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Tina23
Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 37
Location: Dusseldorf
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 Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:00 pm Post subject: Looking for advice |
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Hi,
after reading a number of posts in this forum, it seems obvious that getting work as a TEFL teacher in Germany is very difficult.
However, my circumstances are somewhat different, so I wanted to ask your opinion.
I'm a native German speaker, have spent half my life in Germany, and half my life elsewhere. Have been in the UK for 7 years now (A-Levels through to uni) and am currently doing my Trinity CertTESOL, finishing in June. In your opinion, what are the chances of me finding work in Germany? Would you say it would make it a bit easier, or is the jobmarket just bad at the moment because of economic factors outside of my control?
I'd be very interested to hear your opinions!
Thanks very much
Tina :O) |
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poro
Joined: 04 Oct 2004
Posts: 274
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| Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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Tina,
you ought to do well with qualifications like that, even with a depressed market
Get into the online databases, and start sending CVs out - and good luck to you! |
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Tina23
Joined: 16 Mar 2005
Posts: 37
Location: Dusseldorf
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| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:52 am Post subject: Looking for advice |
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Hi Poro,
thanks for your reply!
Germany is one of the places I'm looking into going to. Time to start looking in earnest soon, I think!
Take care!
Tina  |
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regie
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 3:28 pm Post subject: Work in Germany.. |
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Hi Tina,
I think that a lot of the articles and info on Germany at the moment is far too grim. With your qualifications and background you should have no problems finding a school or schools that will take you on, although this will most likely be on a freelance basis. From my point of view, finding teachers who are motivated, reliable, reasonably professional (not showing up to teach bankers wearing a dirty T-shirt) and actually have a fair idea of what they are doing is quite difficult... So if you are these things, you should be fine...
If you looking in the K�ln area, there are several schools that are presently looking for trainers....just have a look on the internet..
Good luck!! |
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butterbrot
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 53
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| Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 4:07 pm Post subject: ?? |
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| From my point of view, finding teachers who are motivated, reliable, reasonably professional (not showing up to teach bankers wearing a dirty T-shirt) and actually have a fair idea of what they are doing is quite difficult... |
I don't know where you usually teach but I've been teaching in Germany for many years and I've never seen what you describe, anywhere!
This country is chock full of very professional, experienced, bilingual, reliable, well-educated, competent and flexible ESL teachers who work very hard and have their students' language needs firmly in mind. K�ln, in particular, has a high concentration of the very type of professional teachers I've just described.
There may be schools which have trouble attracting professional teachers but that would be because:
1) their pay rates are abysmally low and offer no benefits or,
2) they demand adherence to the so-called "freelance contract" which is an oxymoron or,
3) they have unprofessional and barely experienced DOS's who don't know the present perfect from a paragraph and who just don't have a clue or,
4) they don't provide any teaching support and materials which are available are out of date by 20+ years and bore the students to tears
The franchise schools and many local, small schools are particularly prone to having high turnover because they don't offer anything which would entice a more high-quality teacher who lives here permanently to come, work and stay. They seek the people willing to work for the lowest rates. Those are the inexperienced, unreliable, 'leaving soon' teachers.
K�ln has a fair number of those very schools I've just described. "Just have a look on the Internet" and give them a call. If you go for an interview you'll find out for yourself that those schools pay below living wages, offer no benefits and, generally, have nothing else to offer the experienced, professional, reliable teacher. If schools expect quality, it's a commodity which entails a higher cost.
I have, however, never seen anyone turn up to teach any class here in a 'dirty t-shirt'. |
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astr0_b0y
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Posts: 21
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:50 pm Post subject: Which schools are good? |
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Butterbrot.
which schools would you say are the better ones to work for and which ones should we stay well clear of?
I am currently looking for work in Mainz, where do you suggest?
Matt in Mainz |
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butterbrot
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 53
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 3:28 am Post subject: Re: Which schools are good? |
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| astr0_b0y wrote: |
Butterbrot.
which schools would you say are the better ones to work for and which ones should we stay well clear of?
I am currently looking for work in Mainz, where do you suggest?
Matt in Mainz |
It wouldn't be in my own best interest to post which schools I consider good ones because those are the very ones at which I make my living. 
Additionally, I've noticed that anyone who attempts to post anything on bad or questionable schools will have those posts deleted.
It has been carefully explained by a moderator in another thread that this eslcafe is a revenue earning business/site, much of it from advertising by schools, and that they (eslcafe) are not willing to jeopardise these relationships by allowing people to post negative comments/reviews/experiences on schools. That's my understanding anyway.
If you're looking for that type of input I don't know where you'll find it except by word-of-mouth when you're here. |
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astr0_b0y
Joined: 27 Aug 2005
Posts: 21
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2006 6:10 pm Post subject: OK... Thank you |
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Ok... That is a fair response and I completely understand. Thank you for the response anyway.
Matt |
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butterbrot
Joined: 14 Dec 2004
Posts: 53
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| Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: OK... Thank you |
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| astr0_b0y wrote: |
Ok... That is a fair response and I completely understand. Thank you for the response anyway.
Matt |
Sorry I couldn't have been more helpful! 
If you are now living in Mainz have you had any opportunity to talk with other teachers who could give you more information on schools in your area which are good or let you know about which ones to av | | |
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