Job Discussion Forums

[neverheardofem]

I am at home at the moment and unfortunately not in the position to go abroad for a few months. There is absolutely no work here (teaching or otherwise!) so I thought I would do some some voluntary ESL teaching at a local community centre. I know some people do it to gain experience but I already have plenty (though no harm in getting more.) My main reasons are to keep busy, sane and to avoid getting too rusty!

However, I was also wondering about how it could help or hinder future employment prospects. Will they think I am a useless teacher who can't get a proper job? Are employers for, against or indifferent to voluntary work? Do they see it as real' teaching?

[rtm]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

The main thing is that it shows that you actually enjoy teaching people. Employers overseas have more than their fair share of sad sacks who teach EFL or anything else because they feel trapped in it and just do it for the paycheque and / or visa.

You mentioned you're 'at home'. If you have no experience or very little experience teaching ESL (teaching in an English speaking country) then you can differentiate it from your other teaching easily. There is a big difference between teaching a mixed first-language class of adult immigrants and 40 Japanese junior high school kids.

I know university professors who teach masters students in language teaching who go off and volunteer every now and then at 'in the community' schools- schools for adult immigrants- when they could easily teach ESL to university students. There's something very different about it.

If you did that, then it would be a way to add some breadth to your teaching experiences if you don't already have a lot of experience in ESL (as opposed to EFL).

[fat_chris]

Agreed with the above. I did volunteer ESL teaching in my hometown in Ohio to a Chinese man and then to an intermediate class of 12 adults from Russia, the Ukraine, Colombia, Japan, and South Korea in a Community English Program (CEP) in New York City. Definitely good experiences and kept my skills sharp.

I think it's good to get a breadth of TEFL/TESL experience--I've taught everybody from Chinese kindergartners to Domincan 4th graders living in New York City to Japanese high schoolers to the aforementioned CEP class. I feel this wide variety of experiences, both paid and volunteer, have enabled me to have many tools in my teaching toolbox. Who knows what such experiences could lead to?

I think employers can look favorably on such experience. As has been mentioned by posters above, it definitely beats having a hole in your resume and sittin' around doin' nothin' and eatin' Doritos all day and watching God-awful day-time programming cable TV (I've been there and done that as well and I am hellbent on never having to return to those days. ICK )

Warm regards,
fat_chris

[haleynicole14]

Do you need to label it as a volunteer position? I'm not encouraging you to deceive employers but just wonder if this is pertinent info to include. Whether you are paid or not paid, you are still doing the same thing.