Job Discussion Forums

[Venti]

[Chancellor]

[Justin Trullinger]

[White_Elephant]

[Stephen Jones]

[Stephen Jones]

[eha]

To get back to the question of what constitutes a 'profession': most definitions of the latter refer to an 'ethical code'. While I've been 'professing' to Tefl, I've seen some behaviour on the part of other 'professors' that -- well, to put it mildly, would violate the ethical code of Uriah Heep. I'm told it's all because so many of the good 'Tefling' jobs involve pleasing the employer at all costs-- an employer whose own grasp of ethics may not be his most highly-developed quality. So teachers have to shut up and put up: while under pressure to produce 'feedback', at the same time, make sure it's empty rhetoric. Never, ever suggest any real criticism of the existing system, especially administrative systems; and above all, never support a colleague who may fall foul of the inbuilt injustices involved in such systems. I've listened to, and watched the consequences of, this kind of thing for the two decades I've been Tefling-- it could all be summed up as: sod you Jack; I'm all right.
Doesn't impress me much as an ethical code.
Or am I just talking about a particular geographical code?

[Justin Trullinger]

I guess I would say that the prevalence of English now is greater than that of Latin in Roman times, Steven.

Obviously, this is largely due to technology, and ease of international travel plays a big role as well.

So does the importance of global commerce, which was, to say the least, a lot less efficient and more localised in Roman times.

Understand, I'm not making any imperialist/superiority arguments here. But I think it's fair to say that English is much more international than Latin ever was.

It's reached every corner of the globe, whereas Latin was mostly limited to the mediterranean, Europe, and bits of Africa and western Asia. But the increased spread is not just geographical. The raw number of speakers is much greater than Latin ever reached. It's also the first major language spoken by more non-natives than natives. (Which helps us stay in work!)

Best,
Justin

[Stephen Jones]

[JZer]

[Chancellor]

[John Hall]

Nobody has said much here about the route that I have taken. Mind you, I have done all kinds of things wrong, but I am still surviving!

I started out in Japan teaching at conversation schools and then got into company classes there. Then I came to Costa Rica, where I did company classes for many years. While in CR, I fell madly in love with a Costa Rican woman with four teenaged and adult children. We got married and then she lost her full-employment status, which she has never been able to regain. Yikes! And then it got worse! The oldest daughter got pregnant and the new father and baby had to move in with us as well.

But fortunately, I had made many contacts within the local business community, and since I had become a legal resident of CR through marriage, I was now able to work directly for a Costa Rican employer as the "company English teacher." I was originally hired full-time with health insurance and "thirteenth month pay" paid out in December. That only lasted six months though. The company restructured themselves, and I "lost my job, but not my work": that is, I kept teaching the classes, but only under a professional services contract that excluded benefits. I continued in this way for a while, just barely making ends meet. But Christmas time was just too difficult for my family and I: I had to use my Canadian credit card to get through to the first pay check at the end of January.

Eventually, I picked up a full-time, but low-paying job at a private university. I also kept some of the company classes. The university job I do for the benefits; the company classes for the cash. I still just make ends meet, but I have a (mortgage on a) house, and a loving family to take care of me in my old age.

My plan is to go into the business of doing company classes here in Costa Rica. I do not have the money to start up a business, but there is a more old-fashioned way to get into business: do a really good job, develop a good reputation for your high level of professionalism, and then land a contract and hire only the best local teachers. I am in the process of doing that right now.

It used to be that there was security in working for one company all of your life. Not so any more. Even governments go through restructuring now; not much security there either. For me, the only future is to get into the business itself; there only seems to be security these days in a strong market. Costa Rica has a new multinational corporation setting up business here, it seems, almost every week. Many of them are establishing international call centers here. The local population will need "perfect English" for years to come. And this is wherein my future lies, I believe. I will only keep the university job until my company is profitable enough.

Go into the TESL business itself; that is where you will find financial security in the future in this profession.

[White_Elephant]

[furiousmilksheikali]

White Elephant! Will you lend me a fiver till payday? It's my round and I'm down to a few pieces of shrapnell. Go on you know I'm good for the cash...

[supervisor133]

[quote="White_Elephant"]