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srs3829
Joined: 09 Sep 2014
Posts: 30
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 Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 10:05 pm Post subject: Advice for teaching in Mexico City? |
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Hello all,
I've been reading the forums and appreciating the info and advice therein. I would also appreciate any advice you can offer for my specific situation.
I am planning to move to Mexico City for (at least) a year, and hope to find work teaching English there. If things go well, I would like to stay longer.
About me: I have a BA and an MA, both in music performance. My work background is in arts administration (12 years). My only teaching experience will be a few months assisting with an ESL class (I just started). I don't speak Spanish, but am studying on my own. I don't have a preference for teaching kids vs adults. I know I won't get rich doing this; my plan would be to live frugally and my hope would be to occasionally travel without dipping into savings. I am not a Mexican citizen.
Questions:
1. On these forums, I've read that a Master's degree could help me land a teaching job. Does any kind of Master's help? (Would my music degree help?) I'm guessing only a Master's in TESOL/Linguistics would help, but just wanted to ask! 
2. I've also read that my options for employment would be broader if I obtain certification. Given my background and the fact that I plan to be in Mexico City for more than a year if things go well, is that true? (It sounds like some countries are more particular about certification types than others.) I want to be well-equipped to teach well and support myself in the long run, but I don't want to waste time or money if certification won't make much of a difference.
3. If you do recommend I get certified, does it matter whether I get a certificate in TESOL or TEFL? I ask because: a) TEFL is less expensive than TESOL; b)I know TESOL covers TEFL and ESL, but it seems like I'd only be in TEFL situations (not ESL).
4. What kinds of jobs would I most realistically be qualified for in my first year? Is it easier to find work if you obtain certification locally?
5. If I don't find a job with benefits, what are the best option(s) for obtaining health insurance?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer! |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for teaching in Mexico City? |
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| srs3829 wrote: |
| 1. On these forums, I've read that a Master's degree could help me land a teaching job. Does any kind of Master's help? (Would my music degree help?) I'm guessing only a Master's in TESOL/Linguistics would help, but just wanted to ask! |
That's correct. A master's in anything other than TESOL is not likely to help you out.
| Quote: |
| 2. I've also read that my options for employment would be broader if I obtain certification. Given my background and the fact that I plan to be in Mexico City for more than a year if things go well, is that true? (It sounds like some countries are more particular about certification types than others.) I want to be well-equipped to teach well and support myself in the long run, but I don't want to waste time or money if certification won't make much of a difference. |
Certification can open doors that might otherwise be closed. Many employers in Latin America, however, won't care whether or not you have one. The main value in obtaining one (apart from the fact that it's a requirement for some jobs) is that it will equip you with the basics you need to go into a classroom and do language instruction with a minimal level of competence. In your case, it will help you to build on your current experience as a teaching assistant and prepare you to transition into a full teaching role.
| Quote: |
| 3. If you do recommend I get certified, does it matter whether I get a certificate in TESOL or TEFL? I ask because: a) TEFL is less expensive than TESOL; b)I know TESOL covers TEFL and ESL, but it seems like I'd only be in TEFL situations (not ESL). |
TESOL and TEFL are terms that are generally used interchangeably. The entry-level standard is 120+ hours (usually a one month intensive) of face-to-face instruction with a minimum of six hours of supervised teaching practice. CELTA, Trinity, and SIT are the three well-known brand-name certificates but others will meet the entry-level standard as well.
| Quote: |
| 4. What kinds of jobs would I most realistically be qualified for in my first year? Is it easier to find work if you obtain certification locally? |
Yes, completing your certificate in Mexico will allow you to begin networking for jobs while you're completing your training and will give you a good sense of what types of jobs you can realistically get hired for.
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| Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer! |
One additional thing: Keep working on your Spanish. It's going to be very hard to navigate most day-to-day tasks, not to mention the job search, without a working knowledge of conversational Spanish. |
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custemqui
Joined: 28 May 2013
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2014 1:17 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for teaching in Mexico City? |
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| esl_prof wrote: |
| srs3829 wrote: |
| 1. On these forums, I've read that a Master's degree could help me land a teaching job. Does any kind of Master's help? (Would my music degree help?) I'm guessing only a Master's in TESOL/Linguistics would help, but just wanted to ask! |
That's correct. A master's in anything other than TESOL is not likely to help you out.
| Quote: |
| 2. I've also read that my options for employment would be broader if I obtain certification. Given my background and the fact that I plan to be in Mexico City for more than a year if things go well, is that true? (It sounds like some countries are more particular about certification types than others.) I want to be well-equipped to teach well and support myself in the long run, but I don't want to waste time or money if certification won't make much of a difference. |
How useful would a PGCE (TESOL) be in Mexico in landing a job? I would consider secondary in addition to academy type environments. Would it help in securing something in a university or would I need a MA Applied Linguistics? I have a BA, MSc in Social Science and I am fluent in Spanish, near native speaker.
Certification can open doors that might otherwise be closed. Many employers in Latin America, however, won't care whether or not you have one. The main value in obtaining one (apart from the fact that it's a requirement for some jobs) is that it will equip you with the basics you need to go into a classroom and do language instruction with a minimal level of competence. In your case, it will help you to build on your current experience as a teaching assistant and prepare you to transition into a full teaching role.
| Quote: |
| 3. If you do recommend I get certified, does it matter whether I get a certificate in TESOL or TEFL? I ask because: a) TEFL is less expensive than TESOL; b)I know TESOL covers TEFL and ESL, but it seems like I'd only be in TEFL situations (not ESL). |
TESOL and TEFL are terms that are generally used interchangeably. The entry-level standard is 120+ hours (usually a one month intensive) of face-to-face instruction with a minimum of six hours of supervised teaching practice. CELTA, Trinity, and SIT are the three well-known brand-name certificates but others will meet the entry-level standard as well.
| Quote: |
| 4. What kinds of jobs would I most realistically be qualified for in my first year? Is it easier to find work if you obtain certification locally? |
Yes, completing your certificate in Mexico will allow you to begin networking for jobs while you're completing your training and will give you a good sense of what types of jobs you can realistically get hired for.
| Quote: |
| Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer! |
One additional thing: Keep working on your Spanish. It's going to be very hard to navigate most day-to-day tasks, not to mention the job search, without a working knowledge of conversational Spanish. |
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Monkeyhijau
Joined: 05 Jul 2009
Posts: 3
Location: MONTERREY, MEXICO
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| Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 12:55 am Post subject: Teaching |
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| Your qualifications and the fact that your a native speaker should open many doors in schools. However as someone else said you do need to know how to teach. My school (Kinder to High school) takes people without teaching qualifications. So the opportunities are there. Whether you would survive is another matter !! Practice makes perfect. |
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srs3829
Joined: 09 Sep 2014
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, all!
I think somehow some info got mixed up here. I (the OP) do not have a BA, MSc in Social Science, nor am I fluent in Spanish. Not sure where that info came from!
I have music degrees, some volunteer ESL teaching experience, and don't speak much Spanish.
Am I right in assuming a CELTA (or equivalent) will greatly enhance my employment options as opposed to an online TEFL certificate w/out a practical component? My hope is to make teaching in DF a longterm life plan. |
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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| Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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| My first teaching job was pre-certification. Yes I highly recommend it, not so much for opening doors but for giving you a clue what to do when you get through the door. |
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BadBeagleBad
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Posts: 1186
Location: 24.18105,-103.25185
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| Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| MotherF wrote: |
| My first teaching job was pre-certification. Yes I highly recommend it, not so much for opening doors but for giving you a clue what to do when you get through the door. |
What she said. But, you might work for a year in a language institute, many of them will train you in their method, and you could do a CELTA or whatever you decide, at the same time.
If you have a job with benefits you will have insurance though the Mexican system. If you decide to go another route, there are many options, lots of private hospitals, both profit and non profit, inexpensive options (Farmacias Similares, Farmacia del Ahoro) for routine stuff, and even a high end doctor will cost you what a co-pay would in the US (or less). Overall, medical costs are far, far lower than in the US, even paying out of pocket. You can also buy into the Mexican national health care, but I am not sure how that works, exactly. |
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