Job Discussion Forums

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Perhaps the fact that Deicide has only managed 6 years of this as an "off and on" again thing would explain his results. I was going to suggest higher education or training, but he wrote:

yaramaz · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:35 pm Post subject:

I've moved around a fair bit within the Turkish EFL teaching options- uni, primary school, high school, language school, corporate (where I am now). I'm not at all bored and my students certainly aren't boring. I find my students and my classes to be intellectually stimulating, full of wit and energy, and always changing. And I teach a lot of very low level classes. Who knew Cutting Edge Starter could allow so much room for discussion and joking? I don't know if I will do this forever but I'm not sure we can write off an entire profession just because some people find it doesn't fit their needs.

I don't think I'd go back to teaching in the k-12 system again, but that was due more to my preference to teach rather than to spend all my energy on discipline. I have a lot of good memories of excellent kids.

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 1:58 pm Post subject:

Deicide meet thrifty, thifty meet Deicide.

MELEE · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:21 pm Post subject:

As I read this thread I was actually thinking that decide sounded like thrifty jr. Laughing

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:00 pm Post subject:

By all means, if you're not happy, move on. I've done it once, when I got frustrated in a previous career, and moved into EFL. And I suppose, if I get frustrated with EFL, I'll do it again.

But for the moment, I'm NOT frustrated. I don't find my job routine or boring. I do find it incredibly hard work sometimes. But every year since I've been in this field has seen an increase in earning, an increase in training opportunities, and a greater diversity and interest in WHAT I get to teach, and what other opportunities I take on.

So I guess, like most other careers, it's down to two factors. How much you, personally, like it. And what you put into it. These are probably related. If you don't like it, you won't put a lot into it, and it really WILL SUCK. If this is your case, I think you're very right that you might be happier doing something else.

But if you REALLY LIKE IT you put your best into it, and it gets better too. And then, maybe you should stick around- you, your students, and your colleagues will all be glad you did.

It's down to you. Nothing wrong with EFL. Nothing inherently right with it, either. Like most things, it's what you make of it.

Best,
Justin

tedkarma · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:07 am Post subject:

I moved on - once - to a publishing job where we got two weeks a year vacation - only after the first year was up - and only a few select gov't holidays. Sometimes I was working on holidays that even the Burmese laborers down the street got off!

The TEFL world ain't so bad.

If you continue improving your education you can teach other things. Generally speaking almost ALL entry-level jobs s*uck. If you stay at the entry level for ever - it will not be pleasant.

Deicide · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:27 am Post subject:

Deicide · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:29 am Post subject:

sidjameson · Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 629 Location: osaka

Switch on the television and we are constantly shown images of people with great jobs. Property shows where the owner is a businessman and his house is worth a $million. Documetaries where academics are talking about a subject they love. People working in the media showing the work they do. Then there is all the fictional stuff where the characters always seem to be doing interesting stuff; lawyers, doctors, detectives, you know the thing.

Then there is the reality that most people are stuck in an office, shop, restaurant, warehouse, factory etc. Their work is routine, mundane and monotonous. 40 hours a week. 50 weeks a year. Their salary allows them to slowly improve their lot.

Many disgruntled TEFL teachers often aspire to the former while forgetting that they came from the latter.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

You could always move up, this is my fifth year of teaching and I'm studying and working at two well-known schools in the capital in order to go to a smaller city and work in management or admin.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Yet another thread telling us how useless our jobs are? Hey, I LIKE teaching English! Boring? Nope. Because I MAKE it interesting! I think and discuss with my colleagues and try new things. If you're bored with it, by all means, get out, as others have suggested, but why assume that the rest of us feel the same? You do realize there's sort of an implied insult in there, targeting those of us who like what we do, don't you?

But, going way back to the original post, no, in my own little fantasy world I would not be an EFL teacher. I would be a world champion figure skater or a snowboarding instructor or some such thing that in reality I'm nowhere near good enough to do. But hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

d

furiousmilksheikali · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject:

saint57 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:48 pm Post subject:

Deicide · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject: