explore remote English teaching online.
• 😀 I worked as an online English teacher while also pursuing my master's degree, teaching early in the morning to students in China.
• 😀 Teaching on an online platform became soul-sucking as most of my students didn’t want to be there, so I switched to another platform that allowed me to teach a wider variety of students.
• 😀 I left the online teaching platform in 2025 after they increased their commission rates from 15% to 21%, which felt too high.
• 😀 Now, I teach 100% privately, which gives me more control over my schedule, fees, and student interactions.
• 😀 I no longer charge extra administrative fees to my students, unlike the platform where I worked before, and I pay any merchant fees myself.
• 😀 I aim to expand my services through courses, workshops, or group classes to reach more people and continue growing as a content creator.
• 😀 Managing both private teaching and YouTube content creation is overwhelming, especially with video editing, but I'm hopeful to eventually hire a video editor to help.
• 😀 2025 has been a wild year for me, but I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities that have come my way, and I feel fulfilled by helping people.

Q & A

Why did the speaker decide to speak in her normal voice instead of her 'teacher voice'?

She wanted to show her real self and speak naturally, without the formal tone she usually uses on her YouTube channel.

What was the speaker’s first real job, and how did she feel about it?

Her first real job was at a local independent bookstore in Kentucky, working in the kids’ department. She really enjoyed it and liked the people she worked with.

How did the speaker meet her husband, and what impact did that have on her career?

She met her husband in 2018 while working at the bookstore. They dated long-distance, and eventually, she moved to Florida to be with him, which prompted her to look for new job opportunities.

Why did the speaker choose to start teaching English online?

She wanted a remote job and was inspired by a friend’s mom who successfully taught English online. She also already had experience working with kids at the bookstore.

What challenges did she face while teaching English on the first platform?

Many students didn’t want to be there and were forced by their parents, which made teaching feel soul-sucking despite her popularity as a teacher.

How did her teaching career evolve after switching platforms in 2021?

She began teaching a mix of kids and adults from various countries, which she enjoyed more because the students were genuinely interested in learning.

What major events happened in January 2025 for the speaker?

She went viral on YouTube and was transitioning all her students from a teaching platform to private teaching, which was very stressful.

Why did she decide to leave the teaching platform and go fully private?

The platform increased its commission from 15% to 21%, which she refused to pass on to her students. Private teaching gave her more control, freedom, and fairness in pricing.

What are the advantages of private teaching according to the speaker?

She has more control over her schedule, her students pay only her fees, she can reschedule classes more easily, and she gets paid directly when students book.

What are her future goals in content creation and teaching?

She wants to expand her reach through YouTube, courses, workshops, and group classes, which could allow her to hire a video editor and create more content.

How does the speaker feel about her current life and career compared to working in an office?

She feels grateful and fulfilled living a creative life helping people, rather than being in a cubicle, even though it is stressful at times.

Does the speaker believe her way of speaking in this video is more advanced than her usual content?

Yes, she mentions that her normal way of speaking is closer to advanced English, although she still speaks clearly and avoids mumbling.