Job Discussion Forums

[Mercury Morris]

Hello All,

I've been doing some soul searching about ESL teaching as of late. And, while ESL teaching is a great way to "see the world" and meet folks from far away lands, I think ESL teaching is...er....not a "real job".

Yes--I know many of you have been doing it for years and years here, there and everywhere. Yes--I know some ESL teachers are making OK money ($2,000/month Taiwan, for example, or living in some dreadful compound in Saudi Arabia for even more). But let's face it: ESL teachers are arguably at the low end of the "teacher spectrum": high school teachers, university teachers, college teachers are all generally higher paid, get benefits and are considered "professionals" (ESL teachers aren't professionals in my opinion). I mean, most ESL teachers are youngsters who just finished their undergrad degrees and are doing ESL teaching abroad as a way to goof off for a bit before they get a "real job" back where they came from.

Although nobody likes to overtly say it, there are "little clues" that ESL teaching is still kind of a goof-off job. For example: I've taught at a number of ESL schools in Canada, and the teachers generally could care less about each other. Professionalism is definitely lacking. Morale is low (though nobody says it out loud it is written on their faces). Depreciating jokes are often heard about how one's spouse has "the real job", for example. Or how ESL teachers come and go like the wind at a school, and nobody notices or really cares.

It was the same in Prague: I could not believe some of the ESL teachers at the school I worked at: alcoholics, drifters, transients--anybody barely breathing who was a native speaker was good enough for the school or so it seemed. Yes they had their TESOL certificate or whatever, but they were still *beep*-offs. And the stories over a few pints of beer about these blokes: many of them running from whatever back home where they're from: broken relationships, running from the law, broken lives--hence living in Prague teaching ESL and drinking themselves blind. And how the DOSs at schools screw teachers around, like they are disposable napkins. In all honesty ESL teaching is on par with being an office temp sometimes.

Yes, of course there are exceptions to the rule where somebody is making out well teaching ESL. But let's face it: ESL for most people is a very low paying job with little or no job security, living out of a suitcase and living hand to mouth. These are the facts. I know them from direct experience. YES--it is a GREAT WAY to see the world...but not a way to make a living (unless you are quite unconventional and enjoy living out of a suitcase for years on end). Many ESL teachers I encountered in Prague were complete *beep*-offs, losers who could not hold down steady jobs where they were from, and clearly had issues.

I welcome any comments on this thread. I wish ESL teaching got more respect than it does, and that we all earned more money than we do. It can be a very demanding job at times and deserves better. Getting an undergrad degree and ESL certification of whatever kind was all in all a serious commitment and took a great deal of time and money to acquire. But after all this education and hoop jumping, many of us have no job security, low wages, and have drunks and losers for fellow ESL teachers. This is why I ask: what is ESL teaching? Is it a real job? Or is it a stepping stone until one can figure out their true calling, or whatever? Or will it always be a "goof off" job for youngsters, alcoholics, run aways, etc?

[Glenski]

[RollingStone]

[spiral78]

high school teachers, university teachers, college teachers are all generally higher paid, get benefits and are considered "professionals" (ESL teachers aren't professionals in my opinion). [/i]


I am a university EFL teacher, and have been for eight years now, in two different universities. My colleagues, peers, and I are most definitely 'professionals.' We have decent pay, health care, pensions.

But a BA + TEFL certificate won't get one into the 'real' jobs - it certainly takes more advanced qualifications, just as any higher-level education job does.

[Molson]

[mozzar]

Out of interest: after getting a masters, are there any more qualifications that many ESL teachers get?