Job Discussion Forums

[lobovroskov]

Hi,

I got my Trinity Cert. TESOL in September and was offered a job soon after at Inlingua Lleida in Spain. I flew out but came back to the UK soon after because I just didn't feel ready to teach abroad. However I love teaching and am very keen to gain teaching experience, although there are few TEFL jobs available in the UK outside the summer season.

I am at a loose end now and don't know what to do - has anyone had a similar experience or could anyone offer me any advice?

Lawrence

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

The thing is that a lot of the time, overseas/out of country teaching is what this line is all about, precisely because of a lack of jobs in English speaking countries.

How long did you stay in Spain? Did you research culture shock before going? Do you speak Spanish (at all)?

Do you have a degree? Can you get a PGCE if being away from your own culture will be a constant problem? Do you want to work with kids?

Without knowing any more than you've shown here, (including your age, how independent you are, if you've ever lived apart from your parents, if you've ever had a full-time job of more than a year or so in any capacity), I would say that your best bet would be to do one of two things:

1. Learn a foreign language as well as you can in a short amount of time, and go somewhere where they speak that language (so it should be one where there is a reasonable chance of getting a job). You need to set a time frame though. Or else you will spend years learning another language, when what you really need from the get-go is survival language- ordering food, taking public transportation, greetings, numbers, "Excuse me, do you have~" at the store, etc.

2. THIS ONE MAY BE RISKY DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE: Go somewhere where you are both very far from where you live and where there is a fairly significant English speaking population (like a private language school in Japan). That way, unless it is really good reason, you won't be going back to the UK and will have to gut it out. Plus, there are a lot of others who are all in the same situation as you, so you have someone to talk to (and/or gripe with- but don't get caught up in the foreign bar scene where you just go and complain about everything having to do with the country while getting hammered with other foreigners doing exactly the same thing each night).

In either case, try to set up some things that will make you comfortable- English television, access to English videos, movies, books and magazines etc. are all good. Find a way to get a hold of food you are used to (you can often order on-line). Make friends with the local people.

And if all else fails, remember that being overseas teaching will give you insight into what it may be like for your students for when you find a full time job in the UK (which, if it's anything like Canada, will often require that you've been out of an English speaking country for at least a couple of years), so you can view it as career development.

Or you can start looking into other lines of work. Try to find at least a part time-job in the UK (one that actually pays you is good- there are lots of 'volunteer jobs' that require a significant amount of time, but at the end of the day, you have to be able to put food on your table) and supplement your income at a retail store, library, tutoring, working at a bar etc. A lot of people do that. A lot of people do that after being overseas for a while and just wanting to be in their home country for at least a while.

There are very few jobs that are absolutely perfect for a person in every way. You have to take the good with the bad. If being away from your culture is the bad part here, then decide- is it so bad that you can't do it? And if so, what are related things you could do?

[lobovroskov]

Thank you for the advice, to answer your questions I am 23 years old and have worked full-time for a year followed by 3 years of university. I am quite independent and quite well travelled, although the majority of travel has been with companions. I think I probably just need to psyche myself up before jetting off somewhere as I gave it no real thought and didn't imagine what it would be like (plus I don't speak Spanish!).

I have no particular interest in one country; I am interested in world culture in general, although I would like to start in Europe, so I can't really choose a language to learn if I don't know where I want to go. You have been very helpful though and opened my eyes to the problems faced by new EFL teachers in a foreign country.

Can anyone relate to my experience or is anyone feeling the same anxiety (if you've just started)? I would love to talk to you.

Lawrence

[hellsbells]

Hello,

I'm in a very similar situation - I'm off to Prague next week to do my tefl course and then, if I like it, hopefully stay out there for a while. And whilst I've done my research and have a degree in English - I have no clue what it's actually going to be like. And so, am a little anxious...

I spent four years at uni and then ended up doing a truly horrible sales job in London, so I was looking for a change and to do something a little more worthwhile - hence the teaching.

I took a gap year before uni, spent a year in the states as part of my degree and have travelled a lot - but Prague is very much an unknown quantity. To be honest, it was pretty much a case of tossing a coin to choose where to study. It's cheap, it's easy to get to, everyone says great things about it, you can get by with just English.

As for the teaching itself, I honestly don't know if I'm ready or able to teach, but I figure the only way to find out is to do it. And being out there looking for a job I think will be best for me. If I did the course in England and then applied for jobs from here, I don't think I'd have the guts to fly somewhere without having a clue about the job situation in the new city.

Do you definitely want to teach? In which case have you thought about staying in England and doing your PGCE and teaching in schools here? Or is it the lure of foreign climes that is appealing? In my case, that's a huge part of me wanting to teach - I like new places and people.

If you do still want to teach abroad, I'd say just get out there and give it another go. You've got your qualification, seems silly not to use it if you love teaching. Perhaps, somewhere relatively close to home so you don't feel too isolated, and somewhere that the language barrier isn't a huge issue. Or use your time here to learn the basics of a foreign language and then head off to that country? Just pick somewhere at random - there are so many great places in Europe and you're bound to have an adventure where ever you go. Well, that's what I'm hoping...

Take care

Helen

[Whisky Samurai]

My experience of all this was that I had always wanted to travel but never had any money. So I solved both problems at the same time and took a job teaching English in Seoul, South Korea.

I ended up just getting on the plane and seeing what happened, it was thte only way I woul dever get out of the country. Going to Korea was the best decision I ever made, despite all the crap that goes with it (see Korea Forum), but I had the time of my life. I met so many new people, partied constantly, travelled in Korea and took trips to China, Japan, Thailand etc and learnt so much about the country that I would never have known before.

Perhaps it was because I had few preconceptions about what I was going to do that made for me not really being disappointed, but even when it got really rough I just felt really lucky to be having those experiences. It has given me a lot of focus too - I was in Korea for over 2 years, and now I am about to leave the UK again to do the TESOL in Barcelona. I loved the teaching, and I soon built up the confidence to deal with all sorts of situations. I'm a better person for it.

So my advice would be - go for it! Go with an open mind, and a desire to exlore and learn, (and hopefully develop your teaching!), and you should come home with quite a few stories to tell!

And GBBing Bang Boom is right - keep the Hell away from the foreigners bars where everyone sits about and gets sucked into a mothers meeting of whinging and complaining. One thing I have noticed about those places is that the ones who complain the loudest are the ones who stay there the longest. They must have forgotten how to buy an air ticket.

Enjoy
WS

[Chris_Crossley]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

I didn't mean that being overseas would definately get you a job in your home country, just that having done so is a requirement to even be seriously looked for a job in the home country (that is, if it's the same as Canada). So if two applicants are up for a full time job, but only one has overseas experience, then the one with the overseas experience would get that job.

And yes, the 'seasonal' aspect of teaching English is a massive problem in Canada as well (and a recurring complaint on the North America Forum).

[Sekhmet]

Another alternative is going to a country where you can find short-term contracts. That way, you can test the waters, and get used to the cultural difference as an easy pace. Also, if you find out after a few months that you can't hack it, then you can go home without backing out of a contract.
In Egypt, there are loads of these short-term contracts. I was working for a place in Alex that does 6 week terms, and I left after 2 of those (bad pay, endless bureacracy etc.) with no problems. I'm still in the country, but I have another, full-time job to keep me occupied!!! It's also quite common here to get jobs without a contract. You just have to be a bit careful of the school!!!
Plus, Egypt is really nice... great people, nice (if horrendously fatty) food, amazing sights, the Red Sea, and low cost of living. This is my first job since doing my TEFL cert., and I've been here about 6 months. I'm still loving it, and since I've got this far, I'm pretty sure I'll last out the year!!!
Good luck - it's very hard taking that first plunge!!! We've all been there, so we know what you're going through.

[sojourner]

Lawrence,

I can certainly appreciate your feelings of apprehension regarding working o'seas, especially considering that it'll be your first teaching job ! But apart from the choice of country, you should also consider the sort of institution that you wish to work for.

I am currently in my second year in China, in my second job. Prior to taking up my first job,at a tertiary college, I was certainly apprehensive; especially after hearing that class sizes in Chinese colleges/unis usually number between 50-60 students ! But I survived. In China, language schools have certain advantages over the college/uni sector,eg: small class sizes, better teaching resources,and (generally speaking) better salaries. But as language schools operate for a profit, you may be under pressure from the manager or the D.O.S. to "improve your teaching", should the students, or their parents, ever complain about you. This sort of criticism could appear pretty demoralising for many newbie teachers - although more 'hardened' ESL teachers would probably take it in their stride. By comparison, the atmosphere in many (most ?) public unis and colleges in China often appears quite slack.Many (most ?) students are not concerned with academic standards - merely with getting a credential at the end of three or four years.Yes, they may complain to the dean about your "uninteresting" lessons - but don't worry too much about it, as you'll probably won't get the sack ! Besides, if the dean mentions to you that students have been complaining about your "uninteresting" lessons, it is very doubtful that you would be given any advice on how to improve your performance - after all, the teaching approaches of the Chinese teachers, themselves, generally speaking, often don't appear to be too dynamic !

Yes, it may appear that the environment in the college/uni is also demoralising. Yet, you are usually provided with more freedom, than is the case in many language school franchised outlets, to devise your own teaching approach.Thus, working at a Chinese college or uni is a reasonably painless way for a newbie to experience his/her first o'seas teaching situation. By the end of your first year, you would have learnt many aspects of classroom management, lesson planning, etc; as well as something about how Chinese college/uni culture influences power games between different faculties and their relationships with the waiban's office, etc. And as a consequence of knowing such ropes, you'll be in a good position to bargain for a reasonably good package at your next college of choice. For my current job, my experiences at my previous college proved invaluable in negotiating a package that included less hours and more pay ! Also, I was able to get my current uni to include a contractual provision stipulating that my teaching subjects would be Western Culture and Advanced Reading - no more boring Oral English ! Even if you decide, for your next job, to work somewhere in Europe, you'll find that a year spent in China would be invaluable in boosting your confidence, establishing networks,etc.

Someone else has mentioned that you should have as little as possible to do with the more negative ESL 'teachers'. I agree wholeheartedly ! In many of the colleges and unis in China - and, of course, in other countries - you'll find many dedicated/well-qualified FTs - but you'll also find a lot of nohopers and social misfits, who are completely unprofessional at work, as well as being negative in their attitudes towards life in general. Rather than spending time in socialising with such 'colleagues', you should contemplate enrolling in a suitable online or distance learning programme - after all, you'll have plenty of spare time after completing your daily teaching obligations; at least, that is the situation in China ! But, of course, spend some social time with those of your colleagues who are professional in their respective approaches towards teaching - you'll learn a lot from them.

So, in conclusion, for your first o'seas teaching job, be careful about the sort of institution that you wish to work at. In particular, consider the college/uni sector in China !

Good luck.

Peter