Job Discussion Forums

[MrWright]

Hello. I haven't been a big poster to this forum over the last few years, but some of what I'm about to say I've said before elsewhere, so please forgive the redundancy. Here's the sitch: I am a public high school teacher in Arizona, 8 years experience by June, and sick, sick, sick of teaching in this system. Like, I'm done. But I've hung on because I've been a single father all these years and my youngest turns 18 in May and is going off to college. So I'm "free" now, so to speak, and ready to make this happen. I am certified to teach History and Biology. I know, I am "qualified" to teach in international schools, but I am so burned out, and I want low stress, low pressure work, and those schools are just as bad in those departments as public schools here, some worse. So ESL seems the better fit, but I am speculating as I've never done it. I'm not too, too worried about money. I have some savings, that I would rather not need to tap, but just want to fund some travel for awhile. If I like it and want to do this more long term later I will concern myself with financial acquisition then. So any advise would be appreciated. I'm going to post this thread in a couple of different country forums, the ones I'm interested in teaching in. Just a warning so no one gangs up on me, lol. Please throw any and all (non-attacking) input my way. Thanks.

[tmac-100]

Burned out means just that. I have seen a number of expat teachers who were also burned out and in a foreign land did not do well because of their burning baggage... Being an expat teacher (never mind doing new-to-you ESL teaching) has plenty of stresses.

Why not go to Europe (or Australia) on a "gap-year" adventure and pick up odd jobs or do conversational English speaking gigs that business people seem to need? In Australia there is plenty of work for untrained labour in the hospitality and farming industries - BUT I am not sure how age requirements would apply to you.

A new way of doing things that does not require a LOT of preparation and with low stress you might get rejuvenated faster than you realise .. These are just suggestions based on what some burned out types have told me...

[MrWright]

That's intriguing. Odd jobs? Like what? Is that legal? English conversation gigs? Please tell me more. These sound very interesting, but I just don't know much about any of that. I agree, that sounds like something I'd be interested in. However, everyone else, please offer advice regarding my original post, or expound on any thoughts or experiences you have about this gap year idea.

Edit-upon further research, this gap year would have to be under the table. I'm 41, so none of Europe or Australia would provide a working holiday visa. As for being burned out, I don't mind working. I just want a major change and nothing super stressful. But normal work responsibility stress is fine. I just don't want to be expected to work miracles, interact with hostile students or get exploited by corrupt employers. I'm ok with split shifts and commutes if needed. Just getting a change of environment would do a world of good, with some vacation time to visit nearby countries occasionally. Like I said, just want to fund some travel.

[fat_chris]

[PC Parrot]

For legal EFL work in Turkey, you will heed a TEFL certificate.

When choosing a school, you would do better to target schools that offer higher wages without housing rather than schools that offer lower wages with. The housing would most likely be shared, and because the job would be entry level, you could well be sharing with recent graduates from college who are having what they think is the time of their lives.

Perhaps you like these types. I don't. I find them hellishly annoying. Everything is a discovery that needs to be related to anyone in earshot. Everything is so 'cool', and 'awesome'. Everything is just such a laugh. The irony is that they celebrate their new-found independence in the same tediously predictable way.

Maybe, these days, they are too busy uploading photos of their experiences onto Facebook to annoy the sh#t out of the people unfortunate enough to encounter them.

Anyway, I digress. The point is that you might not want to share accommodation, or if you do, you want to be able to chose who you share it with.

[spiral78]

[parnett]

If you have never taught overseas, then how do you know so much about international schools?
I taught at an international school outside of Istanbul. I made triple what the foreign high school teachers were making at their nightmarish private schools. I had a free apartment in Bahcesehir (perhaps Istanbul's richest suburb). The kids were a joy to teach, and the administration a joy to work for. As with any school, there was some pressure (mainly due to the parents), but it didn't handicap me.
Now, I am teaching at an international school in Wuhan, China. The perks, students, adminstration and teachers are, for the most part, wonderful. It's when I step away from the school that I become stressed with the spitting, shouting, public urination etc.
There is a teacher here who taught at a Thai international school in Bangkok for more than a decade, and loved it. You should do your homework before making such incorrect generalizations.

[MrWright]

Well, it was a generalization, and as such should be taken lightly. I believe Oscar Wilde said "all those who generalize are idiots", with obvious irony. But my statements were based on years of following international school review website. I know there are exceptions, and I'd love to encounter them. Maybe I have been misinformed, but my impression is that the good intl schools tend to be IB schools. I've taught at IB schools in the states, and no thanks. I'm an ok teacher, but I don't want that kind of work load or expectations from students/parents/administration. Tons of work. Just not feeling it. Middle of the road, 2nd or 3rd tier intl schools? Sure. I'm open to that. Why do people get so bent out of shape on these forums? Say one thing they disagree with and they get rude. I was raised to be polite until pushed, and pushed hard. Maybe it's freedom of not having to face the person your speaking to, the freedom anonymity brings. Whatever. If anybody had something positive to add, please do. I'm all ears.

[ossie39]

Hello Mr Wright. So basically you need a fresh experience, somewhere you can direct your skills and interests in a new environment. The change shouldn't be such a big jump so as to create more stress, and you can prepare some in order for the adaption of your new experience.

Teach in a language school in Turkey. From previous teaching you will bring transferable skills like classroom management, people skills and organisation of learning. Although you are a native speaker and a qualified teacher, you need to invest in a tefl or tesol teaching certificate. You want to do well in your new experience and you don't want more or a different type of stress. You also want to do well by your new students who by Turkish standards pay a lot of money for their courses.

Well I don't suggest Istanbul because it is a stressful city and managers can be very picky. It is an employer's market there and they can trade teachers off against each other. If you choose Turkey then it should be a major or big city and you should learn some Turkish before you come. This will make your social life and daily living easier, not to be used in the classroom. I am sure you will be made very welcome by Turks and your fellow school teachers in the staff room wll help you as a new EFL teacher. So you would be looking at 24 hours teaching weekly with at least 1 full day off weekly. Better to be a contracted teacher in order to get paid holidays, statutory and non-statury. Look at www.tefl.com amongst other webpages. Good luck. Possible cities - Samsun, Adana, Ankara, Bandirma, Antalya and Diyarbakir.