Job Discussion Forums

[Peter]

At the end of the year I will take my Chinese wife and teenage son to Christchurch.
I have been in China for 6 years and taught from Uni to kindies.
I have a degree and 25 yars of primary teaching, a Celta from AUT.
Sounds good enough?
Yet I fear I"ll get the bums rush since I am 63.
My wife is completely bilangual in English and Putonghua, but could be hard to employ as she is Chinese. Schools like to have longnoses up front
She too is well qualified, Chinese Uni and 20 years in Chinese schools

Currently we do a double act in kindies and our private business

There are about 40 language instruction places in Chch, so what are the prospects?
Here I turn work away .....it will be different in Godzone

How different?

Originally I lived in Auckland, but the house prices made it impossible, so that is no longer an option, regrettably

[Kereru]

Hi Peter

You'll be aware that SARS has hit the Asian ESL market badly in NZ. At present more teachers are being laid off than hired. Hopefully this situation won't last. I was lucky & start my first TESOL job next week, 2 months after completing CELTA. With your quals you should contact CPIT's International School - it is the biggest in Chch - start with www.cpit.ac.nz. Also the Uni of Canterbury & College of Ed teach ESL. Perhaps your wife could also teach Chinese? A private school, St Andrews College is about to open an entirely new Language School in the historic old CGHS (if you know Chch at all). I believe it will be for high school age kids who want to gain entry to mainstream schools in NZ.