Job Discussion Forums

[barr43]

I am a Canadian citizen, and a certified teacher, with a BA(Ed.) in Education (Primary, alas. I'm male which appears to be a major problem in Canada), a BA in Sociology (both degrees from Canada), an MA in Linguistics(TESOL) and a CTEFLA (both from the UK), and 16 years of ESL/EFL experience. I even program for the net (ActionScript, HTML, DHTML, ASP, FLASH, Dreamweaver, etc.). Returning home to Canada after 15 years teaching ESL/EFL abroad, 5 at the university level. What, if anything, can I do in Canada (besides teach) with these qualifications? I have looked on the net, but have found nothing. Even with college ESL teaching jobs, all I get are replies such as "We are looking for someone with more Canadian experience."

I'm even considering retraining in ...........

What do you siggest?

Regards,

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[barr43]

I didn't mean to imply that ESL in Canada was gender biased. That note was in reference to my BA(Ed.) degree (teaching in the public school system, not ESL).

Still, thanks for your help.

[Norman Bethune]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[barr43]

Norman Bethune wrote:
"We don't believe you actually worked overseas, you were in prison right?"

No, I wasn't in prison

GambateBingBangBOOM wrote:

I did.

Oh dear. So much for equality and all that.


GambateBingBangBOOM wrote:

Vancouver and Toronto are the places to be for teaching ESL (and a lot of other things, add Montreal too).


Such as? Teaching ESL downtown Toronto will make me what, $10 - $ 15 per hour part-time? How much do cardboard boxes rent for these days?

GambateBingBangBOOM wrote:

chicken/egg thing


Don't know much about chickens or eggs, but do know a lot about ESL/EFL and middle-management paranoia. Seems to be rife in Canada as abroad.


Norman Bethune wrote:
Where did you teach abroad?

I've taught in Japan, S. Korea, the Middle East, Thailand and Canada. Also developed an ESL website in Cyprus.


Norman Bethune wrote:

Frankly, I think the term "Canadian experience" is used by employers to cover their racism when used against new immigrants


Agreed.

Norman Bethune wrote:

Get letters of References from your employers overseas, and send them out with your resume.


I have and I do.

GambateBingBangBOOM wrote:

Yeah, you too need to be friends or a friend of a friend in order to get a job


Yes, sad but true.

It seems that the only way to get a decent job in Canada is to change markets, or if in the ESL market, to change sex. I prefer the former. I think the latter is a bit drammatic just yet

Norman Bethune wrote:

Sell yourself as an intercultural specialist


This sounds like the best suggestion yet. I will give it a try and see what happens. If nothing, there is always retraining, I suppose. Either that or go to France for a year and brush up on my dilapidated French.

[Gnome]

barr,

Don't underestimate the power of your BEd in Primary Education. Perhaps on The Rock you are looked upon with suspicion because you are a male, but in Ontario a male primary teacher is much sought after. If you can put up with the odd questions from parents and co-workers, you can get a position teaching Primary ... I did. I taught Phys Ed and Music to K-3. My 2 brothers and I are all trained Elementary teachers. I switched to Adult Ed several years back, but my 2 brothers have been teaching Elementary for over 20 years. The Dufferin-Peel Public board hired over 700 new teachers this year, and many were TESL teachers. If you can teach Primary French, so much the better. At that level, it isn't very challenging. And, the kids are great. Still fresh and unjaded.

With your advanced degrees, you could also teach at the College and Unversity levels. It would be contract work, but it pays from $40-80 per hour, in my experience. Get off The Rock!

[C76]

[barr43]

Gnome wrote:

[C76]

barr43, I wish you all the best.

I should point out that perhaps I misrepresented my program. I am being trained in techniques that will help me deal with ESL students, at the high school level. (I'm already TESL certified, but that's another issue.)

Nevertheless...Officially speaking, I still need to take ESL AQ (additional qualification) courses. For now, when I graduate, I will have a regular B.Ed.

One thing I will say about employment prospects: I understand the Toronto District School board can be difficult to get into. However, employed teachers tell me that ESL is a qualification that is in high demand.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Yes, ESL is in high demand (a lot of students badly need it in order to succeed in the new curriculum), but unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of money for schools to actually offer it (due to budget restrictions).

Another issue is that A LOT of the jobs that are available through the school boards are only available in the seperate school board, which has its lovely requirement of a letter from a Catholic parish priest but is, of course, an 'equal' opportunity employer.

[Gnome]

I wouldn't limit my job search to the Toronto District schoolboard. Toronto is surrounded by very large schoolboards that hire hundreds of teachers every year. For example: York Regional and Peel both are very large. In comparison, the Toronto Public is quite small. Look outside, on all sides of Toronto, including the Niagara region and Halton.

[barr43]

Thanks folks. However, this just brings me back to teaching. It also means getting those AQs (which were unheard of when I graduated with my BA(Ed.). Any additional info on those, by the way?

Still continuing to look and still zero luck.

Such is life.

[memorabilis]

It is certainly possible to get work as an ESL teacher in Ottawa. I worked part-time while finishing my degree at the University of Ottawa teaching business executives who had relocated from Quebec and I was making $20 an hour. I was able to get around 10 hours a week (and probably could have had more if I wanted). I didn't have any experience and I hadn't even finished school.

Orleans is NOT a french-only area. EVERYONE there speaks english, so there isn't any work in that respect. There are, however, many many immigrants moving to ottawa from French-speaking countries like somalia, so the demand there is strong as well. Also, strong ESL-types with lots of overseas experience could definitely get work teaching for the institutes that are tied in with the federal cogevernment language program. I couldn't get in there BECAUSE I had no overseas experience.

Another option would be to look in Quebec (there is definitely work there), in such cities as Chicoutimi, Sept-Isles, or Quebec City. (Mind you, life is a lot easier if you can speak French there).

Best of luck!

[barr43]

Folks,

Thanks for all your feedback. However, after trying to find a teaching job, any teaching job in Canada for the past six months with zero luck, I have decided to head overseas again. At least overseas my qualifications and experience will get me an interview.