Job Discussion Forums

GiveMeDaps · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Seattle

Hello, and thank you for any one who give there advice!
So here is the deal, I have been reading up on teaching english over seas for some time now and I am still a bit confused...
I am 20 years old and have about 100 college credits, I do not have a BA. I have been going to school for some time and still do not know what I want to do with my life. I have traveled alot and can say it is one of my favorite things to do. I have also done tutoring and enjoyed it. Putting the two together I think I would really enjoy teaching over seas but do not know how to go about this? I have seen schools such as Bridgelinguatec that offer TEFL degrees but is this the best way to go about getting a job?
I am the most intrested in working in South Amarica.
I would really like to do this befor going back to school!
Thanks
Joe

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Without a degree of some kind, you will be severely limited in your job selections. I don't know what 100 credit hours means. How far are you through your program? 50%? 70%?

My suggestion is that if you're more than halfway through, you should finish off the degree before working overseas.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

I agree, finish your degree. You will regret not finishing it now that you are so close. Many schools will not want to hire you either because of your age as well. Teaching overseas will not be going anywhere, even though it sounds exciting at the moment for you.

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:00 pm Post subject:

If you're talking about having 100 credit hours, you only need another year (two semesters+summer) at the most. Use that time to research where you want to go. Gordon's right, many schools will probably think you're too young to hire (esp w/o a degree), and even if they did hire you, you may have a hard time earning the students' respect.

If I were you, I'd save up enough to take a CELTA course and time it so that when you finish college you'll be heading off to take your course, then to work.

GiveMeDaps · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Seattle

So going down there just to get certified and then seeing whats what would be a bad idea? It sounds like the idea of getting a job is not promissing.

Cdaniels

Most certs won't count towards college credit, and won't be recognized by employers in the US. If you could do a program that would do either it would be a much better scenario.
About 14 years ago Embarassed

, my uni had a stange credit system that was 1:4 credits of the public system. Do you really only have a year and 1/2?
Its much easier to get a job with a Bachelor's and no certificate, as opposed to a Cert and no B degree. So while theoretically, you could pull it off, its probably not worth it.
Can you do a study abroad program? I regret not doing one myself.

GiveMeDaps · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Seattle

Thank you for answering everyone, I think I am going to go studie spanish in Costa Rica and get credit for it as well, so i will save the teaching for when i get my BA, any one know the best way of finding a school down there, my school here WWU is helping as well....
Thanks
Joe

GiveMeDaps · Joined: 12 Jan 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Seattle

Thank you for answering everyone, I think I am going to go studie spanish in Costa Rica and get credit for it as well, so i will save the teaching for when i get my BA, any one know the best way of finding a school down there, my school here WWU is helping as well....
Thanks
Joe

Calories · Joined: 17 Jun 2005 Posts: 361 Location: Chinese Food Hell

Eh, I was in the same sistuation. Did about 3 years of Uni and got bored with my major and decided to go overseas. I took a tefl course and now I work in China. Most of the teachers I've met don't have degrees but, work visas and such were not a problem. I work 15 hours a week and get about 5000 yuan a month. Pretty good for someone with no degree eh? I'm starting to think that a lot of the warnings on this board against teaching without a degree is more bad luck than qualifications.

You can always finish your degree corespondence or later.[/quote]

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Calories, it depends on where you want to go - there are a few countries where the need's so great that the standards are lower. I think it also depends on how serious you are about EFL/ESL as a career. If you are just goofing off for a year or two, fine. But if you actually LIKE what you're doing - it's better to be qualified; meaning you've gotta start with a BA.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia