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peripatetic_soul
Joined: 20 Oct 2013 Posts: 303
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:51 pm Post subject: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges |
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Have you seen this article:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chicago-state-university-sends-layoff-notices-to-all-employees-amid-illinois-budget-battle/ar-BBq5kgX?ocid=spartandhp
We also received a memo from Dept head this week that due to decreased enrollment, adjuncts who already have no benefits at tertiary institutions will face more cutbacks and downsizing. We were told there may be no summer classes to teach and fall offerings will be slim pickings. Also, many full-time, tenured professors have been requested to retire. Their positions will be filled with many adjuncts (again, sans benefits). In addition, full-timers will be expected to teach more credit hours than they expected so as to reduce the number of adjuncts they will need to hire. In addition, seasoned adjuncts will most probably be replaced with newbies in order to offer contracts with considerably lower credit hour rates. Many senior adjuncts who depend on this income to supplement SS are concerned, asthere was no COLA increase for those on SS this year yet pharmaceutical price gouging continues and Medicare has changed tier structure in their drug formulary so that few are categorized at tier 1 ( the cheapest, generic cost).
Conclusion: It is not an optimal time to pursue ESL in the U.S.
Regards,
PS |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:43 am Post subject: |
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Which is why I got certified in both ESL and English at the high school level
in both Arizona and Washington. |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013 Posts: 2006 Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges |
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peripatetic_soul wrote: |
Conclusion: It is not an optimal time to pursue ESL in the U.S. |
Not in adult or higher ed. And not unless you're willing to spend several years breaking into the local market. And, even then, there are no guarantees. |
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peripatetic_soul
Joined: 20 Oct 2013 Posts: 303
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 3:26 pm Post subject: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges |
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Hello eslprof, et al.,
Yes, I meant at the tertiary level. You are right, Mitsui - it's more lucrative and stable in public school if one can tolerate the stress from admins (been there, done that).
To comment one step further - It's probably not wise to pursue a Ph.D.--to incur thousands of dollars in debt-- to teach ANY subject at the college/university level, given the cutbacks and significantly reduced number of "tenure" positions that will be offered in future.
I guess we're a dime a dozen. Good luck to you Mitsui.
Regards,
PS |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013 Posts: 2006 Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 8:04 pm Post subject: Re: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges |
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peripatetic_soul wrote: |
To comment one step further - It's probably not wise to pursue a Ph.D.--to incur thousands of dollars in debt-- to teach ANY subject at the college/university level, given the cutbacks and significantly reduced number of "tenure" positions that will be offered in future. |
So true. Consider the following:
So You Want to Go to Grad School?
http://chronicle.com/article/So-You-Want-to-Go-to-Grad/45239
Graduate School in the Humanities: Just Don't Go
http://chronicle.com/article/Graduate-School-in-the/44846
While both articles were published quite a few years ago, they pretty accurately describe how things still work today. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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I cannot imagine admin in the US is worse than the BS I have had to deal with in Japan.
Work on Saturday once a month
Passive-aggressive, mentally ill boss
extra duties
I am out of options. If I stayed in Japan I would have to work as an adjunct, at least at two university jobs until I retire. |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:54 pm Post subject: m |
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mitsui wrote: |
I cannot imagine admin in the US is worse than the BS I have had to deal with in Japan.
Work on Saturday once a month
Passive-aggressive, mentally ill boss
extra duties
I am out of options. If I stayed in Japan I would have to work as an adjunct, at least at two university jobs until I retire. |
In K-12, you are easily looking at 10-20 hours of work outside your paid hours. It's standard.
*The boss is sane, at least. Well, mine is. I'm lucky. I've heard horrors. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:28 am Post subject: |
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Compared to Japan, it cannot be that bad.
Here people have to come to work with nothing to do.
I think Japanese teachers can put in an extra three weeks at work compared to the US.
Voluntary overtime is standard here. Tenure is not. I am on a limited contract. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:45 am Post subject: |
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mitsui wrote: |
I am out of options. If I stayed in Japan I would have to work as an adjunct, at least at two university jobs until I retire. |
Why so? You state you're certified to teach in the US. Besides, aren't you planning to move stateside this year? |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 5:24 am Post subject: |
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Japan is a dead end. I am out of options in Tokyo.
I am looking at jobs in the US now.
So, I see that Arizona has lots of charter schools.
If anyone has something good to say about them, let me know please.
Otherwise I will focus on public schools. |
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izmigari
Joined: 04 Feb 2016 Posts: 197 Location: Rubbing shoulders with the 8-Ball in the top left pocket
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 11:25 am Post subject: |
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Japan is a good 20-30 years PAST it's prime as a destination for cowboy English purveyors.
The end really came when the bubble burst back in '90. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 11:50 am Post subject: |
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mitsui wrote: |
So, I see that Arizona has lots of charter schools.
If anyone has something good to say about them, let me know please.
Otherwise I will focus on public schools. |
Expecting one report card for all Arizona charter schools combined isn't realistic. Just like applying to jobs abroad, look at those positions you qualify for, research the schools individually, and then apply. Also be realistic about your lack of US teaching experience; you're not likely to get the type of salary similar to your counterparts who completed their licensure and practicum in the US. |
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santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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mitsui wrote: |
Compared to Japan, it cannot be that bad.
Here people have to come to work with nothing to do.
I think Japanese teachers can put in an extra three weeks at work compared to the US.
Voluntary overtime is standard here. Tenure is not. I am on a limited contract. |
I haven't worked in Japan so I can't compare, I'm just offering a reality perspective here. You understand that voluntary overtime is standard back in North America too, right? That 1-3 hours of outside prep and possible tutoring/coaching each day is expected?
I am at .6 FTE right now (9-1:30), but I have to do 8-2 in order to fit everything in. That's an extra 7.5 hours, plus working through an unpaid lunch (so, really, like an extra 10 hours unpaid ~ and my colleagues have it worse).
You also need to be prepared that classrooms here are a lot different. It's much more "student-centred", meaning we are expected to differentiate extensively and spend a significant portion of daily energy into classroom management. Add to that, full inclusion models, and you may be teaching several lessons at the same time.
I like my job. But a lot of new teachers (1/5?) quit their first year because they come in with the wrong impression of what the current classroom is. Just don't hate Japan so much you get into the grass is greener mood. The hours aren't going to change, you realize that, right? Because it seems to really upset you (fair enough), but that won't change back home. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world
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Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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Amen, santi!
Plus, expect to teach a multinational/multilingual group of students as opposed to the monolingual/national learners in Japan. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki
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Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:21 am Post subject: |
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I am focused on teaching English, not ESL now.
Arizona is my last choice. I am looking at Idaho now.
I am used to hard work and used to work more, had to work on Saturdays for years.
Working at a private high school in Tokyo is probably more demanding in some ways.
Being a first class citizen where I can be in my culture will be nice after 19 years abroad. |
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