Job Discussion Forums

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

Degree: B.A.: English (American Literature, yes, there is such a thing! Wink

)
Master's: Started, haven't finished (d'oh).
No Certificate.
How?: Thought it sounded interesting and challenging...and I was right! (For once).

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

Do you have a degree? Yes. BA (Honours with thesis)
What was your major?

Celta or esl certificate? These be strange words ye speak, strangers. Alas, no.

Do you have a masters? Not yet. Work in progress.

Also how did you get into the field? To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no Wolf has gone before. Well, okay not exactly. I did it because I thought EFL teaching would be a good way to experience strange lands from the "inside," so to speak. And I thought I'd be happier being an EFL teacher than a K-12 teacher back home.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

BA: History/Political Science, Minor: Secondary Education, Student Teaching

MA: Not yet, but it will come in the not so distant future.

CELTA or Cert: I'm currently studying for a cert by distance learning.

How did you get into this field? A friend sent me some stuff about Nova in Japan when I was looking for a teaching position in the states the first time. I put it in my file of things I'll probably never do. About a year and a half later I pulled the file, started researching, and decided to come to Japan with AEON corporation. I thought it was a good time in my life to do something so nonlinear. 3 plus years later, I'm still here, married and making plans necessary to make this an interesting and rewarding career.

Sherri · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:25 pm Post subject:

Do you have a degree?
Yes, a BA (Honours)

What was your Major?
Social Sciences

CELTA or ESL certificate?
RSA CELTA

Do you have a masters?
Yes, an MSc in management. Halfway through a TEFL MA.

How did you get into the field?
To pick up some extra money while backpacking in Nepal. Now I cringe when I think about what my lessons were like. Enjoyed it all the same and got the cert when I got back to London.

Canuck2112 · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 239

Do you have a degree? Honours B.Sc, double major (Toxicology and Medical Science), minor in biochemistry.
What was your Major? See above
CELTA or ESL certificate? TESL certificate.
Do you have a masters? Not yet
How did you get into the field? I was lifting weights in my university gym, and a bright neon yellow sign had been haphazardly taped above the weight rack. Written in pencil was "Don't drop the weights!". Anyway, during a workout two weeks later, I noticed the sign had fallen off the wall. Turns out this sign was written on the backside of a TESL course pamphlet. If it weren't for the frugality (read: cheapness) of the gym staff, I wouldn't be in Japan right now.

Inspiring story, no?

wordgirl · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 5:10 pm Post subject:

I like this thread. Our variety of backgrounds is interesting.

I have a B.A. in Social Anthropology, focusing on Comparative Religion

I plan to take a CELTA course in a few months.

I have no M.A. as yet, but I may do that in a few years.

Last year I quit a job I had grown to hate and concentrated on finishing my first novel (just published last month - hooray!). My mother was taking Spanish classes at a local language school, and it turned out they were in need of English teachers. I love language, and meeting people from other countries, so I thought it might be a relatively painless way to supplement my savings. I was stunned to discover how much I enjoyed it. Now I'm planning on making a career of it. Writing will always be #1 for me (I'm working on the second novel now) but this stuff is becoming a close second. I am very excitedly trying to decide which country to go to first.

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

BA and MA in Russian history. Certs in TESL and Adult Education.

Kurochan · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 944 Location: China

Do you have a degree? Yes, I have a BA degree as well as an MA.

What was your major? As an undergrad, I did a double major in history and East Asian studies.

Celta or esl certificate? Well, I hope so. I'm supposed to have a TEFL certificate, but it doesn't actually say TEFL anywhere on it. Prospective employers don't seem to find it very impressive. Sad

Do you have a masters? Yes, I got one in a field my school called "communication and culture." Basically it was film studies.

Also how did you get into the field? It's a long story. I wanted to go to China since I was a kid, but parental opposition, and then the Tiananmen Square thing kept me from going for a long time. Once I was done with my MA, without funding for my PhD and wondering what to do, I stumbled across an ad for a teach/study in China program. I noted it was cheap and paid air fare, so I decided to give it a try.

Guest · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 9:29 pm Post subject:

DEGREE: NO

CELTA OR EQUIVALENT: NO (too old now)

After working for the same (ungrateful) Boss for 25 YEARS I had become suicidally bored with my job and after two years of trying to break into another line of work I had almost given up. I have always loved babies and small children and also have travelled quite a bit to Thailand, Malaysia etc. I had never been to Vietnam and that is where I decided to go. I volunteered in an Orphanage there for two months but could not settle down. I headed back to Australia with the intention of doing TESOL Course or similar to enable me to have the guts to stand up in front of a classroom and teach "conversational English" but when I found out the cost of the Course I realised I could not afford it.

I had been reading the posts on Daves Cafe for some 6 months and thought it was possible that I could be accepted in China. The rest is history. I have been at this School now for 5 months and simply love it. I have no intention of returning to Australia (apart from holidays). The School has said I can stay as long as I wish. At this time I have decided on two years but only time will tell.

I fully realise that I was not equipped for the job when I arrived but I do not feel guilty as there is such a high demand for "teachers" here in China and Vietnam, I know that I am not taking someone's job away from them. There are enough positions for everyone.

I feel truly grateful to have been accepted here and I really feel like I fit in with the people around me. I have even started telling jokes to the 9 Chinese teachers in my office - and surprisingly they get most of them! I had no idea that the Chinese had such a good sense of humour.

I am actively going to encourage people of all ages and walks of life to try this lifestyle when I get the chance as I think in the next 5 - 10 years it will tighten up and people like me will not have the chance to come over here and experience what I am. Believe me, it is like being given a second chance at life.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I fully realise that I was not equipped for the job when I arrived but I do not feel guilty as there is such a high demand for "teachers" here in China and Vietnam, I know that I am not taking someone's job away from them. There are enough positions for everyone.

You might care to turn to www.chinadaily.com.cn and click on one of their forums to see whether Chinese truly agree with you over whether foreigners "take jobs away" from them. In a thread entitled "Green cards..." lots of them say just that!

It's not good if "there are enough positions for EVERYONE..." - I believe, not everyone is cut out for this kind of work.

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 2:56 am Post subject:

I think I am at the bottom of the food chain in the sense of credetials

I only have a weekend TEFL course cert. and high school stuff.

Does anyone have any less than this? Should be interesting! Exclamation

jobe3x · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

Let me add a question about your plans for the future.

Is this a career for you or just a break from life back home?

How many years have you been teaching?

Have you ever had burnout?

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:37 pm Post subject:

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:38 pm Post subject:

If you are asking about me, then it's neither of what you suggested. I always wanted to be a martial arts teacher. Coming to China was just a way to find out about the Chinese culture and lingo, not to forget trying to find somewhere to study. I've been teaching TEFL for a year now and I taught CLAIT (computer literacy and Information Technology) before that for quite a while. About the burnout, never been a victim yet but why should my educational credentials corrolate to burnout. The answer to the should be interesting.

I am currently doing a corrospondance degree. 4 year stuff. That's about it...

Round three...

LA

ChadwickKent · Joined: 30 Jan 2004 Posts: 55

If you wish to teach in China the question becomes completely irrelevent.

Just speak English and be alive. You do not even need to be an L1 English speaker any more.