We are looking for more superstars!
A word from our Managing Director Antonia Beauvoisin Brown
I set up KidooLand in 2007 with a few tables and chairs and a lesson plan. Now over 17 years later we work from 3 premises the Annexe & Loft (in Vallauris) and the Village in Villeneuve Loubet.
This is only possible thanks to our strong experienced and fun team of over 20 people who are focused on giving our little clients the best introduction and pathway to learning and loving English.
While we are diverse team with different working hours, at different locations, we work hard to try and create a team feel. Over the years we have focused on team welfare with a nutritional workshop, Pilates classes, LoveFest, Christmas parties, end of year team apéros, and other little moments to hopefully bring some cheer throughout the year.
What's it like working at KidooLand ? Sian shares her journey here from how her CV was missed first time around .. to becoming our Branch Manager.
Working in education, we have certainly been put through our paces during the pandemic but what the last 3 yearas has shown me is how resilient we are, how working as a team has given us all well needed support , drive and laughter (and yes a few tears) to get through it but above all that we provide a service that parents keep signing up for.
Is education a good field to be in ?
The pandemic was challenging for all. We learnt a lot and developed new skills. We also realise that we don't want to be working 24/7.
Education does require energy and work but it also relies on excellent communication and teamwork. It's true that the pandemic and brexit meant that many great teachers left France. Slowly numbers are building up again and we have been able to build our team up again who are very good in the areas that you would consider important for teaching .
Having that teaching suite of skills , working as a team , reduces down planning time and so we hope that education in KidooLand is back to being a good field to be in.
What qualifications do I need to work with you ?
Diplomas and experience certainly catch our eye on an application. TEFL / CELTA / Montessori / PGCE are all certificates we look for.
We are also looking for that bit of fairy dust too.
Some of our best English teachers have come from non traditional routes like performing arts, speech therapy, mechanical engineering and even an optician. TEFL and CELTA are all great to have, but what's essential is a passion to engage and motivate a child, the ability to use your voice without raising it to capture the children's attention, the creative know how to transform a cardboard box into something magical, to be a pinterest fan for science and lego challenges.
All those things that they don't teach in "Teacher School" but they are what make the difference and what help to truly engage a child to learn. Some current team members started with us and trained alongside us and then completed diplomas along the way.
What is KidooLand's future looking like?
I've been managing the company since I set it up in 2007 along raising my children who are now
teenagers. I feel it's really in the last 5 years as my children got older that I was really able to put
workable repeatable processes into place, open up the new locations and bring on new team members
and train them so that they find the role as easy as possible. I think that coming out of the pandemic,
we are truly in our best shape.
So now we find ourselves with a solid, experienced and happy team .. ready to add to the team but also aware we need to find that rare unicorn who embraces our interactive and fun philosophy, is ready to take action while keeping their attention on the detail.
Our next team member will be joining a fast moving but supportive environment where we encourage everyone to think like a leader, where everyone's contribution is valued, where you can be part of something that is having a genuine impact on other people's lives.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and hope that the successful candidate will see that KidooLand is and wants to be a diverse place to hang out and one that is nurturing and supportive. You can also learn more about what it's like to work with us from our current team members via our various social media channels
Due to life changes and a large team it is inevitable that we need to back fill roles as people move on. We are also looking at expanding in the future and so we are looking now for the right candidates to grow the team.
So we would say make sure you apply now so that you are on our radar. If you get a positive response back from us, it's worth checking in again once a quarter. Read on to see if we are going to be a match.
On our side we put communication tools into place to support you through the first 30, 60 and 90 days .. and beyond.
The great match for us is a team player, who listens and reacts, who can think like a Leader, who wants their classroom to be a positive and interactive learning space.
A native level of English is of course essential. A good level of French would be a great plus, in order to be able to communicate easily with parents, but is not essential.
Here's what you should be able to do...
- Plan & run creative and interactive English lessons using a variety of different activities (arts & crafts, music, cookery, science, history & geography workshops) and homework. You do not need to be an expert in all domains but you do need to be comfortable running sessions like this.
Our weekly classes all have workbooks and teacher plans detailed for the school year. This greatly reduces down any planning needed for sessions.
We also provide lots of links and resources for teachers to ensure that planning time takes as little of their time as possible while maintaining the quality.
- Think - how do my children learn ? Make sure your lesson plans support all learning styles. We are not about the teacher standing in front of a class lecturing! We are about reading the room, and making sure we tailor our teaching practices and methods to the needs of the group so that sessions are accessible to everyone there!
- Communicate with parents. The children often say "I just played" we want parents to understand all the thought and planning you put in before hand and the linguistic pathway the children are on.
- Be passionate about positive education. We are looking for someone who actually enjoys education even in their down time. Someone who goes around in their day to day and instinctively is thinking oh wow that cardboard box could be perfect in my next art project or sees a programme on Netflix and thinks this would be a great clip to show as an example in my science project. Basically you will fit in if education is in your DNA.
- Want to be part of a supportive team? We have a vibrant WhatsApp community for the team where we share top tips, new language teaching methods and just have a little bit of fun. We also share resources in our Team Facebook group and Trello boards.
- Great teachers are also punctual, organised, considered, calm in a crisis and keep a tidy classroom (consistent with health and safety standards).
- The ability to teach in the classroom and online is essential but we can provide training here.
Read on to learn more about our availabilities and the application process.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards
Antonia & her KidooTeam.
We are closed from 5pm on 20/12/23 until 9am on 08/01/24. We will review all applications received over this period in January! Thank you for your patience and have a wonderful holiday!
WE ARE HIRING ONLINE ESL TEACHERS FOR JANUARY 2024
Are you an enthusiastic and organized educator passionate
about teaching English to young learners?
Join our innovative online platform and enjoy a flexible and fully remote teaching role!
We're seeking dynamic teachers who engage with students through the camera lens, fostering direct eye contact and meaningful connections. Your role involves meticulously planning and delivering interactive lessons tailored to children aged 5-16, aligning with their proficiency levels and individual goals. Beyond language acquisition, your aim is to nurture language mastery and bolster confidence. Providing consistent, constructive feedback and conducting evaluations are integral parts of this role.
Qualifications:
Native-level proficiency in spoken and written English.
Teaching certification (e.g., TESOL, CELTA, TEFL) OR a bachelor’s degree.
Minimum of 2 years' teaching experience, ideally with diverse age groups, preferably in an online setting.
Bonus: Experience with alternative, child-focused teaching methods like Montessori.
Skills:
Proficient technical abilities, adeptness in using Google Suite & Zoom.
Outstanding communication skills.
Punctuality, strong organizational capabilities, and acute attention to detail.
Capacity to evaluate students and tailor lessons to accommodate various learning styles and individual needs.
Competence in designing innovative and efficient lesson plans and developing curriculum.
Requirements for Success:
Clean criminal record is mandatory.
Access to high-speed internet, a computer, and an HD webcam & microphone.
Hiring Process:
Complete our application form.
Record and submit a 4–5-minute introductory video – tell us about your experience to date, why you teach and why kids love to be taught by you... showcase your unique personality!
If you pass this initial screening stage, you will be invited to a Zoom interview, which will include a 10-minute trial lesson demonstration.
Remuneration:
Starting salary between 12 – 20€/h depending on qualifications and experience, going up to a maximum hourly rate of 30€/h.
Minimum initial contract period of 6 months.
1:1 classes 30 minutes long (25 minutes teaching + 5 minutes providing update).
Comprehensive Onboarding:
We offer a structured 30-, 60-, & 90-day onboarding program for all new teachers. This includes a complimentary online training program designed to swiftly familiarize teachers with our unique approach, methodologies, and systems. Regular monthly check-ins are conducted to actively support teachers during this onboarding period.
Ongoing Performance Reviews:
Post the onboarding process, we conduct reviews quarterly or every 150 hours taught to uphold teaching standards, ensuring an exceptional learning experience for our students. Clear criteria are communicated beforehand, facilitating a transparent evaluation process. Hourly pay rate increases are based on the outcomes of these reviews.
WE ARE HIRING ESL TEACHERS FOR 2024/25
Wednesdays (9h30 - 17h) + Saturday (10h-12h)
+ minimum of 5 weeks of holiday camps (9h30-12h30 + 13h30-16h30)
As well as being a passionate teacher, we are looking for someone who is a goal-orientated self manager (gets things done consistently on time!), who has a positive attitude and a growth mindset. Good communication and a team spirit are also essential; we work hard but we also love what we do and enjoy working together to help transform children's lives!
The children have assigned course books for the year on Wednesdays & Saturdays and the teacher's role is to plan their teaching around the units set out in these books. Each individual lesson is 2h so teachers also have the freedom to decide on what fun reinforcement activities you would like to organise to compliment the scheduled book work: arts and crafts, drama, debates, songs/musical activities, games, role play, science experiments, cooking etc.
We also run holiday workshops in Oct/Nov (2 weeks), February (2 weeks), April (2 weeks) & the summer (6 weeks) and 5 weeks of guaranteed teaching over this period is also included in this package.
For school holiday teaching roles, teachers are required our teacher planning committee with develop a balanced education programme and plan all the classes around a specific theme in order to meet our set educational objectives. The aim, again, is to incorporate academic progression with a wide range of interactive activities so that children are fully engaged in the learning process and have fun. As a holiday camp teacher, your role is to take this plan and bring it to life in your classroom.
MAIN PACKAGE DETAILS :
* 35 x Wednesdays all day (3 groups: 9h30 -11h30, 13h-15h & 15h-17h)
* 30 x Saturdays 10-12h (1 group: 10h-12h [possiblity to repeat work/activities from Wednesday classes!])
Including:
- 1 message sent to parents per class on what we did in class/homework
- 1 evaluation / child completed each term (3 terms per year)
* Holiday Camps (based on 5 weeks @30 hours/week - more weeks available + garderies too if wanted)
Total annual billed rate for the above: 11 115 € per year
++ Great onboarding process plus online teacher training programme. You may be looking for a job, but we really want to help you develop your teaching career!
Please note: As we work with children, security and reference checks will be carried out; the successful candidate must have a clean casier judiciaire.
APPLY TO JOIN OUR TEAM
STEP 1 -> APPLY USING OUR FORM >> HERE <<
STEP 2 -> Once you have completed the form, if you are applying for an in person position, please show us the personality behind your written form by sending us a short WhatsApp voice message (less than 5 minutes long - we'll send you our company WhatsApp number by email once you've completed the online application form). If you are applying for an online, remote teaching positiong, please send us a 4-5 minute introductory video.
In both cases, please introduce yourself, tell us about your current situation, your experience to date why you teach and why kids love to be taught by you... showcase your unique personality!
We are not looking for a recording masterpiece here .. we are looking for personality! Our teachers need to be able to communicate with their voice / onscreen. Your voice is yout magic wand in the classroom so imagine you are on Blue Peter or have a group of 6 year olds in front of you and want to tell them a story.
Successful shortlisted candidates will be invited to a prelimary interview via a zoom conference call.
For in person roles, we then invite you in to meet the team .. join in a session (a paid trial) and see if you like what you see and whether we all feel it would be a good fit.
KidooLand's Recruitment Policy
KidooLand prides itself on being an equal opportunities employer and complies with relevant employment legislation in order to ensure that its recruitment process is fair, open and transparent. KidooLand welcomes applicants of all nationalities, religions, races, ages, sexual orientations, gender, disability, marital and family status. KidooLand’s primary concern is always finding the best individual for the job!
Please note that KidooLand is a provider of first-class English education so all candidates for teaching roles must have native level written and spoken English.
All applicants must already have in place the relevant visas, permits and permissions to live and work in France.
All the personal information received from applicants is dealt with in the strictest confidence. All CVs are reviewed and when a suitable position becomes available, we would then contact you for an interview.
Security is important to us. To move dossiers forward quickly, please ensure you bring the following documentation to your interview:
• Casier judicaire or CRB
(https://casier-judiciaire.justice.gouv.fr/pages/accueil.xhtml)
• 2x professional references, one of which must be related to the world of children/childcare (that we can call).
• Photo ID (please bring both a photocopy and the original).
• Relevant professional certificates for the role being applied for (e.g. teaching, 1st aid etc. Photocopies are acceptable.).
• Titre de séjour/Visa for non-EU (including British) citizens (please bring both a photocopy and the original).
• Copy of Carte Vitale, mutuelle (health insurance) and ideally knowledge of your vaccination records and/or a vaccination certificate.
• Autoentrepreneurs should have proof of their SIRET number for the partnership agreement (eg. A copy of the most recent URSSAF attestation de vigilance).
L'équipe de KidooLand est constituée d’hommes et de femmes, différents les uns des autres par leurs origines socio-culturelles et religieuses, leur âge, sexe etc… L’acceptation de chacun (enfant ou adulte) et l’ouverture de l’esprit constituent notre force. Nous nous enrichissons en accueillant, au sein de notre communauté, des personnes avec des expériences diverses et des idées variées.
Il est essentiel pour nous de pouvoir enseigner ce principe fondamental de la diversité et de la tolérance aux enfants qui viennent à KidooLand car eux aussi en font partis.
La diversité c’est vous et nous, Together.