Job Discussion Forums

[wayoutwest]

I am new here and have a boat load of questions...I am a native in the US studying linguistics at a UC school (with a dual major in German and a minor in Spanish) and will finish in about a year and a half. I am considering then doing the Peace Corps MA TESOL program. I am alreay a teaching assistant at a local community college for an ESL program and have traveled extensively, so I am pretty sure I want to make a career out of this.

My questions are concerning future employability. Firstly, next summer I am thinking about doing one of the China summer camps...would my previous assistant experince qualify me to actually be employed (as opposed to "pay to teach" programs)? I am assuming it would be a good resume/application builder and I will probably do it either way, but I feel I might have a little more to offer than the typical applicant.

Secondly, I worry about the Peace Corps program. The Montery Language Institute is the home campus for this program, which means that it's fully accredited in the US, but I wonder how favorably (or unfavorably) this degree would be viewed if I wanted to work in some of the more competitive markets. Do top notch employers select candidates based on university prestige like they would in the US?

Lastly, any insight into community college work?

I know that I still have quite a lot of time to go, but I like having a plan and directing my efforts early. Any information or insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading...

WoW

[tedkarma]

My experience teaching EFL in four countries is that no one pays any attention to where you got your degree - with the exception that they want it to have come from an English speaking country.

My understanding is that the Monterrey program is one of the best. No?

If you are considering a career overseas - or even an extended period (8-10+ years), I would recommend the Peace Corps program. I spent 89-91 in Botswana as a PC volunteer and it changed my life. I've not been back in the States (except shortly after PC) since then - except for short visits of course. Not everything is great about the PC - a very big part of it sucks - BUT, you do learn to operate and be successful in a foreign culture. Very useful if you plan to live and work in other countries. I would attribute my success to the PC.

Don't worry about China - they seem to take anyone, any time, anywhere.

[VanIslander]

[tedkarma]

The PC affected me in the sense that I developed a keen confidence that I could go pretty much anywhere and figure things out. I learned to not always be an overly assertive Western schmuck and how to go with the flow sometimes. And, how and when to pick my battles.

But . . . it really opened my eyes to the world. Learned quite a bit about loneliness - and being the only white face you'd see for days on end, and a multitude of other issues.

Also came to realize how inadequate my education had been about the world, cultures, religions, languages, and just life in general.

And how relative-ism is a super cop out. But that is politics and though I quite changed my views since I've been overseas - I try not to discuss them in public. Many of us in the PC came to think that it was a great conservative plot - because so many of us went in liberal - and after seeing the real world and the gross mismanagement - and ultimate uselessness - of aid programs- came out conservative.

Maybe most important of all - it helped me see who I was - without all the psycho-babble excuses, blaming and copouts. Particularly, after a few countries - you realize you can be whomever you want to be - no one knows you, no one limits you. You can literally re-invent yourself in each new country - but you don't because there is something built in about who you are. You decide - up to you. No excuses. Kind of makes you face the very essence of who you are - of your being.

Whew! There. In that little bit of writing I probably managed to p*ss off everyone in one form or another. Better stop now.