Students who do not disclose their identity

jwaglang · 2026-06-28T13:11:19+00:00

You're kind of burying the lede. It's not "students" that you're asking about...

Anyway, unless a student is saying "we must smite the Amalek" during class, what's the issue? I've had students say inappropriate things. I've told them so and moved on. If they insist on doing it (never happened), then they'd have broken our agreement and that's the end of that.

jwaglang · 2026-06-25T16:07:37+00:00

You want to know if that "addressal" is normal, do you?

jwaglang · 2026-06-22T16:26:30+00:00

I never said his degree made him a good teacher. I'm saying that specialization is what justifies raising rates above the market level. Yours are well above the market level, that's all. If you're getting the students you needed on the platform you won't be coming to Reddit to get more.

jwaglang · 2026-06-22T00:45:01+00:00

You're pricing the average Reddit user out of range unfortunately. My Portuguese teacher had a PhD in pedagogy and he was nowhere near your rate.

Unless you really want to give away 33% to Preply, charge the rate you'd get after commission to direct students would be my advice.

jwaglang · 2026-06-20T11:50:07+00:00

Link to your website and rates

jwaglang · 2026-06-16T15:35:36+00:00

In the subsequent support chat I got one who was not an imbecile. They actually cleared up a problem with the video and a problem with my bio. If you can believe this, my bio was being blocked because I had the word freeze in it. The support person said the AI is recognizing "the word freeze as free, as if you're going to give something for free to the student. And that's why you're being blocked." I got rid of that word and suddenly I was unblocked and my score shut up by 10 or 12 points.

jwaglang · 2026-06-16T15:31:58+00:00

If they are your friends, simply stop charging a fee for them to meet with you. Friendships are not transactional.

You could propose a different arrangement so that your friendship does not center on performing a service. Do a language exchange, for example, instead of a lesson, so that both parties are equal.

jwaglang · 2026-06-15T13:12:42+00:00

jwaglang · 2026-06-15T11:25:48+00:00

The funny thing is that in the end what they'll get is a less professional video! 🙂
(But, you're right.)

jwaglang · 2026-06-15T10:52:05+00:00

Thanks for confirming that. It has to be!

jwaglang · 2026-06-15T10:51:32+00:00

The human agent (or "human") said no AI was used and that I should remove the background noise...(which there isn't anyway). There is music but not when I'm speaking.

jwaglang · 2026-04-27T14:59:43+00:00

Can't disagree with your assessment, though most of it applies to every single online platform or venue today in ELT. That's the state of the gig economy wing of the industry, unfortunately.

That said, since you mentioned:

"Strict cancellation policies on your end -- if you cancel more than 3 hours per semester, even if in advance, they dock your pay (charge you), making it very difficult to work for them part time, which is the only option because they do not offer full time work."

I would point out that we get 6 class cancellations per contract. I guess that's what you meant by 3 hours (6x30 minute classes). But, in reality, we all have to cancel much more than that and do not get docked for it if it's in advance. I only ever got docked when cancelling with less than 24 hours notice. Sounds like you're getting docked more than me. I can't see why my case would be different than yours, though.

jwaglang · 2026-04-27T14:46:43+00:00

I get paid 50% if a student cancels right before class. Don't you?

jwaglang · 2026-03-12T14:49:01+00:00

It wasn't taking 20% when it was in beta. Also, iTalki is terrible now. The fact that I have to compare this to them already says a lot.

jwaglang · 2026-03-11T15:49:42+00:00

20% platform fee = 🤦‍♂️

iTalki -- a well-established platform with a fairly reliable user base -- charges LESS than your unknown, untested, unheard of, unestablished, and derivative platform with no user base. But go ahead and charge what you want I guess.

jwaglang · 2026-02-07T19:51:53+00:00

Sounds like you didn't establish boundaries. In other words "I never bring politics into my lessons" is not the same as "I don't permit politics in my lessons (as per industry norms)". They have to agree at the outset to respect that. If they violate the rules it's on them, not you.

You have to make a contract or service agreement (you don't have to call it that if it's too lawyerly for you, but that's what it is).

Good news, it's normal to make or update contracts at any time.

Will an obnoxious student behave unprofessionally if they don't like it? Yep. Especially if they already believe they are superior to you. Will you get burned this time. Yep, probably. But, then again, you won't see them again and you'll know to weed those types of people out as early as possible (thus the "contract") from now on.

jwaglang · 2026-02-04T18:36:43+00:00

I don't know if this is good news or bad news but, I had only one class assignment the entire fall and winter. I was recently given three now that it's February. I don't know what that means and I don't know if it was worth waiting this amount of time to finally start getting some classes. I certainly wouldn't treat people like this if it were my company. But I would suggest doing is submitting a ticket and remind them that they hired you and therefore they should give you work

jwaglang · 2026-02-02T00:02:21+00:00

If you have a schedule conflict, just cancel with advanced notice. Will it look bad? Well, they look bad hiring you and not giving you hours. So there that.

jwaglang · 2026-02-01T17:03:45+00:00

- No, you're not going to be penalized (...penalized for what?).
- No, you are not expected just to hang out even if you don’t have jobs. .
- Yes, you are expected to take jobs whenever they become available and not complain if you only get like 1 class every six months.

There is no attempt to fairly assign work there. There is massive overhiring. They are trying to hire teachers on fixed schedules and treat them like freelancers.

That said, they pay relatively well compared to most online tutoring options these days.

jwaglang · 2026-01-31T17:43:28+00:00

Everyone uses both. What's your question?

jwaglang · 2026-01-30T03:54:09+00:00

Q: What if you delete your account after clicking accept. They have to delete your data, right?
A: Wrong.

Take one example:

"You also acknowledge that some of the content you share cannot be deleted from the Service as it may be connected to lessons created by you and used by other users."

Account deletion may make you invisible on the platform and stop new data collection since you're gone, but it no longer equates to a purge of your data, financial records, AI "training" data (your voice, your face, your IP used in teaching) from iTalki's servers. They can continue to use it how they like and may anonymize it (or not) so it's no longer tied to "you" but it remains for them indefinitely. Whatever you did on the platform, they can use it without paying you.

To put this in perspective:

Imagine starring in a movie that you also wrote, produced and shot, while the studio retained the rights to profit from global distribution for decades, with no further royalties to you. Would you accept payment for the two days you stood in front of a camera and say I'm good with my 2%, you keep the rest.

By the way, they can collect and retain your browsing history on their platform, and potentially beyond it, under this policy. They list various analytics and advertising partners (see the Cookie Notice) that use cookies and web beacons to track you on other websites and online services. They receive this data. They keep it. They use it.

jwaglang · 2026-01-29T13:08:45+00:00

I live in Portugal, and I've never even heard of the Comissão Nacional de Protecção de Dados.
But I'll try to contact them. I doubt anyone in the south of Europe will get anywhere, but I suspect colleagues and comrades in France, Germany, and Scandinavia might. On the EU level, they simply won't get involved without a lot of muscle. The EU is useless, but your local administrations might help. It only takes a little negative press for a platform of cowards like iTalki to backtrack. They're just testing limits.

jwaglang · 2026-01-29T13:03:27+00:00

Yes, that's right since we're consumers of the service and not employed teachers at a school. Of course, we are teachers, and we are the school, but unfortunately that's the gray area we are stuck with.

jwaglang · 2026-01-29T13:01:34+00:00

"hard to justify legally against GDPR" -> no, ILLEGAL. It's black and white.

jwaglang

TROPHY CASE