Maybe yesterday was a full moon. Maybe yesterday was a day when all the 'creeps came out of the wood work'
Zero people signed up for a session. Which doesn't bother me at all, really. What bothered me was what those 7 or 8 people said to me when they reached out to me through private message and asked for 'help' with learning English. That is what made me feel lousy and wondering if staying on this site is really worth it. They all said they could not afford a lesson, which i politely replied i don't offer free lessons and that there are some tutors that do offer free trials. But then they continued on about how no one helps them. they are broke. that i'd take all their money from their job if they paid for my tutoring. Just really pouring on the guilt. 3 of them took it a step further, two said they'd marry me if i tutored them. Another person said, 'Can i ask you a question' after i told them i don't offer free tutoring. i said 'Sure' they said, "Have you ever kissed a girl? Yes or no"
When i first joined italki a week ago i posted in my 'about the teacher' information that i have a college degree. I've been asking people that message me if they've seen my profile and they say yes. I don't understand why people think someone with a college degree would help someone for free. Even more so, two days ago i added that i do not offer free tutoring or any free trial lessons. Still people that messaged me yesterday were trying to guilt me into helping them for free. I wish people didn't lie about seeing my profile. I wish this site did actual 'screening' for prospective students. I know there is community guidelines. But there really should be more. I have looked for years for a online job that i can do from home. The way this site made me feel yesterday..was down right lousy and made me feel like my college degree meant nothing. I didn't spend years in college to be made to feel like like this.
I know from reading other peoples posts that other people are having issues as well. I have been blocking and clicking report on the people that send me 'advances' in the romantic nature. I just wish italki would do more to help protect tutors/teachers on here. To make it more pleasant experience. Maybe have a application for students on here. They do have the report button, but i wonder how much that really 'helps' To be a 'student' on here, do you just go to the website and click 'student' and that's it? you're in the site? Does the site ask you any questions? Maybe there should be a 'review' process for students to become a member on here. Just like there is for tutors and teachers.
Don’t respond to people who aren’t serious about language learning. If someone asks for a free lesson, don’t respond. No one owes anyone a response, and it’s quite clear that playing nice online is not the way to go. There are too many creeps and people who try to take advantage of you.
You don’t need to justify your rates or the fact that you don’t offer free lessons, nor do you even need to explain yourself to anyone. Everything is listed on your teacher profile. People who are serious about learning will book a lesson without arguing or trying to haggle or make you feel guilty. This isn’t a bazaar.
Alice, if they haven't read your profile, do you really think they will read your discussion?
This category you are talking about rarely read anything.
You have said it yourself, you have been here for just a week. Sometimes it really takes
months to get your first student, especially if you are new to italki and has no posts to
help learners or no corrections or answers. I'm not saying these things are a must to
get students, I'm just telling you why it could take some time for you to get serious
students who actually want to book lessons.
By the way, it's against italki guidelines for teachers/ tutors to offer free trials/ lessons.
Italki system doesn't even allow to add 'nothing' as a price, for a trial you need at least to
add $ 1 as a price, and for a lesson by a tutor $ 4 is the minimum and $ 8 for teachers.
You shouldn't feel down or discouraged :) Yes, you deserve to be booked and get paid, just
be patient. Patience is a virtue. For those creeps you are talking about, take a screenshot
to their messages and send them along with the link to their profiles to italki support at:
I wish you good luck.
Alice,
This site has more than a million members from all over the world. Do you know how many of them would want free lessons from you? Do you have an idea how many rude idiots can be from a million people? You receive a few messages from some spammers who look for free lessons from naive new teachers. I am sure they don't read discussions or profiles they send messages may be to a lot of the teachers. Be patient, now is summer, people on vacations. I think many teachers now have a problem with students. It will come with time. At this site thousands and thousands of good students who are really looking for lessons. So you also will have your students with time. You are a native English speaker with a college degree, be sure about yourself. Are you ever answer for spam in your Gmail? Don't do it here too.
Good luck!
