Job Discussion Forums

workingnomad · Joined: 26 Sep 2005 Posts: 106 Location: SE Asia

....people that have not been able to make it in their chosen career or who never had one on the first place?

Would be interested in peoples' opinions on this.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

This field of ESL is so vast that of course it'd include those, as well as those who are post and pre-career.

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

Always wanted to travel- I did ESL for 12 years- the hours were very unsociable. I made the transformation into mainstream school and it incorporates a bit of ESL with all subjects + the good hours and holidays. Definitely a career decision for me - although there is still an ' I want to be a lawyer' lurking in there somewhere.

jwbhomer · Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 876 Location: CANADA

There do seem to be quite a few ex-lawyers. Making the transition from law (or at least courtroom law) to teaching is fairly easy -- a question of applying techniques of persuasion in a different way. But for Miski I'd say, making the transition from teaching to law might be a little more challenging.
On the whole I agree with WW. And I think the trend these days is to not regard any one career as permanent. So of course you get people who are moving forward, moving backward, or just dropping out. Nothing wrong with any of those things.

miski · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 298 Location: Kuwait

Oh I was tempted to do Law and French at Birmingham about 24 years ago, but I'm way too old for that transition now! I just bang the hammer in class.

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

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

Dear Miski (Warning: cliche to follow)Never too old; though infirmity,disability and sickness can put a damper on things.

Here's an inspiring story that might just reignite that spark,it certainly did for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

medusa · Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Posts: 50 Location: France / India

WW, so you saw the Paul Potts clip too?

Thanks for sharing it with everyone else. I actually came across it on you tube after reading an article on the BBC website and it really made my day. I became so emotional while watching it and had shivers down my spine. Great stuff. Why show it on this thread?
It proves that sometimes, you can beat the odds and follow your dream career or just your dreams quite simply.
What if your dream IS to be an EFL teacher?

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

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

When I started uni, I enrolled as an English Teacher, however, due to constraints, ie, I wouldn't have been able to study in sister schools in California, Spain and Washington, I decided to study Art, my choice, and Business Management, my father's choice.

During uni, I got the chance to teach in Venezuela, China and Taiwan and knew that's what I really wanted to do.

I don't regret not majoring in Education becuase I never would have got the chance to travel. Five years later, I'm still enjoying it and am almost done with my MA in TEFL and plan on going for a DELTA as well.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Hi, miski. You have probably never seen a cookery program called "Two Fat Ladies" but one of the two became a barrister in her fifties before changing career again to become a cookery presenter.

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

tedkarma

misterbrownpants · Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Posts: 70

i decided to teach english mainly because it is good money down here - and good hours however i would still one day like to work in my field (international development) just haven't found the right thing yet..