Business
Transparent and Honest Reviews from Educators Teaching on Outschool Part III
I have always tried to remain neutral in my opinion about Outschool. Just like any company, there will be pros and cons. I wrote about both in my previous blog posts (Part One and Part Two). When the pandemic hit, Outschool experienced major growth and had to pivot like many other businesses.
But, has this growth and scaling hurt the platform?
More often than not, I get asked, “Is the platform oversaturated?” Being consider as one of the top earning teachers on the platform, I am used to getting DMs from new teachers or those that are interested in applying after they read an article I was featured in speaking about the company. However, I don’t think those are the right questions. The real questions have to be about the individual. For example, are they ready to teach online, are they prepared to take on this opportunity and treat it like a business or is it just a side hustle, how much time are they willing to invest in growing on and off the site?
Unlike my previous blog posts, I am including reviews from other teachers on the platform. I made a post in one of Outschool’s Facebook groups and had several people that were willing to share their insights about teaching on Outschool.
They all have their own experiences of the good and not so great that they were willing to share, and I am excited to share their stories here along with my own insights. Checkout some of the responses below…
***Disclaimer***
The responses from the teachers are solely their own and do no reflect my thoughts, feelings, or beliefs. For the sake of full transparency, the responses are completely unedited.
Susannah O’Brien – A Teacher in the UK
- How long have you taught on the platform? Since September 2020
- What has your experience been like (great, not so great, any challenges)?
I’ve genuinely loved the opportunity to teach and connect with kids all over the world. I’m in the UK, so initially used to teach mainly in the evenings to reach the American market. But after a few months I began to get requests from families in Asia, and I started offering classes then too. Once my youngest kid started school, I transitioned to only teaching during the daytime (in the UK) so now I reach very few American families. Most of my learners are based in Asia. It’s been really interesting seeing my classes evolve for different markets. I love it!
- What tip/advice would you give someone that wants to teach on the platform?
(a) Support and Safety are on your side – use them! I’ve only had a handful of times to contact Safety when something a bit scary has happened, but honestly they’ve been amazing. So quick to respond and take charge of the situation.
(b) Don’t be afraid to charge your worth. I have a Masters from Oxford, a professional teaching qualification, over 15 years of teaching experience. I now charge a comparatively high price ($27 for 40 minute group classes) but I’ve got lots of learners and I’m meeting my targets.
(c) Keep your boundaries. If a parent asks you to run a class, and you are willing and able, then that’s great. But don’t run yourself ragged setting up a class at a low price for a parent that might not end up enrolling. One of the joys of Outschool is that you create the class, and you control the timetable!
- Share your info (link to your classes and any other information you’d like readers to know about you).
- How long have you taught on the platform? Since March 2020, although I had registered to teach in July 2019 and hadn’t made the move until I was forced to change what I was doing with the shutdown. I was interested in how it worked but kept putting off starting because I had a hard time wrapping my head around how I’d teach such a hands-on subject virtually. It turns out it is not hard at all!
- What has your experience been like (great, not so great, any challenges)? My experience has been great. It picked up immediately and I discovered that I absolutely love to teach virtually. I didn’t know how I would do it at first, being an art teacher who never sat down in my classroom. I have become very organized and have all supplies within reach and find it a much easier and more relaxing way to teach. Lately, enrollments have gone down, so I now teach in-person part-time in different ways again, but I also have not worked very hard to promote or change what I was doing with the way the teaching landscape has changed this year. So many of my students went back to school so my goal for 2023 is to really look at who my audience is now and how I can reach the students who are in school but don’t feel like enough is offered there.
- What tip/advice would you give someone that wants to teach on the platform? Be yourself. There are a lot of other teachers out there but reviews and parent feedback about why they stay are always about the interactions I have with the students while I’m bringing value to them in what I’m teaching. I know they can choose others but getting to know my students and making connections is key. Finding your core group leads to loyal students and recommendations.
Daniel Grissom – Find What Works Best for You
- How long have you taught on the platform?
I’ve been teaching since December 2020.
- What has your experience been like (great, not so great, any challenges)?
My experience has been great. The challenge at first was finding the types of classes families wanted most. As someone who loves to teach lots of things, I felt pulled in different directions at first. First, I niched down too specifically, then I generalized too broadly, but after a few months, I had classes filled with students learning about the topics they loved and I enjoyed teaching.
- What tip/advice would you give someone that wants to teach on the platform? Study what other successful Outschool teachers are doing in terms of their classes offered, sections available, thumbnails, pricing, etc. and try to replicate it, while still maintaining your own unique style.
Teacher J – Have a Backup
- I’ve taught for 2 years and 4 months on Outschool.
- I love teaching the students and setting my own schedule! I think Outschool needs to do better on technology assistance for the teachers. I used to teach for an ESL company and I would give them permission to access my laptop remotely and they could identify what the technology problems were. I wish OS could do this! Another thing that has contributed to low enrollment is that OS has chased many religious families (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, etc. ) from the platform because of refusal to list any religious classes on OS, when classes about Drag Queen story time and witches are perfectly ok. Highlighting Pride month every June is repugnant to these families. Also, if OS wants to attract more enrollments, they need to set up a mirror website so we can teach adults, too! We already have a ready-made clientele with so many OS parents who would love to sign up for adult classes!
- Currently, because the enrollment is so low, a teacher starting out on OS better have another source of income. New teachers need to expect this to start out as a part-time gig.
Before I dive in, I want to add something that I ALWAYS say, no matter how great a platform is, if you want to approach this as a business, it is always best to have your own.
Pros
-Teaching on Outschool is a great way to share your knowledge with students from around the world. As one of the first teachers on Outschool, I have had an amazing experience. I’ve also been able to make a decent income and gain amazing connections through the platform.
-The platform that provides exposure, flexibility, and a safe learning environment. With Outschool, teachers create classes and select their own rate. They are allotted a certain percentage of the rate when students sign up for the class and receive funds quickly and directly into their Paypal account.
-Teachers get to set their own prices, develop their own curriculum, and choose their hours.
Outschool has implemented additional training opportunities to teachers which only helps create more quality courses.
Before I get to my cons, check out some of these educators’ stories…
Molly McGill – Teach What You Love
- How long have you been teaching on the platform? I started in Summer 2018 and have been active ever since!
- What has your experience been? I have had a wonderful experience working on Outschool and recommend it to friends and family all the time. The kids and families are generally wonderful. There have been moments of frustration, but no more than any other job I would say. I feel like having control of my own schedule, classes, and content makes any frustration fairly palatable.
- What advice would I give? 2020 was a firecracker for enrollments and the platform was chaos because of the scheduling. However, things have died down as students go back to school and there is an unrealistic expectation that enrollments are just automatic. My advice? Be patient. When I first started it took me three months to get a single enrollment and six months to have a full class. I have also found my own niche on Outschool and only teach what I love. The more passionate you are, the more likely students are to stick with you. I know it is sort of cheesy and said all the time, but teach what you love!
- I am an art historian and former college professor focusing on art history and college preparation for ages 12+ on Outschool!
Ashley Anne Kirk – Teaching Music All Over the World from Home
- How long have you taught on the platform? Since April 2020 so 2.5 years give or take.
- When the pandemic first hit and I lost all my income. I heard about Outschool and knew it would be a hit. It really saved me in terms of being able to pay my bills. It gave me so much flexibility which is AMAZING. Being able to decide what I teach, when I teach, how I teach, and who I teach is priceless. My background is teaching music in schools so coming from that environment I was soooo happy. I LOVED having students in my class from Canada, and all over the US! My students thought it was such a cool experience to play piano with someone who lived across the country from them.
About a year ago I noticed enrollments dropping drastically and heard the same from other teachers. It made me sad to see all my progress sort of just level off. That’s been really challenging to deal with.
- I would say know your topic cold. Teach something you love. Know that your income will most likely be changing all the time. Enjoy your time getting to know kiddos all over the country!
- I’m a classically trained singer and elementary music teacher who offers general music classes, small group instrumental lessons, and individual music lessons! I also own my own private music lesson business outside of Outschool!
Ives Delgado Neal -Research the Market
- I’ve been teaching on the Outschool platform since 2018
- My experience has been overall great with some challenges as with any job but overall, it’s been an excellent opportunity.
- My biggest tip I would give any teacher that wants to teach on the platform is to teach your passion but also look into different subjects etc because this is the best way to get enrollments. For example, if I’m new to the platform I’m going to research the market to see what is popular.
- Best advice for a new teacher is to do some market research and SEO
Alycia Comer-Wright – I Earned Six-Figures
I’ve been teaching on Outschools platform since 2020. My experience has been amazing and truly a blessing. In both 2020 and 2021, I earned six figures. I won’t meet that this year as the marketplace has slowed down, but I’ve still been able to earn a decent FT income working the equivalent of a part time job. My advice is to diversify but also pay attention to what “sticks” and build out from there. Create classes that spin off of your main course and only teach things that you love to teach. Students and parents can feel your enthusiasm and it catches on. I’m a past public educator, still licensed specializing in history, government, reading and working with twice exceptional students.
Cons
As a growing business, there will constantly be changes that are implemented and as technology goes, everything doesn’t always work out so great.
Over the past several months, my organization experienced a drastic decrease in enrollments. This led to meetings with Outschool staff and the founder, explanations about what needed to be fixed, proposed solutions, and a few other subjects that came up in decision. This issue meant that my courses were no longer visible when parents were searching for classes that fit my course offerings. This was a huge complaint within the Facebook groups. Fortunately, I don’t rely on Outshcool for my primary income.
As someone that started with Outshcool when they had less than 100 active teachers, I will also share that policy change sometimes seems rushed and the communication of these changes aren’t expressed to everyone which is understandable as sometimes the new changes are only being beta tested with a small group. However, when teachers or parents are discussing these changes, and teachers that aren’t in the testing population are unaware of the potential changes, it makes it hard to communicate with parents when they have questions.
Even with the discussion about fixing the search engine and promotion of courses, I still have to decide if I will continue to offer courses on their platform. The answer is yes! I am going to list my courses on as many platforms as possible for visibility. Now, will I continue to offer live classes, this is currently up in the air. I have to track my stats over the next 30 days and if there is no change, then I have to do what is best for my business. Also, the fact that there is still no learning management system integrated in the classroom is still a bit daunting.
Check out some more educators’ stories below…
Elizabeth Essex – Over 100 Listed Classes
- How long have you taught on the platform?
I applied in March of 2022 and taught my first class in April 2022.
- What has your experience been like (great, not so great, any challenges)?
I love teaching on Outschool, but getting started was tough. It was pretty hard to get any enrollments mid-year with “new” classes and no reviews. I taught many classes with one student just so the class wouldn’t be “new” anymore, received some good reviews, and then enrollments started picking up for me.
- What tip/advice would you give someone that wants to teach on the platform?
The first question you need to ask yourself is…
Are you ready to be self-employed?
Teaching on a platform like Outschool is great for me because I’ve been a self-employed teacher for around 15 years. I always wanted to be able to teach art but only ever got parents looking for piano lessons. Outschool parents are looking for nearly anything you can think of, so it’s a great platform if you have classes in need of an audience. On the other hand, enrollments do fluctuate season to season and there are no guarantees.
I’ve read a lot of advice for Outschool teachers that recommends focusing in on one topic or genre of related topics. That may work as a branding exercise, but it hasn’t been my experience on the platform at all. I teach what I’m good at and what I’m interested in (another bit of advice I saw a lot when I first started), and that part has held true. I’m a bit of a jack-of-all trades when it comes to art, so teaching in only one corner of that universe would be silly. I teach classes on playing piano, song-writing, realistic drawing, anime drawing, how to create comics, Photoshop and digital art.
To date, I’ve posted 100 different classes to Outschool; sometimes they do well, and sometimes I get 5 likes and 0 enrollments. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s the format of the class, and not necessarily the content. For my beginner Photoshop classes, the camps have done really well, but I haven’t done well attracting lots on-going students. Those that I do enroll in the on-going classes usually started in the camps. On the other hand, the on-going drawing classes do extremely well and have kids dropping in and out as their schedules suit.
One thing I’ve learned is market research is key. You need to know what kids are asking for and what parents are searching for. The best advice on what classes to offer many times comes from my students.
Set up one-on-one classes. Some parents come to Outschool for tutoring or a similar experience. Just make sure you do research so your rates are competitive and compensate for the fact you’ll only have one student for that time. Do the math!
Also, a biggie — classes with a nicely edited, very specific intro video showing the results or projects from the class get more enrollments.
Tara Laczynski – Build Relationships with the Families
I have taught on the platform since April 2021. My experience has been great. As expected, it took some time to find my learners and grow my business.
I think my biggest advice is to stay consistent, communicate and put in the work. I spent my whole first year building Nearpod lessons to ensure my students were able to participate comfortably, communicating consistently with parents, building classroom environments that focus on respect and feel safe and it has paid off. I have learners and families who I’ve had since the beginning, that have enrolled siblings in classes and that I love.
I show up to every class with the same energy. I clearly communicate with families and kids and have built on my offerings this year. I write newsletters for my math classes so parents know what to expect, provide homework with recorded review videos and constantly seek parental feedback to guide my decisions. Most importantly though, I have fun. I genuinely love what I do, look forward to seeing my students and can’t imagine doing anything else. Outschool has given me the power to be in the classroom on my terms. I have three elementary aged children and being a mom will always be my #1 job and Outschool allows me that flexibility.
Katrina Homer Darg – Keep it Simple and Pivot as Needed
I have taught on Outschool for 4 1/2 years now.
Overall, my experience has been good. It has been great on the student-families end, while it has been mediocre with Outschool the company. The students and families make everything done on Outschool rewarding, however, especially since covid, Outschool has been largely inconsistent with its policies and also has serious issues with the class listing process, in that, it is highly subjective and not objective nor consistent. Additionally, I originally didn’t have any issues with the 30% fee as I saw how my 30% was being used as it was tangible and easily identifiable, as well as Outschool being significantly smaller before covid. Now, I question why there is a need for a 30% fee when Outschool is significantly larger and I don’t see how the 30% taken from thousands more teachers than before covid is translating into our independent contractor experience.
Advice I would give is to start off teaching something that is fun and easy to get your feet wet. Also, pivot when necessary and most importantly, do what is comfortable for you. There are many families who don’t need or desire fancy, frilly classes; keeping it simple and straightforward work just as good if that is what works best for you.
Melissa Quijano – In Person is not the Same as Online
- I have been teaching on Outschool since July 2019.
- In general, my experience has been great. I joined after student teaching for my masters in education program, and I was feeling defeated: I have so many interests and passions, but I was being forced to compromise and ignore things that are interesting for the sake of curriculum. Outschool was so incredibly freeing- I started teaching everything I could ever want with some of the most amazing students I’ve ever met. As challenging as the pandemic has been, it gave me the opportunity to change my entire career path. It has been frustrating with Outschool seeing such lower enrollment, but the experience has been invaluable, and I have a clearer picture of what I want to do with my career now.
- If you are an in person teacher, do not try to replicate what you’ve done in person online! It’s a different format entirely and needs to be treated as such. You should also teach your passions- don’t try to follow the trends. Put out what you love, and those who also love it will find you.
- I teach history classes for teens and tweens. For the 2023 Spring semester, I have World History, German History, Russian History, Political Philosophy, Geography, and my signature meme classes about imperialism and communism.
Jamie Gajewski – A Teacher in Australia
I have been teaching on OS since Jan 2021. I was hired in October 2020, but because I teach from Australia the background check took several months for me. This is something to keep in mind if you are applying from Australia or New Zealand. I have had a fantastic experience. I started with one-time classes peak pandemic so I was able to get a lot of reviews and test out class ideas. Then I moved to ongoing classes. I now teach weekly fairytale and classical ballet with occasional one-time classes. Due to the nature of dance classes, I am able to teach up to 12 students per class and use a second monitor to see all my students. I make sure to call out their names and interact with them as much as possible. I always have time to share at the end of class and the kids and families enjoy this. I am making great money because I earn per student instead of per hour. I would never make this much teaching in a dance studio. I also like that I don’t have to commute to work. I only teach 1-1.5 hours a day 4 days a week and earn the same as teaching in a school 20 hours per week. If you are in another country, teaching on Outschool can be beneficial because you earn USD. The USD is stronger than the AUD. On Outschool you are paid via PayPal so I recommend setting up a Wise account so you don’t lose as much money in exchange fees when you convert to your currency. Also, don’t forget to set aside money to pay your taxes. I recommend speaking with an accountant. My advice is to niche down and try out a lot of different classes. I only teach ages 4-7. I have found that I work best with this age group and there’s a huge market demand. You need to choose something you are passionate about teaching, something that’s in demand and something you have the expertise to teach. Also, take advantage of the free Outschool training! There are fantastic resources for teachers, even related to the business side of Outschool. As far as testing out classes, try different lengths, times offered, class types – take the time to test them out and see what sticks! I tried some summer camps and they never caught on so I just stick with my ongoing classes with great results.
I also have a YouTube channel where I share tips for teaching online and abroad: ESL Teacher 365
Kelly Tag – Scaling Down to Part Time
Hi.
- I have taught on Outschool since May 2020.
- I have loved every minute of teaching for Outschool. When I first heard about it, I said no because I didn’t want to make my own curriculum. A friend convinced me to try it and soon I loved creating my own classes. I started during the Pandemic when bookings were hot. I tried ALL types of classes. I have retired a lot of them. This past year I was teaching Civics, a history book club, and a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book club. I have a few other classes in the other formats that I would occasionally teach too.
I have always diversified my income so it was never my only job, but it was my main job for the past 2 1/2 years.
Just recently I got a FT job in the public school. So, I had to stop by ongoing classes just this week. I did okay with the classes that I had, but I needed a guaranteed FT income. So, I had to do it. I will still have my flex classes and a few ESL clients so I will still be a teacher on a much more PT scale. I’ll throw up classes during summer and breaks too.
- It is much harder to start now than during the Pandemic, but it’s not impossible. It’s just going to take much more time to get your business up and running and it won’t happen overnight. Bookings depend on SO many factors. Some you can control and some you can’t. Your topics, thumbnails, videos, etc can make a big difference. Other things are beyond your control such as the market and economy. Your topic and age group can make a big difference too. How much of a demand is there and how many other teachers are doing it.
- I have flex classes about the Three Branches of Government and Elections. I do one on one ESL classes too.
Kaitlyn Fischer – Provide Excellent Customer Service
- How long have you taught on the platform?
I started in early January 2020. This was before COVID was officially an international concern and the United States had started confirming cases. Ironically, the first day that a case was confirmed in Washington State was the same day as my first class on Outschool. I was extremely uncertain about what to expect and even joked with my husband that if this was not a legit company (a common misbelief), then I was only sacrificing a few minutes of my time. And wow! I am so glad I took the leap.
2. What has your experience been like (great, not so great, any challenges)
To describe my experience, I would say that it has been nothing short of excellent. I have never struggled to get bookings as a teacher and my children have never struggled to find a class and a teacher that they love to work with. I set a minimum goal and blew right past it before the pandemic truly took form in the Spring of 2020 and I continually adjusted it moving forward. I met those goals then and I continue to meet those same goals now. I have felt supported by Outschool staff, but most importantly, I have felt supported by the students and parents as well. The students on Outschool are passionate, kind, caring, and focused. Parents are engaged and responsive. When I have concerns or questions, I feel confident in reaching out because of the support level at all levels of the platform and with everyone involved.
I am grateful for the blessings that Outschool provided me because I love to design specialty curricula and novel studies that allow students to work within their own passions and interests. I can teach my passions with student interest in mind while still meeting the high standards I hold for myself as a teacher. I can make adjustments to support students in a way that public schools have not allowed me to do and I know I have been met with success in this. I love the students on Outschool and look forward to continuing to meet more!
- What tip/advice would you give someone that wants to teach on the platform?
A tip I would provide to someone who wants to teach on Outschool is to give strong customer service. I am a firm believer in working with parents and students when circumstances do not work out on their end, whether from sickness or even simply forgetting. I have found parents and students to be exceptionally kind and they do not take advantage of this service. And this translates to patience and forgiveness on their side as well! Take the extra step. Reach out to the absent student. Give that extra grace. It results in students and parents who are loyal to you and who want to work with you, who want to re-enroll with you, and who give you the same compassion you give them. Customer Service is the backbone of my business and I am grateful that Outschool allows me to be the best I can be!
- Share your info (link to your classes and any other information you’d like readers to know about you).
I specialize in close-reading courses that teach students that no matter where their skill or confidence level is, they can be successful readers. I work in class to help students understand difficult text at a deeper level and to help students gain the confidence to realize that they are great readers! Using student-based interest novels and curriculum, I create courses that allow students to be leaders. They take charge of the conversation. They choose the work and the novels to read. They gain a deeper understanding of the material and the skills. My goal is to have students leave my course with a sense of comfort and sense of confidence to know that they worked hard and excelled!
What are your thoughts?
Do you already teach on Outschool, or maybe you teach on another platform, do you agree or disagree with any of these reviews?
Share your thoughts in the comments.