Job Discussion Forums

[aniel]

I was wondering to all those expats out there teaching in Istanbul are there job opputunities for someone like me without a degree. I have a teaching certificate as well as two years experience but unfortunately not that piece of paper with a big B.A.

I'm aware that I can't get a proper work visa without having a degree but what companies are willing to hire someone that will have to do a boarder run every few months or is this quite common.

Any info would help.

[thrifty]

All the crappy TEFL mills.

TEFLers in Turkey are not ex-pats-they wish!

[tvik]

why aren't they ex-pats????

[thrifty]

Because of their pay and conditions.

[demet]

if you do not mind working illegally some schools will hire you. Langauge centers seem to be more easy going about this than private schools.

[FGT]

Definition of expat:

[misterkodak]

I wonder which language schools hire the degreeless? should we make a list? yukyukyuk!! I can think of one big yellow school where the degreeless even advance to head teacher and branch manager. ahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[newgabe]

I am interested in this too. I am not a baby backpacker, or someone who just wants booze money. I am 53 and have had 30 years experience in adult education, and I know that I am a good teacher. But because of how my career has developed, I have never actually picked up a degree. Thinking of teaching TESOL overseas has been the first time in my life the lack of a degree seems like making a difference to my employability. I am currently completing a TESOL training and am going to do tutoring here for refugee families before I head off anywhere.
I think teaching English is a serious responsibility and I certainly don't want to be a 'cowboy'. Nor do I want to pay a fortune and spend years to obtain a degree at this stage in my life. Nor to be looked down on by 20 somethings who have proven that they can study but can not necessarily teach. SO it would be great if someone could point to the better language schools that will accept people in my position. I know it is quite easy in some countries, but I particularly would like to spend time in Turkey. Thanks for any advice.

[Baba Alex]

[newgabe]

In my twenties I taught classes in meditation and Buddhism to the general public (I lived in a Buddhist community) Then I taught Tibetan refugees in India, but as an untrained volunteer... which made me realise that teaching English needed training! In my 30's I obtained qualifications in counselling from a private college in UK (which later had the qual recognised as an MA equivalent, but as I had returned to Australia by then I got caught between moving goalposts...) That college took me on as one of their trainers. When I returned to Oz in my 40's I got a job retraining long term unemployed people, teaching jobsearch and interview skills... then returned to counselling, where part of my role in a palliative care setting was training volunteers in support skills. That lead me to getting a Diploma in Training and Assessment Systems (within the Govt vocational system) and managing training programs for community services organisations. I often taught within those programs, as well as writing curriculum and sourcing experts to cover areas outside my own competence. I also established my own business training adults in communications, writing training materials for private organisations etc. I have just finished a job teaching mainstream communications for Aboriginal people in the north. I have just been recommended for a job as a trainer for the Qld Govt Anti-Discrimination commission.

[kingtubby]

That is the bottom line man, without the degree you just arent legal. Fo certain sure yo can get jobz at bummy scummy skoolz but yo just aint legal. Without that legal status you is prey to exploitation know what I mean man? You got no REDRESS, see?

Bless

[newgabe]

Thanks for clarifying that Tubby. It is a question of legality and security in a foreign country. So I could go to another country that is quite happy to have teachers without degrees, or take my chances on finding a decent private institution in Turkey and working illegally. From what I've read here about people's experiences teaching arrogant rich high school kids though, adult learners who have motivation could be more my scene anyway. I've never wanted to teach kids.

So thanks Tubby, but for heavens sake stop talking about jobz at skoolz. That sort of mo' fo'kin talk irritates beyond measure.

[Baba Alex]

[newgabe]

So is a dershane a private college for adults?
Is it a slang word or actually what they are called? (I wouldn't want to write to a boss and insult him by calling his establishment the Turkish word for scamming cowboy profiteering bummy skummy skooolz or whatever...)

[Golightly]

A dershane is literally a 'lesson house'. It's not slang, although the behaviour of some of them might render it so.