I’ve finally hit 400 teaching hours on Preply! Preply’s commission rates drop as you accumulate more teaching hours, and 400 hours is the final milestone where the commission rate drops to the lowest at 18%.
Many new Preply tutors work hard every day to reach this goal. A friend, who has always supported me, surprised me with a cake to celebrate this achievement. I’m genuinely thrilled.
In addition to reaching 400 hours, it’s also been exactly one year since I started with Preply. I’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on this past year.
One Year Since Starting Preply
As I mentioned in my initial blog post, before starting on Preply, I was giving lessons via Skype to a Filipino I met at a game event. Confident that I could teach using my own materials, I began my journey on Preply. It’s amazing to think that a whole year has already passed since then.
Slow but Steady Progress
When I read other Japanese tutors’ blogs, it seems like taking a year to surpass 400 lessons is quite slow. However, since I create my own materials, this pace was just right for me. In fact, it feels like it’s been a busy year.
Although I had two years of teaching experience with 2,000 lessons before starting on Preply, I was starting from scratch here. I didn’t have many students at first because my lesson fees are relatively high. It must have been nerve-wracking for students to choose me, but I’m truly grateful to those who did.
Blessed with Great Students
24 people have taken my trial lessons, and out of them, 21 continued with a subscription. While the number of trial lessons is fewer compared to other tutors, I was able to reach 400 hours thanks to the many students who continued my lessons. Language learning requires consistency, and I strive to offer enjoyable lessons that motivate students to continue, ensuring high quality.
Current Lessons: Mostly Beginners and Children
Some students have stopped subscribing due to various reasons, so I currently have 14 students. Some take two or three lessons per week, so I conduct about 20 lessons per week. Among my students, only two are at an intermediate level, while the rest are all beginners.
For some reason, I have many child students (high school age or younger). Although I don’t particularly promote lessons for children in my profile, more than half of my students are children. Having previously worked at a language school with adult learners, teaching kids is a refreshing change. I find kids’ lessons very fun and enjoyable.
Cumulative Lessons Translate to Trust
I believe the most important factor for students when choosing a Preply tutor is the tutor’s cumulative lesson count. It’s easy to picture what lessons with textbook-using tutors are like, but it’s harder to imagine the lessons of tutors who use their own self-made materials, like me. However, surpassing 400 lessons has likely made my profile appear more reliable. I hope to continue increasing my experience to 1,000, 2,000 lessons, and beyond, making my profile more attractive.
