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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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 Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:00 am Post subject: |
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| I highly suggest that you get a TEFL Cert, they come in handy. Teaching is not as easy as you think, you wouldn't get any other jub without training, so why shouold you get a teaching jub without training> |
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cheryl
Joined: 01 Apr 2003
Posts: 119
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:22 am Post subject: |
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nature girl: i understand where you're coming from but...she thinks she can teach without training because tons of people have done it AND people will continue to do it.
Another poster had eluded to the idea that China has too many backpackers...I hardly think that China would agree with them. If China were of the same mentality as him/her, schools wouldn't be saying they'd take a native speaker with no experience. People shouldn't assume their ideologies are congruent with a whole country's.
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I don't know why I keep feeding the trolls. |
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bnix
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 645
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:22 am Post subject: Well, Ah, A Lot of People Do "Teach" Without Train |
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Naturegirl,a lot of people DO teach TESOL without training.I am not saying that is good,but it is certainly a fact.As for your statement that a cert "might" come in "handy"....maybe....if you feel it is worth doling out what is usually a disproportionate wad of cash for some "training".I am not saying all of the cert programs are crooked,but a lot of them exist primarily to put loot in the pockets of their owners.Another....TESOL scam.  |
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selmo
Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 47
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Hi Cynthia ignore all the negative B#llsh!t people are giving you in this thread . I have never been ripped off in Asia in 4 years . Anybody can have a nice life over here in China . Bring your husband , even bring your dog! There is loads of work in all the countries in Asia. You don't need to bring any materials just some common sense , a sense of humour and a humble heart . You will be fine just stay away from old 'foriegn Expert/pats' . Follow your heart I promise nothing can go wrong if you are a respectful person. People who get any *beep* deserve it usually.
Where to go? S.America ....too many Americans but great llifestyle
Asia loads of jobs with just a BA low cost of living but gets hot
Take your pick have fun and just ignore all the sad b@st@rds who have been in the sun too long! The world is your oyster |
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tjpnz2000
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 118
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:49 am Post subject: |
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Time for my 2 cents.
First, this is one TOUGH forum. The best way to avoid flames, getting your feelings hurt etc is to read some posts first. This is a good forum to find information in but starting a thread with the title of `Where should I go?` is like cutting your hand and jumping into a shark pool. This is not a personal attack C but it is the truth, many others have done the same. I would like to respectfully ask this, how many posts/journal entries did you read before you started you this thread?
Go that out of the way so on with the show. Please keep in mind I have worked only in Japan, the comparitive information is mainly taken from this forum.
As I see it things break down like this, Visa, working conditions, Money, Cultural Experience.
Visa
Japan here is clearly the winner by a country mile. Your visa is not dependent on continued employment at a particular school and after your intial year you can get a 3 year extension. Come, go change jobs, stand on your head DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! for 3 years! All you need to get this wonderful visa is bachelors degree. No other country even comes close to this, anybody care to disagree?
Working conditions
Here I think Japan is reasonable. The worst is NOVA and even they don't flat out lie. They extenuate the postive and minimise the negative and always calculate in the favour of NOVA profit but they don't actually lie or steal.
Compare that to what is said about companies in China, Taiwan and especially Korea. Those guys in Korea are REAL bitter or at least seem to be by thier forum
Money
Here again Japan comes off reasonable you make more compared to the in Asia from what I have seen but your fixed cost are probably higher and your variable costs are limited only by your imagination. Probably it all works out very similar in the end.
Cultural experience
This is the one only you can answer. Any body who says `Country X is better than Country Y` is just stating an opinion and you would probably disagree.
Lonely Planet is a good way to get an overview of a country without going there. It is not the only resource, of course, but it is a good start.
Food is really important (at least to me anyway). You eat about 3 times a day and if you are hating the food in your new home this not going to be a good thing. Try out some restaurants from different countries, I am sure that Chicago has some Korean, Japanese and regional chinese restaurants. If you find you hate kimchi and love raw fish, Japan is the place for you! and vice versa.
For the record the best country in the world is `Country NZ`, but you probably already knew that.
That is as good as I can give you.
To the Flamers:
First; Why do you waste the time, energy and band-width just to make someone feel bad? My mother said, `If you can't say something nice, don't say anything`. Good advice I think.
T |
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tjpnz2000
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 118
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 2:49 am Post subject: |
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| OK, that last post was more like a dollar, fifty. |
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woza17
Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 602
Location: china
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 4:57 am Post subject: |
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Or another one dancing man, "its nice to be nice"
cheers carol |
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woza17
Joined: 25 May 2003
Posts: 602
Location: china
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:00 am Post subject: |
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Selmo
I couldn't agree more.
Welcome to the party. Carol |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:41 am Post subject: |
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| I agree that you can teach without training. I guess that mine was really good and I highly apprecitate it. I work in a training center and it's amazing how much progress people make in four weeks. Especailly when dealing with beginners. Just leaning what should be done and the feedback that you get from the trainers in really good. But I agree that many programmes are crap and that you should do a lot of research before registering for one. |
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Bertrand
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 293
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 6:00 am Post subject: Re: Where should I go?? |
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| Cyna wrote: |
Hello all!
I live in the United States and I am really interested in teaching in anther country. I will have my B.A. by the end of this summer but do not have any formal teacher training. I have heard that Asian countries are where I should go since I have not taught English before. What do you think. Also, I am married and my husband wants to come along and teach as well. Please give me some info.
Thanks |
Try EF English Farce China; they take anyone. (Try EF Huizhou; that place is full of kids with no BAs or MAs or even TEFL certificates). |
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ESL Guru
Joined: 18 May 2003
Posts: 462
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 7:56 am Post subject: |
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To all of you who believe that you can teach without training -
You demean the profession and make it so diffucult for the real teachers.
You also cheat the students. You are lower than common thiefs because you do this knowingly and willingly. Shame on the whole damn lot of you.
The teaching "axis of evil" right here at Dave's. Naturegirl321 - woza 17 - selmo - cheryl
You will all be the topic of harsh discussion on the Chinese off topic forum. |
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kimo
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
Posts: 668
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| If you would like to talk to me do so in a respectful manner; otherwise I will cease reading any further responses from you or anyone else who refuses to have an adult conversation. |
Take your ball and go home! You have just had your first lesson. The people who have given it to you have offered up a favor. Perhaps you could pay them back by not taking offense.
What are you going to do when the big boy in the back throws a box of chalk powder all over the other students in the middle of class? And what will you do when the boy sitting next to him tosses a girl's glasses against the wall. And then what will you do when..... They won't really care about behaving in a respectful manner. And daddy, the national, big wig will make certain you are stuck with his boys. Yep, it happened. The owner of the school supported me by saying I was demanding too much of the lads. I was wrong for wanting more than some scribble as their homework.
Training or no training. If you can't take a little chuff here, how will you react when you are here? (wherever here turns out to be) In China, I know of a MAJOR university that often just makes up its schedule the first day. "OK, you're teaching A,B,C, and D classes." Nobody noticed that A and D are scheduled at the same time. No matter! A student will come to you after you start A and say, "Hey, you're in the wrong class. You're supposed to be in D class." Many private schools think schedules are out of fashion. Payday, too. What will you do when your apartment is swamped with little critters that laugh at cryptonite and your FAO says, "Sorry, you didn't sleep last night. Aren't you supposed to be in class now?" What will you do when the night before school is supposed to start, there are five teachers on campus, none with signed contracts yet, and word comes to you that two people are going to the street in the morning? The other four were new in country and clueless. Two of them were going to be thrown out of their houses and in a place not easy to find jobs. Good for them I struck a deal and met the street on their behalf. I knew the country and could take care of myself. And what will you do at NOVA in Japan, a good bet for you because it's safe if not very reputable, when one of your three students in a forty minute class sets his timing clock on the desk and goes running to management afterward because you gave him three minutes less talking time than the other two?
Just ask yourself what will you do in a million circumstances. A little heat here is nothing. This isn't the south side of Chicago, but there are moments when you might wish you were there.
Whatever you decide, remember where you got your first lesson. Someday you might be one of the OLD boys or girls who have been out in the sun too long. |
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Joe C.
Joined: 08 May 2003
Posts: 993
Location: Witness Protection Program
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 9:58 am Post subject: |
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Cyna et. al.,
Don't listen to some of the people posting here. The only way they can boost their Slurpee-selling egos is by knocking those who are brighter than they were (or still are, possibly) when they first started out.
All this stuff about real teachers is b.s. |
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Ted
Joined: 06 Feb 2003
Posts: 36
Location: Tokyo forever
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 10:18 am Post subject: |
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| Joe C. wrote: |
Cyna et. al.,
Don't listen to some of the people posting here. The only way they can boost their Slurpee-selling egos is by knocking those who are brighter than they were (or still are, possibly) when they first started out.
All this stuff about real teachers is b.s. |
Joe,
Sounds like you are trying to justify your own lack of qualifications.
Like: "Hey, I travelled to Asia with only a couple years of college, student loans and a dream and you can do it too!" |
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Joe C.
Joined: 08 May 2003
Posts: 993
Location: Witness Protection Program
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by Joe C. on Wed Jun 25, 2003 1:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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