Job Discussion Forums

[jonnyo]

I'm 40 years old and just about to start a TEFL course in Costa Rica.

I decided to do this for the experience of teaching, not for the money, and I'm really looking forward to doing something new. However, I do have one nagging doubt ... am I too old?

Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[Chris_Crossley]

Hi, jonnyo, and welcome to the forum!

My short answer is simply "no". There are literally hundreds of EFL teachers around the world who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s, doing something that they think they should have done years ago had it not been for the need to bring up their kids and have a steady job, even if it meant experiencing the grind of a nine-to-five job year in year out.

I know of one guy who teaches in the same city as me. In fact, he used to be a part-time teacher at the school I used to teach at, and he is now (if memory serves) 67 years old! This is the kind of job that people who feel under-appreciated at home often do in order to make sure that they feel that they are contributing something to help others.

He is Aussie, and I have met quite a few Aussies who say that, if you're "over 45" back in Oz, you're made to feel as if you're too old for anything (unless you're in a high position within your organisation). I myself am nearly 40 and British, and I have made TEFL my career, having qualified ten years ago as a state secondary (high) school teacher (of science).

I would say, "Just go for it!", find a good job and enjoy the experience of being overseas. Make sure you're fully prepared and read the various threads on this forum that interest you, both the ones that are positive and the ones that are negative. TEFL can be a wonderful experience, but, as with everything else, there can be bad as well as good. If you're well prepared, I think that you can make it a good 'un!

Good luck!

[tedkarma]

You are too old! Go back to the nursing home! Not!

I started at 39 - 53 now and going strong.

Don't just blow off "the money" though - as it will get you through difficult or frustrating times. And, nice to have a little "scratch" from time to time.

I agree with the previous poster. There a lots of us out here - I am a mere child compared to some - most of us never look back.

[P-T]

[ls650]

I think a lot depends on your location.

I previously taught at a school in SE Asia. The private language schools tend to want to hire fresh young faces to keep all the kiddies and giggly teens happy.

Out of ten teachers, I was easily the oldest (37). The next oldest was 31, and the others were in their mid-20s. Although we got along fine, there was definitely a generational gap between us that was sometimes awkward.

At my current school, the mix of ages is much broader. Of the dozen teachers, three are in their mid-50s, another three (including me) clustered around the 40-mark, and the remaining in their late-20s or early 30s. Everyone gets along just fine, and the students don't seem to care about our ages.

[Justin Trullinger]

Youngest teacher we've had: 21

Oldest teacher: 68

Median age: 44.5

Come on aboard, you'll be fine.

Justin (30s)

[wigan4]

Wouldn't a little maturity actually be an asset in a university setting? Whereas I could see that youth might be considered better suited for kindergarten, younger students.

It's depressing for me to hear a forty-year-old wondering if they're too old!