Job Discussion Forums

[overhere]

Ok Here is my plan to transition into a TELF career...your feedback and thoughts are welcomed.

background: 50 year old (next week ugh!) white American Male Native Speaker U.S. Passport

education: Juris Doctorate, masters of social work, masters of labor relations, masters of public administration

experience: 20 plus years management experience including corporate training, career development, HR manager
adjunct college instructor, volunteer ESL instructor

Plan: I can retire with a state pension at age 55 provided I work 70 more weeks

Plan
1. lock in my retirement by staying in current position 2 more years

2. complete M.Ed. TESOL

3. Obtain Celta

4. continue to serve as volunteer ESL Instructor

Begin TELF career in 2013 at age 52

Are there any other steps I can take to prepare me for this career? I realize another masters may be a bit over the top but I really enjoy TESOL and I am willing to put in the time/money/energy to obtain it.

Thank you for your feedback.

[Guy Courchesne]

Sounds like a good plan. I would say you can skip the CELTA if you plan on the Master's in Education/TESOL and continue volunteering for the actual classroom experience.

If you aren't familiar with Mexico or have never lived here longer than a stint at the beach, an exploratory trip (or several) would be a great idea to network, check out some job leads, figure out which city you'd like best, and learn some of the details of longer term living here.

It's also a good idea to look into what's needed for a visa to work and/or retire here and how to get a car down if you plan to drive. Any Mexican consulate or the embassy can give you a checklist.

[Enchilada Potosina]

Good plan. A substantial second income (like a state pension) is critical if you want to tefl in Mexico (and enjoy it). A masters will give you more options at universities where your second income will keep you going through the usually unpaid and long vacations.

You may find language schools a little stagnating and full of disrespectful staff (mostly foreign) that will want to work you like a dog. I've seen older teachers get treated badly in these places over the years, though highly respected by the students.

[FreddyM]

Is it really TESOL that you want to teach? Or could it be just teaching in general? Seems to me that with all your degrees and experience, and if teaching is your interest, you could probably land a nice position at a university teaching any number of things, from management (MBA program for instance), business, law, or other things....without having to work for another degree. Or if TESOL really is your interest, I think your best bet would be to get whatever minimum credential requirements you need for immigration, and then get as much practice and experience as you can for your new role; you don't really need more degrees or credentials. You're already more qualified than 99.99% of the people doing this kind of thing in Mexico.

[MotherF]

One thing you didn't say in your post is your Spanish speaking ablity.

I agree with what the others have posted, sounds good, and IF you get an MA in TEFL or related field then the CELTA is not a requirement--or with all your other degrees you could choose a CELTA and not an MA and most universities would still pay you MA range. And as mentioned you could teach something else--IF your Spanish is up to it. (there are some universities in Mexico now doing content courses in English, but they are few and far between).

So I'd add, immediately enroll in a Spanish course at your local community college and spend most of the next two years improving your Spanish. (If it's not already excellent that is. )

And I then I think it's a great plan. 52 is an auspicious age in Mexico. The Aztecs and other groups had a 52 year "new fire" cycle and it is said that adults recieved their true name at that age. A name that describe them in their life. Their birth name was a calander based name which tells us what day they were born, but their true name tells us what kind of person they were. For example the Mixtec King, 8 Venado Garra de Jaguar. 8 Venado is his birth name, Garra de Jaguar was added when he turned 52.

[overhere]

Thanks so much for the replies!

I don't speak Spanish but plan to take classes before moving.

I forgot to mention my primary interest is working in a university setting or teaching adults.

Thanks again everyone!

[ton a bricks]

I think your educational background should open doors for you in other areas besides ESL.

Five or six years ago the Iberoamericana in Puebla was trying to get started teaching upper level university classes in English. There are also "International" universities, one I know of in Cuernavaca, that offer content courses or seminars in English. The University of Guanajuato was promoting master's degree programs in administration a few years back with their partners in Oregon and ended up giving scholarships to foreigners because there weren't enough fluent Mexicans to study in English, but I think they are determined to teach courses in English.
I am pretty sure the ITESO would accept someone who could teach master's level courses in administration in English. But probably Mexico City would be the best bet. In the Acciontrabajo website if you put in search words like English Social Sciences Teacher, you could maybe learn about positions teaching in English. They seem to come up from time to time, although often on short notice.

[New Haven]

I started teaching EFL at the age of 53 after a 15 year career in executive management of non-profits. I had a master's in an unrelated field and some teaching experience, but no TEFL background, so I did the CELTA in Playa del Carmen. In Merida, where I taught, almost no one had heard of the CELTA, so almost any short course probably would have sufficed...or none. Here, it doesn't seem to much matter what your master's is in...people tend to be impressed by a multitude of letters after your name, which you clearly have. I would, however, take a good TEFL short course just to give you the theory and practice that will help you start out with a measure of confidence.

I will tell you this: There's a big difference between teaching in the US and in MX. 1. Beginning classes in the US tend to focus much more on survival English...shopping, going to the doctor, etc.; hence the emphasis is a little more slanted toward vocab in the US, while in MX the emphasis is on grammar, syntax. 2. Adult learners in the US tend to be more motivated than their counterparts in MX for the simple reason that the former HAVE to learn English in order to survive and thrive. 3. Teaching at a language school is easier in my view than in a university, though the pay is less. When students are paying, they tend to be more respectful and motivated than their public school/university counterparts, who are getting EFL as part of their curriculum; i.e., not shelling out extra money. Motivated and respectful students count for a lot when you are starting out. Conversely, badly behaved students who won't do the work can be a real discouragement for the brand new teacher.

Also, at a language school you are likely to get a lot more guidance from management (at least at the good schools) than you will at a uni. So my advice would be stick with a language school for a semester or two to get some experience under your belt. Of course, it has to be a good, reputable language school and there are plenty that are not.

Sharon