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Where Would I Be A Good Fit?
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Shookran



Joined: 07 Aug 2016
Posts: 42

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 3:56 pm    Post subject: Where Would I Be A Good Fit? Reply with quote

My credentials:

Qualifications: PGCE (ESOL & Literacy), CELTA, Masters (Anthropology with heavy emphasis in Linguistics).
Teaching Experience: 5 years teaching ESOL and Functional Skills English in FE the UK plus 1 year teaching EFL in a Saudi university.
Languages: English native proficiency, and fluent in Spanish (Gibraltarian parentage, my Spanish is Andalucian).

I am a family man with wife and 2 kids.

After searching English teacher opportunities in the Middle East and South-East Asia, seeing high remuneration, family "packages" with accommodation included, education allowances, flights paid, paid holidays and so on I am wondering if anything like this exists for an EFL/English teacher in Spain.

In short, given my quals and experience what is the best type of English teaching job I would be a good fit for?

Thanks for any advice.
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Spelunker



Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:19 pm    Post subject: re: Yes.... Reply with quote

Although with your qualifications why would you want to feed on the scraps they throw to tefl teachers in Spain? The mid east/international schools worldwide paying better are all within your grasp. Post-brexit Spain is not a good place to look for teaching work, seriously, and I am on the ground running here, I'd look elsewhere with your quals, but good luck if you decide to come.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The economy in much of Europe and certainly including Spain is quite weak overall. The locations you've been looking in that offer good family packages are not suffering economically.

Further, the competition here is greater; it's much easier to attract qualified teachers to Spain than to the ME for obvious reasons. Thus, employers can afford to offer (much) less and still attract reasonable candidates. This applies even at the university level. I am further north and east on the continent, and our last job advert for a single open position attracted 20+ applications from teachers with qualifications equal to or greater than yours.

You will not find equivalent packages on the continent to those in Asia and the ME.
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Nicky_McG



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 190

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 7:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Where Would I Be A Good Fit? Reply with quote

Shookran wrote:
My credentials:

Qualifications: PGCE (ESOL & Literacy), CELTA, Masters (Anthropology with heavy emphasis in Linguistics).
Teaching Experience: 5 years teaching ESOL and Functional Skills English in FE the UK plus 1 year teaching EFL in a Saudi university.
Languages: English native proficiency, and fluent in Spanish (Gibraltarian parentage, my Spanish is Andalucian).

I am a family man with wife and 2 kids.

After searching English teacher opportunities in the Middle East and South-East Asia, seeing high remuneration, family "packages" with accommodation included, education allowances, flights paid, paid holidays and so on I am wondering if anything like this exists for an EFL/English teacher in Spain.

In short, given my quals and experience what is the best type of English teaching job I would be a good fit for?

Thanks for any advice.


Well, in short, I've never heard of anything like that in Spain. Although there is massive unemployment in Spain, it's still relatively easy to get a job in ESL in Madrid. Financially, the best option is in-company classes (you could get around 2000-2500 euros a week though that'll be early starts and late finishes). If I had a couple of kids, I'd probably go with the options you've already seen in other parts of the World. There are plenty of ESL teachers in Spain with kids but few who moved to Spain with kids.
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Shookran



Joined: 07 Aug 2016
Posts: 42

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not surprised to see people putting me off from Spain when other countries are paying more. However, if you have not been keeping up with the Middle East TEFL scene I can tell you that the Middle East is starting to show strong signs of economic problems. Caused by the slump in oil prices. The Middle East "packages" are being chipped away at, packages are being drastically reduced, some unis have even stripped away the allowances altogether with recruitment ads stating that allowances are included in the total monthly fee and some unis and companies including Aramco are having big lay-offs. The Saudi Tefl scene is hurting and the advice to newbies and less qualified teachers is to look at Saudi now because they will take you for next to no experience and now only looking for an English BA and pay you better than almost anywhere else, and especially if you're single. The big hurdle to the ME for our family is that we have to school one of our children and Westerners can only do that with British/international schools, and their fees really cut into your earnings. One or two unis, here and there do have an education allowance in their packages but it's the exception rather than the rule now.

OK, back to my original question. What's the most I could earn in Spain with my credentials and what sorts of schools, colleges and unis should I be applying to? And are British school fees also expensive in Spain? The remuneration I'm seeing generally is just around 1000 Euros/month NET. If the cost of living in a big city in Spain is the same as in the UK how can anyone live on that? Can you afford a nice 2-bedroom apartment on that? Is there no employer of TEFL or English teachers in Spain that provides accommodation or an accommodation allowance for teachers with a family?
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Spelunker



Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392

PostPosted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:03 pm    Post subject: re: agree about Saudi, but... Reply with quote

For a single male without wife or kids, Saudi can still be a good deal. No free apartments or flats provided in Spain for gratis Mad Shocked Single guys in Madrid generally flatshare/have roommates, so that won't be an option for you. There may well be gigs that provide accomodation for families, or a family allowance, perhaps some of the veterans on here will know and can advise? Even if you are only pulling say 2,000 euros a month tax free in Saudi, having no rent or bills to pay should let you save a large chunk of that.But I do appreciate your situation is different.If you earn say 2,500 euros in Madrid (and that would put you in a higher earning bracket, but you may be busy as a bee) rent, bills, food, transport, it's all going to cost you, esp with wife and kids in tow. Not sure it's easy anywhere anymore, things have definitely changed. Good luck, sp
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shookran wrote:
My credentials:

Qualifications: PGCE (ESOL & Literacy), CELTA, Masters (Anthropology with heavy emphasis in Linguistics).
Teaching Experience: 5 years teaching ESOL and Functional Skills English in FE the UK plus 1 year teaching EFL in a Saudi university.
Languages: English native proficiency, and fluent in Spanish (Gibraltarian parentage, my Spanish is Andalucian).

I am a family man with wife and 2 kids.
....

The big hurdle to the ME for our family is that we have to school one of our children and Westerners can only do that with British/international schools, and their fees really cut into your earnings. One or two unis, here and there do have an education allowance in their packages but it's the exception rather than the rule now.

Salaries in the GCC started declining five or so years ago; the current economic picture was inevitable. That’s in addition to initiatives replacing expats with qualified nationals.

Anyway, it's too bad you chose to not pursue QTS (and related experience) in the UK; having the qualifications to teach at the better international schools worldwide would have allowed you and your family to continue to live a comfortable lifestyle and have your children attend private school. Nowadays, either both parents are wage earners, or the family's sole income provider has the level of credentials and experience to snag a well-paying position with super-duper bennies somewhere in the world. Otherwise, one parent homeschools the children. Or the family returns to home soil to put their children in public school. (I'm reminded of Which countries can I take my wife with me, in which a poster commented that the fact of having children determines the country his family should live in, in terms of an affordable education.)
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Can you afford a nice 2-bedroom apartment on that? Is there no employer of TEFL or English teachers in Spain that provides accommodation or an accommodation allowance for teachers with a family?


You're trying to squeeze blood out of a stone. The jobs available in the region won't support 3 dependents (you don't mention if your wife will work) much less provide 'nice' housing.
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Spelunker



Joined: 03 Nov 2013
Posts: 392

PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 3:12 pm    Post subject: re: spanish onions Reply with quote

Quote:
The jobs available in the region won't support 3 dependents (you don't mention if your wife will work) much less provide 'nice' housing.


You know your onions Spiral, especially the spanish ones Very Happy

It's hard enough for a single person to support themself on a TEFL salary in say, Madrid, I feel, and nigh on impossible on the Costas, can't even imagine it being possible for a family man with wife and kids.
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Nicky_McG



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 190

PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
Quote:
Can you afford a nice 2-bedroom apartment on that? Is there no employer of TEFL or English teachers in Spain that provides accommodation or an accommodation allowance for teachers with a family?


You're trying to squeeze blood out of a stone. The jobs available in the region won't support 3 dependents (you don't mention if your wife will work) much less provide 'nice' housing.


I'd have to at least partially disagree here. I know plenty of teachers in Spain with children. Like I said, not many move there with children, but if the OP is ready to put the hours and networking in he could be doing really well within a year or two (it's all relative of course). Salaries are low in Madrid and English teachers (in company ones) are well above average. I do agree about no housing being provided, though. That would just be a fantasy land.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nicky_McG wrote:
I'd have to at least partially disagree here. I know plenty of teachers in Spain with children. Like I said, not many move there with children, but if the OP is ready to put the hours and networking in he could be doing really well within a year or two (it's all relative of course).

What is your idea of "doing really well?" And does that include paying out of pocket for private, UK-curriculum school fees for his older child as well as the rent for nice housing for his family of four? Razz
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also know many teachers across the region with children, but most have local spouses who also work. OP has not discussed what, if any, qualifications and language skills his spouse may have to contribute.
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Nicky_McG



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 190

PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nomad soul wrote:
Nicky_McG wrote:
I'd have to at least partially disagree here. I know plenty of teachers in Spain with children. Like I said, not many move there with children, but if the OP is ready to put the hours and networking in he could be doing really well within a year or two (it's all relative of course).

What is your idea of "doing really well?" And does that include paying out of pocket for private, UK-curriculum school fees for his older child as well as the rent for nice housing for his family of four? Razz





It's relatively easy to get over 2000 euros a month teaching in-company and, after that, there are always further opportunities as an experienced teacher (of course that depends how motivated and enterprising the teacher is). Like you said, the real hurdle is finding a British school (I know this was a deal-breaker in Saudi, but I think it could be worked around in Spain. I certainly think one of the loca 'bilingual' schools would be keen on having an English speaking student. Yes, a large apartment is affordable (though not in the centre) on that salary (and his wife may be working too).

Like I said, I don't know if I'd recommend his move, but it's certainly still possible with commitment.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
After searching English teacher opportunities in the Middle East and South-East Asia, seeing high remuneration, family "packages" with accommodation included, education allowances, flights paid, paid holidays and so on I am wondering if anything like this exists for an EFL/English teacher in Spain.


Like you, Nicky, I know quite a few long-term teachers across the continent with families who have made it quite ok, as you say, with commitment. Usually by taking whatever job/s they can get to get a foot in the door and building local contacts and reputation, working their way into the fewer better jobs are around.

But I admit that it seems to me the OP is looking for a walk-in, turn-key package deal.

If that's not the case, and he's committed enough to pay some dues, I agree that it's possibly do-able in the long term, given reasonable expectations for standard of living. And whether the wife can contribute financially.
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Nicky_McG



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 190

PostPosted: Sun Sep 25, 2016 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

spiral78 wrote:
Quote:
After searching English teacher opportunities in the Middle East and South-East Asia, seeing high remuneration, family "packages" with accommodation included, education allowances, flights paid, paid holidays and so on I am wondering if anything like this exists for an EFL/English teacher in Spain.




But I admit that it seems to me the OP is looking for a walk-in, turn-key package deal.

.


Yes, I agree. TEFL is still a good deal in certain parts of Spain but there's no way he'll get anything like the kind of help and assistance you can find in some other countries. When you arrive in Spain, you're on your own, for everything.
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