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September or January

 
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tumbawumba



Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Prague

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 7:01 am    Post subject: September or January Reply with quote

This my first post so I'll get straight to it...

I've been reading the various pages on this forum for a few months now and only just recently decided to join. The wealth of information is great, especially to a newby such as myself. As my own story unfolds I hope I can share some experiences with you all at some point.

Anyway, I'm looking at going to the Czech Rep'. I'm in my early 40's, Australian and have just completed my CELTA. I also have a B.Sc (Hons.) in Human Biology and speak fluent Croatian. I would like to get some thoughts on a couple of things. Firstly, I have no experience at teaching tefl, and am a bit nervous about chucking everything in to pursue this silly idea I have about living in the Czech Rep'. But it is something I've wanted to do for a while now. Secondly, I'm thinking of leaving either mid September or early January. What are the pro's and cons of being an inexperienced (but enthusiastic!) teacher looking for work at these times?

I've applied for several teaching positions at various schools throughout the Czech Rep' and find they're not really keen unless your in the country. I've read the thread, "can I just show up" by Knight and I'm in a similar situation, age wise but minus the experience.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers...
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The majority of contracts are Sept-June. However, there are ususally some openings in January as teachers dont' return from holidays and/or schools pick up new clients for the second half of the year.

Probably the peak hiring time will be very end August/early September, though there should be work around in January as well.
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ITTP



Joined: 23 Sep 2006
Posts: 343
Location: Prague/Worldwide

PostPosted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:23 am    Post subject: Re: September or January Reply with quote

tumbawumba wrote:
This my first post so I'll get straight to it...

I've been reading the various pages on this forum for a few months now and only just recently decided to join. The wealth of information is great, especially to a newby such as myself. As my own story unfolds I hope I can share some experiences with you all at some point.

Anyway, I'm looking at going to the Czech Rep'. I'm in my early 40's, Australian and have just completed my CELTA. I also have a B.Sc (Hons.) in Human Biology and speak fluent Croatian. I would like to get some thoughts on a couple of things. Firstly, I have no experience at teaching tefl, and am a bit nervous about chucking everything in to pursue this silly idea I have about living in the Czech Rep'. But it is something I've wanted to do for a while now. Secondly, I'm thinking of leaving either mid September or early January. What are the pro's and cons of being an inexperienced (but enthusiastic!) teacher looking for work at these times?

I've applied for several teaching positions at various schools throughout the Czech Rep' and find they're not really keen unless your in the country. I've read the thread, "can I just show up" by Knight and I'm in a similar situation, age wise but minus the experience.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Cheers...


Hello tumbawumba.

DO IT Smile

You will be fine.

The main hiring season is September/October and the next main season is January. Work is found all year due to the high turnover of teachers and also the high demand for language tuition.
September/October though is when you will find the most teaching work available.

If you believe it will happen then it will.

All the best!

Neville Smile

ITTP Prague
Narodni 21
Prague 1
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tumbawumba



Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Prague

PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, you've convinced me! Just booked a flight for September... Very Happy Any recommendations on schools willing to take on a newby?
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No worries about being a newbie - there's a lot of turnover among Prague teachers, and you'll be in the majority of new hires with your newbie status.

Make sure whatever school you go with will provide you with suport in getting a visa.
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dirimini



Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 74

PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 2:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just curious, OP - if you are fluent in Croatian, have you considered working there? Or is there no ESL market to speak of?

(I'm a newbie myself, so can't offer much information on that front.)
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tumbawumba



Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Prague

PostPosted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Just curious, OP - if you are fluent in Croatian, have you considered working there? Or is there no ESL market to speak of?


Yeah dirimini I have, but I haven't found a great deal of info about teaching there. In my opinion, having been to Croatia many years ago now, it strikes me as the type of place that wouldn't have as strong a demand for tefl. The snippets of information I've managed to gather seem to reinforce that to me, it's still very much a developing industry.

Given a choice, I still would rather go to Prague, it's a lot more central and has more opportunities for beginners such as ourselves. At some stage when I'm in Prague I'll go down to Croatia for a short visit and check things out though.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm somewhat familiar with the teaching scene in Croatia - there is one, but yes, it's small. Zagreb mostly, of course, but a bit of seasonal work in Dubrovnik and Split, and I presume along the more northerly coast as well, but don't know for sure about that region.

The pay is relatively quite low - the teachers I've known there mostly all had additional jobs to make ends meet. In the coastal/tourist areas, there is very little teaching work during the tourist seasons, as so many people are employed catering to tourists.

I think your fluent Croat will be an asset as you pick up Czech:)
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dirimini



Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 74

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck, OP. Maybe you can be a trailblazer and whip up some ESL excitement in Croatia!
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tumbawumba



Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 5
Location: Prague

PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Good luck, OP. Maybe you can be a trailblazer and whip up some ESL excitement in Croatia!


Yeah no worries, let me get some experience under my belt first. Initially I'd like to conquer the ESL scene in Prague, then we'll see Laughing
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AndrewR



Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 26

PostPosted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
No worries about being a newbie - there's a lot of turnover among Prague teachers, and you'll be in the majority of new hires with your newbie status.


Why is there so much turnover? Do people end up hating the job really quickly? Or is it because their priority is to travel around? Wouldn't they be breaking their contracts?

thanks
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Everybody's different. Some feel they can't make enough money to sort of relax about finances, and some can't get over the fact that housing isn't usually up to what they are used to back home. Others are depressed by cold weather, or perhaps in some years it rains a lot (this isn't a given every year, but sometimes we get long rainy autumns). Czechs themselves can be quite reserved - they are wonderful friends once you really make them, but they aren't outgoing and can come across as cold/unfriendly initially.

Of course, it's not always anything to do with the CR! People's family/friends/significant others have quite a lot of influence here...it can be hard to say 'no' to many family situations.
Lots of family members dont' actually believe that someone from their family will REALLY be living abroad for any length of time - they often tend to believe he/she will get homesick and come back relatively soon. When/if this starts to look like it's not the case, they can change tactics and apply pressure of some kind/at some level, and depending, lots of people who wanted to live abroad find that the pressure from family and friends can be too great, and go back.

Basically, Prague is a newbie's market - because there are so many around, the salaries and job packages offered are at newbie-level, and not everyone wants to work this way longer-term, or to make the considerable extra effort it takes in this market to get one of the few 'better' gigs around.

I think the majority don't break their contracts, by any means, but may well head out at the end of June for other vistas. And there are always some few who don't return from their Christmas holidays, again for many reasons.
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