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Anyone teaching in Barranquilla?
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:08 pm    Post subject: Anyone teaching in Barranquilla? Reply with quote

Moving there this summer and looking to get in contact with some people in the ESL scene.
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billings



Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:34 pm    Post subject: Barranquilla! Reply with quote

EFL scene is awful! The good news - parts of B/quilla are decent! Calle 84, Hotel Del Prado and what you can do nearby is wonderful!! - so great weekends!
But, if you are to teach there ONLY the International Schools: Colegio Britanico, Colegio Marymount, Karl C. Parrish, etc.
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spanglish



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that

PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Billings, except that Uninorte is also a good employer.
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 7:22 am    Post subject: Re: Barranquilla! Reply with quote

billings wrote:
EFL scene is awful! The good news - parts of B/quilla are decent! Calle 84, Hotel Del Prado and what you can do nearby is wonderful!! - so great weekends!
But, if you are to teach there ONLY the International Schools: Colegio Britanico, Colegio Marymount, Karl C. Parrish, etc.


Wouldnt you need to be a licensed teacher to work at the IB schools?!?

There is no decent Language institutes?

What about some bilingual colegios?
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richardsongeoff



Joined: 24 Aug 2010
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 8:38 am    Post subject: Barranquilla! Reply with quote

Yes, you would need to be a qualified teacher - QTS.

However, few westerners last long in EFL/ESL institutes! poor conditions, very low salaries in relation to cost of living! Billings is 100% correct. You would need a second job to supplement your income - and you won't get that from extra classes from the students studying at English language intitutes.
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Barranquilla! Reply with quote

richardsongeoff wrote:
Yes, you would need to be a qualified teacher - QTS.

However, few westerners last long in EFL/ESL institutes! poor conditions, very low salaries in relation to cost of living! Billings is 100% correct. You would need a second job to supplement your income - and you won't get that from extra classes from the students studying at English language intitutes.


Guess I will have to focus on landing a Bilingual Colegio job there if I want to live in Quilla.
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AGoodStory



Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:47 pm    Post subject: Re: Barranquilla! Reply with quote

CarolinaTHeels wrote:

Guess I will have to focus on landing a Bilingual Colegio job there if I want to live in Quilla.


CTH, could you update us on your qualifications and experience? When you posted last year, you were advised by windowlicker and others that your qualifications were really not up to colegio positions. As I recall, at that time you had an unrelated degree and no TEFL training. How do things stand now? Did you follow through on one of the certification courses you were asking about? Last fall you said that you would have a year's experience teaching in Korea on a contract that would end in August of 2012. Apparently you've cut that short since you now seem to be in Florida? Have you been able to get teaching experience there?

Windowlicker's advice, Nov. 2011
Quote:
.With no qualifications, it won't be impossible for you to get a job at a colegio, but it will be tough, especially if you're not sticking around long enough to make solid contacts. But even assuming you beat the odds and get a job offer from a colegio right off the bat despite your lack of qualifications, the chances that it will pay good money aren't particularly high. as i've said many times on this forum, well paying colegio jobs are plentiful - though not if you lack qualifications and experience - but, more importantly, you often need to invest some time in Colombia before they become available...so the question would be why go through all the extra stress of working at a colegio if its not going to be a well-paying gig?

Then there's also the consideration that you're talking about only staying maybe 6 months - it's not particularly nice to go into a high school with no qualifications if you're not even committed to investing a full year into the kids' education. Even if you were willing to commit to a full year, with zero experience and no qualifications, stepping into a Colombian high school classroom would likely put you in way over your head - you'll probably hate it.

Maybe everyone's just better off if you stick to institute teaching? If you find a decent institute, you might make a solid $2 million/month teaching 20 hrs/week. Its low stress, and you'll probably have a much more pleasant 6 month-1 year experience.



Littlelauren 86:
Quote:
I agree with windowlicker in that institutes would be better. I would figure that colegios would need some type of commitment from you, since hiring you will be an investment. Also, when working with children, it's better for adults to commit to them rather than coming and going.


Windowlicker:
Quote:
If you're not planning on living in Bogota, your chances of getting a colegio job go down even further. There are far fewer schools in other cities that fall into that little niche you're looking for where they have the resources to hire a foreigner, but aren't so elite that they demand serious qualifications. And seriously, $2 million is not worth the stress of a colegio job. Either get the qualifications and make the time commitment to make yourself competitive for jobs paying $3 million +, or stick with institutes.


Here is the thread: http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=92877


It sounds as if you are still hoping to land a position in a colegio in spite of this advice, so can we assume that you have since taken steps to upgrade your qualifications? An update would help everyone give you more useful advice. Smile
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AGoodStory,

Yes, I cut my time short in Korea. (private route was the wrong decision).

Still, no cert now but will at the very least have a TEFOL/TEFL upon arriving to Colombia sometime around July/Aug. Considering getting a CELTA though.

Just recently I have met a large group of Colombian language teachers working in my city/state and they have eased my worries abit. They said with a degree that I will certainly be able to find work at a 2nd tier bi-lingual colegio without a cert but im gonna atleast get a TEFL. Meeting these people in this teacher exchange program was a GODSEND as i have contacts all over Colombia with schools and institutes.

Also been in contact with some Colombian University professors to see about getting a job at a Uni.
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spanglish



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As always I recommend a CELTA over a generic cert. The CELTA is very well known and respected down here. Contacts are king in Colombia, so good on you to be networking before getting down here.

Just a word of warning - Colombians are notorious for telling you a lot of optimistic things about job prospects that never actually pan out. They'll excitedly tell you how as a native speaker with a degree it will be SO easy for you to find a good job in Colombia. The reality is tends to be very different and involves working long hours for insultingly low pay. Unless you're talking to Colombians who are actually directors of good private colegios or heads of departments at top private universities (or if they have a sibling in a position like that) AND they really, really like you personally, I would take everything you are told with a large grain of salt.

To add - if you know you can handle/like working with kids or teens, I'd highly recommend getting a teaching certification before heading down here. Top colegios pay more than top universities and institutes (if you know how to negotiate). BUT, colegio work ain't easy.
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CELTA's are def well known but they cost you a grip! 2k is alot to pay for something you don't know how much you will use it.

I really want to live in Quilla, but the institutes there im sure pay peanuts. So id mostly be looking at a colegio or uni.

Will have to use all my contacts and beat down the door of every decent school in the city.

And if that doesnt turn up anything substantial than off to Cali to repeat the process.

And if all else fails I guess Ill head to Bogota jaja
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Gregorio



Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I teach at a Colegio in Barranquilla. I don't want to mention which one, but you definitely need the certifications if you want to teach at a top tier bilingual school in Barranquilla. The 2nd tier to 3rd, even if they hire foreigners, would not pay enough for you to live well or even decent here. The cost of living is not that cheap. You would probably have to live somewhere in the South of Barranquilla, which most gringos could not handle.

I agree that where there is a will, there's a way, but in mind, that way requires more schooling and certifications.

Good luck with your endeavors.
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gregorio wrote:
I teach at a Colegio in Barranquilla. I don't want to mention which one, but you definitely need the certifications if you want to teach at a top tier bilingual school in Barranquilla. The 2nd tier to 3rd, even if they hire foreigners, would not pay enough for you to live well or even decent here. The cost of living is not that cheap. You would probably have to live somewhere in the South of Barranquilla, which most gringos could not handle.

I agree that where there is a will, there's a way, but in mind, that way requires more schooling and certifications.

Good luck with your endeavors.



Are you a certified / licensed teacher? Wish like hell I did that instead of this damn business degree. Or do you just hold a CELTA and a 4 yr degree?

Have you meet any ESL teachers in Quilla?
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Gregorio



Joined: 17 Aug 2004
Posts: 105

PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Are you a fully certified/licensed teacher?


Yes, with a Masters in Education and Bachelors in my teaching subjects. You can always go back to school and get certified.

I have only met ESL teachers from UniNorte, but I am not sure of the qualifications required to work there.
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spanglish



Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that

PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Uninorte requires a masters degree in ESL and for non-native speakers at least a score of 100 on the TOEFL.
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CarolinaTHeels



Joined: 03 May 2011
Posts: 130

PostPosted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gregorio wrote:
Quote:
Are you a fully certified/licensed teacher?


Yes, with a Masters in Education and Bachelors in my teaching subjects. You can always go back to school and get certified.

I have only met ESL teachers from UniNorte, but I am not sure of the qualifications required to work there.


Yea, I think im gonna do an alternative certification program (1yr) then try and find a job abroad. Then later do masters in guidance counseling.

What is the foreign teacher make up at your school? (Age / male fem ratio / nationalities ect)

Also did you get hired from abroad at one of the International Fairs?
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