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How old is too old?
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lauriebroome



Joined: 21 Nov 2012
Posts: 2
Location: Wisconsin, USA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:02 pm    Post subject: How old is too old? Reply with quote

Background info: I'm a 57 year old woman who has been teaching Spanish in public high schools in Wisconsin for 22 years. My husband is 68, has a TEFL certificate, and has been teaching government at a 2 year college for years. We are permanent guardians of our 5 year old grandson.

If we are both TEFL certified, how likely is it that we can obtain work teaching English in Latin America? How about Vietnam? Thailand? I have read several sites that don't want teachers over 50. We are both young-at-heart and ambitious (I just learned to ride unicycle!) We would also need to enroll our grandson in school, not necessarily where we are teaching but that would be a plus.
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johntpartee



Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258

PostPosted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mexico, no problem to teach; don't know about finding a school for the child, but your age won't be a problem. You don't mention China, but ditto for that.
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tttompatz



Joined: 06 Mar 2010
Posts: 1951
Location: Talibon, Bohol, Philippines

PostPosted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:36 pm    Post subject: Re: How old is too old? Reply with quote

lauriebroome wrote:
Background info: I'm a 57 year old woman who has been teaching Spanish in public high schools in Wisconsin for 22 years. My husband is 68, has a TEFL certificate, and has been teaching government at a 2 year college for years. We are permanent guardians of our 5 year old grandson.

If we are both TEFL certified, how likely is it that we can obtain work teaching English in Latin America? How about Vietnam? Thailand? I have read several sites that don't want teachers over 50. We are both young-at-heart and ambitious (I just learned to ride unicycle!) We would also need to enroll our grandson in school, not necessarily where we are teaching but that would be a plus.


From your living room in the States there probably isn't anywhere that will give you a 2nd look once they see your ages.

On the ground in Asia is another matter entirely.
As a certified teacher you can certainly get work (at something better than a basic EFL wage) in most places (including Thailand and China).

At 68, (I assume he has post grad credentials since he was a college teacher) your husband will have problems but, if he is in-person, will be able to find work.

Schooling for the child is another matter. English only or international schools ARE EXPENSIVE. At 5, if you are willing to lose an academic year, he is young enough to be dropped into a bilingual program (probably where you will be working) and he will catch up quickly.

Distance learning (there are a number of correspondence schools that are pretty decent) is also an option.

.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I fear that 68 is too old. My sources who recruit for China say the normal cut-off there is 60, with POSSIBLE extension to 65 in certain cases.

Vietnam ? Cambodia ? I suspect that the kind of places that could be okay for the age question might be poor choices when it comes to schooling for the grandchild.

In the Middle East there is ZERO chance of being taken on at that age, although if you get in before 60 you MAY be able to continue to a ripe oild age.
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johntpartee



Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is no "norm" in China. Depends on the administration at the school. Last term there was a married couple here, he was 67, she was 64; they were offered renewals. I was offered a five-year contract when I arrived, which would have put me at 64 at the end had I accepted (I didn't, I told them we could re-negotiate on a yearly basis).
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Renewals". Has anyone actually seen a 68-year-old hired in China ? Or elsewhere ?
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johntpartee



Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Exactly 68? No. (Wise guy here.) I know one man in Zhengzhou who is 73. My 67-year-old former colleague will be returning to China in the fall for a position in Guangdong. When it ends he will be 68. I've heard of others.
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Ixchel



Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Posts: 156
Location: The 7th level of hell

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My dad's 80 and was a mechanical engineer turned trial attorney. Absolutely no ESOL qualifications whatsoever and he taught in China short term (I mean he'd teach for a few months then return to the US and do his thing-he retired very young and mostly sails and travels) He did this for 3 or 4 years, apparently they loved him and kept asking him back. This was in his 70's. He got the job in the US. He also taught in Nicaragua (somewhere in CA but not positive where) but I believe it was in a law school.
So yes, you may be limited in your options and choices but there will be schools who will take you.
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it'snotmyfault



Joined: 14 May 2012
Posts: 527

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A school where I did a few English corners had an old American guy staying there (looked in his late sixties)

Everybody had to call him "grandpa". I asked him what his name was and he said "everyone just calls me grandpa". Anyway, he used to like to take the young girls into his apartment for bible reading lessons.

He seemed to be enjoying his overseas experience!
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have never heard of people being TAKEN ON at those advanced ages. KEPT ON maybe !! Renewal or new hire ?
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fat_chris



Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
In the Middle East there is ZERO chance of being taken on at that age, although if you get in before 60 you MAY be able to continue to a ripe oild age.


Middle East...oil...hee hee...pun intended! I caught it!

Very Happy

Warm regards,
fat_chris
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johnslat



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear fat_chris,

Occasionally, scot47's typos are serendipitous. Very Happy

Regards,
John
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Sashadroogie



Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well oiled!
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Xie Lin



Joined: 21 Oct 2011
Posts: 731

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

scot47 wrote:
I have never heard of people being TAKEN ON at those advanced ages. KEPT ON maybe !! Renewal or new hire ?


I agree that this in a very important distinction. A new applicant is in an entirely different (and much less advantageous) position than an already in-place teacher with local experience. The prospects of being a new hire are substantially less than those of being offered a contract renewal. When we hear anecdotes of a 70-year-old, for example, working in China, they are almost without exception about someone who has been able to continue working there, not about a new arrival.

Latin America, however, is a region where age is not the issue that it is in the Middle East and China. Also, tttompatz makes a very importent point: you will not find work from home; you will have to be in country presenting yourselves in person.

.
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thatsforsure



Joined: 11 Sep 2012
Posts: 146

PostPosted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

it'snotmyfault wrote:
A school where I did a few English corners had an old American guy staying there (looked in his late sixties)

Everybody had to call him "grandpa". I asked him what his name was and he said "everyone just calls me grandpa". Anyway, he used to like to take the young girls into his apartment for bible reading lessons.

He seemed to be enjoying his overseas experience!

Were they ... filled with the holy spirit?
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