Job Discussion Forums

[neveah]

I liked what Sperling had to say, but his information is outdated. Can anyone give me some up to date information on jobs in Panama?

[John Hall]

I am in Costa Rica, and all I can say is that I occasionally here things about teaching jobs in Panama City. The English Learning Center at Universidad Interamericana in Heredia, C.R. is supposed to have a similar school in Panama City. Contact them in C.R. and I imagine that they can put you in touch with their Panama City operation.

Outside of Panama City, I don't think there are jobs for foreign English teachers. Inside Panama City, it would appear to be mostly a few university jobs. I have also heard that there are quite a few very good bilingual Panamanian teachers and retired American military personnel teaching English there.

But this is all second-hand information really. If anyone has actually been to Panama City, let us know what the teaching scene is like.

[pirateinpanama]

It`s all part of the Laureate System. No work permit, no job. It`s that simple.
The $$$ is excellent, but the new teaching methodology (Panama) may not be for everyone.
As mentioned before, if you don`t have a permit, come with plenty of $$$ to pay off a good lawyer who knows her/his way around.
GOOD LUCK!!

[John Hall]

Pirate,

Can you give us a dollar range for the salary? Also, what do you mean by "the new teaching methodology (Panama)?"

[John Hall]

After posting the message above, I discovered this older thread:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?p=425315&highlight=#425315

It contains a lot of good info about TEFL in Panama.

[pirateinpanama]

I speak specifically of Laureate Int. in Panama concerning the methodology. It`s called Assimil (assimilation). A home study course that`s been brought into the classroom. Yikes!!
In my classes (Eng. for business), the entire book is conversations between various characters.. Half the page is in English and the other half is in Spanish. I kind of look at it as teaching a playwriting course; just tear up the dialogue and extract as much material from it as possible.
Not very easy compared to the conventional way of teaching.
Moneywise, it all depends where you teach. Fla. St. remains the best at $20 per hour. Here, it comes out to about to about $18.37 (or something).
Otherwise, the old post I wrote and the ones kingkristopher wrote pretty much remains the same from where I sit.

Best of luck!

[John Hall]

Wow! You are making about double what most uni English teachers in Costa Rica are making. I didn't know things were that good in Panama. (And here I have been slaving away in Costa Rica for the last six years!)