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 

Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges
Goto page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General North America Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
peripatetic_soul



Joined: 20 Oct 2013
Posts: 303

PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 9:51 pm    Post subject: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges Reply with quote

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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Which is why I got certified in both ESL and English at the high school level
in both Arizona and Washington.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
esl_prof



Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt

PostPosted: Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
peripatetic_soul



Joined: 20 Oct 2013
Posts: 303

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 3:26 pm    Post subject: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges Reply with quote

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
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
esl_prof



Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 8:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Plight of ESL Instructors at Colleges Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
santi84



Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea

PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 11:54 pm    Post subject: m Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
izmigari



Joined: 04 Feb 2016
Posts: 197
Location: Rubbing shoulders with the 8-Ball in the top left pocket

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 11:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
santi84



Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amen, santi!

Plus, expect to teach a multinational/multilingual group of students as opposed to the monolingual/national learners in Japan.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 
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