Job Discussion Forums

[HariSeldon]

Hello all, I'm a brand newbie to all of this, and I sincerely apologize if this topic has been beaten to death.

I'm wondering about teaching abroad without a degree. I'm in my 3rd year of a bachelor of Education degree (English major/Music minor). I have a college diploma in Recodring Arts. I've been teaching guitar professionally for 3 1/2 years. I'm a 23-year old male Canadian citizen, and I have an EU passport. I've recently been bitten by the 'travel' bug, and I'm wondering about teaching abroad.

I've seen a few of the country profiles saying that a degree is preferred, but not required, or that the only credentials required are a certificate and 'relevant experience'.

Really just wondering about anyone else's experience with teaching without a degree.

Thanks very much in advance (as in I'm thanking you a lot, not as in I'm thanking you really early),

HariSeldon[/url]

[Wolf]

You can use the "search" feature on this site (located up top where you login/logout) to find some good advice on this.

I only know about Asia, but here's a basic lowdown:

The governments of Japan and South Korea require foreign teachers to have a completed university degree before they will issue a work visa. That being said, there are companies in both places happy to hire people who don't have such a degree, but they cannot legally sponsor you.

If you have Canadian or UK citizenship, you could go to Japan on a working holiday visa for up to a year I think. They say that you can only work 20 hours per week, but I knew many Canadians and even more Austrailians that were in Japan on such visas and simply strung together a series of part time jobs. No one (from Immigration) cares.
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In China many people teach without a degree. When I got my work visa for China, I didn't have to show them a degree (I do have one though). That being said, if you want to come to China (and there are good reasons for doing so) please to a lot of homework/research into what you're getting yourself into.

Finally, if you do go anywhere, please go prepared to do the job you were hired to do: teach English to your students. Many teachers get their start by wanting to see other places, but a good teacher will make effort for their students, and make an effort to keep up their end of the commitments that they make. For your own sake, and for the sake of your future students, please be sure that running off to teach EFL is something that you really want to do. Look into how teaching is done (perhaps get a CELTA or Trinnity cert if you can), what life is like in your target country, and check out this and other sites (including the job information journal) as that's the only way to get infomation from abroad. Take everything with a pinch of salt, but come prepared to deal with the difficulties of life in another country and teaching EFL. Both of these experiences are far different from being a tourist, and they both bring rewards and hardships.

If you're studying in Canada, you'd only have another 18 months or so to go on your Bachelor of Eduation. Why not finish your BEd first? Being a certified teacher in your home country (even having a degree in general) can help you to land some fairly good jobs. Asia will not sink into the sea while you finish your degree, and neither will anywhere else.

As to teaching without a degree, it's basically the same as teaching with a degree, only that you qualify for visas easier and also qualify for better jobs. For a start, look through the job ads offered on http://www.ohayosensei.com and see how many ask for a degree, experience, certification (EFL teaching cert like the CELTA or Trinnity ones I mentioned) or a combination of these.

You might turn out to be a good teacher, and teaching can be a wonderful profession. But be aware of what you're getting yourself into. At least a year's commitment to living and working in another country - and doing a job with a special set of responsibilites. Have a thought about your future as well: I know that many Canadian universities allow students to take time off while finishing a degree. But many people say that if you quit it's really hard to start again. There are many different paths in life, but if you really don't want to finish your degree, then I suggest you have an alternative plan. ESPECIALLY if you want to EFL in Asia (I know there are other non-Asian EFL destinations, but I really can't speak of them with conficdence.)

As a final note, be wary of bad schools. Be utterly wary of recruiters. Actually, don't use a recruiter at all, unless it's your mother, or you have an iron-clad reason to trust them. Any decent school will let you talk to their current teachers, and you should do so when considering a job.

[Glenski]

I second what wolf has written.

If you have the travel bug, then travel... as a tourist, not a teacher.
If you want to teach, then teach. But you will have more success in landing jobs in Japan with a degree.

Can't say anything for traveling/teaching in Europe.

[shmooj]

...and I second what Glenksi has written.

I'll also add that you are young and I understand the urge you have to travel. I know it too well. If you take too much time out now, I guarantee you will find it hard to get back into the system and get some qualifications. These qualifications will open doors to you in the future to allow you to go where your itchy feet want to take you. If you don't get them now, you will regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tommorow, but soon, and for the rest of your life...

[guest of Japan]

I third the motion. 18 months is an incredibly short time to wait to do this business. Your degree will be perfectly suited for the profession. And the final year and a half of university have the most interesting classes. Your travel bug will never be satisfied if you come half way around the world to take a terrible job with even more terrible pay.

I already have a degree, but right now I want nothing more in this life than to go back to school, get my masters and enable myself to get the much better jobs. If you take teaching seriously and value quality of life as well I promise you that you will desire the same thing. Only if you go and travel now you'll be looking at going back to school for three and a half years instead of just two. I think I'd find that quite intimidating.

Do as you wish, but I have a feeling you'll be kicking yourself a lot more in the future if you don't finish the degree first.

[Gordon]

I fourth or is that fifth that motion. With that degree you can brag to employers and get jobs over schmucks without degrees. I promise you will never regret having a degree. It will be hard to go back and finish because once you start making money, it is hard to go back being a student and eating macaroni and cheese again.

[leeroy]

You can teach in London without a degree, though God knows why you'd want to...

[scot47]

In 1965, when I was a mere 18, I was ofred a job teaching in the PRC. I was tempted, but decided that I should finish my studies for a first degree.

I am glad that I did that. Without a degree you are condemned to low-level, poorly-paying jobs in TEFL.

Finish your degree, not just to improve your chances in this field, but as an insurance for when you return. Not many people spend a lifetime in TEFL.

[mikial]

Does your school offer online courses? If so, maybe you could continue working towards your degree while traveling and getting some experience. I'm even more of a newbie than you . I'm taking a tefl course in China next month AND starting college as well.

Best of luck to ya.undefined

[Guest]

Hello

I have NO DEGREE, NO QUALIFICATIONS and NO EXPERIENCE but feel that I am doing a reasonable job at my School. I would be happy to discuss any questions you may have on the subject. I am staying at this School for at least 2 years and the School is happy so I must be doing something right! They filmed me teaching the younger children and I think I resemble a Chimpanzee on a rampage personally!

[email protected]

[shmooj]

[Guest]

You are dead right! I would never encourage anyone young to come here without those three things. If I had been even 10 years younger and fitter, I would have at least completed the TESOL Course. The more experience etc. you are equipped with, the better.

All I was trying to convey is that it IS possible, provided you come with the right ATTITUDE. I think attitude is the most important thing over here.

[Gerhard E. Jene]

As Wolf and everyone basically after him have said stick it out with the schooling for now. It is going to be tough at first what with being bitten by the travel bug. But you will thank yourself for sticking with it.
For it will mean either more opportunities or money. In the meantime, while keeping an eye here in the ESLCafe for postings of where there are jobs. Take an opportunity to travel if you can to the different places that you think you would like to teach. From there, once you have a rough idea of what your itinerary is, check to see if there are any schools that are along the way.
That way you can see what these places are like and get the scoop from the teachers that are working there. For example, either start in Europe and work your way through to Asia. Or vice versa. That way you will get a better idea where you want to work, the work and living conditions, and what ever else there is that you might consider essential.
Also, I have noticed there are a few positions available for up to 3 months. That could be another way of getting your feet wet and seeing what it would really be like. Good luck.

[Kitegirl]

Hey there HS - I dropped out and went back to uni after a few years, and to be honest, while I don't regret it, smart it was not.
You say you have eighteen months to go - brilliant. Start doing your homework, decide where you may want to go, and use that time to learn the language of your choice. Employers will love you for it.
And... (man oh man am I ever going to sound pedantic here) you have the rest of your life to work - why are you in such a hurry to join the labour force? Your uni years are such a blast.
Good advice by all the others - stick it out, and have fun while you're doing it. And by all means, if you can afford it, fly somewhere exciting and do a summer school stint.

[ChrisFilter]

hehe, I've read all these posts, and you're all spot on. However, I'm 2 years of the way through a 3 year BA in London, and I detest it, more than you could possibly imagine. I was thinking of quitting, but now I've decided to take a leave of absence and teach, hopefully in China for a year before resuming my studies.. if I continued I doubt I could do better than a 3rd class degree.

so if anyone has any advice, or links, or experiences to add to the negatives () then that'd be great

thanks!