Hate comments and other types of things that I have had happen as an online ESL teacher: a list

I have been teaching English online for nearly three years now.

I have had my share of difficult students. These are some of the comments that I have had thrown my way.

You are too young to teach English. I'm 23 years old, yes, I am young, but it does not mean I do not understand the language.

You should have bigger dreams than wanting to write and teach English online. I also want to travel the world, but in a more environmentally friendly fashion.

I had a student ask me if I was married or had children, to which I answered no and I am not sure if I want to get married or have children. The student then proceeds to use the rest of the 45-minute lesson lecturing me about how I should get married and have children.

Someone asked me what the difference between dumb and stupid is. I answered something along the lines of, "they both refer to someone foolish. They really mean the same thing." The student got mad and told me I am the worst teacher ever and that I should not teach English to anyone else and should learn my own language. She got mad that I said I did not know what she was saying because her internet connection was poor and I asked her to repeat what she said. When I told her I think her internet connection is having some trouble staying stable she began yelling and denying it and saying it was all my fault. The same student then proceeds to tell me I am a disgrace to my native country, Canada. She then insults the fact that I teach for two companies and says that is because I do not know how to teach. She finishes by calling me an idiot and a psychopath who just wants to make money. She was quickly blocked and reported. I refunded her money. I also want to add that I care about earning an income, but I care more about helping others learn and practice their English skills.

I had someone book a lesson with me only to stay on the video call for five seconds and masturbate in front of the camera, without saying a word. I hung up immediately when I saw him start to do this kind of behaviour. I blocked and reported him.

I had a student tell me I charge too much for classes. Where I live, the minimum wage is 15 Canadian dollars per hour. I told them I charge that much because I need to make a living wage per hour. They then said then you need to move to a cheaper place. They ended the call abruptly after that.

I had a student scream at me for accidentally sneezing during a class. I cannot control a natural bodily function that I cannot stop from happening.

Some other things that annoy me as an English teacher are when a student does not show up for a lesson. My companies require me to wait for a student to arrive. I least I always can find something to do on my computer while I wait. Typically, I listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, and watch videos.

I fully understand if life happens and you cannot make it to class. However, please send me a message, so I know you cannot make it to class.

In conclusion, I love teaching English online and I could not imagine a better job. There is a stable income in it. One of my companies pays me well over minimum wage and well over the industry average in Canada, which is $18-$20 per hour. With this company, I get paid nearly $30 per hour, plus bonuses. I get to work from home and meet hopefully nice people from all over the world. I can even potentially travel the world with this job and teach from anywhere. The only thing is, you need to make sure you have a decent internet connection.