Job Discussion Forums

[doreenp]

I have only viewed one posting that addressed the "age" factor. I am 48 years young (my birth certificate says so) but in mind, body and spirit i'm much younger. I've noticed that some countries (i.e. Australia) specify that the age should be between 20 to 35. How do the schools in Mexico feel about the more "mature" TEFL teachers?

[Ben Round de Bloc]

I haven't noticed any real discrimination against older applicants here. If anything, at many language schools applicants over 40 have an advantage in that they have more years of work experience listed on their CVs. Most school directors at reputable language schools in this city tend to shy away from the young backpacker types, who are often viewed as being less responsible, dedicated, and long-term than the more mature applicants.

[housed]

Doreen, you emailed me and I responded, but I thought a lot of what I said would be useful for other people, so I am posting it here, too)

You and I sound a lot alike, except I do have a wonderful husband who stayed in Maine and has let me travel to Mexico to do this adventure that I needed to do for many reasons that we could talk about in future e-mails, if you like.

I came to Mexico City in August when the job at a university I was going to teach at fell through at the last minute in Guadalajara. (I have an M.A. in English and have taught at the University of Maine, but mostly have taught public-private high school English and Spanish. I had spent several summers in GDL getting used to that city, and also knew several families from hosting exchange students over the years.) The pay in Mexico City was great, so I thought I would try it. But after teaching for 9 weeks at a "prestigious bilingual school", I have decided I am packing my bags and heading to Guadalajara to live as a peasant, if I have to.

The principal reason is the climate here in Mexico City. It is also cold and rainy here and the houses do not have heat, so as a middle age lady I am quite bothered by it. I am from Maine, and I want to have year of my life to live in the sun!

The second reason is the hugeness of this city. I figured I would just settle in a section and not have to move around that much. That strategy is possible, and I know some Canadians/Americans who live in nice neighborhoods where they have access to everything. For me, I landed in this city without knowing it, and had to learn how to use public transportation without getting mugged or worse, and where to go. After I finally learned how to come and go to some basic spots, I just wore out traveling so much on buses. The traffic is always heavy here so it takes forever to go just a short distance!

The 3rd reason, loneliness. After raising a houseful of kids, I wanted some peace and quiet, but not completely. I thought I would easily make friends through the school, but it doesn't seem to happen that way. For one thing, the English adventurers who come here to teach are quite a bit younger. And, the everyone is so busy dealing with their own lives here in the city that people don't seem to socialize. My strategy when I came here was much like it had been in GDL. I rented rooms from Mexicans thinking I would have company, and help learning about the city. I do speak Spanish at an intermediate level. In 3 months I have lived in 2 places! Both were horror stories of different kinds. But at the heart of the story is that after you agree to rent from people, (and they are sooooo friendly,) and when you move into their home, they don't give you another thought. I was just as alone as if I had rented my own apartment.

Fourth is the Mexican private education system. This is really important for you to understand. Some schools are diploma mills and don't care about the quality of education they deliver. They cater to rich people's children, and in the end, the children run the school. I have been a US public school teacher for years, and taught some tough students and always managed. But at the school I am am teaching at, they don't let the teachers do much in the way of classroom management. I am not a screamer, but I found myself screaming in my classes for them to be quiet, and of course, it doesn't work. I am happy to tell you that once I knew I was leaving, I was able to really focus on this problem, and now I have solved it in my classrooms. The out of control classes were one of the reasons I decided to leave, but I don't think it is ultimately the reason. Kids are kids and will do whatever they can. It's not really their fault.

Being 43 years old, I am just now getting to realize one thing. I don't have to do things that I don't want to anymore. Mexico is a year of my life to learn Spanish, the culture, and have some fun after having the responsibility for years of a family. I find myself so exhausted from living in this city that I definitely am not meeting any of my objectives.

So I hope this answers a few of your questions. My plans? For years, I put off a career as a fiction writer to raise my family. Now I have the beginning research for an action adventure novel set in Mexico. I am going to write; go to THE CITY OF ETERNAL SPRING--Guadalajara; look for a job knowing that the pay will be ridiculous, but I can survive on it. I already have an interview when I arrive at my first "prestigious bilingual school."

Keep me posted on your plans and let me know what I can do to help.

Finally, I want anyone who reads this to understand that I am going to choose to not be a disgruntled American who came here, didn't find what she was looking for at the first stop, and decides to berate Mexico and her beautiful people. I will take more great memories with me, and once I stop being cold, I won't ever think a negative thought about this place again. I will return here often to visit some of the new friends I did eventually make, and be a tourist. It took me several summers to get used to GDL, and now I know that just because I understood a little bit one city, I shouldn't assume I know the world's largest city. I will take some more time to get to know this place, and figure it out. I have to because 25% of my new novel takes place in DF, so I need to return often. jejejeje

DEE HOUSE

[KerriKP]

I lived one year with a 48 year old who taught at the American elementary school in our town. The language institute I was at was a little wary of age only because they had been burned by an older woman with health problems who had to leave in the middle of a semester.

[MELEE]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

I think MELEE has a point that some schools may be more interested in hiring younger applicants for the reason suggested. However, I haven't noticed any real age discrimination in hiring here in this city. Other factors seem much more important than age, especially those factors related to responsibility, dependability, and just plain ability to do the job.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to teach EFL for a year in this country and having other goals, too, such as learning about the culture, improving one's Spanish, or whatever. Yet, if an applicant comes across in an interview as someone who wants the job just to fill in some time to keep from getting bored, meet some new people to have fun with, and earn a few pesos while on vacation for a year in Mexico, that probably won't impress the interviewer very much, whether the applicant is 18 or 48.

[doreenp]

Many thanks for all the comments and bits of information you've posted. I do have confidence that things will work out for me. I have spent years as a Teachers Assistant and I do know that teaching is what I want to do with my life. Where I want to do it is in Mexico, i think, but i won't know till I get there and try it, will I?. For how long? Who can say. It is impossible for me to predict what will happen, i leave that up to the Karma Gods! I have sold everything I own and plan on making whereever I end up, my home.

I'm counting on my maturity, stability and patience to work for me.

Again, thanks for all the comments , hints and suggestions. I'll be watching this site till the day I leave, and hopefully will get to meet some of you and put a face to the names.

Dee.

[MixtecaMike]

Sorry to join in somewhat late in the day, but here is my 5-cents worth.

If you come here and do the rounds looking for work I'm sure you'll find plenty of opportunities. Some of the "Prestigious" schools might not be interested, but then you probably have been scared off them by the other poster.

If you pick up a crappy job at some small language school it will open the door to many private classes, and many people would prefer an older (but not decrepid) person to teach their kids. If you just stick up a note on the wall somewhere hoping to find students it can be pretty hopeless, but once you are on the inside (ie teaching somewhere) you suddenly become a real teacher and people will flock to you looking for classes. Just get them to pay in advance and don't go counting on future income and you should get by reasonably well.

Small towns are not necessarilly more friendly than big cities here, so don't fall into the trap of a post in some tiny place thinking you will blend right in, you can probably find more friends quicker in a major city.

Most people here want to learn English, or at least want their kids to, so as long as you have a nice attitude and are very flexible in your expectations I think you should do just fine.

[M@tt]

i teach at a private university, so i can only offer a really limited perspective. there are three of us here teaching english. me (27), the director (50) and another american teacher hired last year (65). other than the jokes made comparing me and the old guy, nobody cares.

the fact that everyone here has an MA or more in their field probably has something to do with it. in a language school it could be different, but i don't really know.