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hubbardahead
Joined: 30 Jan 2009
Posts: 2
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
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 Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:54 am Post subject: Teaching as a Career? |
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| I'm interested in teaching english as a second language, but lately have began to think about long term, so i'm curious what some people think about just being a teacher or should i do it for awhile then go with my fallback plan? thanks |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:11 am Post subject: |
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To make a career out of it, you'll eventually need upper-level qualifications, like a related MA. Otherwise, you'll have to be content as 'just' an entry-level teacher forever  |
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Salverston
Joined: 16 Mar 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Guayaquil, Ecuador
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| Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| I followed that path, started as an ESL teacher in a language institute and ended up graduating to becoming a teacher in a secondary school. Pay is higher for sure. You don't really need an MA, although the very best schools want one. The biggest thing is most places want the teacher to have a BA plus a teaching license/certification, which does take additional schooling and lots of hoops, very difficult if you are overseas trying to get one. Much easier to go to some place like Texas where you can work as a teacher on a temp license for a year while you finish the certification requirements. |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 2:28 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching as a Career? |
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| hubbardahead wrote: |
| I'm interested in teaching english as a second language, but lately have began to think about long term, so i'm curious what some people think about just being a teacher or should i do it for awhile then go with my fallback plan? thanks |
Do you think you might want to teach English if or when you decide to return to your home country? If so, then you might want to look at pursuing a teaching license in your home country (which very likely would make you more marketable overseas as well). |
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jdl
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 632
Location: cyberspace
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| Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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A teaching degree (B.Ed) from a North American University and a state/provincial teaching certificate is very marketable both abroad and at home.... Seems to identify the career teachers in many employers' minds. It is fast becoming recognized by employers that teaching is a learned skill and in itself represents a learnable skill and discpline content set. A search of ads reveals an increasing number of employers wanting the B.Ed. The ESL world coming of age and moving into maturity? It is coming to the point where not only must one speak English (a function of birth geography) to become employed in ESL but must also be a teacher (a function of training). The ESL 'cert' offered as the quick avenue into the job market may well remain a third world strategy. The 'certs' may result in a few good 'gigs' (such vocabulary) in exotic places; but a career???
If one wants flexibility, the teaching degree is a primary avenue. Many states and a few provinces still offer a post graduate certification year resulting in a B.A./B/Sc plus B/Ed. More common; however, is the required 4 to 5 year B.Ed program. Whatever the decision a substantial investment of time is required. |
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mlomker
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 378
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| Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| jdl wrote: |
| Whatever the decision a substantial investment of time is required. |
Yes and for very little in return. I looked into a MAT program -- $20k+ and three years in additional to my current degrees (BS & MA in business). Upon graduation a teacher certified in ESL can look forward to only part-time/hourly employment for an appalling salary. Less money than I made in the I.T. field with no degree whatsoever! |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:22 am Post subject: |
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| jdl wrote: |
A teaching degree (B.Ed) from a North American University and a state/provincial teaching certificate is very marketable both abroad and at home.... Seems to identify the career teachers in many employers' minds. It is fast becoming recognized by employers that teaching is a learned skill and in itself represents a learnable skill and discpline content set. A search of ads reveals an increasing number of employers wanting the B.Ed. The ESL world coming of age and moving into maturity? It is coming to the point where not only must one speak English (a function of birth geography) to become employed in ESL but must also be a teacher (a function of training). The ESL 'cert' offered as the quick avenue into the job market may well remain a third world strategy. The 'certs' may result in a few good 'gigs' (such vocabulary) in exotic places; but a career???
If one wants flexibility, the teaching degree is a primary avenue. Many states and a few provinces still offer a post graduate certification year resulting in a B.A./B/Sc plus B/Ed. More common; however, is the required 4 to 5 year B.Ed program. Whatever the decision a substantial investment of time is required. |
I agree that that'd be ideal. BUt I got something out of this that I didn't bargain for, a husband. So for me to go to school here in Peru, it's five years, plus a thesis, or the US, can't afford it, is just out of the question.
Though I'm trying to do the best next thing, get an MA. I'd like to get a DELTA, but again, working on a Peruvian salary does't make it easy, nor does the fact that it's not in Peru.
I did however, get a cert of eligibility for ESL, P3, and Spanish in NJ, but in order to get a license, I'd need to go teach there, again, not practical for us. |
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Kaspar Hauser
Joined: 23 Feb 2005
Posts: 83
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:44 am Post subject: |
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I suggest you
1. check out this thread in the Newbie Forum
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=13054
and
2. Use capital letters. If you want to be taken seriously as an adult trained professional, write like one. |
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Marcoregano
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 872
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:59 am Post subject: |
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| If you want to make a career out of teaching, get QTS! (Qualified Teacher Status). Then all options - including a future return to your home country - are open. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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Mlomker wrote:
| Quote: |
jdl wrote:
Whatever the decision a substantial investment of time is required.
Yes and for very little in return. I looked into a MAT program -- $20k+ and three years in additional to my current degrees (BS & MA in business). Upon graduation a teacher certified in ESL can look forward to only part-time/hourly employment for an appalling salary. Less money than I made in the I.T. field with no degree whatsoever! |
Hmmm. I think you should have looked into it more carefully.
Don't get me wrong. If it doesn't serve you to get a MAT or other advanced degree in teaching, then don't. And if all you can get in your place of choice with a MAT is hourly and part time for an appalling salary, I wouldn't invest $20k either. (Or much of anything else. You don't need any quals at all to find appalling work in many places.)
But stating that this is all there is for EFL/ESL teachers with a Masters is just silly. A lot of us are doing regular, full time work for salaries that are a long way on the right side of appalling.
And I haven't even finished my masters yet!
Best,
Justin
PS- Where the heck does a Masters take three years? |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
| PS- Where the heck does a Masters take three years? |
Well, if they take a while to grade your thesis that could explain it. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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Point taken NG,
How's your thesis saga?
J |
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mlomker
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 378
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| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:54 am Post subject: |
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| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
But stating that this is all there is for EFL/ESL teachers with a Masters is just silly.
PS- Where the heck does a Masters take three years? |
In the years that I've read this forum I've developed a great deal of respect for you, so I'm a bit surprised by your post. Where did I state "that is all there is?" You are inferring a great deal more than was in my post.
In response to your postscript, licensure in the state of Minnesota is rigorous. There are two years of required coursework and a full school year (9 months) of student teaching before receiving licensure.
Typical salaries are $18/hour with no benefits (since it is part-time). I haven't found any grad programs that are less than $10k/year and doing a B.Ed. after already obtaining a masters in another field seems a bit silly (it'd take the same length of time but would be less expensive).
Given that you are in Equador, I rather doubt that you are pursuing US licensure so none of my comments would pertain to you. I was responding to the (fairly common) thesis that obtaining teaching licensure makes sense for someone pursuing overseas ESL -- I rather doubt it...unless you are a teenager that hasn't gone to college yet. Goodness knows that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life at that age. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
Point taken NG,
How's your thesis saga?
J |
I have to finish this motnh, but honestly, I think it's really good this time. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject: |
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I apologise for jumping on your case Mlomker.
I think I jumped upon reading:
| Quote: |
| Upon graduation a teacher certified in ESL can look forward to only part-time/hourly employment for an appalling salary. |
I know Minnesota very slightly, but agree that in that whole region of the US, conditions vs requirements for ESL teachers aren't a great deal.
It seemed to me that your statement didn't specify the "where" or "under what circumstances" very cleary- I read it to mean "ESL teachers only ever get hourly work and poorly paid."
With which I disagree, as I'm sure you know. But it's a lament I hear a lot on these pages, and sometimes I get grouchy about it.
Sorry to have read more than you said.
I think that pursuing teaching licensure may make sense for a career EFLer- but it depends on what you want to do with it.
International schools can offer some tasty deals...if you're into that kind of thing.
Best,
Justin[/quote] |
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