I applied as a part-time home-based English teacher in a company just recently. Last year, I already became interested to apply but didn't push through because I have a full-time job as a teacher in a school, and due to the pandemic, there were changes that I needed to adapt to and learn to do. So, I forego my initial application which basically is just to sign up on their website.
Anyway, the school year has "somewhat" ended in where I work right now. We had our last class during the third week of April, and completion of requirements was already made. I was able to submit the grades and all the necessary requirements to move forward. I don't want any backlog as much as possible, so, I really ensured that I'd be able to submit all of these requirements on or before April 30.
Before I walk you through my application journey, I would like to share that I applied for a scholarship outside the Philippines last February. I passed the initial document screening and the second screening process which is the interview last March. The final result though would be released by June and the expected departure is in October. Now, here comes my dilemma - I need to tell our principal that I applied for a scholarship, and final results will be out in June and the expected departure is in October and I still need to have a job during that time of waiting, if I get to be accepted. The scholarship training will last for 1.5 years and I am encouraged to be back to the institution or my home country to be able to apply these learnings from the training and share it with my colleagues. Thankfully, our school allows their permanent employees to apply for a sabbatical leave and embark on a different journey for a maximum of two years.
The principal congratulated me and wished me high hopes in my scholarship application, but the decision on my request is yet to be discussed with the other administrators. By this time, I was hopeful that they'd allow me to stay until the time of my departure.
Then, I received an email last April 29 telling me that my request to stay until the day of my "supposed" departure is denied because, as I may quote:
"We owe it to our students that their learning continuity is not disrupted in the middle of the school year."
This, I completely understood. This school year for the school was challenging, and next school year, the school is facing another major hurdle as many of our students who will be in SHS are planning to transfer to the school of their choice in college. I have big hopes for our school, and I know that we prepare students well, but the names of these other schools are more "palatable" as they are more known and established. Also, they have more money and power. They have nothing to lose.
Anyway, if there is a pa-consuelo, it is, and I quote:
"It will also be unfair to the teacher who will take on your load since there may be comparisons. As we all know, you are an excellent teacher. 🙂 "
The principal gave me an ultimatum until May 31 to decide.
Well, thank you for appreciating my work as a teacher. But I need work. I need something to sustain me before I leave (if ever). I actually am going to do this to improve myself so I can also help the school and my colleagues improve. But, well, I really understood where they're coming from. It will be highly unlikely to find a teacher replacement in the middle of the school year.
So, that same day when I received the email from the principal, I logged in to my account as an applicant to this online tutoring platform. I was thinking, I can work part-time and save up. This is the sigurista in me speaking. If I get to be accepted as an online tutor, then, come June, and the final result's out, I will still have something to do, something to take care of my finances. So, I proceeded and scheduled my initial interview for May 3 at 1:00 PM.
The next day, I replied to the principal (CC to the rest of the administrators) that I appreciate their being honest with me, but I requested an extension to have my decision, as the final results of the scholarship training will be out in June. Thankfully, the principal gave me until the last day of June to decide.
That means, whatever is the result of my scholarship, I will still have work, whether it be in my original school or as an online English tutor.
Come April 30, I received a text message from the online English tutorial company that I will have a short assessment on that day. Within minutes, and without taking a bath yet, I was assessed with two other applicants. I passed the short assessment and was invited to undergo my technical check in the afternoon. After the tech check, I was endorsed to the pre-service orientation at 6pm. After which, each applicant is asked when is the best time for us to have our training. I chose May 3 in the afternoon because I thought we are only going to choose which time, only to find out that May 3 is the start of the training schedule, and I can attend whatever date there is starting May 3.
So, I read and answered all the self-accessed modules that are needed for the 7 hour training. I also was able to upload the requirements, such as ID photo for my profile, a government-issued ID, an NBI clearance or an NBI clearance application evidence, an audio recording of my voice reading an introduction to myself script, and a copy of my college diploma.
In the evening of Sunday, May 2, I received a message from the trainer telling us that the "training" itself is the self-accessed modules and the "training" that we will be undergoing the next day is a mock demo, where we will be graded pass or fail to proceed to the next step of the application process.
I was shocked.
I don't have any teaching aids with me and the material was just given that night, and I thought I have little time to prepare. I need to have a good and attractive backdrop, visual learning aids like pictures, rewards, etc.
Thankfully, I have the night to prepare and the morning to print out the materials. My partner helped me with the design of my backdrop (Thankfully, he is a Fine Arts major!). I watched some YouTube videos telling some tips and tricks in the mock demo. So, I was able to make my script and practice, even just for a little while.
Then came May 3, I went out to print the copies of my teaching aids. My partner helped me set up my workstation and the backdrop, cooked good food for me before the actual mock demo. The demo is scheduled at 12:30 PM but we have to be online 30 minutes before. So, I was already online at 12:00. She gave the link at around 12:20 PM, and then we were at the online conference. We were around 22 at the online conference call.
The trainer first gave us some instructions and tips on what to be mindful of when we do our mock demo. After a few minutes, she had us grouped in pairs, to practice with each other. I was paired with an applicant from Isabela. We practiced and gave each other some advice on how to improve. After 30 minutes, we gathered again and then the trainer told us that we will be put in another room and wait for our turn to be evaluated.
It was a very long time of waiting for me. I think we were evaluated at around 4:30 PM. I waited for I think almost 3 hours.
Thankfully, I passed the mock demo. All the passers were put in a separate room. I counted, we were 9 all in all. From 22, down to 9. The trainer gave us the schedule of our final demo with another evaluator. She was so helpful! She also gave us tips on what to do during the final demo. She also presented the professionalism webinar and discussed important matters regarding our application.
So, now, here I am, preparing for my final demo, where I either make it or break it.
Wish me well! Thank you!
