Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Where to begin?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Newbie Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
kthekiwi



Joined: 24 Jun 2009
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 12:28 pm    Post subject: Where to begin? Reply with quote

Hi,

I'm 21, a kiwi and eager to teach. I have a:

-BA English Lit/Philosophy (yes, useless, I know); and a
-Graduate Certificate of TESOL (12 weeks full-time with 20 odd hours of practical classroom teaching experience)

The latter I got because I could pay for it with my student loan (as opposed to other, more recognised qualifications).

But where to teach? I've been doing extensive internet research for the last few months and am more unsure now than when I began.

As far as countries go, I'm not too fussed, nor do I particularly care about the money, provided it's enough to live comfortably on.

That said, Japan's out because I've been there before.

I'm wary of Korea but have been investigating anyway - the EPIK program seems to be heavily advertised and reasonably attractive but fraught with complications and nobody seems to have anything good to say about it (please, if you do, go ahead).

China seems awash with opportunities, but sorting the chaff from the hay seems like an overly arduous task and I quite honestly don't know where to begin.

EF Jakarta's and ILA Vietnam's websites sucked me in a little, but upon further investigation I found that they seem to have somewhat awful reputations.

Have I missed any other obvious potential destinations?

One thing I've noticed about the majority of the TESL forums is that while much time is spent belaboring the bad schools (and justly so, from what I gather) no one points so much as a finger as to which schools might actually be at least HALF decent. Another thing is that a large majority of what would be useful information if it were current, is getting incredibly dated.

Ultimately I'd like to sort a job before I leave, and preferably it'd be one that'd pay my airfare, give me reasonable accommodation and not screw me over. Too much to ask?

If anyone can give me some sound advice, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
scooby doo



Joined: 30 Oct 2009
Posts: 48

PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Persevere; that would be my advice.

Browse lots of job sites and apply, apply, apply. You seem to be a discerning type of person and you've done the research, eventually something suitable will turn up. It might, however take a little time and patience so use your instincts and if it feels wrong, chances are it probably is. The interview stage is really the turning point in every application. When it's right, you'll know it. I know this sounds fuzzily romantic but that's my experience as a teacher and recruiter.

It's your first teaching job, right? It's worth holding out till you find a place that suits you, and matches your expectations. Better yet, have NO expectations. A lot of the whining on this site is a result of mismatched expectations and people not fully understanding what they're signing up for. Bad experiences do not have to be the norm.

Someone once posted the theory that the people happily teaching at good schools don't want to say so on the forum because letting everyone else in on a good thing is not in their self interest.

Get a bit further in your search (start applying) and then ask more specific questions on this forum, I'm sure you'll get the latest information.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Where to begin? Reply with quote

kthekiwi wrote:
s far as countries go, I'm not too fussed, nor do I particularly care about the money, provided it's enough to live comfortably on.

That said, Japan's out because I've been there before.
What does that mean? You are tired of the culture, or you don't think you can live "comfortably" on a standard salary here?

BTW,
What do you mean by "live comfortably", anyway? Different strokes.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kthekiwi



Joined: 24 Jun 2009
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks scooby, I will persevere, but it is beginning to get a tad frustrating.

Glenski, I really enjoyed Japan and I'm hardly 'tired' of the culture - I'd just like to give somewhere else a go. As for living comfortably? I guess I mean I'd like to be earning enough to cover my fairly modest living expenses and perhaps some other minor travel during holidays? Before you ask what I mean by 'fairly modest living expenses', I'm fairly low-maintenance, but quite honestly can't say more than that.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GambateBingBangBOOM



Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After Japan and Korea, the next most popular destination (where you can earn a salary something like in Korea or Japan) is Taiwan. I've never taught there, but everyone I've met who has, has said that they enjoyed Taiwan more than Japan.

If that GCTESOL was from your university, then it's most likely better than other more well-known qualifications. It's just less-well-known. Can you bump it up to a masters through the same university, doing it off-campus after a couple of years experience (i.e. they accept each grad-cert unit as part of the req's of the masters, leaving you with only having to do four units or so)? [Note: Taiwan is one of the very few countries that absolutely refuse to look at anything done off-campus, so if you decide you want to teach at a uni after doing the masters, then you'd have to leave Taiwan to do so].

If so, then it's much, MUCH more valuable than other well-known certificates, because honestly, there are more and more people with masters running around these days, and so depending on where you are, you'll find that more than half the English L1 people teaching English outside of the conversation school circuit, (and not including college/university instructors where everybody will have a masters degree and very likely publications as well), have either a masters degree (or are doing a masters degree off-campus) or a k-12 teaching qualification from their home country/ state/ province [I'm talking about public and private k-12 schools]. You may also find some people there who don't have those kinds of qualifications (and likely no qualifications at all in teaching English- not even an Aunt Sally's FAMOUS TESOL certificate) but they've been there for years. That actually shows you the progression of credentialism. The people at those schools without any qualifications are fine (they aren't 'bad' teachers, and they are thoroughly knowledgeable about that particular school), but they would have a very difficult time getting a different job.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Doctor T



Joined: 20 Apr 2010
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:47 pm    Post subject: Where to go? Reply with quote

Hey, I'm in a similar situation to yourself. A bit older, British, but graduated from Auckland Uni recently and have been searching full-time on the internet for a decent location. If you are not female ( I don't know how much investigation you have done into South Korea) let me tell you, unless you want to work out in the sticks, they only want Americans. If you are not female or American/Canadian and want to go to Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, etc, don't waste your time with those sexist morons.

I would love to work in Japan but opportunities there have proved to be unsatisfactory. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, I haven't applied for anything there, let me know how you go if you are looking into these countries. I think the cost of living would make things comfortable enough, but if you want to go somewhere else the following year the exchange rate would see the money turning into dust in your palm. I've decided to go to China. It's going to be a bit of a rough ride, but I can save money, live in a big city, and have a good life too! Just waiting for the documents to finally get out of here.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Newbie Forum All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
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

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China