What It's About
A teacher levels-up by offering courses that reference popular video games.
Words of Wisdom
According to Devyn if you don't get into Outschool on your first try, apply again and apply better. Don't give up. Devyn also says the number one quality they are looking for on Outschool is authenticity. In addition, she says, "they're looking for people who have a passion for education."
Fun Fact
Devyn lived in Spain and Argentina growing up, which is where she learned to speak Spanish.
Notes from Chris
Episode 2033
Who was your favorite teacher in school? Was it your music teacher or your English teacher? Or maybe you had that one really fantastic science teacher that made chemistry come to life for you. The legendary teacher in today’s story has everyone beat. Her subject? Video games. Her classrooms aren't brick and mortar; they're the magical worlds of Legend of Zelda, Banjo Kazooie, Mario Kart, and Pokémon. Devyn Ricks uses the landscape of these whimsical games to teach creative writing and social skills, engaging her students directly through gameplay. And she does this all online from the comforts of her home. No physical classroom needed. But that’s not all! She also gets paid for this. Four years ago, Devyn Ricks's husband started dental school. His student loans weren't enough to cover their family of six. Devyn, therefore, decided she needed something flexible to help with the bills. She started teaching English to kids in China through an online company called VIPKid, but her hours were 4am to 6am, which, as she puts it, was the worst schedule ever. Nevertheless, she noticed that several teachers working for VIPKid were jumping ship to find work through another platform called Outschool. Initially, Devyn charged $12 per student per class—on the lower end of Outschool's recommended price range of $10-20 dollars. Next, she had to figure out what to teach. Being fluent in Spanish, Devyn decided to start by teaching Spanish classes. There wasn’t much demand for that, however, so she changed topics. Next, she tried to teach cooking. That didn’t work well either, so she moved on to other ideas. In short, she was throwing everything she could at it, looking to find her way. But, unfortunately, she wasn't getting very far. It was almost game over … until she had an all-new idea. As Devyn continued to brainstorm, she realized her two passions were creative writing and video games—so why not create a class that does both? On a whim, she wrote a description and opened it for registration, hoping that kids would enjoy her innovative mashup. She was right! This was where she found her niche, and the classes filled up. Not just once, but month after month. Her flagship class, "Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Creative Writing Class," spawned even more classes. Her roster now features Animal Crossing and Mario Kart, among others. One year after starting at Outschool, Devyn brings in $4,000 each month, teaching just 25 hours per week. Her earnings mean that her husband can stay focused on his dental schooling, and they can avoid additional student loans. Miss Devyn (as she’s known to her students) has big plans for the future. First, she's wielding her gaming superpowers to continue to level-up her business. She hopes to create an organization within Outschool, meaning that other teachers will work for her teaching video game social club classes. Her next goal is to monetize her YouTube Channel.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Learn more about Devyn at her, Outschool profile: Miss Devyn .
- Art Classes by Zoom Produce Pandemic Profits: An art teacher uses her tech savvy to offer online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching hundreds of viewers (and getting paid) through Facebook Live.
- Instructor Offers Online Wellness Classes for Seniors: This tech-savvy senior helps others find their zen with technology, all while getting paid for teaching classes through a third-party platform.
- Cooped Up Nomads Start Online Cooking School: A traveling couple pulls the ultimate pandemic pivot, helping a friend transition her Tuscan cooking classes into an online school.
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