Job Discussion Forums

jobe3x · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

I'm just wanted do a small informal poll on education backgrounds.

Please answer the following questions:
Do you have a degree?

What was your major?

Celta or esl certificate?

Do you have a masters?

Also how did you get into the field?

Hogbear · Joined: 12 Oct 2003 Posts: 42 Location: New York City

Do you have a degree? Yes, a bachelor's in philosophy and political science.

Celta or esl certificate? Neither.

Do you have a masters? No, but I went to graduate school for one year.

Also how did you get into the field? I'm not in the field! When I get bored of my current career, I think about getting fired and going off to teach English in Brazil or Colombia or wherever.

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

BA, Peace and Conflict Studies

TEFL certificate (not CELTA)

MATESOL

How'd I get into the field? I saw an ad in my local laundromat for ITC--one of the TEFL programs in Prague--and, not knowing what else to do with my life, I gave it a try.

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johnslat · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 9:21 pm Post subject: The Accidental Tourist

Dear jobe3x,

Do you have a degree?
BA in English; MA in English Education - and that answers questions 2 and 4, as well

Celta or esl certificate? Nope.

Also how did you get into the field?
By accident (which, come to think on it, is how most things have happened in my life). I'd gotten my MA in 1977, but teaching jobs in Florida (where I was living at the time) were almost impossible to find. However, my roommates at university were 3 Iranian brothers (who remain among my best friends to this day), and they suggested I give Iran a try - Pahlavi University in Shiraz, to be specific. So I applied, was accepted and arrived just in time ( I got there in August of 1978) to teach a little and then witness the revolution. Well, after that I was hooked on EFL.
Regards,
John

FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

B.Ed (Archaeology). Ctefla. Started Delta but tutor got sick, hasn't been available locally since.
Got into this because I couldn't pursue my previous job in this country.

If I did further training, I'd choose Delta before choosing a Masters. I'm bored of all the posts about masters!

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

What was your major? B.Sc in Computer Science
Celta or esl certificate? 'generic' 4-week TEFL certificate
Do you have a masters? Nope. Maybe someday.
Also how did you get into the field? Became bored with my old IT cubicle job.

chinagirl · Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 235 Location: United States

B.A. - English Literature and Rhetoric

TESL cert

working on MATESOL and K-12 cert

Got into the field as a volunteer in my community, working with refugees. Decided to change careers - used to be a photojournalist.

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

Do you have a degree? Yes

What was your major? BS - biology; MS - microbiology

Celta or esl certificate? Yes, TESL

Do you have a masters? see above

Also how did you get into the field?

Had been to Japan twice before for other reasons. My company in the USA relocated and left 2/3 of us on the street. I wanted to explore possibilities of same kind of work in Japan and got a TESL certificate to strengthen my teaching knowledge in order to support myself as a teacher while I did that exploration. Answered an ad right here on the ESL Cafe and got a nice starting job that paid airfare and rent (not the Big Four). That was 1998. I'm still here.

Shaman · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 446 Location: Hammertown

1. Combined Honours English/Film Studies
2. TESOL Cert.
3. No M.A. as of yet.
4. Took the TESOL cert to be with my girlfriend (now ex) in Holland. Once the relationship dissolved I took off to Japan before I found myself romantically encumbered again. I had often toyed with the idea of Japan, but never got around to it. Well, I finally did.

Regards,

Shaman

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Do you have a degree? BA in education

What was your major? English major, Spanish minor

Celta or esl certificate? K-12 ESL certification and adult education ESL certification

Do you have a masters? MA in TESOL

Also how did you get into the field? Wanted a change after 20 years of teaching high school English courses

VanKen · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 139 Location: Calgary, AB Canada

Do you have a degree? BA

What was your major? A joint major in Anthropology and Comparative Development Studies

Celta or esl certificate? TESL certificate

Do you have a masters? Not yet

How did you get into the field? One day while travelling in Nicaragua I stopped at a high school to ask a few questions. The guy I spoke to thought I was looking for a job, and he hired me on the spot!

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Do you have a degree? Yes, BA

What was your major? History

Celta or esl certificate? CELTA

Do you have a masters? Not yet

Also how did you get into the field? Saw an ad 10 years ago for a job in Korea. Within 6 weeks my wife and I were teaching in a small city there and have been hooked ever since.

khmerhit · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2004 1:16 am Post subject:

Do you have a degree?

What was your major? English & Renaissance Studies

Celta or esl certificate? Celta

Do you have a masters? No. MA holders talk funny.

Also how did you get into the field? An acquaintance told me there was work in Cambodia. I jumped on a plane.

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

BA in Liberal Arts; Majors: Art and Business Management (my father wanted bus, I wanted art.) Minor; Spanish

TEFL DIploma from the BOland School in CZ

Hopefully will be starting a MA in Ed next Feb.

I thought it would be great to go overseas and do something that so few people do back home. Now, I intend to stay overseas for a while. Been abroad for two years now, SPain, Scotland, and China

Irish · Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 371

Do you have a degree? Yes, a BA.

What was your major? Psychology.

Celta or esl certificate? Neither.

Do you have a masters? Not quite but if all goes according to plan I'll have a MATESL in May, insha'allah.

Also how did you get into the field? During my undergrad years, I helped many international students with their papers, English lit assignments, etc. It was fun. After graduation, I was all set to do grad work in psychology but I missed teaching and learning about language. Switching was scary at first but now my only regret is that it took me so long to find this field.