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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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 Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:11 am Post subject: |
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| likwid_777 wrote: |
| Most people consider ESL teachers to be losers... |
Who exactly are "most people" and why do they have this mindset? |
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likwid_777
Joined: 04 Nov 2012
Posts: 411
Location: NA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:21 am Post subject: |
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After a bit of consideration:
Most persons in the Western countries actually think that ESLing is cool, and are fascinated by it.
Most persons in China (the only place where I have done it), seem to think that it's cool, due to ESLers receiving a reasonable salary. Not to mention, many Chinese like to pretend to be friends with ESLers for free English lessons by way of conversation. So, much smoke is blown up said ESLer's posteriors by these types.
I think it's actually the other expats in these countries who look down upon ESLers. Then, it's the other ESLers themselves who propagate this mentality.
"All ESLers are losers, except me of course. I'm the only one who has principles, is a good teacher, is incredible with the ladies, and could have a corporate empire back home if I was only so materialistic to bother". |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 4:23 am Post subject: |
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| likwid_777 wrote: |
| Most persons in the Western countries actually think that ESLing is cool, and are fascinated by it. |
Yep, taht's what I get when I go home, "Wow, you have SUCH a cool job" You have five MONTHS of paid vacation?! You only work four days a week?! You can afford private tutors and international vacations?! Wow, so cool!"
Yeah, I guess. Kind of. Cost of living for some stuff is lower. Daycare is about 250 a month. Other stuff is higher. Want a nice watermelon? Fork over 20 bucks. I suffer from the grass is always greener syndrome. I think, "Wow, you have a husband who works and you stay at home? Wow, he has job stability. You can see your family more than once a year? etc"
People have this rose vision idea of TEFLing. It IS good, but there's lots of sides you don't hear about when you start teaching.
I for one, would like to get out of TEFL. I'd like to stay in education, get into admin, maybe teach Spanish, or something similar. HOWEVER, with that being said, there are simply too many perks and benefits for me to give it up. I can actually spend time with my daughter. I'm a working mom, but half the year I can be a stay at home mom. Maybe we she's a teenager and wants nothing to do with me I can look at trying something else.
I've looked into teaching Spanish at international schools, but turned down the job due to the long hours and similar pay. The only benefit would be free English education? and that isn't what I'm looking for. I'd rather go the tutoring and la dee daaing unschooling route.
Anyways, I totally agree with likwid_777. |
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Hod
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 1613
Location: Home
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:53 am Post subject: |
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| HLJHLJ wrote: |
But that's not special to TEFL. In the UK it's pretty much the norm to expect to be reliant on the state pension (either entirely or as a top up for an inadequate private pension). Retirement age is already 68 and is likely to hit 70 in the foreseeable future. There's no reason why a TEFLer from the UK can't pay their voluntary basic stamp and have that option, the same as if they'd stayed in the UK.
Not that I would call retiring on less than £6,000/yr a great idea, but plenty of people seem happy enough to try. And TEFLers could potentially have more options to retire abroad to somewhere cheaper than the UK. |
Anyone retiring on the UK state pension of £5881 a year will be living in utter poverty. Happy will not enter into such a grim prospect. But that's for people who've paid their full National Insurance contributions, which I'd advise everyone to do. Currently, you'll qualify for some payments with a minimum of ten years' contributions, but this already paltry £5881 will be reduced proportionally.
It’s also wrong to say that most do or will rely on the state pension. Auto enrolment is now in place, which means all employees must have a pension. (https://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions).
Retiring abroad is an option, but you’re then at the mercy of visa regulations and currency fluctuations. UK and USA retirees in Thailand, for example, have effectively had a 33% pay cut. Also, the UK State Pension increases yearly in line with average earnings, the consumer price index or 2.5%, whichever is the highest. However, if you retire outside of the EU or a “special agreement” country, your state pension will be frozen. (https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad/rates-of-state-pension) |
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HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| Hod wrote: |
Anyone retiring on the UK state pension of £5881 a year will be living in utter poverty. Happy will not enter into such a grim prospect. |
As I said, I'm not saying it's a good plan, just that it's not an uncommon plan. My point was that it's not just people working abroad in TEFL who make dumb choices when it comes to saving for retirement. There's no reason to believe they would have made better choices if they'd stayed home and taken a more traditional career path.
| Hod wrote: |
It’s also wrong to say that most do or will rely on the state pension. Auto enrolment is now in place, which means all employees must have a pension. (https://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions). |
Not quite, first the scheme only started in 2012, so it's hard to say how effective it's going to be yet. Given the zero to low contribution rates of low earners (who are the ones most likely to rely on the state pension) it's highly unlikely that they will ever contribute enough to build up a significant private pension. Second it is NOT compulsory to take part. It's compulsory for employers to offer a pension and enrollment is automatic but employees can, and do, opt out. |
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Hod
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 1613
Location: Home
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| Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:45 am Post subject: |
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| HLJHLJ wrote: |
| As I said, I'm not saying it's a good plan, just that it's not an uncommon plan. My point was that it's not just people working abroad in TEFL who make dumb choices when it comes to saving for retirement. There's no reason to believe they would have made better choices if they'd stayed home and taken a more traditional career path. |
That's my concern. TEFLers had something about them to set up abroad in the first place. Why then should they retire to the UK to get the same subsistence income and poor lifestyle as some deadbeat on benefits? The deadbeat won't have any problems adapting his lifestyle upon retirement, but the TEFLer will.
| HLJHLJ wrote: |
| Not quite, first the scheme only started in 2012, so it's hard to say how effective it's going to be yet. |
That's a fair point. It does, however, show that the UK government has done some sums and realised a degree of pension reform was needed. It definitely won't go far enough, but it further emphasises how inadequate the state pension will be.
Any why do TEFLers revert to the lowest common denominator when it comes to pensions? If some school offered you £113.10 a week, you’d spit in their face. |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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