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Avoiding Dancing Monkey Jobs

 
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CNexpatesl



Joined: 27 May 2015
Posts: 194

PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 5:31 pm    Post subject: Avoiding Dancing Monkey Jobs Reply with quote

How would you avoid dancing monkey jobs in HCMC or Hanoi? Are there enough adult, high school and test prep teaching jobs to go around?

Where would you find them?
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 7:38 am    Post subject: Re: Avoiding Dancing Monkey Jobs Reply with quote

CNexpatesl wrote:
How would you avoid dancing monkey jobs in HCMC or Hanoi? Are there enough adult, high school and test prep teaching jobs to go around?

Where would you find them?


To avoid dancing monkey jobs you might consider having a set of clear and observable objectives in your lesson plan, age and level appropriate methodologies for teaching the material and ensuring student engagement.

If that sounds too much like work (a real teacher job) then stick to being a dancing monkey, take your money and run.

If you actually get certified by Cambridge ESOL as an examiner for their main suite exams there is enough work out there in test prep to keep you busy as well (mostly language centers) since schools who run the exams will require you to do those teacher things like planning, prep, evaluation and assessment.

If, on the other hand, you are simply asking in a somewhat disparaging way how to avoid working with young learners then start looking for real teaching positions. There are lots of them out there but they tend to want more than a generic BA + TEFL.

.
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1st Sgt Welsh



Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've often heard EFL teachers being equated to dancing monkeys, especially on Dave's, but, I can't say I've ever felt like one. Even if you are teaching young learners, something I've admittedly had very little experience with, I don't see why that means that you have to act like a clown. If an employer did expect me to make a fool of myself for student's entertainment, then that's not an employer or school that I'd be working for for very long.
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bograt



Joined: 12 Nov 2014
Posts: 331

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1st Sgt Welsh wrote:
I've often heard EFL teachers being equated to dancing monkeys, especially on Dave's, but, I can't say I've ever felt like one. Even if you are teaching young learners, something I've admittedly had very little experience with, I don't see why that means that you have to act like a clown. If an employer did expect me to make a fool of myself for student's entertainment, then that's not an employer or school that I'd be working for for very long.


It depends what the context is. If you're doing a story telling session with young learners it's probably better not to stand in front of a lectern and drone on in an academic style. Acting like a children's TV presenter (or a clown if you prefer) probably is a better way to get the kids motivated. It's not for everyone but if you can put aside your self-consciousness it can be a lot of fun. Not all work with kids is badly paid either, I've done some special story telling sessions at schools for 60 dollars an hour.
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1st Sgt Welsh



Joined: 13 Dec 2010
Posts: 946
Location: Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bograt wrote:
1st Sgt Welsh wrote:
I've often heard EFL teachers being equated to dancing monkeys, especially on Dave's, but, I can't say I've ever felt like one. Even if you are teaching young learners, something I've admittedly had very little experience with, I don't see why that means that you have to act like a clown. If an employer did expect me to make a fool of myself for student's entertainment, then that's not an employer or school that I'd be working for for very long.


It depends what the context is. If you're doing a story telling session with young learners it's probably better not to stand in front of a lectern and drone on in an academic style. Acting like a children's TV presenter (or a clown if you prefer) probably is a better way to get the kids motivated. It's not for everyone but if you can put aside your self-consciousness it can be a lot of fun. Not all work with kids is badly paid either, I've done some special story telling sessions at schools for 60 dollars an hour.


Like I said, I'm no expert in young-learner teaching, but, I've seen a few lessons doing it and we did cover it briefly during my CELTA. Being expressive when telling a children's story, leading a Simon Says, demonstrating and singing along to Hands, Knees, Toes etc. I wouldn't regard as being a dancing monkey, clown, fool or anything else. That's part of teaching young learners. Having to make funny faces, act like a clumsy jackass etc. in order to get cheap giggles is a different matter and that sort of thing is what I would personally regard as moving into dancing monkey territory.
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sigmoid



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 1276

PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Are there enough adult, high school and test prep teaching jobs to go around?

Where would you find them?


The biggest market now is kids and yes, you can't be boring.

There are some IELTS test prep classes at most schools and a few schools that specialize in IELTS in HCMC (and probably some in Hanoi). There are also a few corporate classes, but very little in the way of adult general English. Not sure if there are enough of these types of classes. Maybe in HCMC?

High school kids are usually worse than the small kids.

Search on the internet for "Vietnam teaching jobs" to find current job openings on several sites.

In addition, you can search for the schools.

All major schools have their own website. Smaller schools will usually have at least a facebook page.

Basically, start networking online and see what you come up with.
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Piscador



Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 24

PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 11:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that "dancing monkey" in the context of EFL teaching doesn't really refer to teaching young learners. Many schools seem to prefer entertainers to professional teachers. They want someone who is young, good looking and will make the punters laugh. Actually teaching the language is not a high priority.
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