Few men enter the teaching space due to the stereotype that it’s a nurturing type of occupation or that there are not enough financial and growth opportunities in teaching. However, three 51Talk Super Dads defy stereotypes and prove that anyone can grow professionally, make a living teaching online, and be successful in the field—all while having time for their families and themselves.  

Teacher Rass Vill, trainer Wayne Ray, and teacher Von Erik have each found their success in teaching at 51Talk. Learn more about their successes as online English teachers and fathers as they give us a glimpse into the secret life of 51Talk Super Dads.
 

Teacher Rass Vill

Teacher Rass Vill is a great example of a Super Dad who manages his time well since he values family time above all else. Since teaching at 51Talk for 8 months now, he gets to spend more time with his daughter. Moreover, seeing the benefits of teaching at home, he convinced his wife to work from home and bought her a computer set from his hard-earned teaching fees. Teacher Rass Vill shares his story, his secret to balancing teaching and family responsibilities, and his achievements as a Super Dad and 51Talk teacher.

What’s your secret to being a Super Dad? Name three unique qualities.

A. Patience: A Super Dad has the patience to listen and learn from his child. If a child has a problem, a dad can ask, “What do you think would help?” Giving kids a chance to problem-solve gives them confidence. Patient dads can advise on different ways to help a child understand. When a father is there to lend support and guidance patiently, this builds emotional trust.

B. Guidance: Super Dads help their kids by teaching them life lessons. When a child makes mistakes or bad choices, a good dad steps in to help teach consequences without being punitive or judgmental. A dad who is in tune with his child can help him/her make better decisions. Dads who can say “I’m sorry” when they make a mistake are also modeling a valuable life lesson.

C. Respect: Kids learn a lot about how to treat others by what their father models at home. A good dad respects his partner and does not argue in front of the children. He corrects the kids if they are speaking or acting disrespectfully toward their mother. This sends a message that the parents work together. Also, a good father can show affection to his partner as well as the children. Children feel more secure when they see that their dad loves his partner and their children.

As a stay-at-home dad, how do you balance your teaching and family lives?

As a stay-at-home dad, I balance my teaching and family life by setting a time limit for how long I will work. Once my time is up, I put my teaching equipment away and focus on my family.

What has been your biggest achievement as a father? As a teacher?

Teaching my child and my students who couldn’t read in the beginning and seeing them progress from sounding out words and to eventually being able to read independently has been a great source of fulfillment.

What investment from your earnings as a teacher are you most proud of?

For my first earnings in teaching at 51Talk, I bought my wife a computer set and convinced her to work at home. This way, we can spend more quality time together with our daughter.

What is your message to dads who are also aspiring home-based teachers?

To all the dads out there, spend time with your children. How a father spends his time reveals to his child what is important to him. Kids grow up quickly and the time to bond is now. There are plenty of fun ways to spend family time with children, and being a stay-at-home teaching dad at 51Talk is a great opportunity to do that.
 

Trainer Wayne Ray

Super Dad and trainer Wayne Ray is an accomplished, fun, and supportive husband to his wife and father to two sons. When he’s not teaching at 51Talk, he spends his time traveling, cooking, or singing K-pop with his family. However, when he’s teaching, he is a dependable and inspiring teacher not only to his students but also to his fellow 51Talk teachers. After two years of teaching on the platform, trainer Wayne Ray shares what it means to be a Super Dad and a successful 51Talk teacher.

What’s your secret to being a Super Dad? Name three unique qualities.

A. Supportive: I have two sons. I support whatever they like to do in their lives. My eldest is in senior high school under the STEM strand. He intends to take up a science course in college. My youngest is an incoming grade 10 student and plans to study chemistry in college. I support them 100%.

B. Encouraging: My sons excel in school. Still, I encourage them to do their best both in academics and in their extracurricular activities.

C. Cool: We do a lot of bonding activities such as traveling, cooking, watching Marvel movies on TV, and singing K-pop songs with my wife.

As a stay-at-home dad, how do you balance your teaching and family lives?

When I’m not teaching, I use the extra time that I have bonding with my family. We make it a point to eat meals together at the same time, and after that, we chat with each other and do fun activities like singing and watching K-pop performances.

What has been your biggest achievement as a father? As a teacher?

My biggest achievement as a dad is that I was able to send my sons to good schools. I believe that education is one gift that you can’t take away from someone. As a teacher, my biggest achievement is the fact that I was able to make an impact on the lives of my students and that they are now better at speaking in English.

What investment from your earnings as a teacher are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the car I bought which I use whenever I have to do some errands and other important matters and whenever my family and I would like to roam around the city. I was able to buy this car through bank financing. I spent my personal savings and earnings from 51Talk to purchase this car.

What is your message to dads who are also aspiring home-based teachers?

My message to all dads out there who have the passion to teach is that now is the perfect time to earn from home given the current situation we’re in right now. In 51Talk, you’ll have more time with your family with its flexible teaching schedule and earn well without having to be away from them.

Teacher Von Erik

Thanks to teaching at 51Talk, teacher Von Erik gets to see his children grow up despite teaching full-time. Because of the various benefits of teaching at home, it’s no wonder that teacher Von Erik has chosen to teach on the platform for more than five years now. In fact, his hard work and dedication as a Super Dad and 51Talk teacher enabled him to not only support his family but also provide them a three-bedroom house and two motorcycles. Learn what it takes to become a Super Dad and successful online English teacher like teacher Von Erik.

What’s your secret to being a Super Dad? Name three unique qualities.

A Super Dad should always have time for his family.

A Super Dad exemplifies the love for his craft to his kids.

A Super Dad knows how to communicate with his kids.

As a stay-at-home dad, how do you balance your teaching and family lives?

I always make sure to have time with my kids early in the morning, so I don’t have very early morning lessons. During this time, we play, talk, and sometimes, work together to finish their school homework.

I also have at least two hours of a break in the afternoon. This time is allocated for my workout, sleep, and family.

What has been your biggest achievement as a father? As a teacher?

One of the advantages of working from home is seeing my kids grow even when I teach full-time, so I think this is my most notable achievement as a dad.

As a teacher, seeing low-level students start from being almost mute to finally communicating in English is the most significant achievement that I had. Helping students pass major examinations and certifications also ranks as one of my top achievements.

What investment from your earnings as a teacher are you most proud of?

When I first started teaching in 51Talk, I only had a room with a single bed to my name. Now, I have a three-bedroom house, two motorcycles, and several gadgets.

What is your message to dads who are also aspiring home-based teachers?

Always love your craft and your family. Your occupation mirrors who you are and how responsible you are as a person. Be a role model to your kids and set an example. Let them know the importance of dedication while still having time for the family. Do your best for your family, not just for the money.

51Talk celebrates all the Super Dads who are working hard to provide and make time for their families, especially during these difficult times. As more fathers start to take on not only the roles of a provider but also the nurturer, may many more fathers continue to become inspirations and role models to their families.  

If you want to become a Super Dad like teacher Rass Vill, trainer Wayne Ray, and teacher Von Erik, 51Talk, the number one online English teaching platform in the Philippines, offers the flexibility to help you manage your time and the opportunity to grow professionally. 51Talk opens its doors to anyone who has the passion and dedication to teach, even without a teaching background. Sign up with 51Talk today, and change your life tomorrow!