Teachers’ standards
Before Class
1. Ensure you are in a well-lit and noise-free teaching environment. Refrain from teaching with a messy background or from teaching outdoors such as on a balcony or in a yard. Avoid revealing other education company brands through wearing uniforms, displaying logos and props, etc.
2. Ensure the lesson is well prepared and supplementary materials are ready to be used (if any). If the material is not working, please contact with Ustar Education staff on the Dingtalk APP.
3. Ensure that your headset is working properly. Always use a headset or earphones when teaching.
4. Ensure that your webcam is working properly. Both teacher’s and student’s camera must be turned on during the entire class. Place your camera so that your face and shoulders are visible.
5. Ensure your clothes are neat, clean, and appropriate. Ensure no tattoos or piercings are visible.
6. Enter the online classroom early to avoid late show up. It is best to enter the classroom a few minutes before your scheduled start time. If the students are not ready to start, you may turn off your microphone and camera AFTER clicking “Start”.
7. If you are unable to attend the class, please inform us 24 hours before the start of the class. If you notify us within 6 hours before the start of the class, we will deduct half of your salary for the class.
During Class
In-class teaching guidelines
1. Begin and end your lesson on time. If your registered student does not show up in 5 mins, please contact Ustar Education staff on the Dingtalk APP or other ways. If the student cannot join the class, you should stay in the classroom for half a class, we will pay the half class time you stay in class. If you leave the classroom early, you will not get paid for half of the class. You can use this time to post or revise the homework.
2. Stay focused on the lesson and on your students and remain at your desk for the entire class.
3. Be kind and respectful towards all students, parents, and Ustar Education staff members. Endeavor to maintain a positive and productive attitude in all your interactions with the Ustar Education community.
4. Make proper use of the presentation file, textbook and/or any other topic related external resources. Do not share anything off-topic with students in the classroom.
5. Stay calm in case of tech issues. Make efforts to minimize the impact of tech issues on students, and contact with Ustar Education staff on the Dingtalk APP.
6. Kindly remind the parents that they are in the class to support their children if needed.
7. Balance teaching and entertaining your students. Always check on the student’s understanding.
8. Adjust your approach in response to the students’ learning needs and abilities.
9. Build and maintain a strong rapport with students throughout the lesson.
10. Provide clear and explicit directions for instructional tasks that are level appropriate.
11. Avoid using mandarin through verbal statement, visual instructions, or google translate, etc.
12. Utilize the annotation tool to zero-in on important elements of each slide.
13. Always encourage student participation through positive reinforcement and direct involvement in the activities. Strive for equal opportunity for students to interact and participate.
14. Provide constructive feedback that focuses on student growth, effort, and risk-taking that are adapted to the level of each student.
15. Strike a balance between Teacher Talk Time and Student Talk Time. The class should be student- centered with the teacher being a moderator, rather than a lecturer.
Abnormal
Frequent attendance issues will not only cause payment deduction, but will also affect your teaching performance evaluation, your future bookings, and possible pay raise.
You are allowed a maximum of 3 abnormal classes every 6 months, upon the 4th Whales English has the right to terminate the contract.
An abnormal class includes any of the scenarios below:
1. Teacher No Show: Any absence from classes without notifying the Support Staff
2. Teacher Cancellations: Any cancellations that go against the regulation of taking leaves
3. Teacher Early Leave: Any time the teacher leaves the class earlier than the scheduled end time
4. Teacher Late Show Up: Any lateness for scheduled classes. Lateness for more than 10 minutes is considered Teacher No Show
10 Teaching Strategies
1. Pace and Time Management
2. Peer-to-Peer interaction
3. Balance between Teacher Talk Time (TTT) and Student Talk Time (STT)
4. Classroom management
5. Language development (Scaffolding/Error Correction)
6. Instruction and demonstration (including TPR for lower-level courses)
7. Effective use of questioning to check understanding, promote critical thinking, and extend discussions
8. Positive reinforcement and feedback
9. Clear Statement of lesson objectives
10. Meaningful Lesson Closure
