New to freelance teaching

Hi, I'm Brian, I have been in Cilegon for 3 years now, but only just begun on the freelance teaching. Has anyone got any pointers that could help?

Get a set of good text books
Mentari books or pearson are the places to try.
Make your lessons interesting.
Offer something other courses don't. Loads doing TOEFL, so go for something like Cambridge.

Thanks, I already have mentari, and been to the Cambridge day in Jakarta

Keep low profile when teaching freelance...... :cool:

No problems, I know the legal stuff. Just the difficulty is getting students

happyhour wrote:

Keep low profile when teaching freelance...... :cool:


If you're on a KITAS, very low.
If KITAP, a little low.

Brian c Davies wrote:

Thanks, I already have mentari, and been to the Cambridge day in Jakarta


So did I. I'm looking at starting a small business. Won't be big, but should make a couple of bucks.
I've decided on "My pals" books. Pretty good for primary.
I'll probably start in the new school year.

My pals are here are used by an awful lot of schools in and around Jakarta so parents may ask why they will use the same books. Just an idea, the students I teach and I teach a lot of children under 11 need reading exposure and to practice writing to support their school work better. Why not look at a range of books that encourage reading and the basics of writing?

Actually my usual students are adults, so I use a lot of stuff from ESL websites alongside the Cambridge stuff. I have found a good balance to tailor to my students needs

Brian c Davies wrote:

No problems, I know the legal stuff. Just the difficulty is getting students


You know the legal stuff.....so you follow the rules or bypassing ?  :D

I Follow, and the immigration are aware of what I am doing. It is fully legal, even to the extent that I'm teaching once a week in one Immigration office

Technically Brian, it is not legal for any foreigner to earn a wage or accept payment for any services or goods provided here in Indonesia without a proper business license and work permit.  Even a business visa does not allow for this. 

With that in mind, do the folks at your local immigration office pay you for your “free lance” teaching?  Or, are your services to the immigration folks strictly on a volunteer basis?

Since I have just started, and I am "freelance", Immigration are helping me to get a business licence while I am teaching, but loopholes allow for me to visit the office on a more personal basis.

If anyone asks, just to help out....but only immigration would ask...and they won't if you're working for them.
Same went for me when I was helping the police.
If the right people don't want to ask, the law on the subject isn't an issue.
I used to do anti drugs talks in schools with the police, and even helped bust a dealer.
No one ever bothered asking if I was legal, and they never would.
Immigration were well aware..just they didn't want to know.

I'm not so sure about that one, the amount of times I have caught them out by checking government regulations, and finding what immigration is saying is not true, and proved it time and again over visas. If anyone does ask (I doubt) I will just change the subject.

So are you earning money or teaching students for free ?

That was asked in Roy's (Ubudian) last post.

What kind of visa you are holding now ?

I am earning, mostly from local schools wanting a native speaker for a few hours. presently transferring from KITAS to KITAP,

I assume you have a spouse sponsored KITAS/KITAP as otherwise you can not work for more than one school if you would have a work permit.

As mentioned earlier, better do all on low profile  :cool:

Ya that is on low profile, with wife sponsored....

The odd day at a school on a KITAP is unlikely to be a problem.
No one will care.