Job Discussion Forums

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

It's recently come up in my line of work to decide on how old is old enough or how young is too yong to start teaching abroad, in Mexico in particular.

It's easy to say that 18 or just starting university is too young to start teaching, but then again, I've met some people of that age in Mexico City who seem to be doing fine teaching to people of the same age group.

In companies, it's a different story. Credibility is hard to portray when you are 18, 19 and teaching to a group of 30 something suits in the boardroom.

Any comments on this? Would love to hear from any youngsters (now I feel old) out there teaching.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I think a lot depends on the 18-year old. I think there are some 18-year olds who can handle teaching overseas - but most can't.

Paulie2003 · Joined: 29 Mar 2003 Posts: 541

Depends...how old were you when you started university?...or, do you only have your TESOL certificate?

Now don't tell me they let you in when you were twelve...

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

matttheboy · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 854 Location: Valparaiso, Chile

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Munchen · Joined: 29 Apr 2003 Posts: 76

I see you are submitting posts around the Latin American forums, having some knowlege of your work and I enjoyed your response to my first inquiry about Argentina.

When I was about 29, I attended what was once called the Center of Intercultural Formation in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 1969, headed by Fr. Ivan Illich. They used the US State Dept. method. Practically all of our instructors were university students at the University of Morelos, thus, around 20 or so in age. They were excellent, very persistent and patient. A wonderful group of young people and would not have traded the experience there for anything. At least four hours daily of intensitve class work plus an hour in the lab.
We had to "supermemorizar," as they said, a whole dialogue for each day's class, which consisted of three or four of us in a group and we had to recite it flawlessly going around the circle. If I recall, I think one young man was about 18 or 19 and was just fine. Of course, they were "local" residents for the most part but think they would have done an excellent job anywhere teaching Spanish.

Just an aside, when I was a junior high school student, I went to a dancing class and we had two "square" dance classes in the course of the year. The first class was taught by a young guy in his 20s or 30s and it was a total flop.
The second one was led by a gentleman in his 80s and he whipped us into shape bar none. That class was a huge success!!
How about that for "age"?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

You never can tell. Temporal age is hardly ever an indicator of maturity, I've come to realize...I have to make the call from a distance, by email or telephone when hiring.

matttheboy...I squish the photo down to about 150 X 200. It's over the 6 K that Dave says is ok, but it gets there anyway. Probably about 20k my foto. If your doesn't go up, check the address you typed in...the mistake is probably there. Make sure you put .JPG or .GIF in caps if that's the way it is on your server. It needs to be exact. And of course, don't forget the http://

Marcethebest · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 60 Location: Argentina

hello,
I think that it depends on the 18-year old teacher in question. If I have to make reference to Argentina, my country, I would say that there is no possible teacher of English at that age, because you need to be at english teacher training college or university for at least 5 years after you finish formal school. So on first place, I would say at that age they might lack training in teaching (or not, who knows! Wink

), and on the other hand, I think they might be too young to deal with discipline problems (at least in Latin America), though the bigger you are in body, I mean, the better! Laughing

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

At 18 I think you should have other interests that are not very much in line with the proper relationship teachers need to have with students.

Unless you just want a window dressing teacher to attract teenagers to your school, 30+ are the best English teachers, and 40+ are just incredible. Very Happy

Although age does not equal maturity, it at least gives the impression of it. And experience in life is incredibly valuable in any classroom.

amy1982 · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 192 Location: Buenos Aires

yes, but the only way to get experience is by someone hiring you in the first place. the 30 and 40 somethings had to get hired at some point in their past in order to get the experience they now have.

i just graduated from college and i have to say that it is one of the most FRUSTRATING things in applying for a job - lack of experience. i know that i am an intelligent person, teachable, capable of learning quickly while on the job, enthusiastic, love to do a good job, and love to exceed expectations (good sources of motivation). and yet, i cannot get a job without 3 years, 5 years, however much experience. where does everyone get this experience from when it seems you have to already have it to get a job in the first place?!?! and i can guarantee you that i can do as good of a job (if not better) than some of the people out there with more experience.

all that said, let me add a disclaimer: i agree that experience is important, but you gotta start somewhere!

nomadamericana · Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 146 Location: Minneapolis, MN

I hear you Amy. I am in the same boat. Recent college grad but no one willing to give me an opportunity... yet!

Anyways, I agree that someone has to start somewhere. And they need a chance. I think that a person at any age can succeed... and I believe a younger person is willing to put everything on the line to do a good job. Yes, there are young people out there that give us young people a bad name but I think if presented with the opportunity to teach, I think a 18 or 20 year old would definitely be able to step up to the plate and succeed.
Also, as an individual who has been studying various foreign languages for the past 12 years�I like and prefer when my teachers or professors are young as I feel that I identify with them more and that I learn more valuable life lessons then someone who is older, more experienced and always sticks to the lesson.
As a side note, living abroad may be a different story. I lived in Argentina as a 17 and 18 year old and at time this was an overwhelming and unfamiliar environment to live in. It was difficult in the beginning, but after approximately 7 months� I had a comprehensive grasp of the culture, language and social expectations and felt comfortable living as a young foreign in this society. Other people who were my age, and often older did not have the maturity of living abroad and would fall back on the �stupid gringo� crutch whenever they became lazy.

I say an 18 year should go for it... what do they have to lose? As long as they are mature and willing to overcome difficulties and inexperience and make the most of their situation, I would think that age doesn�t matter.

MixtecaMike · Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Posts: 643 Location: Guatebad

I feel your pain, well, a little. By experience I guess I really meant experiences, or rather life experience. Don't forget that although I now have about 10 years teaching experience it was only 10 years ago I was in the same boat you are in now.

Do volunteer teaching, write it up on your resume as "part time" rather than volunteer teaching, which of course it was, get a job somewhere, and even though it may not be the best, or even if it is only barely acceptable, stick at it for 12 months, and hey presto, you suddenly have over 1 year's teaching experience. Now, go for a decent job you really want.

There are some absolutely atrocious teachers about, and somebody hired them, so assuming you are bettter than average (and aren't we all) then you will certainly find yourself some sort of teaching position.

Good luck, and look at that first job as a type of internship, maybe badly paid but it gives you a real chance to hone your skills and try out all that theory.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

amy1982 · Joined: 09 Dec 2004 Posts: 192 Location: Buenos Aires

at first i was going to respond to my quotes, but then i realized they weren't all mine Wink

i guess what i was getting at is that i think it is ok to start young to get experience. i'm not saying that those of us with little to no experience should get to start at the top, just that we should be permitted to start. and if we screw up sometimes due to immaturity, we should be permitted to learn through that failure and get some... experience! and who knows? by the time we are 30 or 40, with 10 or 20+ years of experience, we might have become passionate and enthusiastic but also skilled, mature, and knowledgeable teachers. at least that is my hope!

on the other side of the coin, waiting a few years and getting other worldly experience would be beneficial and wouldn't hurt in the grand scheme of things. but it seems to me that doing something like this is a great way to get that experience...

a question for the more experienced teachers... do you think that a 1-month intensive training course is sufficient preparation for esl teaching? i don't expect to miraculously come out of the course a seasoned teacher, but do you think it is enough for a good foundation? a good place to start?