Job Discussion Forums

KingEric · Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 26

Would you describe yourselves as ambitious? Why or why not?

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject:

*beep* is a dirty word.

Shit is a dirty word.

I'm not offended by "ambition." Wink

But seriously- ambitious for what? A lot of people these days seem to see "ambitious" as meaning "money motivated." I'm not.

But I do have my ambitions, and am not afraid to work hard to get them...

Best,
Justin

justin032 · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 28

I agree with my fellow Justin. Ambition could relate to anything, like Americans gaining access to work in Western Europe by making themselves attractive enough to do it and vice versa for Europeans gaining employment in America.

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

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

blah blah

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

....make themselves more attractive. Do you mean plastic surgery and weight loss? Only joking!

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Anyone who thinks EFL is a 'career' is severley delusional and should seek help fast.

Mackthefinger · Joined: 01 Oct 2007 Posts: 7

KingEric · Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 26

What would you all say are the three or four things that do most to stifle ambition in TEFL?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Generally lower pay and perceived lack of a career ladder would be my guess at two reasons for lack of ambition within the field. I say 'perceived' because the road ahead isn't paved...you often have to cut your own, meaning hard work and upgrading your education and skills along the way.

justin032 · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 28

I would imagine that would be true in any career? Not to offend anyone here, but I wonder if most of the people who complain about EFL not being a proper career put in the same amount of effort in building their career as people do in other occupations. Most "serious" careers these days require a minimum investment of a Masters level or higher and many more careers require constant continuing education and new qualifications to be earned in order to keep up with their colleagues in their profession. If you want to consider EFL a career you have to put effort into making it one. I would imagine.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject:

Agreed, justin032.

Nothing is a career automatically, and you can languish on the bottom rung of the ladder in virtually any field.

But in most, this isn't your only option.

For me, TESOL wasn't a career I had planned, but rather something I fell into, and found that I liked. I spend several years in entry level positions; which is about what you should expect, especially if you have only a four week qualification and change jobs every year or so.

But, like a lot of people, I got a little older, a little more interested in making it a career, and found I had less need to change scenery more often than I changed the sheets on my bed.

Got some further training, and stayed with an organisation that I like long enough to move up a few rungs.

Not finished yet, but it's pretty clear to me: People who complain about lack of advancement in EFL usually aren't doing what one might expect to have to do to advance in any field. Advancement isn't automatic, after all.

Best,
Justin

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

Some professions are professions. They require constant updating as science and technology progress, or in the case of law as precedents are set and new laws are made. As in many other areas, in EFL the only "new" developments are teaching techniques which are nine times out of ten reinventing the wheel or largely cosmetic. Is someone with an MA in applied linguistics a better teacher than a natural communicator? If yes, the difference is so small as not to be noticed by the naked eye or the clothed student. This is the root angst of EFL . Alot of people would be alot happier if they faced up to a couple of hard facts. EFL is a business, a trade. It is about making money. Any person with average intelligence and a sound grasp of how it functions can teach their own language and there is a limit to how far you can try to imbue it with intellectuality before the exercise becomes farcical. There isn't much of a career structure at all for most people (see my post elsewhere). This is because it simply doesn't allow for one. I know this is going to attract alot of negative comments for a couple of reasons, firstly the general trend in society today for people to argue the toss because they think it makes them intelligent ( take the number of people who were all for Iraq despite overwhelming evidence that it was in breach of international law) and presenting the truth when it isn't very palatable provokes violent reaction from those unable to cope with it. Why not accept EFL for what it is and be happy? It's a trade, it can be lucrative if you do it right or in the right place, there isn't alot to doing it to a reasonable level of competence just like many other businesses. There is a limit to how far you can take it, as anything else.

My personal ambition? To be reincarnated on another planet. [/i]

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

SoapDodger, it is refreshing to find you on these forums. You talk more sense than just about any other person I've read here. There is a lot of pretentious drivel circulating on the forums. CELTA, DELTA, SCHMELTA (then peanuts per month in salary) ...
When I was actually teaching, I never pretended to be a "professional", I faked it for 5 years for money, but I did OK and the students seemed to like me and, more importantly, learn. Now I'm letting others do the teaching for me...for a bigger cut of the money.

BTW, what country are you working in?

KingEric · Joined: 17 Oct 2007 Posts: 26

How did you deal with your ambition Phil K?