*GoGoKid has ceased all operations as of August 5th, 2021 due to new regulations set by the Chinese government. Click the link to check out our post with a full list of online English teaching jobs.
Or watch my free masterclass called How to Teach English Online, Even With No Classroom Experience. Learn how to gain the freedom to work from anywhere, make your own schedule, and have more time for the things you love.
During this free, hour-long training, you’ll learn:
- how to get hired on any online English teaching platform
- how to maximize your income teaching English online
- and how to travel the world as an online English teacher
Click here to snag your seat and watch instantly!
Teaching English online is our top recommendation to work from anywhere. Nowadays, there are many online English teaching platforms to choose from. GoGoKid is one of the leading platforms for teaching English online. They are funded by the Chinese tech giant, Bytedance, the same company that owns TikTok.
GoGoKid has grown significantly since it launched in 2018. They want to hire teachers quickly and even have a $100 incentive for new teachers during February. As a result, the application process is faster and easier than ever. Read on to learn the GoGoKid requirements, pay, hours, and how to pass the application process.
Sasha and I started teaching English online with VIPKid in 2016 and it’s what allowed us to become digital nomads. We’re also both teachers on GoGoKid. I truly think it’s the fastest way to become a digital nomad so I want to help you do the same. We have both taught on GoGoKid as well and think it works well together with VIPKid.
If you think GoGoKid is a good fit for you, apply through my referral link and reach out to me so I can coach you through the process. Email me to let me know: getinthevan(at)gratefulgypsies(dot)com.
You can also watch my free masterclass for more details.
About GoGoKid
GoGoKid is very similar to VIPKid.
It’s an online ESL school for Chinese kids ages 5-12. They are based in Beijing and offer one-on-one classes with teachers from North America. They’ve been growing rapidly and they are actively recruiting new teachers.
Their curriculum is based on the US CCSS (Common Core State Standard) through a virtual classroom. Their mission is to encourage students to learn English as a tool, rather than a goal, and improve their critical and creative thinking skills.
GoGoKid provides all the lesson materials. Teachers simply log in to the classroom and the lesson is ready to go. You can preview the material to get ready for your classes in advance.
GoGoKid Requirements
Before you apply, be sure you meet all the requirements.
To become a GoGoKid teacher, you must:
- Have a Bachelor’s degree (it can be in anything)
- Be a native English speaker
- Be legally eligible to work in the USA or Canada
- One year of experience teaching kids (it doesn’t have to have been in a classroom. Snag my Teaching Experience Checklist to see what counts)
- Have a TEFL certificate
If you don’t have a TEFL certificate, we highly recommend BridgeTEFL. That’s where we got our TEFL certificates online. Check out the BridgeTEFL website or our post about online TEFL certificates that has more information and recommendations for other TEFL course providers.
Click here to learn about other online English teaching jobs.
GoGoKid Hours
These students go to their regular school during the day and take GoGoKid classes in the evenings and on weekends. The peak times for GoGoKid are Monday-Friday from 6:00-9:00 PM Beijing time (BJT). On the weekend, the peak times are all day (9 AM-9:00 PM BJT).
Here’s what my schedule looks like in CST:
Here’s what that looks like in the USA and Canada at the time of writing (February 2021):
- EST: 5 am – 8 am
- CST: 4 am – 7 am
- MST: 3 am – 6 am
- PST: 2 am – 5 am
It’s important to note that China does not observe Daylight Saving Time. If you live in a place that does, your teaching times will be an hour different at different points in the year. These are the peak teaching times from March to November in the USA and Canada:
- EST: 6 am – 9 am
- CST: 5 am – 8 am
- MST: 4 am – 7 am
- PST: 3 am – 6 am
When the students are on summer and winter vacation, they take more online classes. The winter vacation is determined by the Lunar New Year, sometime in January or February. Summer vacation is always in July and August.
Here’s an example of what your schedule could look like in EST during the school year (no DST):
6:00-9:00 am Monday to Friday/Saturday
8:00-10:00 pm Friday if not teaching Saturday morning
Here’s an example schedule in EDT during July and August with DST:
6 or 7:00-9:00 am Monday to Friday
9:00-11:00 pm Monday to Thursday
There are no minimum hours required by GoGoKid. You can teach as little or as much as you want.
The best part about GoGoKid is that you can change the hours you teach by moving to a different time zone. You can do this job from anywhere as long as you have fast enough WiFi (once this lousy pandemic finally ends).
If you’d rather teach in the afternoons, then a European time zone would be best.
Prefer working in the evenings? Head to Southeast Asia.
Are you a regular morning person (regular = after sunrise)? Chile, Argentina, and Brazil have the best time zones for you.
How Much Can You Earn With GoGoKid?
It’s possible to earn up to $25 per hour with GoGoKid.
The base pay for GoGoKid is $7-10 per 25-minute class. Then there is incentive pay that you can earn on top of the base pay.
Their incentives work on a “credit score” system. The incentive score system is based on your incentive level. There are 5 levels. The Incentive Base (how much extra you earn above your base pay) is decided by the number of classes completed each day.
Below are two graphs that show the breakdown of incentive pay. The first one is the breakdown of how much extra you earn per the number of classes taught. The column on the right is USD so think $1.50 extra per class if you complete 2-3 classes per day.
The second one shows the credit scores and how much extra you earn for each level:
Here’s an example:
Let’s say you teach 9 classes in a day and you’re at level 5. The math would be 2 x 1.25 = 2.50 – That means you would earn $2.50 for each class taught that day on top of your base pay. If your base pay is $8 per class, that means each class that day would earn you $10.50.
Your credit score level goes up or down depending on your attendance and parent feedback. Once you reach level 4, you get 110% pay per class. Level 5 is 125% extra per class. This means you can earn up to $25 per hour.
GoGoKid Application Process
The hiring process with Gogokid is straightforward and streamlined:
- Sign up and submit your online application. My referral code is BZG67YDFZS2 and I’d greatly appreciate it if you used it. I’m happy to coach you through the process.
- Record your demo in the online classroom
- Online orientation + quiz
- Upload documents and set up your profile
- Sign the contract and open your schedule!
GoGoKid has had an influx of new students and they want to hire teachers quickly to meet the demand. Therefore, they have simplified their application process to make it faster.
The process was much longer and more complicated when I got hired. You no longer need to schedule an interview time to do the demo. You simply record the demo on the GoGoKid platform. There is no longer a live mock class, unlike with VIPKid.
The demo is only 10 minutes long and once you submit it, you should hear back within 2-3 business days.
Once you pass that step of the process, GoGoKid will send you information about the company and classes. The next step is to pass a quiz so be sure to read and watch everything very carefully.
Next, you’ll consent to a background check, upload your documents like a photo of your degree, TEFL certificate, and resume. You’ll create your profile with an intro video, a written bio, and a few pictures.
Finally, you can open time slots and start teaching!
Things You Need to Teach English Online
Here’s a basic list of things you need to teach English online:
- Computer (desktop or laptop) – I use the Lenovo Yoga 730 2-in-1 laptop. It has a touch screen which makes writing on the slides is much easier thanks to the touchscreen. It’s portable and easy to travel with. Check the price on Amazon.
- Headset – the Logitech H151 comes highly recommended. Check the price on Amazon.
- Webcam – only necessary if you have a desktop. Most laptops have one built-in these days and that’s enough.
It’s a small list because you don’t need much to be an online English teacher.
As I mentioned above, GoGoKid makes all the lesson plans in the form of PowerPoint Presentations. When you log into the classroom, the lesson will already be there waiting for you.
They have also designed their own, interactive platform. It’s similar to Skype. In the classroom, you’ll be able to see your student, yourself, and the lesson.
There are several interactive features, as well. The mouse turns into a pen, allowing you to write on the PowerPoint slides. That’s why I recommend getting a computer with a touch screen, it’s much easier to write with your finger than with the mouse.
Props and Other Tools
There are several tools that you should get to be prepared for your demo:
- Whiteboard with dry erase markers – Find the best price on Amazon
- Puppet or stuffed animal – a monkey is great because they often appear in the lessons. Check out this one, it’s cute and affordable.
- Rewards game – this ‘stack the ice cream’ game is perfect
- Flashcards – check these out on Amazon
Props make your classes more fun and engaging for the students. They also make it easier for the students to understand vocabulary words. You can use stuffed animals to model what you want the student to do, like answer your question rather than repeat it.
The people who watch your demo video will be looking to see if you’re using props effectively so make sure you have a few things ready when you record your demo.
There are several other tools that I recommend to make your setup more comfortable. You can see what they are in my blog post about the best supplies for a portable classroom.
How to Pass the Demo: 5 Tips
Step 2 of the application process is to record a 10-minute demo on the GoGoKid platform.
Recording a demo pretending to teach a little Chinese kid can be nerve-racking, I know. But you can pass with flying colors with these 5 tips.
The GoGoKid demo is called “What do you have?” Before you begin teaching, you will introduce yourself and talk about where you’re from, what time zone you’re in, your educational background, the type of TEFL certificate you have, and your teaching experience.
Tip #1: Smile until your cheeks hurt!
Most of the students are quite young and it’s difficult to keep them engaged through a computer screen. You need to show that you can be very animated and energetic.
Get overly excited about the pretend student’s answers and reactions. Give lots of encouragement and high fives.
Tip #2: Use teaching techniques.
There are several teaching techniques that GoGoKid will be looking for. These include TPR (Total Physical Response), watch your incidental language (using words the student doesn’t know), give clear instructions, and encourage lots of student talking time.
Some of the slides in the demo lesson have mistakes that the student makes. You must acknowledge these mistakes and pretend to correct them by using teaching techniques. This is one of the most important things you can do to ensure you pass!
Tip #3: Use a secondary reward and at least 2 props.
There is a way to give students rewards inside the classroom but you must have a secondary reward system that you can hold up to show the student. Use your whiteboard or some sort of game.
Be sure you have at least 2 props. One of these could be your stuffed animal. The other could be a word from the lesson. Eyes is a vocabulary word from the demo lesson so you could draw a pair of eyes on a piece of paper and attach it to a popsicle stick.
Tip #4: Watch your timing carefully.
You must finish all the slides in 10 minutes. Do not skip any slides and do not go over 10 minutes. I highly suggest practicing your demo in front of the mirror with a timer to make sure you get it right. Remember, you only get to do the demo one time!
Tip #5: Set up your space to look like an inviting classroom environment.
Set up a simple background so there’s something pleasant to look at behind you. This could be a map, a welcome sign with your name on it, or just something with a pattern on it. I used a colorful sarong I got in Bali. Be sure to have good lighting so your face is well lit.
Bonus Tip
There’s a chance that some of the words above are jibberish to you. Or perhaps you’re thinking you don’t have any previous teaching experience.
If that’s the case, then I encourage you to watch my free masterclass: How to Teach English Online, Even With No Classroom Experience.
Pros of GoGoKid
Some of the great things about GoGoKid are:
- It’s very flexible – you can open as many time slots as you want and there are no minimum requirements
- Easier application process compared to VIPKid
- Pay is higher than other companies
- There’s no prep work and they basically give you a script to follow
- Ideal secondary platform
Cons of GoGoKid
With the good comes the bad:
- It can take time for your schedule to fill – though they expect there to be an influx of students when they go back to school in March, hence the big hiring push and signup incentive.
- Despite the flexible schedule, your credit score will go down if you go for a full calendar week without a booking.
- Their support system is a ticketing system through Freshdesk and it can a couple of days to get a response to your ticket, whereas with VIPKid you get a response within 24 hours.
- Their lesson content can be a bit lacking and teachers need to come up with extension activities
Conclusion
GoGoKid is an awesome secondary platform that you can use as a backup to VIPKid, Langu, or any other online English teaching platform.
I think it’s vital to diversify your income, so you don’t have all your eggs in one income stream basket, especially if you want to use teaching English online as a way to become a digital nomad.
The fact that you don’t have to do any prep work means you’ll also have more free time to explore new places or start your own online business like a blog or YouTube channel. You just need that one income stream to get you started.
As I said at the top of the post, I genuinely believe teaching English online is the best way to work from anywhere and GoGoKid is the perfect platform to get started with or add to your existing repertoire of platforms.
If you have any questions at all, feel free to drop them in the comments below or shoot me an email.
If you decide to apply to GoGoKid, I’ll coach you through the process if you apply through my referral link. I’ll send you my online course about GoGoKid for free!
