Job Discussion Forums

[gwuerritto68]

Every city of ANY size in Mexico will have numerous private schools (colegios) with varying degrees of bilingual programs. While these aren't exactly the type of jobs where you can just show up on their doorstep at any time of the year and be hired, doing legwork in advance of your arrival or after you've been in a city for a few months can land you a pretty sweet job. While I do work in a decent sized (and kinda boring) city in the north, when I see some of the salaries paid by language schools for people with actual credentials my mouth drops open a bit because I can't imagine people working for so little. But maybe I'm just lucky to have the job I do, I don't know.

Maybe one of the problems for some is not having a 4-year degree? Maybe no classroom experience with kids in your native country? While these are definitely in demand in Mexico, I know several teachers who were hired locally (they had already lived in the city for several months) that didn't have either of these things yet were still hired by top schools just due to being native speakers. They don't get sweet ex-pat packages (might need to get those jobs from job fairs up north) but they do a lot better than 60 pesos per hour and there are no split shifts or dodgy payment issues.

Working with Mexican young people (many of my students might be so-called "rich kids") is definitely a challenge, but in my experience entertaining them a bit goes a LOOOOONG way towards keeping their interest.

Anyway, thought I'd throw this out there, and would be interested in hearing responses.

[Guy Courchesne]

I think there are a lot of people teaching in private colegios...at least the ones that pay well. There are a huge number of them that pay less than language schools, if you look at it from an hourly wage basis.

The best of the best positions require, like you say, a minimum 4-year degree, or higher. But, there are costs. Westhill in DF pays fabulously, but I'm told the conditions are not very appealing.

[MELEE]

My city is obviously not of ANY size we only have one private colegio, run by nuns. I know their English teacher. She's quiet good, pretty fluent in English, and interested in becoming a better teacher--she's Mexican. I think a lot of these jobs are filled by Mexicans. I know at least two colegios in the state capital do employ foriegn English teachers, they have to work way to many hours to spend much time here in the cafe...

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[lozwich]

I was going to go to work in a private colegio in the middle of the Sierra Tarahumara a few years ago, mainly because it was in the town closest to my favourite place on the entire planet. Kind of changed my mind when they told me the pay was $3000 (that's pesos) a month, and no help with work visas.