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suphanburi
Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916
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 Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:29 am Post subject: |
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| Hod wrote: |
| tellersquill wrote: |
| But the long term issue is saving for retirements and buying a house - i'm not sure if these jobs that offer £1,200 per month can ever really fund that |
Kudos that you're thinking that way. No beating around this bush. You won't be retiring early, i.e. in your sixties or even seventies, or buying any house if you start TEFLing now and do it long term. |
It think this is a disservice and should be clarified somewhat.
You won't be retiring early, i.e. in your sixties or even seventies, or buying any house if you start TEFLing now and do it long term IF YOU STAY IN ENTRY LEVEL TEFL JOBS.
The issue is that far too many get trapped in entry level positions because they do not take their own professional development seriously.
IF someone likes teaching EFL abroad and wants to make a career out of it then options exist but they won't happen without on-going pro-D.
Do a TEFL course. Start teaching.
IF you like the job after a year or two then start looking at your pro-D. See what the next level up requires and get it.
CELTA / DELTA and move into language center DOS type positions.
PGCE or B.Ed / M.Ed and move into mainstream work.
M.Ed / EdD / PhD and move into mainstream admin or:
academia / research / featured speakers circuit / curriculum development / commercial publication.
Don't waste too many years on the entry level of the circuit. That ends up in a dead end trap and then you would be looking at 20 years down the road and still working for entry level wages.
Decent jobs (globally) above the entry level exist for properly qualified individuals. £45k annual salary (167k baht) is pretty nice working here in Thailand. Beats the hell out of working for 30k baht (£700) as an entry level EFL teacher.
The same can be said for Vietnam.
Just like corporate work at home there is a ladder to climb.
Alternatively, do it for a year or three, enjoy the gap years and return home to your "real life".
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tellersquill
Joined: 08 Apr 2016
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 5:52 am Post subject: |
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| suphanburi wrote: |
| Hod wrote: |
| tellersquill wrote: |
| But the long term issue is saving for retirements and buying a house - i'm not sure if these jobs that offer £1,200 per month can ever really fund that |
Kudos that you're thinking that way. No beating around this bush. You won't be retiring early, i.e. in your sixties or even seventies, or buying any house if you start TEFLing now and do it long term. |
It think this is a disservice and should be clarified somewhat.
You won't be retiring early, i.e. in your sixties or even seventies, or buying any house if you start TEFLing now and do it long term IF YOU STAY IN ENTRY LEVEL TEFL JOBS.
The issue is that far too many get trapped in entry level positions because they do not take their own professional development seriously.
IF someone likes teaching EFL abroad and wants to make a career out of it then options exist but they won't happen without on-going pro-D.
Do a TEFL course. Start teaching.
IF you like the job after a year or two then start looking at your pro-D. See what the next level up requires and get it.
CELTA / DELTA and move into language center DOS type positions.
PGCE or B.Ed / M.Ed and move into mainstream work.
M.Ed / EdD / PhD and move into mainstream admin or:
academia / research / featured speakers circuit / curriculum development / commercial publication.
Don't waste too many years on the entry level of the circuit. That ends up in a dead end trap and then you would be looking at 20 years down the road and still working for entry level wages.
Decent jobs (globally) above the entry level exist for properly qualified individuals. £45k annual salary (167k baht) is pretty nice working here in Thailand. Beats the hell out of working for 30k baht (£700) as an entry level EFL teacher.
The same can be said for Vietnam.
Just like corporate work at home there is a ladder to climb.
Alternatively, do it for a year or three, enjoy the gap years and return home to your "real life".
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Thanks for the advice.
I definitely will do a PGCE in a few years time, but I really want to wait a bit as I'm absolutely sick of writing essays (currently finishing my dissertation. I know that I could never do a PhD, mostly down to a hatred of academic writing.
As for the job choices:
-One is actually a TEFL course in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam with a job guarantee (no mention of hours but a promise of no less than $17 per hour).
-Another is 20hr in class kindergarten in Chengdu for 9,000 rmb with free accommodation.
-The last one is a 16.5hr position in Nanning, China. They haven't clarified the wage yet and have just mentioned that it is between 8,000 - 10,000rmb per month.
I've got more of a good feeling about the Nanning position as I was speaking to one chap who worked there and he was telling me that they really take the time to train you when you first arrive.
I am still thinking about the Ho Chi Minh position though, as from what I read it is a bit of a haven from ESL teachers.
If it was a job in England I would be more decisive but because I'm flying half way across the world to take one of them I'm having to be a lot more careful. |
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Hod
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 1613
Location: Home
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:12 am Post subject: |
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| suphanburi wrote: |
| Decent jobs (globally) above the entry level exist for properly qualified individuals. £45k annual salary (167k baht) is pretty nice working here in Thailand. Beats the hell out of working for 30k baht (£700) |
£45000 a year in Thailand? That's the sort of money paid by the very top international schools, i.e. to PGCE holders with UK teaching experience. Why quote such figures to a new teacher who'll do a TEFL/CELTA and earn nowhere near that sum? TEFLing in Asia for the overwhelming majority should be seen as a fun few years. You won't be saving for any retirement or houses. |
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Jmbf
Joined: 29 Jun 2014
Posts: 663
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:04 am Post subject: |
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| suphanburi wrote: |
You won't be retiring early, i.e. in your sixties or even seventies, or buying any house if you start TEFLing now and do it long term IF YOU STAY IN ENTRY LEVEL TEFL JOBS. |
+1. There are still decent paying TEFL jobs around, just not at entry-level. Any teacher with a modicum of drive, half a brain and a good working attitude can work their way into a decent position (over time). Unfortunately a decent percentage of TEFL teachers do not fit this description. |
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suphanburi
Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:04 am Post subject: |
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| Hod wrote: |
| suphanburi wrote: |
| Decent jobs (globally) above the entry level exist for properly qualified individuals. £45k annual salary (167k baht) is pretty nice working here in Thailand. Beats the hell out of working for 30k baht (£700) |
£45000 a year in Thailand? That's the sort of money paid by the very top international schools, i.e. to PGCE holders with UK teaching experience. Why quote such figures to a new teacher who'll do a TEFL/CELTA and earn nowhere near that sum? TEFLing in Asia for the overwhelming majority should be seen as a fun few years. You won't be saving for any retirement or houses. |
I started off 20 years and a couple of post grad degrees ago as an entry level EFL teacher too.
We all started at the bottom of the ladder but getting stuck at the bottom and working long hours for peanuts is a matter of choice. not a matter of the craft/profession.
MOD EDIT |
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Hod
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 1613
Location: Home
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:13 am Post subject: |
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MOD EDIT
If you're going to talk about context, you should help the opening poster by mentioning it took 20 years and the additional qualifications to get that sort of income. |
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Mr. Kalgukshi
Mod Team
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 6613
Location: Need to know basis only.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:40 am Post subject: |
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The Mod Team expects nothing less than civil discourse here. When it finds anything less, we act quickly to resolve the situation in the best interests of our community. Posting less than civil comments here absolutely negatively impacts a member's continued tenure. This is sometimes recorded in nanoseconds, as the situation warrants.
So it is then that this thread is temporarily locked in order that the warning above may be carefully read and fully comprehended by all concerned. |
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