Job Discussion Forums

[Sashadroogie]

Just curious, how many teachers out there regret, or have regretted, starting their TEFL career?

Am I the only one who sometimes hears fairly experienced teachers moan that they made a mistake in getting into TEFL when they were young and full of wanderlust, but now that that lust has been sated, they have nothing to stay for but nothing to return to either. So easy to take off for parts foreign. Not so simple a matter to start up again back home.

Well?

[Sadebugo]

[Sashadroogie]

True, retirement is a big issue. Also, lost time paying into insurance and pension plans at home. But some people I've worked with also have more deep-seated and more immediate concerns. They just don't seem to like teaching, or being abroad. Took them a few years to work that out, it appears, and by then it's too late to 'undo' the damage.

Sound familiar? Or is this just the strange people I encounter?

[basiltherat]

interesting that the issue of retiring raises its head again.

i often wonder what people mean by 'retirement'.

does it mean that you can sit back and do what you want to do when you want rather than have to do thing at times dictated to you ?

assuming my health remains relatively good, i'd like to think that doing a few hours of (private) teaching a week would be a part of my retirement ... of course .... at times i choose.

it's not like it would be work that necessarily demands that you commute or have to submit to the rules and whims of some company supervisor and it's not a particularly physically taxing job now, is it ? you're basically self-emoployed and you make whatever rules you want.

i know of two uk retired secondary school teachers who offer private classes in their homes and they really enjoy it.

i'm sure the likes of us could do the same considering the numbers of EEC workers , immigrants, asylum seekers and summer students that have come and potentially will come here in the future.


best
basil

[Sadebugo]

[Sadebugo]

[johntpartee]

All of the people that I knew in the West that had conventional employment constantly talked about retirement; that was their goal. Retire. It seemed to me that they were wasting their productive years dreaming of the day when they could.........could what? Sit back and watch game shows and drink Riunite on ice? I can understand a coal miner or a steel worker wanting to "finish up" their loading and lifting years, but for a teacher it seems kind of odd. Does retiring mean turning your brain off?

[Sadebugo]

[cassava]

The most satisfied EFL teachers that I have ever encountered were those who got involved in the profession after retiring from teaching positions in their countries of origin. In other words, after retiring from, say, Canada in their mid-fifties, they were able to work abroad for a decent salary while receiving pensions from their previous jobs.

Whatever little glamour there is in TEFL fades after a few years. Many teachers fall into a rut and become bored--just as people do in many other jobs. Nevertheless, the sad fact is that most overseas posts have absolutely no security of tenure. There are usually no professional teachers' organizations to protect teflers against vindictive or unfair accusations. In addition, most teachers can be given the boot at any time regardless of how unfair such an action might be.

People who get involved in the TEFL game need to plan very carefully for their financial future from the very beginning. They also need to keep open all their options for returning home while upgrading their education qualifications as much as possible while they are overseas. If they do this, they might stand a fighting chance of acquiring worthwhile positions when they do decide to return home.

[Sadebugo]

[Insubordination]

The main thing I worry about is that if the bottom falls out of the industry, as it seems to be doing right now in my country, I will be so fed up with irregular hours and quick changes to working conditions that I'll want to quit. The problem is that I will be so out-of-contact with other fields as to be almost unemployable.

I'm thinking of applying for a soul-sucking job in educational administration, even though I'd probably strongly dislike it, just to diversify. Also, although the pay is lower, it would be permanent with increased benefits. Man, I'm sure glad I don't have any dependents.

[Hod]

[johnslat]

Dear Hod,


"I hope your health remains good, basil, but I wouldn�t wish even a few hours of private teaching on any pensioner."

The thing you may be forgetting is that, believe it or not, some of us actually enjoy teaching - like it a lot. So, please throw me in that briar patch, Brer Fox.

[Hod]

Dear John

I'm genuinely happy you�re a healthy sixty-seven year old and enjoy the work. I�ve seen sprightly seventy-year olds with more zest than me (40 now), but very sadly you must also have friends your age who are not able to work, even if they would like to.

Luckily, you seem financially OK, but for others I still maintain that intending to work beyond pensionable age instead of any financial planning is asking for trouble.

[Sashadroogie]

There's always the drink-yerself-to-death option. Don't need to teach the brats or save for that rainy day, hic!