Job Discussion Forums

[canadiense]

I have been teaching at English Unlimited in San Luis Potosi for more than three years, and would like to recommend this school to teachers who would like to experience life in a central Mexican city in the heart of Latin America.
San Luis is a big city in central Mexico, mid-way between the coasts. The students are excited about learning. Most students are university students or graduates who are employed by international businesses, and are thrilled to have native English speakers available to them. The practise they can gain from their classes and in conversation with English speakers from around the world is highly valued.
There is a set of text books on which we base our classes, but there is enough time built into the program for teachers to add their own activities for practise or to add something interesting from their native country, like Thanksgiving north of the border slang from the land of "OZ".
For most of my time at English Unlimited, I have been the academic coordinator. Although the director is responsible for hiring, and executive responsibilities, the academic coordinator provides orientation for new teachers and supervises the academic program. We include cultural exchanges in many of our lessons, and try to make language learning fun and intense. We get to know a group of students well over seven-week terms full of daily classes. Often students include us in special occasions and show us places that ordinary tourists seldom experience.
The local staff is warm and friendly, working to keep everything running as smoothly as possible. Teachers get free Spanish classes and the local staff is offered English classes. Some of the staff is already bilingual, and almost everyone you meet in the city is welcoming to newcomers from abroad.
The school has a house where teachers can rent a room very cheaply while they get settled. We�re near major bus routes and located between two main streets, so it�s easy to get back and forth to other parts of the city, so you can take advantage of cheaper rents in the downtown area.
Some of us have enough experience with international travel that we can help each other with learning a new culture. There are museums and dance clubs, gyms, and much more. People often get together for parties or outings. San Luis Potosi is also a great location for travelling around Mexico. On one-day national holidays or weekends people can head off to the more well-known destinations like Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, or Aguascalientes. Teachers can book time off a month or more in advance to make time for more extensive travel. If anyone is considering Mexico, I would be glad to answer any questions you have about San Luis or English Unlimited.

[sarliz]

Everything that you describe about your school sounds really great, so much so that I started doing a search here for more general information about the city of San Luis Potosi. I found an old post started a while ago. Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject: English Unlimited in San Luis Potosi. Sorry I'm too technically inept to link that, but it should be findable it in the archives with that info. Canadiense, could you respond to any of the issues raised in those posts about English Unlimited? Thanks.

[cwc]

What�s the pay range and how much does the apt. rent for? How many hours make a normal load? Most importantly, is it a split shift?

[grahamcito]

[Cdaniels]

[canadiense]

In response to the replies: no, I didn't write my post on "company time". I enjoy teaching and when I'm at school, I prefer to spend as much time as possible with the staff and students.
Anyone applying to Mexico to teach ESL needs to realize that they will be immersed in a new culture, and that the pay can't hope to compare with what the orient is paying these days. To me the important thing is that flexible people who enjoy teaching can find a place to live and enjoy themselves in San Luis.
There are split shifts. It works for me because I like to get up and going in the morning, and then to have time to myself until four or five in the afternoon. Getting off between eight and nine thirty at night suits me fine. There's still time to do a little something with friends, and there's always something to do at night in a Mexican city.

I could respond to the post from an earlier time. I was there at the time, and in my opinion, that old post was emotionally charged and came as a surprise to me when I heard about it. Moving to a new country and culture is very difficult for many people. Perhaps that person was in a gloomy mood being so far from family and friends.
I would be glad to answer any questions you have, rather than rehash someone's post. Mexico is great if you are flexible and enthusiastic about meeting new people.

[canadiense]

In response to the replies: no, I didn't write my post on "company time". I enjoy teaching and when I'm at school, I prefer to spend as much time as possible with the staff and students.
Anyone applying to Mexico to teach ESL needs to realize that they will be immersed in a new culture, and that the pay can't hope to compare with what the orient is paying these days. To me the important thing is that flexible people who enjoy teaching can find a place to live and enjoy themselves in San Luis.
There are split shifts. It works for me because I like to get up and going in the morning, and then to have time to myself until four or five in the afternoon. Getting off between eight and nine thirty at night suits me fine. There's still time to do a little something with friends, and there's always something to do at night in a Mexican city.

I could respond to the post from an earlier time. I was there at the time, and in my opinion, that old post was emotionally charged and came as a surprise to me when I heard about it. Moving to a new country and culture is very difficult for many people. Perhaps that person was in a gloomy mood being so far from family and friends.
I would be glad to answer any questions you have, rather than rehash someone's post. Mexico is great if you are flexible and enthusiastic about meeting new people.

[MELEE]

mmmmm,

I must confess I know nothing about this school, and my only experience with SLP was a night spent there on a drive down from the US. But for people thinking about working at this school, read these posts carefully, keep in mind the school director is named Michael Tan, and from the Philipines (which I learned from reading the other thread) then read canadiense's posts and think about the way someone from Canada would write, and then make your own decisions.

[cwc]

[M@tt]

man, you are such a lout. but sometimes you're a funny lout.
(sometimes)

[lifelessons7]

I was wondering if any one has heard of such schools in SLP Grupo Enlace, MCCI, or American Center. If so any information would be of great help. Also I was wanting to know if anyone teaches at a University and how hard is it to get on there.