On the surface, a teaching gig looks pretty steady and secure. For the most part, it is. But we teachers still have to find ways to augment our income. I’ve also encountered a few challenges along the way. During one school year, I didn’t get assigned any units. And when summer comes, there’s quite a bit of free time there.
So I started looking for ways to make money during my downtime, and that’s when I discovered Rosetta Stone. The company regularly hires language tutors, which is right within my realm of expertise. If you have a teaching background, or have a knack for language and teaching it, you may want to look into becoming a tutor for Rosetta Stone. Read on for my experience working (and earning) via this platform!
About Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is a pretty big deal in the language teaching scene. They’re a New York Stock Exchange-listed company and have been around since 1992. The company is mostly known for its language- and literacy-enabling software. (I remember using one of their programs - which I had to buy on CD-ROM - back when I was still in high school.)
But you can only learn so much by using software. Learning a language, in my opinion, requires person-to-person interaction to be effective. Rosetta Stone also seems to share this sentiment, because they’re hiring language tutors to augment their software solutions.
Working as a Tutor for Rosetta Stone
The company offers lessons on over 30 languages, including English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Tutors provide these lessons via online video chat.
Since these lessons are provided one-on-one, you will have to be able to personalize your lessons. Each student has unique needs. For example, I once taught a Chinese teenager English. He wanted to go to college abroad, and knowing how to speak and understand English was a requirement.
Most of my students have some degree of English background, but this kid had none (aside from knowing a few lines from songs and movies). This made him especially challenging to teach. But I stuck with it, and he eventually developed pretty decent English skills.
Teaching on Rosetta Stone was extremely fulfilling… almost as fulfilling as teaching in a classroom, actually.
The Schedule
This is a part-time work from home gig. But your schedule may not be as flexible as you’re used to. For starters, you will need to do at least ten hours of work a week.
Next, your students may be located on the other side of the world. So you’ll have to be prepared to be up in the wee hours of the morning to teach them. And when you juggle multiple students, scheduling becomes a challenge. It wasn’t a deal-breaker for me, but I had to put a lot of effort into scheduling and making sure I was online for my students at the agreed-upon time.
Also, a reminder: make sure you’re presentable, even if you’re session is at 2 am. Lessons are given over video chat, so make sure you’re dressed professionally, and that the room you’re teaching from also looks presentable. This is not the job you can do while wearing boxers (please don’t do that).
The Perks of the Job
As a tutor, you will have access to Rosetta Stone’s full suite of language software. If you’d like to learn a new language, this is your opportunity. And learning a new language could actually be a wise investment, since you could also end up teaching it to others!
As for me, I only taught English. But I’m a big language geek, and enjoyed having access to the software.
Earning Potential on Rosetta Stone
You can earn up to $15 an hour tutoring online. That’s not a bad rate, even when you factor in the odd hours.
Also, your earnings will mostly rely on actual demand, and whether you’re available to teach. But I think the earning potential is pretty good on Rosetta Stone
Requirements for Teaching
You’ll need to be a graduate of a relevant four-year course. Also, teaching and language experience will be a big plus - if not an absolute requirement.
Also, you’ll need a computer, webcam, and stable internet connection. I can’t emphasize the importance of a stable internet connection enough. With other jobs, you can always offset your hours when your internet goes on the fritz. But here, you can’t. When you’re students are online, you can’t just flake out due to a lost internet connection.
Finally, you will need a presentable room with good lighting. I found shelves packed with books makes for a great backdrop. I also bought a few lamps to light up the area.
How to Join Rosetta Stone
As of this writing, Rosetta Stone has several openings. To apply, simply check out their job opportunities page and click the one that interests you. Here’s a link:
Careers Page: http://jobs.jobvite.com/rosettastone/jobs
The Verdict: Legit or Scam?
There was never a question whether this was legit or not. Rosetta Stone is absolutely legit! And the work is fantastic and rewarding - both emotionally and financially!
If you’ve got some teaching and language chops, I highly recommend you look into working as a tutor for Rosetta Stone!
Rosetta Stone Screenshots
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Your Turn
So that’s my review of Rosetta Stone. Now it’s your turn to share! Have you done any teaching online? What platforms did you use, and how were your earnings?
Let’s hear your stories!
