|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
 Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: No respect for freelancers? |
 |
|
| dirimini wrote: |
OK, so...when does an "expat" become a "local hire"? Maybe I'm just not getting it. Is it because of your marital status, or the length of time you've been there or...?
You must be a far, far more sanguine type than I am, because knowing I was making that much less than my colleagues would make me furious. And I'm sure it would show. |
Technically, according to schools, becuase I'm in Peru, I'm no longer an expat, but a local hire. And I haven't taught in schools for over a year because of it. But now it's working against me, becuase I just freelance.
What's the schools' exscue? Because I live here, I know more about local prices and can live on a lower salary. Going along with what Justin says, I think it's cr@p that schools do this. It's like, even though you have experience, an MA, etc, that doesn't matter. So fresh out of uni kids with no experience get more pay, simply because they don't live here!?
It doesn't work for morale, either. there are three levels, Peruvians, local hire foreigners and expats. I think it's ridiculous.
Here in Peru, expats get their taxes paid by the school, as a local hire, I get them taken out of my monthly salary. So honestly, it's more expensive to hire an expat. AND, they tend to leave after their contract is up, or cut and run because they can't believe how hard it is to live here. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
dirimini
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 74
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| What's the schools' exscue? Because I live here, I know more about local prices and can live on a lower salary. |
Wow, call me uninitiated, naive, pollyanna, but...this is insanity!
| Quote: |
| It doesn't work for morale, either. there are three levels, Peruvians, local hire foreigners and expats. I think it's ridiculous. |
Even to an outsider, it sounds ridiculous.
| Quote: |
| AND, they tend to leave after their contract is up, or cut and run because they can't believe how hard it is to live here. |
And as we all know, a constant turnover of short-term teachers is the best way to raise academic standards and pedagogical effectiveness.
Sheeesh!
(You have my complete sympathy, nature girl.) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
| dirimini wrote: |
| Quote: |
| What's the schools' exscue? Because I live here, I know more about local prices and can live on a lower salary. |
Wow, call me uninitiated, naive, pollyanna, but...this is insanity!
| Quote: |
| It doesn't work for morale, either. there are three levels, Peruvians, local hire foreigners and expats. I think it's ridiculous. |
Even to an outsider, it sounds ridiculous.
| Quote: |
| AND, they tend to leave after their contract is up, or cut and run because they can't believe how hard it is to live here. |
And as we all know, a constant turnover of short-term teachers is the best way to raise academic standards and pedagogical effectiveness.
Sheeesh!
(You have my complete sympathy, nature girl.) |
Thanks, I-ve gotten to the point that I just don-t understnad how this country stays a country and hasn-t collapsed years ago. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kootvela
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 513
Location: Lithuania
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I list all my previous work places (not so difficult, just 3-4) with dates with the newest at the top where I state 'freelancer" since 2006. That makes an impression because I have been able to freelance for quite a time (the pay I'm getting is another issue). I also include a list of companies I freelanced for to make my CV look better. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RollingStone
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Posts: 138
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
While the OP`s plight certainly sounds like exploitation, I wonder:
OP, does one need 3 certifications and an MA to do what you do? The industry consensus there seems to think not. They prioritize lower costs. Therefore, the real problem sounds as though you are not able to utilize your education.
Perhaps you should seek to discover what it is that those credentials have brought you in terms of applicable knowledge.
It certainly is an eye-opener (or at least an eyebrow raiser) for someone with advanced education in their field to be considered by the industry to still be competing (well, not as competitive actually) with entry-level applicants. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| You're right. That's why I-m trying to leave and go somewhere where I can get paid well. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| It certainly is an eye-opener (or at least an eyebrow raiser) for someone with advanced education in their field to be considered by the industry to still be competing (well, not as competitive actually) with entry-level applicants. |
The OP's situation is unfortunate, I'll agree.
But I wouldn't assume that the decisions made by some employers represent the views of "the industry" as a whole.
Best regards,
Justin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DavidLuo
Joined: 21 Jul 2009
Posts: 4
Location: Panzhihua
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:49 pm Post subject: passby |
|
|
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
| The OP's situation is unfortunate, I'll agree. But I wouldn't assume that the decisions made by some employers represent the views of "the industry" as a whole. |
Well said, I agree. I just think it's Peru. That would explain why TEFL isn't exactly a booming business. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Teacher in Rome
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 1286
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I think RollingStone has a good point. Years ago, you needed an entry-level qualification (like a Cert) to get any sort of decent job. (I'm talking about the UK, by the way.) Then it seemed you needed to go and get the Dip to make any sort of progression. Then all of a sudden, a Cert plus Dip wasn't enough. You needed an MA to show you had the ... well, what was it exactly that made you a "better" teacher after all the other quals?
At which point I said "enough". Pay was lousy at the time, and it seemed to me that I was going to keep paying for more education to stay in exactly the same place. I understand that having an MA might be good for working in the Gulf, or in a good university somewhere, but to work in some crappy language school in London? Or freelance in some place that doesn't care if you have a Cert or Dip or even MA? There comes a point where further education / qualifications isn't going to get you anywhere. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RollingStone
Joined: 19 Jan 2009
Posts: 138
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Teacher in Rome hit the nail on the head. And I do not see why this phenomenon should be limited to Peru. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 10:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| There comes a point where further education / qualifications isn't going to get you anywhere. |
Hasn't been my experience yet- each qual I've done has resulted in better working conditions and more $$, doing things I probably couldn't have done before.
But you need to do your homework. If you want a certain kind of career progression, you need to investigate the quals needed for it. It's not much good to get a qualification without knowing what it's for, then complain that it doesn't get you anything. Not all quals are the same, nor are all equally valued in different markets.
You need to figure out the quals you need to get what you want, and then get them.
I have to say that increased qualification requirements are not universally a bad thing- 5 years ago in Ecuador, you could teach without any training at all in a variety of places. Certs are getting more and more commonly required. And I have to say that students benefit.
Best,
Justin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Cool Teacher
Joined: 18 May 2009
Posts: 930
Location: Here, There and Everywhere! :D
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 5:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
 You are in a tricky position...
Naturegirl, please don't take thuis the wrong way but how do you get yourself in all these fixes?  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Cool Teacher wrote: |
You are in a tricky position...
Naturegirl, please don't take thuis the wrong way but how do you get yourself in all these fixes? |
Do you mean freelancing? Well, once you get offered a third of the salary of overseas hires, you get sick of it and take things into your own hands  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
