Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Land of no opportunity

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General North America Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
The K Dog



Joined: 27 Feb 2003
Posts: 24
Location: Paris

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 7:57 pm    Post subject: Land of no opportunity Reply with quote

People,
I am a twenty-nine-year-old-teacher of EFL currently living in Paris, France where I have been employed for two-and-a-half-years, and am now considering returning to America, specifically Arizona, to continue in my chosen profession. I have an M.Ed in Postsecondary TESOL, experience in France, Korea and volunteer work in New York. I am quadrilingual (English, French, Spanish and Italian), but I am fearful of going back to the United States because as everyone knows abroad (that autonomous republic to which we keep referring) offers one university posts with free housing, good salaries, paid summers off, etc, but from what I have seen in America it all seems to be adjuncting positions with low pay, long commutes from community college, politics of a certain variety in the lecture hall, one's skin color taken into account (although to be fair this is quite a consideration in Asia but on the other side of the fence), etc. What I am saying is that do you think that going back to America and wishing to continue in this profession without a Ph.D is a waste of time and that I am about to ruin my life whereas I should just stay abroad, take a private retirement fund, live the life with benefits in, say, Turkey, Micronesia, Korea, etc? Just would like to know, and, if you know of any good deals in Arizona, I would be very grateful if you could tell me about them. Thanks.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
M@tt



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 473
Location: here and there

PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2003 8:48 pm    Post subject: public schools... yawn...... Reply with quote

I feel like I have to agree with someone else in another thread (can't remember at the moment...). Public schools. I'll be in your situation soon, and it seems like the only return options are K-12 ESL. It's more lucrative than any adjunct position and a lot more stable. the only problems are: getting certified, teaching K-12, and teaching in public schools.

I find this depressing and am trying not to think about it, since I haven't even been abroad yet. Good luck.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Sun Apr 20, 2003 11:08 am    Post subject: Private highs Reply with quote

Dear The K Dog,
May I also suggest private high schools - including, but by no means limited to, those run by " religious " groups. One advantage there is you don't ( usually ) need to be state-certified ( another couple are - the class sizes are often smaller and the students often better-motivated ).
Regards,
John
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2003 11:20 am    Post subject: no opportunity Reply with quote

If it is of any comfort the position in Blair's Britain is not much better.
Many of us get trapped in teaching outside of Albion and cannot return because there are very few jobs.

"Go bind your sons to exile."
Kipling was right - but now it is the daughters as well.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
denise



Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish

PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2003 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There ARE decent positions out there, but they are very few and thus highly sought after. Many universities have ESL/IEP programs that don't require a PhD. I think the majority of them, unfortunately, are part-time, hourly wages, no benefits, etc. I'm just now finishing my MA in California, and one of my professors advised me to spend a few years abroad, get a few articles published, etc., to be more competitive for those hard-to-find full-time positions.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
MindTraveller



Joined: 13 Mar 2003
Posts: 89
Location: Oman

PostPosted: Mon May 19, 2003 3:52 am    Post subject: Teaching EFL in the USA Reply with quote

Another problem about returning the States to teach - your overseas EFL experiences will not count in the salary schedule for USA public schools. So, as an adult who got my Teaching Credential at 40 and had years EFL teaching experience overseas, I entered the USA market at a beginner teacher's level.

I also left it because the office politics were as bad as overseas, and there was no free housing or tax-free income.

The only way for EFL in the USA to 'get professional' is to do what Special Education did years ago - get organized and get laws passed.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Africaexpert



Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 109

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2003 2:36 am    Post subject: Arizona for ESL Reply with quote

Sad
Arizona is pretty horrible for ESLers. Very tough market, far too many teachers competing for too few jobs. I had to do other work to supplement my income, and was getting pretty tired wortking three jobs. I didn't qualify to teach in ASU's program, despite a Master's degree in another subject and ten years ESL teaching (mostly overseas).
I was able to get adjunct work at Thunderbird and WIU, but it was pretty spotty. For about three months, I taught Bosnians working at one of the resorts. For one season I taught rookies from Dominican Republic for the
San Diego padres farm team. For a couple years I taught refugees, also part-time, before I went to school for accounting.
Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Sad Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Rolling Eyes Sad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
chinagirl



Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 235
Location: United States

PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2003 6:01 pm    Post subject: overseas can count Reply with quote

I got 2 years of overseas experience credited by my school district when I began teaching in public schools here. They required official letters on school letterhead signed by the director. I suggest that anyone teaching overseas get a letter when you leave your school stating the lengh of your affiliation, plus job responsibilities.

Some places will credit your overseas exp. Depends on the place.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JSJR



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 6
Location: New Hampshire, USA

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2003 3:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

K Dog,

I don't believe your chances of landing a teaching position here in the States are as bad as everyone says. I live in New Hampshire--we're about as diverse as the NHL--and I've seen many job advertisements for teaching English to non-native speakers. I have no idea who it is they need teachers for, but given the number of advertisements I see in the paper I would say your chances are decent. Try the Massachusetts and New York areas too. With all the colleges and metropolitan areas in the northeast I can't imagine it'd be hard to find a teaching job.

Good luck

John
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General North America Forum All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China