What if a student asks me to pay outside of Emma Academy or pay me directly?

​​

Accepting payment outside of the Emma Academy platform is a serious violation of Emma Academy Terms of Service.

​

All lessons with Emma Academy's current students given to the teachers must be paid for through the Emma Academy platform. Expectations of Emma Academy teachers are clearly outlined in the FAQs

​

A teacher is never to contact directly or indirectly any current student (including but not limited to past students, students got as references of current or past students) and persuade them to conduct lessons outside the Emma Academy Platform. Teachers found to be in gross violation of this Emma Academy Terms of Service will be removed from Emma Academy Platform.

​

If a student asks you to accept payment outside of the Emma Academy system, then as an Emma Academy teacher, you must decline a student's request and inform them to continue with the same payment method as initially agreed.

​

In addition, you should let us know about these students. This way, we can be sure that you were not violating Emma Academy policy.

 

Accepting or requesting payments outside of the Emma Academy system is detrimental for Emma Academy teachers:

​

• Payment Risk: Lessons outside of Emma Academy have payment risk. Students may or may not follow through with promises to pay.

​

• Student Reputation: On the Emma Academy platform, students also have to maintain a reputation. Students that are found to be irresponsible or in gross violation of student terms and conditions are also removed from the system. Hence, our teachers are well protected.

​

• Teacher Reputation Building: Teachers that teach off of the system do not receive the public feedback and social credit that is recorded on Emma Academy. This removes an important feedback loop for social verification of teachers. 

​

• Privacy Risk: On the Emma Academy platform, you should not share any personal or private contact information with students. You can never be sure how someone else is going to use your personal contact information.

​

• Loss of Records: Lessons scheduled and paid for on the Emma Academy system are recorded in your account. Emma Academy will be able to find these records and help you if you need assistance.

​

• Effect on students: Teachers removed from Emma Academy for such gross violation of terms of service will have to forfeit all earnings due and all current students and the students in the pipeline. As a result, such students will be given to new teachers which adversely effects their motivation to learn the language and causes them immense financial and psychological harm to deal with another teacher from scratch.

​

• Lack of Support: In the event that a teaching session does not go as planned, there is no way for teachers and students to settle their issues. When the information is saved in the system, Emma Academy support staff are able to mediate any disputes and disagreements between teachers and students. 

​

• Bad for the "marketplace: If a teachers accept lessons and payments outside of Emma Academy, then their posted times and prices would become less reliable and trustworthy.

 

Please Note: Warning to Teachers

​

Teachers that are found requesting payment, accepting payment, asking for and accepting references without informing Emma Academy or taking students off of Emma Academy will have their profiles removed from Emma Academy, their pending earnings forfeited as well as blacklisting the teacher's profile on all our partner platforms and on the general directory of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Министерство науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации). A possible legal procedure could also be initiated against teachers who follow such unethical and irresponsible practices.

​

Emma Academy invests a lot of time, efforts and resources to find and give student to a teacher. We also expect our teachers to stick to the deal and follow the company policy diligently, refrain from any illegal and illegitimate activities, to not act in a manner which is against the interest of Emma Academy and above all, to focus on the lessons and your students.