Job Discussion Forums

ouroboros42 · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Heredia, Costa RIca

Currently searching around for my first job teaching english after getting my TEFL Cert in Costa Rica.

Saw this school on the web and was wondering if anybody works for them or has heard good/bad things.

Their website looks pretty awesome for first time teachers. Just curious to see what people know about them.

Thanks, Laura

SeHablaIngles · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Posts: 35 Location: Santiago

ouroboros42 · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Heredia, Costa RIca

Awesome, thank you for that article. That school is getting marked off the list. Not getting paid is definitely a deal-breaker for a place of employment.

Lunkey · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Santiago

don't work for any school that seems like a sweat shop for English (Sam Marsalli, Norte Americano, Wall Street). And if you're a native speaker, DO NOT WORK AT A SCHOOL WHERE THEY HIRE A CHILEAN TO TEACH ENGLISH! PERIOD! the school might pay OK (enough to live) but you're cutting yourself short on the better opportunities out there. keep looking

Dia · Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 92

I would disagree with that last part. I have worked for some great places that hire Chileans and wouldnt write the company off unless I met those Chileans and their level of language was horrible.
I have had a number of coworkers who I would happily refer potential students to if I were unable. Many of them have international experience or qualifications. Not all of them are going to have flawless language but I've been very surprised by the level achieved by some people who have studied abroad or studied in a bilingual school. I think the only drawback would be that not every question would be answerable or with all the exact connotations as a native speaker, however thats not everything. They also might have a special ability to communicate some things because they went through the same process themselves.

Lunkey · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 66 Location: Santiago

I agree with what you're saying, but the long and short of it is that native english teachers get paid more than chilean english teachers - or rather individuals and companies are willing to pay more for a native speaker for the exact reason that you said - for everything to be answerable. so if you're working at an institute that has chilean teachers, as good as they might be, you're teaching classes to people looking to save a few bucks when there are plenty of people out there willing to pay more for a native speaker.