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Deicide
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1005
Location: Caput Imperii Americani
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 Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:59 am Post subject: Getting out of EFL before it's too late... |
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Let's be honest folks, if we TEFLers actually had a real choice, that is if we could choose any career at a whim, would we really choose to be EFLers? I doubt it. I have every now and then encountered people who claim to love it and make a 'career' out of it but I am at a loss as to why. Between bored, disinterested German business adults to bored, disinterested Korean brats I cannot say that it has been a pleasant ride. Why did I get involved in EFL? Well in 2001, after an egregious year in France I decided to do my CELTA at the Paris centre with the idea in mind that I could see the world and learn languages (my real passion, though strangely enough with Korean it never clicked). Ah, the dreams of youth. I realise just how naive, romanticised a notion that was. After about 6 years of off and on working as a TEFLer I realise the necessity of getting out before it claims my 'soul'. The repetition (how many times can it be fun to explain the difference between present perfects and simple pasts or any other grammar point for that matter) is soul crushing, the intellectual stimulation is NULL (I remember teaching Siemen's executives something about...yeah, it was THAT boring) and the hopes for advancement (well what the hell is advancement in EFL) are minimal. I have no problem with education, in fact I would like to teach...albeit something interesting. I know a host of people who have felt the same way and DID get out before it claimed them (good for them) and I will try to do the same or die trying. Let's face it; EFL is a dead end. Sure, there are some people who have made it their lives and are content but by and large do any of us current TEFLers really want to be doing this till we drop dead? I would assert with NEAR certainty NO. Not getting out on time can have disasterous consequences and Korea seems to be one of the worst stews to be plopped into as a TEFLer.
A Non-TEFL anglophone had once stated, some what prophetically that 'we' will not be English teachers in Korea. Let us hope that he was right. Still more prophetic I would hope, is the statement that we will not be English teachers period. May the gods lead us from the path of EFL to a truly rewarding, interesting, stimulating and profitable career, and if they don't to quote Conan, then the hell with them, we'll just have to do it by ourselves.
This thread is dedicated to a TEFLer I knew once back in the days who made me realise the truth. I don't know if he made it out but I hope he did, he was a good guy and deserved better, peace be with him... |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:04 am Post subject: |
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| 'Kay. Bye. |
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Deicide
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1005
Location: Caput Imperii Americani
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:13 am Post subject: |
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OK, I guess you want to teach the same junk for the rest of your life? Sounds great... |
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mlomker
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 378
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:24 am Post subject: |
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| Deicide wrote: |
| OK, I guess you want to teach the same junk for the rest of your life? Sounds great... |
What other careers have you had? They are all boring. I've been in the IT business for 13 years now. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I've had to explain how to schedule a meeting in Outlook or explain how someone was able to spoof an email address. I change employers every few years to staunch the monotony.
It pays quite well and I pacify myself by working on a masters degree and pretending that it'll lead somewhere (it won't). If you don't go into management then you hit a ceiling on the tech side of the IT business. There's one more rung on the ladder or I could change careers to TEFL for a while. I'm still debating.
Change countries! I think that's what most TEFLers do when they get bored or start becoming jaded about their host country.
Last edited by mlomker on Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:32 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:29 am Post subject: |
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Where do you get the idea from that jobs should be intellectually stimulating?
Most work is routine. And there is plenty of intellectual stimulation to be had in TEFL. I'm sure your Siemens executives could have told you loads of interesting things if you gave them the chance. And trying to work out why English uses certain constructions and not others might be frustrating, but its not boring.
There are plenty of things wrong with teaching as a career, and plenty of reasons to want to get out of it, but be careful not to over-romanticize the alternative. |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:29 am Post subject: |
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| Deicide wrote: |
| OK, I guess you want to teach the same junk for the rest of your life? Sounds great... |
(shrug)
I'd argue with you, but what's the point? You've made up your mind, and it sounds like that's the best decision for you.
Hey, enjoy your new career. Bye. |
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Deicide
Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1005
Location: Caput Imperii Americani
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:39 am Post subject: |
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| mlomker wrote: |
| Deicide wrote: |
| OK, I guess you want to teach the same junk for the rest of your life? Sounds great... |
What other careers have you had? They are all boring. I've been in the IT business for 13 years now. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I've had to explain how to schedule a meeting in Outlook or explain how someone was able to spoof an email address. I change employers every few years to staunch the monotony.
It pays quite well and I pacify myself by working on a masters degree and pretending that it'll lead somewhere (it won't). If you don't go into management then you hit a ceiling on the tech side of the IT business. There's one more rung on the ladder or I could change careers to TEFL for a while. I'm still debating.
Change countries! I think that's what most TEFLers do when they get bored or start becoming jaded about their host country. |
Well, in your case mate...you make real money. As for what I really want to do: get a Phd and teach at university level. Different kinds of courses, different content, publish some articles...big difference there... |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:48 am Post subject: |
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| Deicide wrote: |
| mlomker wrote: |
| Deicide wrote: |
| OK, I guess you want to teach the same junk for the rest of your life? Sounds great... |
What other careers have you had? They are all boring. I've been in the IT business for 13 years now. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I've had to explain how to schedule a meeting in Outlook or explain how someone was able to spoof an email address. I change employers every few years to staunch the monotony.
It pays quite well and I pacify myself by working on a masters degree and pretending that it'll lead somewhere (it won't). If you don't go into management then you hit a ceiling on the tech side of the IT business. There's one more rung on the ladder or I could change careers to TEFL for a while. I'm still debating.
Change countries! I think that's what most TEFLers do when they get bored or start becoming jaded about their host country. |
Well, in your case mate...you make real money. As for what I really want to do: get a Phd and teach at university level. Different kinds of courses, different content, publish some articles...big difference there... |
Then do it and don't moan about it here. I teach content courses at a university right now as well as English classes. Make a career out of it. |
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