Private English teaching jobs can be an excellent way of increasing your income while living and working as a TEFL teacher in Madrid. Here we use our 15 years of experience in the ESL market to help you find jobs, make a great first impression and then build a timetable for yourself that works for you.
Where to look and advertise jobs teaching in English in Madrid
In Madrid and Spain, there are some great free places to put up ads online:
If you live in an apartment block, put ads in the mailboxes as being close to home for late-night classes is a real bonus. Local cafes and bars are normally very happy to let you leave some leaflets too, which you can print here at TtMadrid with the photocopy credits included in your course!
How to sell yourself and stand out from the ESL crowd
When you are putting up adverts make sure you sell yourself well.
- Specify what type of classes you have the most experience with or are looking for (general, adult, children, business, exam prep, etc.)
- Highlight your skills and experience – make sure to mention your TEFL certification!
- Women tend to want female teachers so they feel safer; if you’re female, make sure to make it clear.
- Explain your unique style of teaching – interactive, dynamic, well-prepared, conversation-led, etc.
Take it seriously
One of the drawbacks of private classes is that students often cancel with little or no notice and then don’t expect to pay. Make sure that you set out your terms and conditions at the first meeting. Having some terms and conditions in writing will help with this so there are no misunderstandings with your students. Things to include might be:
- Cancellation policy – 24 hours’ notice is the norm
- A minimum attendance of 80% of the classes
- Confirmation of what you will charge
- How and when you will get paid
Be Safe
We’ve never heard of any horror stories but why take the risk? The following tips will help to keep you safe.
- Organize the first meeting at a bar or cafe close to the student’s house. If you don’t get a good feeling, leave. If you are happy, get them to walk you to their home so you know where to go next time
- Have a buddy that knows where you are and who you are meeting, and arrange to phone them when you arrive and when you are due to leave.
- Ensure you get a mobile number from them and a full address and give this to your buddy.
How much should you charge for teaching English in Madrid?
It is often seductive to go for the highest hourly rate without considering the overall package. Here’s an example:
A student contacts you and wants two hours a week on a Monday and Wednesday evening and you quote 20 euros an hour, earning 40 euros a week.
However, if you went back to the student and offered them a discount to have the 2 hours on the same night (17 euros an hour), you would be earning 34 euros a week but you are then able to sell Wednesday night to another student who wants 2hrs a week at the same price and therefore earn 68 euros a week. Think about how to be smart with your time.
Value your prep time too! No two classes are the same so when you’re giving your rates make sure to ask everything you can about what the classes will entail.
Here’s an example:
You’re asked to do conversation classes about a range of topics with a student that has a C1 level. This will require about 5 minutes prep as you’ll simply send them a news article beforehand and build your class around the grammar and vocabulary that comes from the article.
Now think about how you’d price this class versus a class where you’ll need to prepare a young learner for a school exam. You’ll need to research what they need to know, work on exercises that are tailored to their level and prepare practice papers.
The second class would require a lot more effort, time, and resources and you should therefore charge it at a higher rate.
There you have our recommendations for how to find work teaching private English classes in Madrid! You’ll need a TEFL to make sure you’re prepared for any class. Contact us and find out more about our courses and how you can start working in Spain as an English teacher.