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Teaching in London: possible way forward

 
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Trevor Wadlow



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 103
Location: china

PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:03 pm    Post subject: Teaching in London: possible way forward Reply with quote

I took my first EFL job in China for a year. Whilst there I used to read the posts on this forum in utter disbelief. I returned in June and took a Trinity Cert TESOL. So I have a degree, a Trinity cert and I am experienced. Today I saw a an EFL job offering �10.50 - �11.50 'depending on experience'. Bear in mind that as long as you live in central London it will cost you about �3.00 to get there and back.

I am currently temping as a concierge for residential blocks of flats. I am paid �6.50 per hour for doing virtually nothing. However, I have attracted two private students: one pays me �30 per hour, the other �20. I am now in talks with the boss (restaurant owner of one of my students) about teaching a group of four in my flat for a reduced rate. This will undercut the private schools and allow me to have a decent income. I have done this without any advertising at all. Bear in mind, there are an awful lot of foreign students in London requiring tuition. If you are a professional teacher you really do not have to put with the ridiculous wages from private schools.
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Insubordination



Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 394
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well it sounds good but legal problems can surface if there is an accident or complaint. Also, I�d charge a cancellation fee so you can rely on the income. My father set up a very successful maths and science tuition company right from his house. He pays tax but I doubt he declares half the students. Made more than he ever did in the corporate world. Of course, he was a qualified secondary teacher which can attract a lot more business. There are plenty of parents who will pay for their kids to succeed. I agree that TEFLing in a big city is barely worth it in many countries.
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Trevor Wadlow



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 103
Location: china

PostPosted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 6:49 pm    Post subject: Teaching in London: possible way forward Reply with quote

Insubordination wrote:
Well it sounds good but legal problems can surface if there is an accident or complaint. Also, I�d charge a cancellation fee so you can rely on the income. My father set up a very successful maths and science tuition company right from his house. He pays tax but I doubt he declares half the students. Made more than he ever did in the corporate world. Of course, he was a qualified secondary teacher which can attract a lot more business. There are plenty of parents who will pay for their kids to succeed. I agree that TEFLing in a big city is barely worth it in many countries.


This is true. However. I notice on these forums that teachers often don't know what teachers in other countries are earning. At present I am in London under duress whilst waiting to return to China. With my new Trinity Cert I can earn a good living there - the equivalent of earning �1,000 per week plus an apartment in London. In my first year I was on a starter's wage. This allowed me to eat out two or three times a week, travel and save money. Plus there was a bonus at the end. I suppose we should say 'That's the market for you', but I was dismayed when I heard fellow student teachers in London making assumptions about the need to get experience before working abroad. This is a total misconception and one which the private schools rely on. The more that students realise this, the less teachers the schools will have to rip off. Then perhaps the wages will go up
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BELS



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Teaching in London: possible way forward Reply with quote

Well done Trevor! You have the right attitude. I did the same in the Western region of Moscow, because I had no other choice as I had a Russian family to keep. I now teach students in a second flat to my family home, mainly children, but some adults.

I have a desire to return to my birthplace in Scotland with my Russian family, near Glasgow. I would like to do the same there, teach English privately, perhaps using an office or second flat. What do you think? Is there enough demand for foreigners to learn English there? Glasgow central is probably my best bet? Or perhaps Edinburgh not so far away? Hopefully Glasgow is just as good. Of course I will need a job while I am trying to develop this little business, as it's essential for the spouse visa and of course it's a wise decision whilst attempting to develop this business.

My research has been that although I may well afford to purchase a small two bedroomed flat cash for my family, I will need another property to teach. In central Glasgow I have seen flats as low as �360 per month, remember I need only one room and a one bedrroomed or even a studio flat will do.

The other option would be a serviced office room, which seems plentifull in Glasgow. Expensive on long term these fully serviced rooms, but you can book per hour and it might be good start.

There are now strong regulations in the whole of the UK for the developement of an EFL school. However these regulatios arer much more relaxed for an independant tutor. It's when you start to grow and employ other teachers the regulations get tougher.

Trevor Wadlow wrote:
I took my first EFL job in China for a year. Whilst there I used to read the posts on this forum in utter disbelief. I returned in June and took a Trinity Cert TESOL. So I have a degree, a Trinity cert and I am experienced. Today I saw a an EFL job offering �10.50 - �11.50 'depending on experience'. Bear in mind that as long as you live in central London it will cost you about �3.00 to get there and back.

I am currently temping as a concierge for residential blocks of flats. I am paid �6.50 per hour for doing virtually nothing. However, I have attracted two private students: one pays me �30 per hour, the other �20. I am now in talks with the boss (restaurant owner of one of my students) about teaching a group of four in my flat for a reduced rate. This will undercut the private schools and allow me to have a decent income. I have done this without any advertising at all. Bear in mind, there are an awful lot of foreign students in London requiring tuition. If you are a professional teacher you really do not have to put with the ridiculous wages from private schools.
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BELS



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A question of which I hope somebody knows. Yes I know the South of England has the biggest demand for those who want to learn English and probably much the highest in the world, if we look at the vacancies available from tefl.com. By far the number of companies asking are the greatest throughout the world ,and by far greater than what you can get in the USA for example.

But Glasgow does have a few schools for TEFL. Do you think their is enough business there for a private tutor. My guess there is, because although there aren't so many foreign speaking foreigners, there are enough in comparison to the competition.

What do you think? local knowlledge is much appreciated.


Last edited by BELS on Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
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BELS



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 402
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Teaching in London: possible way forward Reply with quote

Trevor Wadlow wrote:
I took my first EFL job in China for a year. Whilst there I used to read the posts on this forum in utter disbelief. I returned in June and took a Trinity Cert TESOL. So I have a degree, a Trinity cert and I am experienced. Today I saw a an EFL job offering �10.50 - �11.50 'depending on experience'. Bear in mind that as long as you live in central London it will cost you about �3.00 to get there and back.

I am currently temping as a concierge for residential blocks of flats. I am paid �6.50 per hour for doing virtually nothing. However, I have attracted two private students: one pays me �30 per hour, the other �20. I am now in talks with the boss (restaurant owner of one of my students) about teaching a group of four in my flat for a reduced rate. This will undercut the private schools and allow me to have a decent income. I have done this without any advertising at all. Bear in mind, there are an awful lot of foreign students in London requiring tuition. If you are a professional teacher you really do not have to put with the ridiculous wages from private schools.



Trevor I'm going to ask you a question and I'm going to to give you my guessed answer Smile Why on earth are you going back to China if you have a potential of earning �40 an hour in London. I assume you got these customers without trying very hard , and you could,ve tried harder selling and got a lot more hours. I've done it in Moscow with over 30 hours near Moscow, so I'm sure you could do it in London if you are enterprising enough. THe demand is there, we know it is for a good teacher. So why go back to China? So now your answer. You love travel and adventure and travel, and perhaps China in particular. For me , I've been there and probably a lot older, and my desire is to keep a family.Although that doesn't mean I don't still seek adventure. I am going back to my home town to explore the wetsern Isles in Scotland although my birthplace, there is a lot to discover in sailing and boating. It's amazing what you might miss from the the area you were born. Eventualy some us might discover exploration is right beside us, and what is best for exploration might well be right beside you, from where you originate.
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Trevor Wadlow



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
Posts: 103
Location: china

PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:01 pm    Post subject: Teaching in London: possible way forward Reply with quote

Bels, I am flattered! I am actually 55 and still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up! You are right in one way. Since coming back from China I have felt distinctly unsettled in London. If I had got a decent teaching job it might have made a difference. I could indeed promote myself as a private teacher here, but I think I need bigger plans. One piece of advice from Chinese friends is to do more teaching then team up with someone and set up a school in China.

As a single man whose friends have wives and kids I am a bit lonely here now. When I was in China I did nothing but complain, but I had friends and a social life. Back in London I have neither. It's just the way things go sometimes.
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