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Is this certificate worth anything?

 
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clearvue



Joined: 11 Sep 2006
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:23 pm    Post subject: Is this certificate worth anything? Reply with quote

Last summer I taught English in China through this program:

http://www.uschinaedu.org/TESL.asp

Upon completion, I received a "Certificate of Accomplishment" through the US-China Education and Cultural Exchange Center.

Written was"

"This is issued by US-China Education and Cultural Exchange Center as Certification that the teacher has successfully completed the UCE TESL program and has the corresponding teaching ability"


Now my question is, is this "certificate" worth anything? Would I be able to use it to get a job teaching English overseas? I already have my BA, and didn't know if this would supplement my qualifications, or come off as a total joke.
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mlomker



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 378

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Is this certificate worth anything? Reply with quote

The industry standard is a 120-hour course with a teaching practicum, so I imagine that wouldn't count for a whole lot. Some countries are rather vague about what they require by way of a certificate but the CELTA is the gold standard.

That is my only concern about enrolling in a local program...it's it totally legit since it is six credits in a masters TESL program but I wonder if I'll end up having to 'prove' that it is comparable to a CELTA every time that I apply for a position.
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clearvue



Joined: 11 Sep 2006
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahh. I understand the 120hr course, but I was there for six weeks, teaching 6 days a week for 6 hours. I think that exceeds the 120hrs. Shrug. Just wondering though.
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Sheikh Inal Ovar



Joined: 04 Dec 2005
Posts: 1208
Location: Melo Drama School

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Ahh. I understand the 120hr course, but I was there for six weeks, teaching 6 days a week for 6 hours. I think that exceeds the 120hrs. Shrug. Just wondering though.


So .. what with 3 - 4 hours of theory each day and 1-2 hours of peer observation followed by an hour of post-mortem each evening ... your days were 13 hours long plus lesson prep for a novice of 3-4 hrs a day ... 16-17 hours a day ???

Or did they skip all the instruction and just use you ...
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nomadykaty



Joined: 03 May 2004
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you do any courses besides teaching 6 months? The certifications looks like its just for completing the contract or exchange.

I hate to say this, but I doubt it would be recognized as anything other then proof of employment.
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rusmeister



Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:45 am    Post subject: Re: Is this certificate worth anything? Reply with quote

mlomker wrote:
but the CELTA is the gold standard.


If the CELTA is the gold standard, what would you call a state K-12 ESL certificate (a 2 year program at 6-12 hrs a week)? I guess that'd be roughly 600 hrs?
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mlomker



Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 378

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Is this certificate worth anything? Reply with quote

rusmeister wrote:
I guess that'd be roughly 600 hrs?


I'd call that unusual for someone that is just starting out. How many people jump into teaching ESL overseas by spending $30k on a MAT ESL licensure program in their home country?

Public school ESL positions don't pay well enough to compensate for the cost of the degree, and that's the real problem. The pay for hourly work (full-time jobs are scarcely available) is about the same as someone with a CELTA in Vietnam could earn...and the cost of living is drastically different.
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rusmeister



Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 4:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Is this certificate worth anything? Reply with quote

mlomker wrote:
rusmeister wrote:
I guess that'd be roughly 600 hrs?


I'd call that unusual for someone that is just starting out. How many people jump into teaching ESL overseas by spending $30k on a MAT ESL licensure program in their home country?

Public school ESL positions don't pay well enough to compensate for the cost of the degree, and that's the real problem. The pay for hourly work (full-time jobs are scarcely available) is about the same as someone with a CELTA in Vietnam could earn...and the cost of living is drastically different.


I'm not sure what public school positions you are referring to. If you are 1.0 FTE you make the same as all the other teachers - in NY and CA this is definitely the case.

I am one of these teachers, who earned the certificate while teaching FT and running the ESL dept at my school and left. It was poor treatment, not pay that was a major issue.

C'mon, admit that I hold the platinum standard! Very Happy
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clearvue



Joined: 11 Sep 2006
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
So .. what with 3 - 4 hours of theory each day and 1-2 hours of peer observation followed by an hour of post-mortem each evening ... your days were 13 hours long plus lesson prep for a novice of 3-4 hrs a day ... 16-17 hours a day ???

Or did they skip all the instruction and just use you ...


They just used me.
But thanks for the confirmation of this worthless paper .ha.
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Jizzo T. Clown



Joined: 28 Apr 2005
Posts: 668
Location: performing in a classroom near you!

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you want a better-paying job in Korea