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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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 Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:20 am Post subject: |
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Ryan... you ought to know by now that when you ask advice here, you aren't going to always like what you hear. And of course it is because none of us know you... how could we when we only have a few posts with spotty details. I doubt that any of the posters here are intentionally trying to offend you, so take a deep breath... and forgive...
I was happy to see that you had decided to go ahead and try to do an MA. As I probably said somewhere here on this thread, I got mine with a Fellowship at AUCairo and it was great. I love free. But as to doing such in the US, I could have only said this:
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| Maybe you should try googling: "Master's degree TESOL Graduate Assistantship. " |
But, I figured that you already knew that.  The only one that I had ever looked into was at Georgetown University - many years ago for a friend, but it is tough to get into... or at least it was.
Did you find anything on The Google? Find one... or hopefully a few... apply to all... hopefully get accepted... and study your Arabic at the local mosque in your spare time. You're young.  These are usually 2 year programs, but just realize that the employers won't consider it 2 years of teaching experience while you are studying. Mainly because it is very part time teaching fit around your MA classes. But it is good experience of the kind that you will need to teach in foundations programs in the Gulf. It may not push you much up the pay scale, but it will do great things for your confidence in the classroom.
VS
(and get the CELTA too... it is all good... and will count in your favor when you are looking for that first job) |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:13 am Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| The only one that I had ever looked into was at Georgetown University - many years ago for a friend, but it is tough to get into... or at least it was. |
Georgetown is a good one, but with the huge influx of international students in the US, especially from Saudi Arabia, there are many, many universities nowadays that have large ESL programs (500+ students), and offer GAships for TESOL MA students to teach in those programs.
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| These are usually 2 year programs, but just realize that the employers won't consider it 2 years of teaching experience while you are studying. Mainly because it is very part time teaching fit around your MA classes. But it is good experience of the kind that you will need to teach in foundations programs in the Gulf. It may not push you much up the pay scale, but it will do great things for your confidence in the classroom. |
GAships for MA students are typically 1/2 time (so not necessarily "very part time teaching"). I know people who taught in Saudi Arabia immediately after their MA program, and their employer considered their 2 years of 1/2-time GA experience as 1 year of teaching experience. That said, an advantage (for ryanlogic) of these programs is that nowadays so many of the students are Saudi. The teaching is EAP, and if one gets a reading/writing class, that is even better. |
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CANDLES
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Wandering aimlessly.....
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| Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:12 am Post subject: |
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Ryan,
There are now 6 pages of advice for you. Use it, don't get riled, don't think anyone is discouraging you and finally take a deep breath, because I now think that you're stressing yourself with off the point topics, i.e racism, hijab, Arabic. debt. etc, etc.....
Get your 2 years of training, do an MA if you can afford it and relax.  |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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| rtm wrote: |
| GAships for MA students are typically 1/2 time (so not necessarily "very part time teaching"). I know people who taught in Saudi Arabia immediately after their MA program, and their employer considered their 2 years of 1/2-time GA experience as 1 year of teaching experience. |
In my program, it varied by semester and my MA courses being offered. My university was flexible, as long as I had taught the required number of hours by the end. That said, none of my employers in the Gulf counted that year of teaching, but by the end of my first couple Gulf contracts, it didn't matter. But the fact that this teaching had been in the Middle East certainly counted in my favor coming in with minimal requirements (MA+1) as I had stayed for one year in Cairo after completion to fulfill this. They would not accept the 2 years part-time teaching under the Fellowship towards that "one year of experience" requirement. The only place that gave me credit for it was AUC when I was passing through Cairo and they convinced me to stay and teach one semester for them.
Employers are unpredictable as to what they will count. You can't count on it. They also don't count experience before the MA for this.
VS |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: The Bitter Fruits of Experience |
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| SENTINEL33 wrote: |
| To [the British], an MA is nearly worthless for a variety of reasons I won’t go into here |
perhaps you meant to say "to the British, a US-based MA is nearly worthless for a variety of reasons."
I can assure you that UK-based MAs are highly regarded among us Brits. |
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CANDLES
Joined: 01 Nov 2011
Posts: 605
Location: Wandering aimlessly.....
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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And all over the world
Might be shambolic in other things, but get a decent education in UK and one should get far.. |
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ryanlogic
Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 102
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:47 pm Post subject: Got a job teaching in the US |
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Update:
Got a job teaching high school social studies in the US.
I'll be pursuing a MAT in social studies education part time while gaining experience. Social Studies because my employer is willing to pay for part of it.
I'll pursue CELTA or a masters certificate In TESOL afterward.
This should set me up with a few years full time experience, a masters in teaching, and some qualification teaching English.
This will also serve as a backup when I come back to the states as I will be certified to teach in public schools.
Even though I got frustrated with many of you, I appreciate the valuable advice. thanks for everything! |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 10:16 pm Post subject: Re: Got a job teaching in the US |
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| ryanlogic wrote: |
| Even though I got frustrated with many of you, I appreciate the valuable advice. thanks for everything! |
It's called "tough love." 
BTW, I responded on your other forum thread. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 1:37 am Post subject: |
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Great news Ryan... I had wondered what happened after you digested all of this while finishing your degree.
Definitely research your opportunities in the international schools circuit teaching social studies as Nomad suggested. There could be a good future in it for you all around the Muslim world. Nearly every country has an American School where embassy and other expat kids go along with a mix of other nationalities. It is normally good pay and conditions.
VS |
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jaffa
Joined: 25 Oct 2012
Posts: 403
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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| ryanlogic wrote: |
| things like the fact that my wife doesn't work (by choice) |
She'll fit straight in. |
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