I’ve never mentioned following through on my little protest about the impossibility of teaching properly given the burdens of a full time contract. Well, I did and so I’ve been freelance again since April, even if working almost full-time hours for the same organisation. I’m much happier now, despite the financial uncertainty, and I don’t think it’s having a no-prep Saturday at an Eikaiwa “English conversation school” to at least split my week up that makes the difference.
Although no employer has ever tried to impose it, it is also nice not have to sign a contract that says that everything I produce belongs to the school. It’s also nice to think that the many problems with the two organisations that I work for are basically not my problem (despite having worked for one or the other or both for the last ten years). The main reason for preferring the status and mental attitude of freelancerdom, though, is that it makes me much more welcoming to new classes and work more generally.
I find working full time for one organisation turns me into a complete jobsworth, with each new student just another burden. It doesn’t take much to give me a negative attitude, and the idea that I could have been sitting around getting paid the same for doing nothing (and often one of my colleagues is in exactly that lucky position) is guaranteed to make my day as depressing as British weather. The fact that I actually hate sitting around doing nothing and so would probably end up doing some unpaid work like rearranging the bookshelves or posting some of my worksheets doesn’t seem to reach my hippocampus.
The fact that a new student saves me and my little family from starvation makes me welcome them so much more, and that positivity seems to spread through my whole working week. So, hey diddly dee, it’s a freelancer’s life for me…
A high silk hat and a silver cane
A watch of gold with a diamond chain
Hi-diddle-dee-day
A freelancer’s life is gay
It’s great to be really free
A freelancer’s life for me
Hi-diddle-dee-dum
A freelancer’s life is fun
Hi-diddle-dee-dee
A freelancer’s life for me
A wax mustache and a beaver coat
A pony cart and a billy goat
You wear your hair in a pompadour
You ride around in a coach and four
You stop and buy out a candy store
A freelancer’s life for me!
You promenade a big cigar
You tour the world in a private car
You dine on chicken and caviar
A freelancer’s life for me!
And you?
TEFLtastic 
Yes – I see. I think I agree. Being under contract I feel ‘owned’. Freelance suits me better all round.
I can also charge more or less depending on how I feel and refuse work I don’t enjoy – depending on how many hours I want/need and how many are available.
Lack of pension/insurance/holiday pay etc can be a pain, but is very seldom offered and even less likely to be made good on – so it’s moot.
I like to see myself working on until a very ripe old age, perhaps doing a bit less as time goes by. If I get really sick then it won’t really matter anyway.
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Unlikely ‘…a private car.. /… chicken and caviar’ could apply to me but because of the freedom to teach what and how I believe it should be taught I’d agree ‘A freelancer’s life for me!’ ☺☼♫
Thanks for the inspirational post! It is sometimes a bit of a comedown not to have colleagues at all. ☻
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Thanks for reminders of some more important points, now feel even more positive about my choice! Under my present circumstances, my ability to say no to classes, teach how I like etc is extremely limited, but the fact that those things are theoretically possible does make me feel less trapped in the job somehow.
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