Job Discussion Forums

[SunShan]

I'm looking for advice on my situation:

33-year-old British male
BA English and Linguistics degree
CELTA
Less than a year's teaching experience

It's taken me over four years to achieve the above qualifications as I know Asia is where I want to spend the majority/all of my life. The thought of staying in England any longer is really depressing! My natural thoughts are to just work in many countries and not come back.

However, I have an opportunity to get my teacher's licence/PGCE/QTS in England, which means staying, I'm guessing, maybe three more years - one to get qualified, another two for experience. I'm thinking that career-wise this could be good as I can work in international schools/better paid places etc. Whereas staying on the TEFL path, although very enjoyable, could cause me problems if I get married & start a family, not save money for retirement etc.

Is the three-year sacrifice worth it given that I really just want to stay abroad? Maybe I could come back in a few years to do the PGCE.

If I get my teacher's licence, would I be more employable abroad doing primary (5-11 year-olds) teaching a wide subject curriculum, or secondary (12-16) teaching my BA subjects?

I've thought about doing a Master's and DELTA instead, but with my lack of experience and current finances, they're some way off. At the moment in England, I can get £9,000 wages for my PGCE year, which is more than the usual £6,000 (payment difference between graduating with a 1st Class and a 2.1 or below degree). This money would make the year more financially bearable, and may even change for the worse in the future.

In a nutshell, it's taken me over four years to get to the point where I can finally work abroad. I was in my '20s when I started this journey, now in my '30s it's kind of hit me that I should be a bit more responsible for the rest of my life (though I hate to think so conservatively).

The countries I see myself in are: Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. I don't want to come back to the UK.

Any advice much appreciated. Especially from those who have been in a similar situation, wished they could go back and get a certain qualification... Or just went out there and TEFLed without a care in the world.

[suphanburi]

AFter reading and answering this in the Thai forum I can only assume you spammed it to all of the country specific forums as well as here.

Your answer:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=107510

.

[SunShan]

[naturegirl321]

I have to say that money's not everything. I'm a single TEFL teacher with a toddler. I've taught in intl schools. Personally it's not worthy it for me. I'd rather spend the time with my daughter. I like my lifestyle and have found ways to earn extra money easily.

You have to do what you enjoy as well.

Take into account that a TEFL teacher may work half the hours as an intl school teacher. I teach twelve hours a week. I have Fridays off. I get five months paid vacation. I don't have to deal with parents or admin. I have a lot of independence.

As an intl school teacher I was at work from 8-430. I got four weeks vacation during the school year plus another two months for summer. I spent a good amount of that doing required paperwork that didn't help much with planning. I had to convince parents about this and that. There was a lot of paperwork ie getting photocopies took 48 hours and two people had to sign off on it. Yes I was paid more but I was also not that happy

To each their own. Just realize that there are plenty of us here are are married or have kids or both and we support our families just fine.

[Shroob]

[SunShan]

[Dream_Seller]

To answer your question about her. I believe she teaches in SK and has a MA. She gives helpful advice.

I also have been considering the same route as you. Upon further research getting a public school teaching license in my home country (USA) would open up more opportunities with international schools teaching a content area. Then there is always the chance you wont like the bureaucracy, politics etc.. of teaching in a international school. Getting a MA in TESOL may be a different route which I am sure you have already researched as well.

You also have the option to go to a offsite campus while abroad and get a certified teaching license as well as a MA such as The College of New Jersey. They also have campuses in Thailand if that is the location you would like: http://offsitegrad.pages.tcnj.edu/programs/

I'm sure UK also has options such as this to get certified while abroad. You might just have to return to your home country for a summer. With no official experience past your certification the top international schools might not accept you but perhaps the lower ones will.

I am a newbie. This is a daily question for me as well. Will I continue to "prepare for living" or "make up my living as I go along"? Will I always place a huge goal in front of myself (a 3 year commitment) in order to be happy or will I just move now where I want to live and figure things out? Once you have your teaching cert then you will be looking ahead toward that necessary MA....and then....and then....

[rtm]

[HLJHLJ]

In the UK the PGCE counts as 1/3 of an MA. Most universities who offer the PGCE will encourage new (NQT) teachers to continue to study for their MA while they do their NQT years. Some schools will even help to subsidise the tuition fees.

So at the end of the 3 years the OP could have his teachers licence (to teach anywhere), his UK state NQT teaching experience (with the option to teach in the UK in future, if he ever wanted to), 2 years home country teaching experience (opening doors to better international school work), an MA (a start on the path to university work) and minimal additional debt because of his funding opportunities. The MA can also be finished by distance learning if it´s not completed during the NQT years.

At this stage in his career that´s a pretty impressive return on a 3 year investment.

[naturegirl321]

I have two masters.

This has been posted all over. my question for everyone who has said that the OP should be an intl school teacher, how come everyone else hasn't? I'm assuming people giving advice are TEFL teachers, why have t you gone back and put in the time to become an intl school teacher?

OP seriously figure out what you want to do. If you made a million dollars but hated your job would you still do it? I can't answer that question for you. But like I said money isn't everything. Most people I know have figured out other ways to earn money on a TEFL salary and have amble time to do so.

For me an intl school job would basically be a 9-5. Take into account you have to plan and grade and have meetings. All of that eats into your time and vacation.

Making lots of money and having great titles doesn't mean you won't be happy. Time with my daughter is priceless. Maybe when she's a teenager I'll go back to an intl school but I doubt it. You may make more but you will also work a heck of a lot more.

Some TEFL teachers I know have gotten into other businesses as well. Opportunity knocks when you have time to look into it. Look at dropout rates for teachers as well. It's pretty high. May be higher overseas depending on where you are. Teaching has a high ish rate of people who stop doing it after five years. Add to the fact that you're living abroad can make it higher. Don't get me wrong there ARE great schools out there. But there are also some not so great ones.

This is getting long. Figure out what you want. It may change as you get older and have a family. Money was super important to me. Now that it's just me and my daughter, time with her is more important. I'm still able to save and go home once a year. I pay for all our expenses. I get no outside help.

One more thing. Remember that the more you make the more you spend in general. I have friends who make more and are single! Yet I'm saving more than them.

[suphanburi]

[SunShan]

I must say that I'm not particularly money orientated, that and other benefits would be a nice bonus. I'm more interested in building a respectable career, in a fairly professional environment and teaching varied and challenging material to a variety of students/personalities. I'm passionate about literature and language, and helping students achieve something worthwhile - whether it be a particular grade, or developing life skills etc. Helping them develop academically, and as people, would be rewarding for me.

I'm not afraid of hard work, but I guess we all want to find that lifestyle balance, and not work too many hours, or feel like we're not appreciated or paid enough for what we're doing.

All very idealistic, I know. So I'm thinking about teaching secondary English at this stage, as it ticks a lot of boxes for me.

I also like HLJHLJ's idea about completing a Master's just after a PGCE. Working at a university/international school has to be better than entry-level TEFL forever jobs. It's possible to become a DOS or manager in some places, but I, personally, wouldn't want to be tied down to a particular place or company.

[SunShan]

[HLJHLJ]

[nightsintodreams]