Job Discussion Forums

[Flicka]

Hi Everybody,

I'd like to get some input on what I'm doing and plan to do in the TEFL industry...

My background: Am British, grew up in Botswana but did A-levels and University in England. My degree is in English and French literature, from Unversity of Warwick. I've got my CELTA (B Pass). I'm turning 28 on the 18th June.

Currently: I've got 7 weeks to go, to complete my first contract, working at EF Lampung, Indonesia. (Been hard grind, they wring you for every hour of work possible, but I've loved the teaching...)

After that: I plan to go back to the UK and work a summer school (I have a contact, who runs a school that offers these summer programmes, so I've got a decent job lined up for a couple of months, no putting kids to bed etc, just teaching) for the experience of teaching students that are different from those I've encountered so far here in Indonesia.

Then: I've got a job lined up at The British Institute, Kuningan in Jakarta. The school has a solid reputation and good track records in teacher development. While there, I plan to get my CELTYL, get qualified to be an IELTS examiner, do my DELTA and then get qualified to become a CELTA trainer. I'm allowing 2-3 years for all this. (Contract will be renewable)

Then: it all gets a little vague. I've thought about spending a year or two in the Middle East, possibly via the British Council, and doing a related M.A. with their financial support as I believe is possible. I've thought about taking a year off and getting my PGCE (Unfortunately I didn't complete it when I first attempted it just after graduating, due to health issues). I've thought about heading to Europe. Eventually I want to make the transition back to the UK, and get a secure, permanent, reasonably paid position but I gather these are hard to come by. I love teaching but am interested in work outside of the classroom as well like materials development, course development and so on. Obviously wherever I go, I'd like to make use of the qualifications I plan to get, hopefully in a way to make me extra money.

I have no partner, no dependents, there's just me. Family is currently split between Botswana (my dad) and London (my sister). Aunt (mother's sister) and family in England. (Mum died from cancer in 2009). Dad's family are from and in Dominica. So no especial ties to a particular country.

I've seen a lot of talk on these forums about pension-related issues, so this is another worry of mine. I'm not old but I'm not getting any younger so I know it's high time I was thinking about these things instead of putting it off.

I did my CELTA part time while working, between October 2009 and March 2010, then came to Indonesia in June 2010. Prior (and during) CELTA I was working at Sheffield Hallam Uni, doing disability support work, which was great work but completely unreliable income and nothing when the students are off. Prior to that, I've only done temping admin-y stuff. My degree isn't vocational (but its come in useful for getting my job at TBI cos the government here has tightened up the regulations), which is nice.

So, any input about anything related to all the above would be greatly appreciated. Please don't slate me too much though... I'm doing my best...

[Teacher in Rome]

Hi Flicka

Well, first off, congratulations on getting your CELTA all done and dusted, as well as getting some solid experience under your belt. This should mean you're past the first rung on the TEFL ladder.

Which kind of brings me to my next point. I don't think there is any real career path in TEFL: the TEFL ladder is very much what you make of it. I know some people have it all mapped out, but one of the perks of an (often) poorly-paid career choice is the fact you can pretty much go where you want (visa issues notwithstanding) and get teaching work if you need it.

Qualifications help enormously, but if you're thinking of Europe, a DELTA or MA really isn't necessary for anything excepting perhaps Uni jobs (for which you probably also need good connections). From what I know of the ME, an MA is worth more than a DELTA, but check on the ME forums, too.

My advice for TEFL success (and I'm not sure you could really call my TEFL career much of a triumph, so take it with a pinch of salt!) is to keep your eyes and your options open. Education is changing - i.e. much more digital now - so your skills should reflect this. Hiring and teacher development is becoming more social - so make sure you take advantage of the ways social networking (via twitter, etc) can connect you with other teachers, schools, new thinking, etc. This is what will propel your career (imo) and keep you alert to new possibilities. Get involved with mobile learning, for example, or learn about elearning platforms that could provide another source of income, materials writing for mobile / elearning etc etc.

Something else I'd recommend is occasionally doing something other than TEFL. I don't know your boredom threshold (mine is pretty low) but there comes a time that the idea of teaching the present perfect one more time, or the prospect of coaching a secondary school student for a test on the passive just sends me over the edge. Doing something else means you learn different skills, which can maybe feed back into your teaching when you decide to go back into it.

[Flicka]

Thank you for your input!

I don't have a twitter account. In fact I know little about Twitter, shame on me... Can you tell me how I can get connected with other teachers and network etc using it? A few pointers, if you will...

Thanks for your other points about new possibilities to look into...

[Teacher in Rome]

[Flicka]

PM sent! Thanks

[naturegirl321]

I think you have a good plan. Being able to become an IELTS examiner, DELTA qualifed, and CELTA teacher is good. It's hard to do it on your own, so if you go thorugh a British institute it'll make it much eaiser.

You could stay with that institute, get into training, or admin. Even open your own school. The Middle East often requires MAs. PGCEs are good if you want to teach younger kids, but for uni, MAs are often needed.

I think you have a good head on your shoulders and you seem to have things planned out well. Best of luck.

I'm a bit anti twitter, but linkedin.com is good as well for making connections.

[Zero]

PGCE. Everything else -- CELTA, DELTA, CELTYL, MATESOL -- is really just a bunch of acronyms to make TEFL sound like a real career. OK, I'm being too harsh here. But the point is, in pure old TEFL, the money and security will always be ... kind of crap. Yes, with the MA, you could go to the Middle East and make good money, and in a certain select few other situations, you could also do well -- Kimchi-land, maybe Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, I don't really know. But basically, the Middle East. If you want to do that, then I would recommend the MA TESOL.

If you want to be able to work almost anywhere in the world, including the UK, and you want to make good money with good benefits, then PGCE. It gives you more flexibility, security and earning power than any of the other options you're looking at.

[Flicka]

I think part of my problem is I am torn between teaching older students and teaching kids, I enjoy both so much for different reasons! That's why so far I like language school, even though it's hard grind and pays poorly. I've had plenty of variety. I suppose I really need to decide which I want to pursue...

[Zero]

Every single thing that you do in life will involve some sort of tradeoff, as cliche as that may sound. For someone who cannot tolerate teaching kids at all, I would not advise PGCE. For someone like you, who does enjoy kids, then it doesn't sound like such a bad tradeoff at all, if you ask me.

[naturegirl321]

[Flicka]

@Naturegirl: Doing both sounds like a plan, just need the time to fit everything in.... Got it... I'll do all my quals at TBI as planned...go to the Mid East with British Council, get my MA with their help, hopefully save up a bit of money, then go back to the UK and do my PGCE and then if I decide I really can't stay in the UK yet, I then have the choice of anywhere and anything, just pulling out the appropriate qual!