Qkids Review: 12 Employees Share Every Last Detail About the ESL Company

Hello!  My name is Jacob and I’m a student at the University of Arkansas. I work as an online ESL teacher and a mentor to freshman students at my university. I live in northwest Arkansas and I love to spend time with my friends and family throughout the area!

I have been with Qkids since January of 2019.

On a scale of 0 to 10, I would rate my experience with them as a 10 No doubt! Qkids is by far my favorite company to teach for! They are truly amazing!

The hiring process is quite extensive with Qkids. You start by submitting your application, doing 2 live interviews, then you do 5 trial classes with real students. You then undergo a background check before you sign the contract.

As for the absolute best aspect of working for Qkids, honestly, there are too many to choose from!  

You can literally mention how you would like to see an improvement with the platform in the Facebook group, and the next week it’s done!  

Just 2 days ago we got a whole new list of interactive stickers to put on the screen. We also have filters/masks similar to Snapchat we can put on the kids.  

Other than the platform, the staff is the best aspect. We have a great cancellation policy, and Qkids doesn’t have any monetary penalties.  And you get your own coach to answer any questions you have. 

The best part is, your coach doesn’t micromanage you. They are simply there to help you when you need help and occasionally offer tips when you are new and still learning the ropes. 

I can say that I have developed a sense of family with the staff.  I have worked on numerous test/pilot programs and they always do everything they can to show the teachers that they care about us and want to grow the business!

If there has to be a worst part, I would say it is the pay. At $10 per 30 minute class with a 10 minute break in between classes, it’s definitely not the highest rate in the industry.  

Overall, it’s an amazing experience!  Qkids was my first company to teach with. I only have informal teaching experience and I’m a student majoring in finance.  I had no idea that this would turn into what it is today! 

During peak seasons where night classes are offered, I earn as much money as I would be making working full time at my previous job, but I work 20 hours a week!  I have my whole day free to enjoy my summer break!

One thing they could improve?  They could consider implementing further bonuses or raises with each new contract. 

The students on Qkids are so much better than other companies I work for.  They are so positive and most of them want to participate. The students are typically 4 to 12 years old.

I was invited to teach the phonics program a few months ago and I now do them almost exclusively.  These kids are usually on the younger side.  

The classes are so fun! They are extremely interactive. The kids actually click and play along with games.  There are shooting, matching, and all other kinds of games that the kids play. There are also songs, animations, VR screens, and fun characters!  We have tons of other features that the teachers can use on the platform to keep the kids engaged.  

One thing people might not know about Qkids is that you’re allowed an unlimited amount of cancelations as long as it is 5 hours+ prior to the class.  We are also allowed 3 short notice cancelations a week without our bonus being deducted! They have the most generous policy in the industry.  

For anyone thinking about applying, make sure to be very active and engaged in the classroom.  Use lots of TPR and know the Qkids platform and all its features, there are a lot of them!

I'm happy to mentor you if you need help! Reach out on Facebook and use my referral code!

My name is Ebony. I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m the mom of one little boy.  

I originally studied fashion design, fashion merchandising, and I minored in accounting at Ursuline College. Some years after college I was trying to sew independently, but I lost interest in it when I became overwhelmed with having to draft patterns from scratch, sew them, and do the fittings. I didn’t have enough time for life and I wasn’t making enough money. In my field, it was hard to find positions straight out of college. 

Now, I homeschool my son, I currently teach English online for three different companies, I’m a blogger, and I have a course where I help other teachers improve and newbies become teachers. I’m also interested in acting for TV and film. 

I’ve been with Qkids since August of 2017. I got hired right at the tail end of the summer madness.

I would rate it a 10. I love working for Qkids. They are very laid back and they really care about us as teachers. Also, the staff seem to be laid back and happy working for Qkids.

For me, it wasn’t difficult to get hired. I know that isn’t the case for most teachers. However, I was nervous during the interview process, but I had fun and I felt welcomed. It took me about 2 weeks from application to receiving the hire letter. To learn more about the process, check out this article.

The best part of Qkids is the animated and detailed platform. It’s easy to use and master. Also, the staff is helpful when there are problems during class. Whether there’s a problem with a student or a technical problem, we as teachers aren’t blamed for it. 

They pay fair, in full, and on time. 

The only thing that I don’t like is that there isn’t an option to work more than the peak hours. I sometimes wish they would operate 24/7. 

Also, even though I mentioned that the hiring process wasn’t difficult for me, there are times when some people aren’t hired and they aren’t sure why they weren’t. 

Qkids can be a little picky when selecting their teachers. I believe it’s because they are looking for a specific type of teacher. So if you happen to get an email that they want to move forward with the application process, go ahead and go through with it. 

When they pick you, it’s because they like you and when they like you, they want to keep you. It’s HARD to get fired or let go from Qkids. 

I love working for Qkids! Overall, Qkids is the place that I just couldn’t quit. All of my dreams would have to come true in order for me to say goodbye.

As for room for improvement? I don’t even know. Maybe they could start giving us more options to work outside of peak times.

I’ve had students as young as 3 and as old as 15. Those ages are beyond the normal age limit they list on their site, but it’s fine with me. I’m used to working with children of all ages.

Most of the children are well-behaved. If I have trouble with a student, I report it and they try to contact the student’s parents.

The lessons are planned for us. The classes are fun and entertaining. Most of the lessons are tied together in a storyline. So you’ll learn the character’s names and everything else about them. I can name over 10 Qkids characters and their parents’ names.

There are a handful of lessons that drain the energy out of me. Those are usually the phonics lessons. Some letters and sounds are stressful on the vocal cords.

Something people might not know about Qkids is that they don’t put pressure on teachers to be perfect, yet they challenge us to be better. They don’t treat us as if we are disposable. They host online holiday parties for us teachers. I’ve even won prizes and had them shipped to my home. 

They also work hard to improve their software. This improves our teaching experience as well as the learning experience for the students.

My advice for anyone who wants to apply is to avoid applying in the slower months of September through November and March through May. It’s not impossible to get hired during these times, but you are less likely to be needed.

Also, be thorough from the start. Learn how to correct someone’s pronunciation without discouraging them. Also, learn to induce complete sentences from the student.

Learn to talk slowly without dragging the vowels. Only drag the vowels when they keep mispronouncing the vowel sound.

If you're ready to apply, you can use my link. Contact me through my blog so we can connect!

My name is Raquel. I’m originally from Muskogee, Oklahoma, but now I live in Kansas with my husband and our 4 children. My husband and I own a tabletop game shop and escape room. 

I have my associate’s degree in marketing and my bachelor’s degree in management. I have very broad work experience, ranging from the US Navy to 9 years in health insurance, owning my own brick-and-mortar business and, of course, I’m also an online ESL teacher for children in China.

I started with Qkids in March of 2019.

On a scale of 0 to 10, 10 being awesome, I would rate my experience with them as a 6. They aren’t a bad company to work for, but they don’t have a ton of resources or teacher support after you’re hired. 

I received a lot of feedback and great information from my trainer when I first started, but after my trial classes were complete, and my contract was signed, I have just been on my own.

Their hiring process is pretty lengthy. I applied at the beginning of February and signed my contract towards the end of March. There was the application and recorded demo, then an email requesting another video, I then had my interview.

At the end of the interview I was told that I did great and they wanted to set me up for a mock class with a trainer. It took about a week to get this set up. After that there were trial classes and, depending on who your trainer is, there can be anywhere from 2 to 6 trials. My trainer requested I do 5 of them.

What I love most about Qkids are the kids. And the characters the company uses are adorable and they are really eye-catching and fun for the kids.

The worst part of the job is probably the lack of support and communication from the company. 

Overall, I’ve had a decent experience. The bookings are up and down and the support isn’t great but the platform is good the curriculum is provided for you. There is a great teacher community and they’re all very willing to help answer questions.

The kids are great. They range in age from 5 to 12 and are usually pretty excited to be in class.

The parents are fine, for the most part. We don’t really have to deal with them, though. That’s all done by the home office.

Most of the classes are fun. The curriculum is provided and there are several fun things you can do on the platform. 

In my opinion, the most important qualities in an online English teacher are passion, patience, and the ability to have fun and be funny! 

In terms of equipment, you need to have a computer that will run the software, but it doesn’t have to be crazy expensive. I get most of my props from the Dollar Store! Your headset is also very important. There are a lot of them out there that work great, but you want to make sure that you not only have something with great noise cancellation, but also something comfortable. I often teach several back to back classes, and if you don’t have the right headset, your ears will start to hurt after a while! 

My advice for anyone thinking about applying to Qkids would be to prepare in advance, be passionate, make sure you have a headset with a mic, and know that there isn’t a ton of teacher support after being hired.

My name is Aleska and I’m from Florida. I have a bachelor’s in health and wellness and I’ve worked with children all my life (although this is not a requirement to do this gig). I also love working in medical offices. 

I have been with Qkids for 4 months now.

On a scale of 0 to 10, I would rate them a 10. I’m obsessed with the platform because this is what determines how fun the classes will be. The staff is great and caring and the money is also great. 

Something that is very important for me is the cancellation policy when you’re sick or if an emergency arises. There is no penalty at Qkids if you cancel 5 hours before your first scheduled class. If you don’t know anything about the online ESL industry, this is hard to find as most companies charge you for canceling. 

It is not difficult for me to get hired, but for me it was long because I started when they did a hiring freeze so I had to wait a month to complete all my trial classes. They sometimes do hiring freezes to ensure they do not overhire. This is good because it means current teachers get great bookings. 

My hiring process was as follows:
1. Make a video of myself reading a short children's story.
2. An online interview (they about your experience, degree and they make sure you have a computer that’s compatible with the platform).
3. 2 training sessions, each about 45 minutes
4. Trial classes, and once you pass the trials classes you can start teaching. 

Steps 1 - 3 I did in about a week and a half. Step 4 took long because I did 4 trial classes and then had to wait a month to be hired due to the freeze. 

The absolute best aspect of working for Qkids is the kids’ faces when you’re teaching. We have fun, we laugh, we sing. It doesn’t feel like a job. Sometimes I forget I’m getting paid to have all this fun!

The worst part of this job, and not just Qkids but with any company, is  “family interruption.” I have background noise, or when a parent hits the child because the child is shy. The other part I hate is when parents give me bad feedback when the child is misbehaving or not wanting to participate.   

One thing that surprised me about Qkids is that the kids are very smart. I love that kids are at the correct level. 

For example, in another company, I had children in a level 4 that could not read or needed help reading. That means they need to be in a level 2 or 3. At Qkids, children are at the correct level; if its’ a level 1 class, they all need help reading and that’s okay. If it's a level 5, they can all read with no help. It's hard having a level 3 kid in a level 5 class as you need to give this child more time the all the other level 5 kids. 

One thing I would like them to improve is feedback during the hiring process. When they give you feedback for trials you teach before you’re officially hired, the feedback is vague. I think the coaches have a hard time explaining to you what to improve in because English is their second language. They could probably explain it better in Chinese. 

The students are super smart. The little ones are so funny and cute. The older ones are smart and they hate getting answers wrong, so sometimes they get upset when you correct them. I always give them diamonds even when they make mistakes to keep them happy and engaged. 

The classes are so fun. All the slides are basically a game. There is no planning for me as the teaching material is given to you. I do like to review it if I can before class, but that’s not an obligation. 

One thing people might not know about Qkids is that there’s no written feedback for students, and you do not need props. Some companies require you to use props, like toys or flashcards. Usually, I don’t mind once in a while, but sometimes it's hard finding a prop for every class. 

I hate writing student feedback. For my other two companies, it’s 80 words minimum. You must write how the student did and suggestions for the student like “Please work on your pronunciation for the word X” or “I hope that, in our next class, you can pay a little bit more attention.” 

With Qkids you just click the stars to give 1 to 3 stars for participation you click A, B or C to give them a grade, and you click buttons for attention level and if there were any family interruptions or any technical issues. I love that I do not have to write feedback or prepare props for classes. 

My advice to someone who’s thinking about not just with Qkids, but with any online ESL company, you need a good computer that’s compatible with whatever platform you’ll be working with. If you apply, feel free to use my referral link!

You need a great noise-canceling headset and you need a fun background and bright lights in front of you. The lights started giving me a headache so I bought blue light blocking glasses and they did the trick. The lights also wash you out so I suggest a bright lipstick. 

You do want to look professional because Chinese parents are very picky about that. Pick a bright color t-shirt, it makes you look happy and not washed out. I love fuchsia, orange or purple t-shirts.  

My name is Dianna and I'm from Illinois. I taught for 7 years in a classroom until I had my own children. My bachelor's is in elementary education/early childhood special education.

I’ve been working with Qkids for 4 months.

I would rate my experience with them so far as a 10. May and June were slow months. I only got a few bookings a week. July and August have been so busy with evening classes opening up because the students are out of school. I've had 100% bookings these months.

As for getting hired, I had 2 interviews and then taught 5 classes, which I got paid for, before I was hired. I took it slow on purpose. It took me 2.5 weeks. If you want to apply, feel free to use my link!

Qkids is very kind and understanding. They treat their teachers really well. The students are so cute and pleasant. The platform is very interactive and this makes the lessons enjoyable.

As for the worst part of the job, I wish I had regular students so I could get to know them.

Overall I've had a very positive experience. They are very responsive to me on email and during class if I have an issue.  And they always pay on time.

One thing they could do to improve is offer better pay.

The students are 4 to 12 years old. Some are so excited to learn and some seem tired. I have found most of them to be very sweet.

The platform is really fun and interactive. Momo Monkey and Koby Koala are the 2 main characters and they are adorable. You teach 4 students at a time. You do not need to lesson plan and don't need props. There is no stress working for them, unlike another ESL company I work for.

Qkids also stands out for their excellent cancellation policy. You can cancel class 5 hours before without a penalty. And you get paid for the time and effort you put into your trial classes during the hiring process.

Qkids was the first online ESL company I worked for. It has taught me so much about the online ESL world.

My name is Naomi and I’ve been working with Qkids for two years.

I would rate them a 9 on a scale of 0 to 10. I love Qkids, but I have had a few not-so-awesome run-ins with my trainer. They are an awesome company, but the pay is a little low.

As for the hiring process, I had to make a demo lesson with my own props. I actually took a free seminar that I don’t even think exists anymore! It lasted about an hour and the gentleman showed us the platform and explained that we would need a 1 page resume. 

He told us how to upload our computer specs and video to a website. It wasn’t Qkids, but Qkids partnered with them at the time. They were JiuQu way back then. 

After that, I had a laid back interview, a few trials after watching training videos, and I was booked!

The best part of Qkids is the platform. I love it! Also I love working for a company that cares about me, and the cancellation policy is easy!

On the flip side, I just wish they had a raise system or paid a bit more to keep it competitive.

Overall, it’s actually a fun and a rewarding way to make money. I love honing my tutoring skills by collaborating with other teachers. It’s been a great 2 years and I’m not giving it up even though I work outside the home now.

One thing they could improve is they could explain more about the trial lesson system and maybe train and include us in a leveling process, that way the parents aren’t arbitrarily choosing levels.

They could also give us secondary positions like interviewing, training, workshops, lesson planning, etc., and pay us more.

As for the students, I have taught uppers since the beginning, so my students are usually 9 to 12 years old, but I have had younger students too. They are very motivated and eager for the most part. They are pre-teens though, and I get the occasional rude student who swears, flips me off, or calls me ugly. Those are few and far between.

Qkids had by far the best platform I’ve seen. I have worked for 6 companies, and this is the only truly INTERACTIVE company that actually teaches students something! 

The lessons are scaffolded and incorporate vocabulary, grammar, and a vast array of topics. I’ve taught Greek mythology, wildlife conservation, and about the universe, famous inventors, artists, and about different cultures. 

The format of the lessons make for no planning on my part. I have never taught a phonics, starter, or science class and I hear they can be monotonous.

One thing people might not know about Qkids is that you’ll be solidly book most of the year, you can cancel anytime, and you’ll love the platform.

For anyone who’s thinking about working with Qkids, my advice to you is to find a mentor (like me!) and use their referral code. Meet with your referrer via Skype a few times during the interview process.

You can also join my Facebook group for online ESL teachers!

My name is Stephanie, and I’m a mostly-work-from-home mom to a preschooler, living in Cleveland, Ohio. I have degrees in English literature and Spanish, and a master's in education.

I spent five years in the high school classroom teaching Spanish until I decided to leave the industry to pursue other passions. 

I have worked as a travel agent in a storefront agency for just over 7 years, and divide my time between being in the office and working from home. I do traditional travel planning and have recently accepted a position within our company to do writing and social media with the marketing department. This mix of travel and ESL teaching is the perfect fit for me.

I started working with Qkids in the summer of 2019, so I’m still a newbie with the company.

My experience thus far with Qkids is a 10. I have also been hired with VIPKid, and Qkids has been a perfect match for our family. The curriculum and teaching platform are both fantastic, and I lead students through a variety of completely interactive games and activities for 28-minute class sessions. 

The Qkids staff is friendly, encouraging, and easy to work with. The scheduling and cancellation policy are both wonderful as a mom with another job. Their flexibility is really astounding for the ESL community. 

The hiring process involves several steps, and took me about two weeks from application to signing a contract. 

I first submitted an application with my resume and computer specs attached. Part of this application includes a recorded video where you introduce yourself and your background, then read a short children's book to demonstrate your personality and ability to engage kids. 

I then participated in "Demo 1" which is a shorter interview where you are asked some questions, demonstrate your knowledge of the classroom controls, and teach a few games. 

"Demo 2" is usually scheduled at the end of Demo 1 and is basically a longer version of the first interview but with another staff member. Teachers then teach trial classes (2-5) and are offered feedback. If all goes well, a contract is offered!

I love the kids and helping them learn English in the mornings and evenings, since it doesn't affect our family time or my traditional work hours. So many ESL teachers talk about how fun the job is, and I really get it now! It is actually fun AND you make money! 

Qkids doesn't require props, prep, or written feedback for classes which are all huge time savers, and the games with the kids are just fun and really keep class time moving. 

Also, unlike many companies, Qkids books for you so you're not competing with other teachers hoping parents choose you. This means I started teaching immediately upon hire. 

That said, it can be hard to turn on the charm when you're tired, and you have got to turn on that charm. You have 1 to 4 little faces looking at you, and if you're tired and slouchy and cranky... well, it's no fun for anyone. 

Sometimes that morning alarm clock feels so early! (I am in EST, so my first class of the day is 6:40 and will be 5:40 at Daylight Saving Time... So west coast people...you're teaching in the middle of the night!) 

Working for Qkids is a really fun way to make money. This has been a fantastic job for our family and we are using this income for fun and house projects.

Qkids offers fewer classes per day than some companies, and the pay is a little less, but for me the platform and ease of use combined with the cancellation policy make this one a winner. (In addition to the items mentioned previously - no props, no prep, etc.)

Kids are kids no matter what part of the world you're in, but generally the kids are really sweet, excited to be in class, and eager to learn. They are usually extremely respectful and happy to participate. The age range is about 5 to 12 years old.

Classes are structured around a grammar and vocabulary theme, are completely planned out, and require little to no prep. Qkids does not require props, does not permit things like ManyCam, and once you have the games and activities down, the only thing that really changes are the kids and the vocab. 

I usually look through my classes for about 3 minutes, but haven't always done this and have been just fine. Sometimes I use a few flashcards when I teach as well.

One thing people might not know about Qkids is that you must reside in the US or Canada, unlike some ESL companies that allow you to be nomads. The apps will not work outside of these two countries. 

For someone who’s thinking about working with Qkids, I would say this. I was terrified to start my ESL journey, and no amount of classroom time as a teacher can really prepare you for teaching over the computer... but once I jumped in, I started to feel comfortable within a few classes.

Teaching ESL online is everything I loved about teaching traditional high school but without all of the nonsense I didn't. If you're thinking about applying, just go for it! You have nothing to lose! It's a great side hustle or primary gig if you start combining companies and maximizing your hours. 

If you’re thinking about applying, I’d be happy to mentor you. Here’s my referral code!

My name is Nadia and I’m a mother of a rambunctious 3-year-old boy. My plan was to go back to work after maternity leave, but after meeting my sweet little boy, I couldn’t bare go back to working 12-hour days. 

I left my career of 15 years in education to be a stay-at-home mom. Finding a job I adore and doing it from home has been an answered prayer to our family. 

I started working at Qkids in June 2019.

On a scale of 0 to 10, I would rate them an 8. I have experience working at 4 online English companies, and Qkids has been my favorite. If they were more competitive with their base pay, I’d give them a perfect score. 

Their hiring process is similar to other online companies. You have to model your teaching skills and be able to use their platform. 

What was a little different than other companies is that you have to submit a 2-minute video introducing yourself and reading or telling a short children’s story. This is a quick way for them to see your teaching style and personality. 

The 2 interviews felt more like a coaching session, which calmed my nerves and helped me understand what they were looking for in a teacher.  

There’s so much I love about them! 

What initially drew me to this company was their cancellation policy. I worked at a company for 2 years where teachers stressed out about canceling classes. Teachers had to show proof for things like being sick, going to the hospital, attending a funeral and internet outages if they didn’t want their cancellations to negatively impact their pay or hiring status. 

Qkids doesn’t work that way. 

There is no negative impact when teachers cancel with 5 or more hours prior to class time, and they’re really understanding when things come up short notice, too. 

As a mom, that’s really important to me because when you have a sick child the last thing you want to do is get documentation from a doctor to show your child was really sick. There’s a feeling of trust between the company and the teachers. 

The worst part of the job would be the early hours, but that’s what makes it work too. I work when my son is asleep. My first class is at 5:40 AM CST and 4:40 AM when the time changes. 

Overall it’s been a great experience. Their staff is friendly and always ready to help. The teachers are fantastic and always available to answer questions. Their curriculum is taught using games on their platform, and there’s no expectations for using props or even having a specific teaching style. 

One area where they could improve is their base pay. At this time, everyone’s paid the same base pay regardless of your teaching experience and education background. I teach for 2 other companies that also have 1v4 classes and their pay is significantly higher. I still find myself coming back to Qkids because of their positive treatment towards teachers, little to no preparation and no written feedback needed.  

I learned right away that children act like children no matter what part of the world they’re from. Most of my students have been very respectful and hard working. I’ve taught students as young as 4 and as old as 11. 

Because their lessons are based around games and fun characters, teachers don’t need to work as hard to keep them active and engaged. For this same reason, teachers don’t need to use props either. 

One thing people might not know about Qkids is that the company is fairly young, and they’ll have their 4^th anniversary in December. I can see them being the biggest English online company in the next couple of years. And when they do, I trust they won’t lose that positive relationship between the company and the teachers. 

For anyone thinking about applying, my advice is to submit an application soon! They don’t hire all year round, so be part of the Qkids family as soon as you can! 

My name is Mary. I’m married with 4 children: 2 are grown but 2 are still in the home. We have homeschooled all of them since kindergarten. 

I worked as a US Naval Officer, where I worked as a registered nurse, from 1987 to 1995 when I left the service. From 1995 to 2012, I worked as a registered nurse in hospitals across the country until we left to work in missions overseas. When I returned, my husband had completed seminary and began full-time ministry, so I felt the need to be home more as his schedule was unpredictable. 

For a period of time, I did not work. In 2017, I found Qkids and began my ESL career. I was looking for a way to earn money yet stay home. My education background is an RN Diploma nurse, BA in education, MA in religion and TESOL certification.

I started with Qkids in 2017. I took leave for a year and returned in 2019.

I rate Qkids a 10. My reasons for this are that they are personable, they genuinely care about their teachers, and they are understanding when life throws a curve ball and you need time off. They also look for opportunities to offer you more time to work if you want it.

The hiring process for Qkids is challenging and a bit lengthy. You begin with an application that includes a video of yourself reading a kid’s book. You want to be very animated, as if talking to a young child, and professional in appearance.

If you pass the review, you will move onto the demo phase. Here you’re assigned some self-study modules and have 2 practice classrooms to work on your skills. Once you’re ready, then you message Qkids and they set you up for demo 1. It’s typically 30-45 minutes, and they expect you to know the tools well and be able to teach each slide for about a minute, so you really need to practice the games on the slides. 

I made index cards for each game so I could pull them and place them in the order of my classes when I first started. 

If demo 1 is passed, they will want to schedule you for demo 2 at the end of that session, so be prepared to have some times in mind. You will receive feedback for each game you teach so take notes if you can. 

Demo 2 is much like the first demo except that they add a few more games and have you troubleshoot for echos, no camera/sound issues, etc. They want you well prepared for the real deal. 

At the completion of demo 2, you will schedule your first pair of trial classes with real kids. Classes are 30 minutes with login required at 3 minutes before, at least. I suggest more like 5 minutes. Classes have 1 to 4 kids in them. 

You will have your trial classes well in advance to prepare. You will do anywhere from 2 to 5 trials before you’re given the email you are hired. You will get feedback after each trial class and they want to see you use that in the following classes.

I say the absolute best part of Qkids is the kids. I enjoy my classes. I have no prep or prop requirements. I have new kids every time so it’s always fresh faces. They’re typically very happy to see the teachers and frequently want to chat about their toys, pets, life in China. It’s a pretty cool job to do from home in my pajamas.

The worst part is probably that there are slow times at different points during the year when bookings drop some, but I still usually get enough to get me through.

In the summer I open 31 spots and have 31 spots filled. The rest of the year I open 16 and get 12 or more usually. It also depends on if you’re able to teach more than the regular classes. Many of us are qualified to teach phonics as well, and I get my fair share of science classes too, which are pretty cool.

Overall, I think it’s one of the best places to work. If I could have a guaranteed schedule week to week, it would be perfect. You can cancel classes 5 hours before if needed with no penalty. If you cancel less than 5 hours notice more than 4 times in a week, you lose a dollar bonus. It’s not that terrible of a penalty. 

There is really no constructive criticism that I could give Qkids except that we wish for more hours a day, but that’s not feasible with the kids in school. Perhaps branching out to other countries would help in that respect. Actually, I would love it if we could teach on this platform from outside the US or Canada. Right now, you have to physically be in the US or Canada to teach with them. 

Children are ages 4 and up. They are typically super motivated to learn and very smart. I’ve had 4-year-olds in science class with 12 year olds. They speak English well enough to hold conversations. It’s pretty amazing. 

Classes are much like a gaming platform. The company books you according to your availability so there’s no competing for students. You facilitate the games as you go along. It’s kind of like a Mario-themed looking platform. Kids love it.

Qkids only hires a few times a year so as not to overhire. They want to be sure that their teachers already onboard are working before bringing on new ones.

For anyone thinking about working with Qkids, I tell all my referrals (reach out to me on Facebook to see how I can mentor you!) to know the games like the back of their hands, dress for success (no shoulders, no low cut tops, etc.), have their hair done and also makeup, especially bright lipstick as that helps them to see your lips move while speaking on camera. I wear bright red lipstick that I would never wear out of the house but on camera it looks good. 

My name is Samantha. I live in Ontario, Canada. Currently, I am finishing my bachelors of education degree so that I can work as a full time elementary school teacher. These days I’m working temporarily in a grade 2 class, and of course with Qkids! In my family I have 3 siblings and 2 adorable Calico cats. 

I started working with Qkids in January of 2018, so about one year and 8 months ago. 

On a scale of 0 to 10, they are a 10! They’re an amazing company, and I’m not just saying that! The management is phenomenal; very flexible and compassionate.

They are super understanding when it comes to changes in schedules and they always do their best to accommodate each teacher. In my opinion, they also have the best, most interactive platform and lessons. 

For me, the hiring process was quite simple. Each applicant begins with the submission of a video and resume. They also must complete some quick training and demos in order to demonstrate their knowledge of the platform. After that, they teach paidtrial classes while Qkids decides if they are the right fit for the company. 

I believe that the children are always the greatest part of any teaching job, and Qkids is no different. The students are intelligent, hilarious and so kind.

I also enjoy the detailed lessons that Qkids provides. The students are never bored and the class never has a dull moment! 

The worst part for me is the early mornings. I am in Eastern time zone, which means classes can be as early as 5:40 am during some parts of the year. Admittedly, I did adjust fairly quickly! 

The main thing that surprised me about Qkids is how understanding the company is. They strive to make their teachers feel included and accommodated no matter what. Their cancellation policies are very flexible!

Honestly, the only improvement I can think of would be to allow teachers outside of Canada and the USA to work for the company. Due to the servers they operate on, Qkids requires teachers to be residing in Canada or USA while teaching. This prohibits some teachers’ travel plans and minimizes the amount of people eligible to apply. 

The students are amazing! Very kind, friendly and eager to learn. They almost always greet me with a big smile and although they may be shy at first, it is so wonderful watching them open up and become more comfortable throughout the class. 

The classes are ery fun. Qkids does a wonderful job designing the lessons. Each lesson has games, animations and detailed slides to grab the students’ attention.

The only time it can get slightly monotonous is the rarer occasions when a teacher may have to teach the exact same class a few times in a row. This is not a very common occurrence so it is not usually an issue for me. 

Qkids has changed their company’s name a couple of times so it can sometimes be difficult to find. Their old name was JiuQu and can sometimes still be referenced this way on the web. 

For someone who’s thinking about working with Qkids, my advice is: be yourself! Let your personality shine through. Remind yourself each day why you entered the profession of teaching. Smile bright towards each of your students and recognize that they will have fun and learn more if you are truly enjoying yourself. 

If you want to apply, here's my referral code!

My name is Tania. I’m constantly searching for life-changing events through travel, meditation and truth.

At the moment, I reside in Chicago but I’m looking for adventure in another country. I’ve been in the accounting world for over 10 years and truly enjoy it, but teaching seems to be my calling.

I’ve been working with Qkids for 3 months.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate them a 9. Qkids provides all lesson plans in advance for your review. The ease of the platform and games/lessons can be easily understood and learned quickly.

It was not difficult to get hired; the process was straightforward. I went through 2 interviews and 3 demo classes and was hired within 2 weeks.

The absolute best aspects of working for Qkids are that the scheduling is provided for you and the students are amazing.

As for the worst part of the job, I haven’t experienced anything to raise red flags. Most issues are small and solved immediately.

Overall, I have enjoyed my experience and love the flexibility it allows me. Honestly, I don’t have to deal with the parents; Qkids handles all of that.

One thing they could improve is they could add an area for notes on the evaluation section. Once I wanted to make a note to the parent who kept correcting their child incorrectly, but I couldn’t.

The students range from 4 to 12 years old. They are fun and for the most part, and engaging, as they want to learn. Keep in mind you can have a 6-year-old and 10-year-old in a class, as they are at the same level.

Classes are planned and you’re able to review the lesson beforehand to be fully prepared. Lessons are fun for you and the students! I have laughed and enjoyed myself with the students on multiple occasions. I’ve taught anywhere from one to four students at a time, and the set up for lessons is seamless.

One thing people might not know about Qkids is that, even though you might not be scheduled for all of your available slots, if you are available, they can always ask if you would like to add a class or two, which is great. So it’s important to make sure you can receive notifications.

For anyone thinking about applying to Qkids, I would say go for it! Everything is provided for you, with the exception of your background. Creating a background is inexpensive (I shopped at the Dollar Store) and simple. I’ve changed my background twice, just for fun. If you’re thinking about applying, feel free to use my referral code.

My name is Idara. I’m 27 years old. I was born in DC, I lived in Brooklyn, I moved to Spain for the summer as an au pair, and now I’m in London for a few months.

I went to the University of Maryland and I have a bachelor of science and master’s of education in special education. I worked as a behavior therapist for children with autism before taking time to live abroad.

I worked with Qkids from February 2019 to May 2019.

On a scale of 0 to 10, I would rate them a 9.

Getting hired was not difficult at all, you just needed to be a native speaker of English. I had to do a demo interview with one of the employees that works in their office in Beijing. They were nice and gave helpful feedback and also scheduled around my time.

Compared to when I interviewed with Gogokid, which required that I be perfect during my interview to get the job, I think Qkids understands people get interview jitters and will get better as time progresses with the job.

The best aspect of Qkids is the platform they use. The activities are super easy and easy to understand. Sometimes when I was on standby or got a class last minute, it was easy to still go through the lesson without feeling like you have to prepare. 

Also, if you’re good with computers, it’s fun to find creative ways to do classes. For example, at the beginning, while the kids are still joining, I would use the 2-way camera option to have students greet each other—a good way to practice English even before the official class began.

There are a lot of games built into the lessons. They also have their own reward system also built into the platform, unlike VIPKid, which asks you to create your own. 

The worst part, like most of these online English classes, is pay and scheduling. I think this is an oversaturated market in China and the pay is never really that high, and also it’s difficult to get more classes or your desired schedule. I think this is not necessarily Qkids’ fault. 

Compared to other companies, they pay above average. And for the companies like VIPKid and Gogokid that do pay well, they often require too much preparation to get and keep the job.

In terms of improvements, the company is constantly making changes that they believe will improve the company, and because I had to leave them in May, they probably have changed a lot since then. 

One of the things I did not like (which may not be an issue anymore) is that parents can review you, and if one parent gives one negative review, you don’t receive the bonus payment. 

Basically, 1 out of the 4 parents may give a negative review about something that could be out of your control. For example, once a student’s computer sound was not working and I tried multiple times to get them to fix it, but the parent reviewed me saying my system wasn’t working even though I was easily communicating with the other students

As for the kids’ attitudes, I have been in education for over 5 years now and just know that all children, regardless of nationality or age, are different. But in general the children were never disrespectful. 

However, you do have children who do not participate or who are goofing around. There are also really quiet kids who are shy, and there are kids who are so funny, and there are kids who want to answer everything, so it’s a mix.

The classes are planned out for you but easy to follow, and they’re very fun for the kids because they usually incorporate interactive components like games, songs, etc.

Only rarely have I done the same lesson more than twice. Usually the lessons are different every time, even within the same day. Also there are different kids each time you teach. 

For someone who’s thinking about working with Qkids, my advice is to just be yourself. There are interview videos online you can use to prepare. Make sure to check time difference and see if the company’s hours work for you, depending where you live.