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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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 Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:42 am Post subject: |
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deleted...
My response was off topic.
Last edited by Dragonlady on Wed Sep 08, 2010 5:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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TeresaLopez
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 601
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:51 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Guy Courchesne"]
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Here's a question for anyone with experience in this...as far as I know, if you're getting the FM3 either through your employer or independently, your degree or certificate or diploma has to be relevant to teaching or teaching English. Basketweaving aside, a degree in Spanish, or Latin American studies shouldn't qualify for an FM3 unless you are teaching Spanish or Latin American history. Does someone have experience that says otherwise?
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You don't have to have a degree, period. You have to have relevant training, and that can be just about anything. I know of one school that gives their own training, and when you successfully complete it, they give you a diploma, which has, for more than 20 years, been accepted for an FM3. Also, a CELTA, a Teacher's, or just about any TESOL certificate eve is fine. If you want to teach in a regular public school, then you not only have to have a diploma you have to go through a lot of rigamarol with SEP to have your foreign degree recognized (you have to do this whether you are Mexican, or not, and whether you studied abroad or not, though the procedure is slightly different). To teach in a private school, the school has a little more leeway, but you still need a 4 year degree in Education, or Pedagogy, for the level you are going to be teaching. A degree in Basketweaving and 10 pesos will get you a cup of coffee, it doesn't help you in anyway, either in getting a job, or in getting an FM3. |
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Prof.Gringo
Joined: 07 Nov 2006
Posts: 2236
Location: Dang Cong San Viet Nam Quang Vinh Muon Nam!
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 11:59 am Post subject: Degrees? We don't need no stinking degrees! |
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[quote="TeresaLopez"]
| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
| Quote: |
Here's a question for anyone with experience in this...as far as I know, if you're getting the FM3 either through your employer or independently, your degree or certificate or diploma has to be relevant to teaching or teaching English. Basketweaving aside, a degree in Spanish, or Latin American studies shouldn't qualify for an FM3 unless you are teaching Spanish or Latin American history. Does someone have experience that says otherwise?
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You don't have to have a degree, period. You have to have relevant training, and that can be just about anything. I know of one school that gives their own training, and when you successfully complete it, they give you a diploma, which has, for more than 20 years, been accepted for an FM3. Also, a CELTA, a Teacher's, or just about any TESOL certificate eve is fine. If you want to teach in a regular public school, then you not only have to have a diploma you have to go through a lot of rigamarol with SEP to have your foreign degree recognized (you have to do this whether you are Mexican, or not, and whether you studied abroad or not, though the procedure is slightly different). To teach in a private school, the school has a little more leeway, but you still need a 4 year degree in Education, or Pedagogy, for the level you are going to be teaching. A degree in Basketweaving and 10 pesos will get you a cup of coffee, it doesn't help you in anyway, either in getting a job, or in getting an FM3. |
Maybe the very top colegios want to see a degree, but it's very possible to get a job teaching kids without one.
I made a very good salary at a colegio. I also outlasted plenty of other teachers with degrees, certs, etc.
And a TEFL course taken online will get you a job in Mexico. Maybe not the best job, but a job. That first job is what is needed. After six months you're no longer a newbie.
And if you walk into a school where an English teacher has just left and you can speak the language, guess what? You've got a job. I have seen it happen. |
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notamiss
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 908
Location: El 5o pino del la CDMX
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Guy Courchesne"]
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Here's a question for anyone with experience in this...as far as I know, if you're getting the FM3 either through your employer or independently, your degree or certificate or diploma has to be relevant to teaching or teaching English. Basketweaving aside, a degree in Spanish, or Latin American studies shouldn't qualify for an FM3 unless you are teaching Spanish or Latin American history. Does someone have experience that says otherwise?
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Yes, I got authorized to work as a translator even though I have no formal education in that field, my degree being in math.
In my case, I was converting a family-dependant FM2 to an authorized-to-work FM2, but I think my experience is relevant to your question. If one�s degree had to be in the field where one is seeking to work, I wouldn't have got it. |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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When I first applied for my FM3 in 2007, I used the services of an excellent immigration lawyer. Since I was applying to work independently, he told me that I might have trouble getting approved to teach English, since none of my 3 degrees were in English or TEFL, though my B.S. was in a related field, teaching of foreign languages, in my case, Spanish. So through the auspices of a good friend here, I got myself a TEFL certificate, and I got my FM3 without any problems.
At this same time, the lawyer told me I wouldn't be able to get permission to work as a translator because I had no certificates or degrees related to the field. The last couple of years, I have been working as a translator, and one of my clients would really like it if I could have translation as a permitted area of remunerative activities added to my FM3. With all the changes going on at INM, I wonder if I should attempt to do this on my own, even though I still have no certificates or degrees in translation. What do all of you think? |
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notamiss
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Posts: 908
Location: El 5o pino del la CDMX
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:10 am Post subject: |
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| If you give it a try, you might submit letters from your clients saying how long you have been translating for them and how valuable they find your services. Have your contact get the highest honcho in the organization that they can ask this favour of to write it, (preferably the director general), on organization letterhead, of course. |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:33 am Post subject: |
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| Great idea, notamiss. I wonder if I should try it now or wait till my FM3 is up for renewal next spring . . . |
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thelmadatter
Joined: 31 Mar 2003
Posts: 1212
Location: in el Distrito Federal x fin!
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Germanicus wrote: |
Thanks all for the info. My degree is in Humanities, main subjects English Lit, Philosophy and Psychology. I agree that some kinda TEFL is advisable but my funds are very limited so reckon I'll do just a weekend 'hands on' course so I can at least prepare a class. Maybe my funds will be closer to US2000. I can stay with my friend no prob so no rent and will only have to split the grocery bill. Once again, thanks for the responses.  |
I asked the question because depending on the degree, one can sometimes teach things other than English, in English at the high school level. Tec Monterrey might be an option for you, Germanicus. |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| thelmadatter wrote: |
| Germanicus wrote: |
| Thanks all for the info. My degree is in Humanities, main subjects English Lit, Philosophy and Psychology. I agree that some kinda TEFL is advisable but my funds are very limited so reckon I'll do just a weekend 'hands on' course so I can at least prepare a class. Maybe my funds will be closer to US2000. I can stay with my friend no prob so no rent and will only have to split the grocery bill. Once again, thanks for the responses. |
I asked the question because depending on the degree, one can sometimes teach things other than English, in English at the high school level. Tec Monterrey might be an option for you, Germanicus. |
But wouldn't the OP have to teach those classes in Spanish? |
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TeresaLopez
Joined: 18 Apr 2010
Posts: 601
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Isla Guapa wrote: |
But wouldn't the OP have to teach those classes in Spanish? |
There are quite a few international schools that teach academic subjects in English. The pay is quite good, but based on what I have seen, you earn every penny of it. And being Irish isn't a plus in most of them, they want a BBC or Midwest accent.
I think part of the problem is that even though there are "rules" they aren't always enforced, or aren't always enforced the same pay by all immigration officials. I once accompanied someone to translate for them when they were getting their FM something, I can't remember which one. We had all the documents listed on the form they had given us, but when we got up the the window the man asked for a birth certificate, which we didn't have because it was on the list. The person I was accompanying wanted to argue, but instead we said, OK, we will go get it, stepped out of line, went and ate some tacos and returned, timing it so we got a different person who accepting the documents with no problem. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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There are some middle-of-the-pack private schools that teach subjects other than English, in English (social studies for example). My cousin (from Canada) taught at such a place in his first year here...pay was terrible though.
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| stepped out of line, went and ate some tacos and returned, timing it so we got a different person who accepting the documents with no problem. |
Nicely done! |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Guy Courchesne wrote: |
There are some middle-of-the-pack private schools that teach subjects other than English, in English (social studies for example). My cousin (from Canada) taught at such a place in his first year here...pay was terrible though.
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| stepped out of line, went and ate some tacos and returned, timing it so we got a different person who accepting the documents with no problem. |
Nicely done! |
Especially if the tacos were al pastor, right, Guy?[/i] |
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Dragonlady
Joined: 10 May 2004
Posts: 720
Location: Chillinfernow, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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deleted...
The OP's request was for info pertinent to DF. My response wasn't. |
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Samantha
Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:42 am Post subject: |
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Notamiss wrote:
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| If you give it a try, you might submit letters from your clients saying how long you have been translating for them and how valuable they find your services. |
Maybe I misunderstand the advice, but I am wondering about the risk factor in admitting to INAM that you have been working in a job you aren't authorized to do. The reason I mention this is because I know a teacher who was deported for almost this exact situation. He had applied to teach English on his FM3, but when they checked it out, he was found to also be doing translating work for his employer, and given 72 hours to clear out of Mexico. It came as a huge shock to him, because he hadn't realized the risk. |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010
Posts: 1520
Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:28 am Post subject: |
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| Samantha wrote: |
Notamiss wrote:
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| If you give it a try, you might submit letters from your clients saying how long you have been translating for them and how valuable they find your services. |
Maybe I misunderstand the advice, but I am wondering about the risk factor in admitting to INAM that you have been working in a job you aren't authorized to do. The reason I mention this is because I know a teacher who was deported for almost this exact situation. He had applied to teach English on his FM3, but when they checked it out, he was found to also be doing translating work for his employer, and given 72 hours to clear out of Mexico. It came as a huge shock to him, because he hadn't realized the risk. |
I appreciate your concern, Samantha, and I certainly wouldn't want to do anything that would get me deported! What I could do is get letters from current clients that would state that they'd be interested in hiring me as a freelance translator in the future if my FM3 were modified to include translation as an allowed lucrative activity. |
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