Job Discussion Forums

[frogandeagle]

Hi everyone,

I'm a new CELTA graduate with no teaching experience (currently living in Australia) and I'm looking for my first teaching job. I got a pass A for my CELTA, which to be honest I was surprised about, but I definitely worked my a** off on the course!

What I'm wondering is if this will really mean anything in my job search? I have put this grade on all my cover letters/CVs but as yet have not heard anything a week later from any employers. As I said, I have no teaching experience but plenty of other great work experience that I think can work well within teaching.

So, does the grade mean much in anyone's experience? And will the bar be raised so to speak when I go for an interview?

Thanks for reading, I appreciate any feedback from anyone!

[Dedicated]

First of all, congratulations on passing CELTA with a Grade A!

As a CELTA trainer, I can assure you that an "A" pass is only awarded to candidates who demonstrate an awareness which is significantly higher that that required for a pass in relation to planning for effective teaching.

So this should definitely help your applications, and make sure you mention it at any interview. Good luck in your job hunt!

[Chris_Crossley]

Not in my experience, I have to say, does it matter all that much what grade you get in a CELTA or Trinity College Certificate in TESOL, but that's just that: my own experience.

I have actually seen some advertisements on the TEFL.com website, which ask for specific minimum CELTA/Certificate in TESOL grades from applicants, presumably to screen out those who got much lower grades, so they might matter to some employers, but not necessarily to others.

[Dedicated]

Dear Chris,

There are only three pass grades : Pass, Pass B and Pass A.
A Pass is awarded to candidates who meet the criteria for a pass in both teaching practice and written assignments.

A Pass B is awarded to candidates who meet the criteria for a pass in the written assignments and who demonstrate a level of achievement significantly above that required for a pass in relation to teaching practice.

A Pass A is awarded to candidates who meet the criteria for a Pass B award and, in addition, demonstrate an awareness significantly higher than that required for a pass in relation to planning for effective teaching.

If you look at adverts from " good" language schools, they always ask for a minimum of a Pass B. Not many people achieve an A, so don't knock it.
As a teacher trainer, I know who I would hire!

[Insubordination]

Congratulations!

I don't know about the rest of the country but the job market is terrible in Sydney right now. There are simply no jobs out there. I know many, many teachers who have been cut back to part-time and a lot of schools have closed in recent months so there are many teachers looking for a job. A Sydney TESOL temp agency is not taking registrations right now because there is no work.

Things will pick up in April or May I guess. Normally, it's easy to get a job. I just wanted to explain that there could be other reasons why you're not getting a response.

[frogandeagle]

Thanks for all your replies! I will continue to mention my grade in an interview then... if I ever get one.

My concern is over that old conundrum that they ask for experience to get the job, but how can you get experience when you're starting out? Obviously everyone goes through this same problem. I just thought maybe my grade would put me at a slight advantage over other newbies with no experience.

Thanks for letting me know about the Aussie market Insubordination, that really helps to explain a lot. Yes, I'm in Sydney. I guess I will just have to be patient then.

[nickpellatt]

Dedicated - I 'think' Trinity marks work slightly different, but maybe Im mistaken. Same grades, Pass, B, and A. The weghting is geared heavily toward teaching practice, but you can only receive an A grade if you also score B or higher in written assignments. This is regardless of how well you demonstrate an ability to plan or deliver lessons. Scrape a pass on something like the 'unknown language' module, and an A is impossible I think. This is only based on my experience of taking the course, rather than teaching one...I know I pored over the scoring system for ages!

I scored C in two of my assignments, so was only able to score a B overall. Not that Im complaining.

OP - I also think an A is a fantastic acheivement, and many employers will recognise you as someone with fantastic potential due to that grade. Be proud of it, and by the sounds of things....you should tap up Dedicated for a job!

[denise]

Dedicated--I know you feel very strongly about this, but in the 10 years that I've been teaching I haven't seen much emphasis placed on marks. Then again, I imagine they matter more for entry-level jobs, and I can see how putting your pass mark on your CV can help get that first job, much like putting your college GPA on your CV can help get your first job. Once you get a bit of experience, though, grades don't matter anymore.

Back to the OP--whether or not a pass A will help you, it certainly won't hurt you! There are other issues to consider if you're wondering why you're not hearing back from schools. Where did you apply, and did you apply electronically or did you mail your documents? A week isn't too long, especially in some countries where time seems to run more slowly. Also, have you tried following up with the schools?

And if you're really worried, it might be a good idea to have a critical look at your cover letters and CV--are they tailored to the schools that you're applying to? Are they free of typos and errors?

Good luck, and hang in there!

d

[Dedicated]

Hi Denise,

I totally agree with all you have suggested. An "A" pass is probably far more important at entry-level job interviews, because once you get your foot in the door, the next job will be more interested in that experience and a reference than the initial "A" grade.

Happy job-hunting OP!

[jpvanderwerf2001]

I suspect that those who think Pass A is important would be the same people who attained said mark. The same principle applies to high school or college grades. However, for me as an employer, I'm fine with knowing this person had the ambition to first take the CELTA, and then to finish it; same goes for college.

Of course, all this coming from a guy who got 'Pass' in CELTA and a 2.8 in college.

[scooby doo]

I realize this is a discussion about Celta grades, but I was wondering if anyone thinks that a Celta trainer's letter of recommendation is worth much when it comes to job seeking?

[Master Shake]

[Justin Trullinger]

I tend to agree with a lot of posters here- as a guy who hires teachers, I have had a lot of CELTA grads on staff over the last 6 or so years. In most cases, I don't recall what their pass grades were, but I suppose I've got it in the files somewhere.

It's probably a help to get an A, but a pretty small one. On the FIRST job, though, any help is good help!! Once you've got a couple of years under your belt, I would tend to think it didn't matter at all.

Best,
Justin

[frogandeagle]

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for the comments and advice! Just to update, I actually got my first callback today with an interview tomorrow for a great school in Sydney, so hopefully this will lead to my first teaching position in some form.

Guess I was being a little impatient! Thanks again!

[Insubordination]

Congratulations again! I hope you get the job.