Job Discussion Forums

Rooster · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 363

Someone above mentioned that "no one wants to work in NYC".

Is that still true? Is it possible to find a full-time ESL job in NY? If I were to work PT at various schools, what should I be paid per hour?

Thanks

Paul

gregoryfromcali · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject:

This thread is discouraging.

I'm looking for work in the bay area, but it sounds like even if you're not working full-time that working in ESL and commuting is a full-time job in itself.

What about the private English schools?

Has anyone had any experience working for a good private school?

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

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

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

If one has the qualifications and the experience, one can make a very comfortable living. Like any other field, teaching English in the U.S. has a range of positions and a range of candidates seeking them. The lowest-level positions will go to those with the lowest qualifications.

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

I do know that even at big state universities, having formally studied at 2 of them and been to a number of others, ESL staffs or departments tend to have maybe 2-3 full-time instructors at best. There just aren't that many high-paying billets (not that I care, personally; I'm set) that offer the salaries starting at $50k and up ($40 doesn't surprise me, esp. in CA - it's much more par for the course there, but then, so is COL). There may well be cosy positions, but there can't be a lot of them, in which case competition is going to be stiff.

Henry is right about low-qual positions, but there are lots of those out there, while there aren't many high-qual positions.

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

I wasn't talking about "big state universities." ESL is big (and growing rapidly) at the community colleges, of which there are thousands across the U.S. Depending on your location and qualifications, these are currently the high-paying jobs in American ESL. Many community colleges have full-time ESL faculties of 10 or more, plus 20 or more part-timers (who can make up to $70/hour).

naturegirl321, get the M.A. but forget about the DELTA for the U.S. market.

Rooster · Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 363

I'm sure an actual in person MA is better, but is an online MA in TESL sufficient? Do the community colleges care?

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

I have never met an ESL instructor at a California community college who has an online MA degree. The jobs are quite competitive, and there would be no reason for a school to hire somebody with an online degree. There are enough local universities offering traditional MA degrees for the pool of candidates to be quite large.