Job Discussion Forums

[JZer]

I would like to add to the orginal question that you can do most things if you really put your mind to it. Especially if it is not an area with limited opportunity and I don't think that ESL qualifies as a profession with limited opportunities. For example, you can get a university teaching job in Korea just by applying and having some experience. Some universities in the country side have a hard time finding someone.

[saint57]

[thrifty]

Why has some chancer not asked for examples of these fantastic but rare EFL jobs and then be told by a previous poster that they are not advertised and only available to those in the know old hands?

If you cannot come up with examples and contact details for these fantastic EFL jobs as you cannot, then I will take it that they do not exist.

[JZer]

[thrifty]

I knew it: No details about the job and it does not sound so attractive already.

[JZer]

Here is the link:


http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=18327

[JZer]

[JZer]

Pohang University of Science and Technology is advertising for an instructor to teach credit classes but most universities are not.

Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea teaching at The Language Education Center (LEC) (like a hagwon)

[thrifty]

entry level job, I knew it

[JZer]

I wrote:

[mlomker]

[JZer]

[mlomker]

[JZer]

mlomker, to top that off you better be white or your CV will be thrown straight in the bin.

[Chris_Crossley]

When I first started out in TEFL 4 1/2 years ago, I knew then that I intended to make this a long-term thing, although I also knew that I wanted to move up the ranks into senior management.

My EF English First job, which I had for 2 years in Wuhan, was an entry-level job and certainly allowed me to hone my teaching skills, especially with young learners. With my experience in teaching YLs, I then moved on to the state-run primary school in another district of Wuhan, where I spent a very happy year teaching Grades 3 to 5 for 5 days a week, plus some Sunday mornings with a class of pupils who needed extra help (and used different books, oddly enough).

From that primary school, I moved on to my current place, where my job is to prepare Chinese university graduates by teaching them the study skills that they will need in order to complete a postgraduate taught degree at a British university. I have also had a number of part-time jobs in both the public and private sectors in order to supplement my income. Hence, my experience of TEFL has been wide and I am quite happy to be in my present job.

Regarding career development, I am undertaking an MA in Education (Applied Linguistics) with the Open University (UK), which I started in February this year and should be completed by October next year. This is by distance learning, by the way. Even now, though, I have an eye on undertaking the MA in Applied Educational Leadership and Management with the University of London's Institute of Education, which can also be done entirely by distance learning. This is the kind of qualification that one needs if one wants a senior educational management position like a deputy principal / deputy headteacher / principal / headteacher.

Provided that I am successful, I am aim to finish that degree by 2010, by which time I ought to have accumulated 9 years of TEFL experience. My only previous position of responsibility in the TEFL world has been as acting director of studies at the aforementioned EF English First school. I held this job for 11 months if only because my so-called "centre manager" had no intention either of promoting me to director of studies or of getting someone from outside to do the job in order (partly) to save money. However, I should also mention that the man was a control freak, who basically liked to run the whole place by himself and often made decisions of an academic nature behind my back because, as far as he was concerned, he was in charge. Very egotistical, very unprofessional attitude he had. I was so glad to leave after my second year at that school, I can tell you.

In my present job, I have no responsibility, but that does not worry me too much at present. In the organization I work for, teachers who are not principals can become subject coordinators, yet there is only one for each subject across all the centres. For example, one of my colleagues is the subject coordinator for further mathematics for all the centres offering the pre-undergraduate programme known as the International Foundation Year. I teach English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in the Pre-Master's Programme at my centre and I have already signed up for the next academic year (four months in advance!). There is a subject coordinator for what I do, yet she is based at another centre in another city. Perhaps, if and when she moves on, I will have a chance at that job, especially if I get my MA in Education degree next year!

Hence, I do consider progression vital in one's career, including a TEFL career, although whether or not I would still be teaching TEFL as such remains to be seen even if I do get the London MA degree (always assuming that I get to start it in the first place next year!). As for whether I will be a TEFLer "for life", that remains to be seen as well. I started out when I was nearly 36 and am just over 40 1/2 now. If I do get the London MA, I will be nearly 45! I've heard it said from some Australian TEFLers that one is basically "washed-out" in Australia at 45 if one is still in some kind of lower-paid job or at a lower rank. I guess that is why so many Australians teach abroad in their 40s - in fact, one of my colleagues is an Aussie in his 40s!