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Wondering how to navigate the VIPKID teacher portal? This post has you covered! After getting hired, the VIPKID teacher portal becomes your home base. In this guide, we’ll look at how to use the VIPKID portal and I’ll walk you through some cool teacher resources you can find there.
Important Update
In the years since this post was first published, VIPKID changed its online teaching platform, modified the application process, and shifted to a worldwide student base. Some of the information below is now out of date. For details about their new programs, check out the official VIPKID website.
How To Download The VIPKID Teacher App
To see the VIPKID teacher portal, you’ll need to download the VIPKID teacher app. This can be downloaded on your computer or laptop and there is a version for both Mac and Windows.
You won’t be able to teach classes using the website version of VIPKID, so it’s important to download the VIPKID Teach app as soon as you’re hired. To do this, follow these steps:
- Go to the VIPKID teacher website and sign in with your username and password
- In the top right corner, you should see a download button next to your profile picture.
- If you click this, you’ll see a VIPKID Teach App button. Click “Download Now”
The app will download and you’ll be able to sign in using your VIPKID teacher login information
You can also download the iPad version and mobile version of the VIPKID teacher app, but keep in mind that you can only teach classes from the desktop app or the iPad app.
VIPKID Teacher Portal Requirements
The VIPKID Teacher App and Teacher Portal must be downloaded on a Mac Laptop/Desktop, Windows Laptop/Desktop, or iPad. Chromebooks and Android Tablets do not meet the VIPKID teacher portal requirements and you won’t be able to teach from them.
How To Sign Into The VIPKID Teacher Portal
Once the App is downloaded on your computer, you can click on it and a login page will come up. Use the same username and password that you use for the website version.
Make sure that you’ve selected “Sign in” and not “sign up.” If you’re accidentally on the “sign up” page you might get an error message that your email address is already taken.
Keep in mind that when you’re going through the VIPKID application process, the VIPKID teacher portal will look different. Instead of showing the content below, you’ll see an application status tracker and resources. This is where you’ll go to see your progress through the VIPKID hiring process.
Once you’re hired, the VIPKID portal will change to the full teacher version.
VIPKID Portal Home Screen
For the rest of this post, we’ll walk through every part of the VIPKID teacher portal, starting with the home screen. The home screen will be the default page that shows up after logging into the teacher app.
You can also navigate to this page at any time by clicking the little gray home button in the uppermost menu bar.
The home screen is your dashboard where you can quickly see the following information.
Upcoming Classes
In this section, you’ll see a list of your upcoming three VIPKID classes. Your soonest class will be at the top of the list. You should be able to see the day and time of each class, the lesson topic, and the name of the student.
There is also a gray arrow next to each student’s name where you can see more information about that particular class.
Missing CF/UA
The to-do list section gives you a quick glance at any tasks you might have pending on the VIPKID platform. In the Missing CF/UA (Class Feedback/Unit Assessment) section, you’ll see the number of unfinished feedback forms or unit assessment scores that still need to be filled out.
Click the arrow and you’ll be taken to the missing CF/UA page to complete these forms.
Booking Requests
Next, you’ll see any VIPKID booking requests. A booking request occurs when a student asks to take a class with you during a specific time spot.
If you click on the arrow next to the number of requests, you’ll go to the booking request dashboard where you can approve or deny bookings. We will talk more about VIPKID booking requests in a later section.
VIPKID Tasks
The VIPKID Tasks section keeps track of any action you need to take on the VIPKID platform. You’ll get notifications in this section reminding you to open more time slots, finish class feedback, participate in VIPKID promotions, and other housekeeping information.
VIPKID No Show Checklist
In this section, you can track how many “Teacher No Shows” you’ve had and take steps to prevent them from happening in the future. If you’ve had a VIPKID Teacher No Show, this page will allow you to set alarms, sync up your calendar, and double-check your schedule so it doesn’t happen again.
You also have the option to send an explanation to the parent as to why the teacher no show happened, which can help rebuild rapport. Teachers have seven days to submit an explanation after the Teacher No Show happened.
Promotions
As you scroll down the homepage of the VIPKID teachers portal, you’ll see a promotions section. Here you’ll find free activities and things going on in the VIPKID community. Your participation in VIPKID promotions is totally optional, but it can be a fun way to get involved.
Library
At the bottom of the page is the Library. The library is a free resource for all teachers. You can find videos and posts about common teacher questions and teaching best practices.
Unsure of how to work with a shy student? They have a guide for that! Want to use more games in your classroom? You can find plenty of ideas in the VIPKID library.
We will talk more about resources in the Promotions and Library tabs later in this post.
Class Tab
Let’s move to the second tab of the top menu on the VIPKID teacher portal: the Class Tab. This is where you will manage all your VIPKID bookings and see helpful classroom resources.
If you hover over the “Class” button, you’ll see three tabs: Booking, Classroom, and Feedback. Here’s what you can find in each one.
Booking
The Booking tab is your schedule where you can open and close classes. When you click on this button, a large calendar for the current week fills the screen. It’s broken down into half hour increments for the times that VIPKID classes are available.
When you first made your VIPKID teacher account, you’ll select your time zone. The times on the side of the calendar are in your time zone. If you mouse over a particular slot in the calendar, you’ll be able to see the class time in your local time zone as well as Beijing time.
If you travel make sure to update your time zone so that your calendar displays correctly. We will look at how to update your VIPKID time zone in the Account Information section.
To open classes in your VIPKID schedule, start by unlocking the calendar. Click the orange lock button in the top right-hand corner and the icon will change to an unlocked symbol.
Then, you can click any spot you wish to open and a dialog box will come up. You can choose to open the time slot for a regular class or open it short notice by selecting “course” then choosing “available” or “short notice.”
Remember that short notice classes can be booked up to 1 hour in advance. Regular classes must be booked more than 24 hours in advance.
Once a class is open and available it will turn blue. When it has been booked, it will turn green.
If you want to close a time slot that has not been booked yet, hover over the spot and click “close.” The spot will disappear and it can no longer be booked by parents. As long as it was still blue (not booked), this won’t count as a teacher cancellation.
On this page, you also have the option to copy your previous week’s schedule and toggle between weeks. You can open your schedule as far in advance as you like, but I usually only open mine 2-4 weeks out.
The orange pie chart icon shows you stats about how many classes you’ve opened. The orange synchronizes button will allow you to sync the vipkid calendar with your google calendar.
You can read more about how to choose your VIPKID hours in this post. Read more about the VIPKID short notice option in this post.
Operation Log
Next to the calendar button, you can find the VIPKID operation log. This is basically a log of every action you’ve taken in the VIPKID system. It will show you when you’ve opened classes, closed classes, accepted booking requests, and opened short notice time slots.
This was rolled out to prevent booking discrepancies and accidental time slot openings.
Booking Requests
On the booking requests page, students can request to book a specific time slot with you. Sometimes these are previous students but they can also be new students. Students will typically request spots for two weeks out.
When a VIPKID student makes a booking request, you have 24 hours to accept or deny it. If you accept, that student’s name will appear in a green box on your calendar at the requested date and time. If you decline it, the request will go away and you’ll have the option to send an explanation to the parent.
Sometimes, you might not get to accept or deny a booking request in time. If this happens, don’t worry. The request will simply expire and nothing negative will happen.
Block Time Periods
On this page, you can block chunks of time when you’re unavailable to teach. You don’t have to do this, but it can be a nice way to show parents that you’re temporarily away and when you’ll be back.
If you choose to block off a time period, you can leave a reason why. Parents will be able to see it if they try to book a class during your blocked times.
I usually don’t use this feature, but it’s helpful if you are taking unexpected time off and want to communicate with your parents.
Classrooms
Phew! Finally through the bookings tab! Okay, onward to classrooms.
The classroom tab shows details for all your upcoming classes. You’ll be taken to a list with the class day, time, lesson, student name, parent notes, and materials.
If you click on the materials tab, you can see the PowerPoint for the lesson, lesson objective, target sentence frames, vocabulary words, previous teacher feedback, suggestions for props, and feedback templates. You can also see student information from parents and previous teachers.
This is SO helpful, especially if you’re a new teacher. Spend some time exploring the materials before your lesson and you’ll feel more prepared for each class.
Missing CF/UA Tab
In the Missing CF/UA tab, you can see you see any missing class feedback or unit assessment scores. If you’ve already taught a class but still need to finish feedback, click on this tab and you’ll be able to do so.
Remember, Class Feedback and Unit Assessments need to be submitted within 12 hours of the class finish time for you to receive full pay.
All Classes
In the All Classes tab, you’ll be able to see all your previous classes in addition to your upcoming classes. The most useful feature in this section is the “Cancellations/NoShows/Change Finish Type” button in the top right-hand corner (it’s bright orange).
Here, you have the option to apply for soft/medium cancellations, request a change to a class finish type, or give the parent a reason for a Teacher No Show. If you have a Teacher IT Issue, Teacher Cancellation, or Teacher No Show, this is the place to handle any documentation.
To do this, click on the “Cancellations/NoShows/Change Finish Type” button. Tick the checkbox next to the class in question. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and select the orange button for the action you wish to take. You’ll answer questions and provide documentation if you have it, then VIPKID will get back to you ASAP.
Feedback
If you hover over the “Class” Tab and go all the way to the bottom of the menu, you’ll see a button called “Feedback.” This is where you can read the feedback you’ve received from parents.
Parents can leave comments and “apple ratings” that are visible to other parents. At the top, you’ll see the average apple rating you’ve received for your last 100 pieces of feedback.
There is also a section called offline parent feedback. This means that a parent called in their feedback over the phone and VIPKID manually added it to the system.
If you receive low feedback that you believe is inaccurate, you can ask VIPKID to review it. Click on the low feedback (it must be 3 apples or below) and select “request review.” Write why you think this feedback should be invalidated and VIPKID will review it over the next few days.
If they agree that the low score was unjustified, they will invalidate the feedback so it doesn’t impact your overall apple rating. It will still be visible on your page, but it will be grayed out.
Resources Tab
The VIPKID resources tab is a one-stop-shop for learning the ins and outs of VIPKID! Hover over “resources” and you’ll see two options: Library and Certification center. Here’s what you’ll find in each one.
Library
Guys, I love the VIPKID library! In the VIPKID Library, you’ll find workshops and free training videos for new and veteran teachers. With everything from teaching foundations to advanced curriculum breakdowns, this is the perfect place to turn into a total VIPKID nerd.
I definitely recommend spending some time in here when you are first starting out. You’ll learn teaching best practices and find tons of resources to use in your classroom.
You can also grab free downloads for your VIPKID classroom. If you want to download official VIPKID Mike, Meg, and Dino characters, here’s where you can do it!
Certification Center
In the Certification Center, you can add more VIPKID certifications to your account. The more certifications you have, the more kids you can teach! Especially if you’ve had a hard time getting your first VIPKID bookings, adding certifications can be a gamechanger.
Toggle through the different programs and click on them to apply. If they are red and say “available” then you can apply to join. If not, they will be gray and say “unavailable.” Any certifications that you already have will appear in green.
I highly recommend that all VIPKID teachers get certified to teach trials. Teaching VIPKID trial classes is a great way to get more reviews and build up your account when you’re first starting out.
To find the Trial certifications, go to the “Major course” section and scroll down to the bottom. You’ll see several different trial certifications and you should apply to any that you’re eligible for. This will give you a larger pool of students who can book you.
I also recommend that all teachers add a VIPKID TEFL or TESOL certification if you don’t already have one. You can apply for the free VIPKID TESOL and TEFL courses in the certification center under “Edu Courses.” Having a TEFL credential makes your profile look better to parents and gives you a strong foundation for teaching English as a second language.
Rewards Tab
In the Rewards section, you’ll find fun promotional activities for VIPKID teachers. These programs are entirely optional. Here’s a quick look at what’s included:
- Six Apple: This is the teacher rewards program where you can get discounts on popular teaching tools and services.
- Spotlight: You can create a teacher “highlight reel” using footage from your classes. This will be shown to prospective parents and students. Again, totally optional.
- Promotions: VIPKID has a token system for teachers to earn prices. After you build up enough tokens, you can redeem them for prizes and raffles. The promotions tab gives you ways to earn more tokens.
- Token Heros: If you don’t care about using the tokens for prizes, you can donate them. The tokens will be used to provide educational opportunities to children in rural China.
Community Tab
The community tab is another optional perk of VIPKID. Here, you can connect with other teachers around the world!
You can visit the Hutong, aka the official VIPKID forums. You can also read the VIPKID blog and explore the events page with VIPKID meetups and community events. Check out the official store (fun VIPKID shirts anyone??) and the social directory where you can connect with other teachers.
My Info Tab
Okay, back to business! The My Info Tab is one of the most important places in the VIPKID teacher portal because this is where you can update your information and keep track of your payments.
Account Settings
This is where you go to update everything about your account. You can add your vipkid tax form, change your payment plan, update your VIPKID profile pictures, add a new teacher bio and video, update your time zone, and more! Pretty much any behind-the-scenes task can be handled in the VIPKID Account settings.
To make changes, toggle through the left-hand menu to find the information you’d like to update. Under each section, you’ll see an “edit” button. Click this to update your account and make sure to save when you’re done. Hit refresh to see the changes take effect.
VIPKID Payment
In the VIPKID payment tab, you can see how much you made in the current VIPKID payment period. You can also print payment records and change your payment cycle. Teachers can choose between getting paid weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
Stats
On your Stats Tab, you can see how much you’ve taught in the current month. You can also see your percentage of parent feedback and your participation rate. This metric considers things like Teacher Cancellations, Teacher No Shows, and Teacher IT Issues.
Contributions
The Contributions section is where you see any information you’ve submitted to the VIPKID teacher portal to help other teachers. Some teachers choose to share class videos and helpful lesson tips with others. This is totally optional but appreciated.
It’s also the place where you can try a new VIPKID feature: Trial CF videos! Since it’s new, you might not see this until it’s available to all teachers.
A Trial CF video is a pre-recorded video of you giving feedback to a trial student. After the student finishes their trial class, you can submit this video along with your written feedback. You can use the same video again and again, so you only have to make it one time.
This is optional, but if you choose to do it, VIPKID will pay you an extra dollar for every trial class student that enrolls after taking your class.
MyVIPKID
The MyVIPKID tab is a fun way to see how far you’ve come on your VIPKID journey! Here, you can see how long you’ve been with the company, how many classes you’ve taught, and students you’ve met.
Tags
Tags are identifiers used within the VIPKID system to describe you as a teacher. Parents and students can see these tags when they browse for teachers and they offer insight about your teaching style. Parents can also filter teachers who have certain tags.
Don’t worry! The tags on your account are all positive things.
You can get tags in a few different ways.
- Your mock class mentor will assign you tags based on how you do in your VIPKID mock classes
- Parents can give you tags after their student has a class with you. This will show up next to their apple feedback.
- You can choose your own tags.
Tags fall under three categories: teaching skills, strengths, and personality. For example, I have tags for “Facial Expressions” under my teaching skills, “Pronunciation” under strengths, and “Energetic” under personality.
To choose your own tags, go to the “My Info” –> “Tags” page of the VIPKID teacher portal and click “Update Tags.” You can choose the six tags that you feel best represent your teaching style.
Tags will only show up on your teacher profile if they have been verified by either your Mock Class Mentor or a parent, so it’s best to choose ones that have those indicators beside them. You can only update tags once a month so pick wisely.
Support Tab
If you click the support button, you’ll be taken to the VIPKID support center. Here, you can learn answers to common VIPKID questions and submit a help ticket.
If you have a problem or question, use the search bar to browse through existing articles. VIPKID has done a great job writing helpful tips and answers to many questions, so this is the best place to get a fast answer.
If you have a specific issue and need more assistance, you can submit a ticket by clicking on “Contact Support,” Fill out the question fields and write a detailed explanation of what issue you’re having. Usually, VIPKID support will respond to your ticket within a few days.
Other Helpful VIPKID Teacher Portal Tips
VIPKID Tokens
I mentioned this earlier, but VIPKID uses a token system to reward their teachers. In the top corner of the VIPKID portal, you’ll see a gray circle with v in the middle. This is the VIPKID token center.
You can earn tokens by opening time slots, teaching more classes, participating in promotions, and getting 5 apple feedback. You can spend tokens in the token store by scrolling down on the page. The token store has things like gift cards, raffle tickets, and VIPKID swag, so it can be fun to do a little “shopping” once you’ve accumulated enough tokens.
Refer a Friend
All teachers have the ability to earn extra money for referring their friends to VIPKID. You can find the VIPKID referral center by clicking the orange button under your picture that says “Refer a Friend.”
On the referral page, you can read the referral program rules and find your unique tracking link. You can also see where your current referrals are in the hiring process.
VIPKID Teachers Portal FAQ
Now that you’re a VIPKID teacher portal expert, let’s take a look at some of the most common questions,
How Do I Update My VIPKID Time Zone?
To update your VIPKID time zone, hover over the “My Info” tab and click on “Account center” in the dropdown menu. When the page loads, scroll down to the section called “Contact Information.” You’ll see an “edit” button next to your time zone. Click this button and choose your new time zone. Save and refresh the page. When you go to your bookings tab, the calendar will now be in your new timezone.
How Do I Request A Review Of A Teacher IT Class Finish Type?
If you want VIPKID to review or change your class finish type, hover over “Class” and click the “Classrooms” button in the dropdown menu. Click on “All Classes.” Select the orange “Cancellations & No Shows & Change Finish Type” button in the top corner of the page.
Now you should see a list of classes with a checkbox beside each one. Tick the checkbox for each class you would like reviewed, and select the orange “Request To Change Finish Type” button at the bottom of the page. Fill out the information requested and submit.
How Do I Apply For A VIPKID Soft/Medium Cancellation?
If you want to apply for a VIPKID soft/medium cancellation, hover over “Class” and click the “Classrooms” button in the dropdown menu. Click on “All Classes” and choose the orange “Cancellations & No Shows & Change Finish Type” button in the top corner of the page.
Now you should see a list of classes with a checkbox beside each one. Tick the checkbox for each class you would like to have marked as a soft/medium cancellation, and select the orange “Soft/Medium Cancellation” button at the bottom of the page. Fill out the information requested and submit.
Where Can I Download A VIPKID Mike, Meg, and Dino Printable?
To download free VIPKID Dino, Meg, and Mike images, hover over the “Resources” tab and click on “Library” in the dropdown menu. Below the “Recommended for you” section, you’ll see a row of buttons. Click the button for “Downloadable Resources.” Here, you’ll find downloadable images of VIPKID characters like Meg, Mike, and Dino that you can use in your classroom.
(Pssst… If you’re looking for other fun VIPKID printables and activities, check this out!)
How Do I See My VIPKID Tags?
To view and update your VIPKID tags, hover over the “My Info” section and click on “Tags” from the dropdown menu. You will see your existing tags and you can click “Update” tags if you’d like to change them.
How Do I Contact VIPKID?
The best way to contact VIPKID is to submit a help ticket in the teacher portal. To do this, click on the “Support” tab in the menu. On the right side of the screen, you’ll see a button that says “Contact Support.” Click this button to create a ticket. You’ll need to fill out some information about the topic and what issue you’re having to make sure the help request goes to the right person.
Where Do I Find VIPKID Freshdesk?
VIPKID Freshdesk is another support center for VIPKID teachers. Even though they recommend using the support ticket system in the teacher portal, it’s possible to submit tickets here and browse through help forums. Click here to visit VIPKID Freshdesk.
VIPKID Teachers Portal Final Thoughts
I definitely understand how the VIPKID teacher portal can feel overwhelming at first, but spend a bit of time there and it will start to feel like a second home before you know it! Using the teacher portal features and resources can help make teaching English online with VIPKID much smoother and I hope this post gave you a helpful overview!
