Working From Home. Is it what it's cracked-up to be ?

Yes, I do enjoy working from home. I teach French and English part-time online.  I am lucky enough to be able to choose when and for how long I work (just two days a week for a couple of hours). Teaching isn't really work for me because it's something I enjoy, but it can be challenging, so I prefer to do it at home whenever possible.

I love being at home.

I work much better at home because I have prefect dominion over my environment (light and noise). When I go out, it's for fun things. I go out to enjoy a walk or a coffee with friends and family, but not for work. Not for anything that requires concentration or cognitive acrobatics.

I play piano and guitar at home too and for the past twelve months I've been composing and jamming with other musicians online in a weekly session. That has not been an enjoyable as being outside of the house with other people.

Some things are definitely better done outside of the house.

We will be going into the studio in the a few weeks time and I am looking forward to that very much. 

You sound like you have a natural ability for language. I've read that a lot of people who excel in language don't really like Maths and those number guys are not big into English or language. Is there any truth to that ? That's great you have flexibility in choosing your hours and it's something that really appeals to me as I'd like to combine it with getting out in the fresh air everyday and generally slowing the pace. Did you need a lot of training/qualifications for your work ?

You sound like you have a natural ability for language. I've read that a lot of people who excel in language don't really like Maths and those number guys are not big into English or language. Is there any truth to that ? That's great you have flexibility in choosing your hours and it's something that really appeals to me as I'd like to combine it with getting out in the fresh air everyday and generally slowing the pace. Did you need a lot of training/qualifications for your work ?

Excellent!

Heh. My degree was in maths and french (but it was a combination that only two of us took in the year!).  It's been such a helpful combination for work (but not necessarily in the way you'd expect)

Thanks Michael. Much appreciated.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any additional support or advice. 

That's the first time I've heard that but it's interesting. I can't say whether it's true or not because maths does interest me to some point. And, in a sense, language works very similarly to mathematics.  

Never thought of mathematics like that before but makes sense. I think it was maybe ' left brain - right brain ' stuff I was reading in the past and their respective qualities. Fascinating but I never formed any more love of Maths after reading it .  I think there is more of a cultural stigma for Mathematics as being more difficult or disliked. 

I'm a whizz at music and music operates along mathematical principles at its core, it's just dressed up a little differently. 

Yeah, again interesting. It's all very confusing for me at least considering Language, Music & Mathematics require qualities of both brain hemispheres so maybe development and wiring connections between the two decides. Don't ask me though. I think some of my Maths connections amongst others were frazzled or something . 

Regarding teaching, your consideration questions are very helpful pointers. 

just two days a week for a couple of hours

Sounds ideal but obviously not doable for me if that was my only income. 

Doing something for sheer pleasure and no financial reward is always the best way to work out whether you're in the right job or not.

I've heard it before, phrased in a different context but still good food for thought.  

Turtle said:

You sound like you have a natural ability for language.

I don't know about that. I enjoy speaking French and English, and I enjoy teaching others to speak the two languages too.  

Turtle said:

I've read that a lot of people who excel in language don't really like Maths and those number guys are not big into English or language. Is there any truth to that ?

That's the first time I've heard that but it's interesting. I can't say whether it's true or not because maths does interest me to some point. And, in a sense, language works very similarly to mathematics.  

I teach 18+, Turtle. And that's a very different experience to teaching other age groups. Not because of the age of the learners, but because of the environments they have to learn in and you have to teach in and what is expected from you and from them in each setting.

Your first consideration might be answering the questions what can I teach and what would I like to teach? The answer to this e two questions will dictate whether you already have the training and expertise required in your subject area or whether you need to extend your knowledge and experience.

The next questions would be: where (in what setting) I want to teach and who (which age group) do I want to teach?

The answers to these two questions will show lead you to the right kind of teacher training as an adult entering the profession. 

The standard routes for teaching in schools and colleges are through a university degree and then an extra certificate of training (P.G.C.E/Post Graduate Certificate in Education).  Or, in further education colleges as an adult, you need a Level 5 Teaching & Education Diploma with an extra certificate of training in your specialist area (Literacy and Numeracy) which is usually included in your Level 5 Course. 

You could also look for opportunities locally to become a volunteer tutor in something that you're knowledgeable in. This is a great way to understand whether it's something you're interested in or not. Doing something for sheer pleasure and no financial reward is always the best way to work out whether you're in the right job or not.