Job Discussion Forums

sunmoonstarsgirl · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

Hello everyone, I'm going to be graduating from university this time next year and I would like to teach TESL overseas. However, I have a two year old son.
I was wondering how many of you or someone you know has gone overseas to teach with a child and where the best and safest places are to teach.

Is this an impossible goal?

Looking forward to your responses.
Thank you! Smile

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

First off I'm an old man so take no notice of the cute girl in the picture.

Here in China you can live on about 2,000 RMB for normal living requirements. A woman / girl, take your pick, to look after you child while you are at work, will cost you about 600 to 700 RMB a month.

Wages here for someone new are about four to six thousand RMB a month depending on hours.

What have you majored in at Uni as this could make a difference.

Renata · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 48 Location: Poland

Hello!

I live and work in Guangzhou and, just like you, I have a baby. My son is 5 years old -if you want to ask me some specific questions, feel free to send me a PM.

Renata

kingmalka · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:44 pm Post subject:

Would you really suggest raising a child in China?

MELEE · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:53 pm Post subject:

Hi, I have 3 year old twins.
But I'm not a single mother, and my daughters were born abroad, actually they've never been to the US.

The biggest concern, really more than safety because every country/city has safe and dangerous districts, is the hours you will have to work as a TEFL teacher and who will watch your son during those hours. You will want someone you can communicate VERY well with. Do you speak any foreign languages? If not an English speaking nanny or daycare center might be hard to find and hard on your pocketbook. In some countries TEFL teachers work from 4pm to 10pm, so really nanny is the only option, not a day care center. In other countries TEFL teachers work split shifts, for example, 7 to 9am, 12 to 2pm, and 6 to 8pm. In still other countries TEFL teachers need to teach 35 hours a week plus prep all those lesson, so you hardly have time for being a mom.

What is you BA in? Education? If you because a certified teacher in your home country, then you'd have a better chance of teaching at a primary school, which has much better hours.

Taking your children abroad is a great thing. But it will require a lot of planning. I know quite a few TEFLers with children, but in most cases, TEFL came first, children later.

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

There are jobs in many countries for beginers in the Public School Systems where you work from 12 to 25 hours a week.

Jet in Japan

Epik in South Korea.

Nanjing Education and others in China.

Net in Hong Kong but they usually don't take beginers

As you can work in public schools in Thailand