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macalkins
Joined: 17 Oct 2008
Posts: 3
Location: Kansas City
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 Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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Hi i'm thinking of coming to Turkey to teach.
I have a bachelors degree in Science Education.
I have one year teaching experience in the U.S.
I have taught two years teaching science in the english language.
I also have a celta.
Would I be able to find a decent paying job.
Would I be able to work at a university.
Thanks any feedback would be great! |
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coffeespoonman
Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 512
Location: At my computer...
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| Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 7:21 am Post subject: |
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| Maybe. You're not THAT qualified, but you're not exactly a spring chicken either. Definitely worth applying to unis. Other things can make up for your lack of experience - professionalism, accent, commitment to professional development. I say give it a go. |
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Moonshadow_51
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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Wait a minute! You ARE well qualified to teach in Turkey because Turkey wants people with:
1. A degree in education
2. A CELTA
3. Some experience
Far too many people are teaching without any certification; you would be most welcome here.
One heads up for you: university level teachers should have at least an MA, just like we'd expect in the States. You can get a good job teaching in a private school like TED.
I learned something useful 3 decades ago: when someone gives you negative advice, don't stop asking until you get the answer you need.
Look up TED schools in Turkey: http://www.english-schools.org/turkey/ted-istanbul-college-foundation.htm
You will notice they refer to children's schools as colleges, so don't be misled into believing a college is a liberal arts baccalaureate program.
Good luck, and get your resume out to TED Ankara and Istanbul soon. They started posting vacancies in April. |
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I learned something useful 3 decades ago: when someone gives you negative advice, don't stop asking until you get the answer you need. |
The "advice you need" is based on the most realistic, accurate, and factual information available. Sometimes this is negative. So, yes--people should keep asking until they get the advice they need. But all too often they keep asking until they get the advice they want. |
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Moonshadow_51
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 4:02 pm Post subject: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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| He's nicely qualified, and for the reasons I gave per work permit requisites. And he needs to know it. |
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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| Moonshadow_51 wrote: |
| He's nicely qualified, and for the reasons I gave per work permit requisites. And he needs to know it. |
I was not--and do not--disagree with this. I do suggest the "something useful" you learned three decades ago might not be a helpful approach. As I said. |
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Moonshadow_51
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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I disagree 
(People don't tell me what I can't do.) |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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| (People don't tell me what I can't do.) |
This is a situation we often face with newbies. Ideas along the lines of
"I have no qualifications and am not interested in getting any, but I want a good job that pays well, so I can live in some luxury and pay off debts back home."
"I'm from the US and I want to teach in Spain. There must be a loophole in the hiring laws for me!"
simply aren't realistic. It's doing no-one a service to focus all advice on the positive, when the reality is that such 'goals' are unreachable. Reality is - 'you' can't do this.
I agree that the OP in this case has some credentials that will be useful in Turkey, though they wouldn't necessarily get him/her into entry level jobs everywhere.
I don't agree with the advice:
| Quote: |
| when someone gives you negative advice, don't stop asking until you get the answer you need, |
unless 'need' is better defined as 'realistic.' |
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delal
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Posts: 251
Location: N Turkey
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| Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: private school |
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| OK, the OP won't get a uni job without an MA but with those qualifications they can get a job at a good private school or at one lower down the scale to start with and then work their way up |
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Moonshadow_51
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 5:37 am Post subject: Re: private school |
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| delal wrote: |
| OK, the OP won't get a uni job without an MA but with those qualifications they can get a job at a good private school or at one lower down the scale to start with and then work their way up |
Definitely! Besides, this poster has two aces up his sleeve: he's certified to teach sciences AND he has successfully completed the CELTA. He's got some bargaining power in the marketplace, and could do very well in corporate training of engineers, other similar specialists.
The information this poster NEEDED was in answer to his question: does my education and experience qualify me for a good job? He did not ask whether he was qualified for YOUR (or my) job; he asked if he were qualified.
Instead of being told he wasn't all that qualified, he should have been immediately directed to areas where his skills could be applied. THAT would be the information he needs, as he doesn't at all come across as being a newbie who's looking for a free ride. He asked how and where his skills were employable.
I guess that as a career teacher, I always look to possibilities instead of road blocks. The philosophy of never taking any 'no' as an option has only opened doors for me. My children tell me that my view has always kept them motivated. Americans do find opportunities in Spain; people over 60 do find work abroad. Very little in life is subject to limitation, unless you decide to believe it.
If perspectives are kept in a box, so sits the mind.  |
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| coffeespoonman wrote: |
| Maybe. You're not THAT qualified, but you're not exactly a spring chicken either. Definitely worth applying to unis. Other things can make up for your lack of experience - professionalism, accent, commitment to professional development. I say give it a go.. |
| Moonshadow_51 wrote: |
delal wrote:
OK, the OP won't get a uni job without an MA but with those qualifications they can get a job at a good private school or at one lower down the scale to start with and then work their way up
Definitely!. . .
The information this poster NEEDED was in answer to his question: does my education and experience qualify me for a good job? He did not ask whether he was qualified for YOUR (or my) job; he asked if he were qualified.
Instead of being told he wasn't all that qualified, he should have been immediately directed to areas where his skills could be applied. THAT would be the information he needs, as he doesn't at all come across as being a newbie who's looking for a free ride. He asked how and where his skills were employable. |
??
I'm not sure how "Definitely worth applying to unis," and "I'd say give it a go," can in any way be interpreted as negative. Seems balanced and realistic to me. (In fact, it's more encouraging than the subsequent advice concerning unis--the advice you repeat in the above post-- "Okay the Op won't get a uni job without an MA, but . . . ") |
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delal
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Posts: 251
Location: N Turkey
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 5:06 pm Post subject: Getting a bit personal |
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I agree that maybe I should have said something like "it will be more challenging to get a good job at a good uni without an MA"
However: this thread appears to be being derailed by people ranting at each other |
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Moonshadow_51
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 5:22 pm Post subject: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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I am not attempting to derail it. I think I objected to someone telling another, "You're not all that qualified."
We don't talk like that to people face-to-face, and I see no reason to deflate a stranger by making comments about newbies only wanting good pay without any real experience. It seemed nasty to this reader.
On the other hand, I do hope the OP looks up TED.
He's just what TED wants: young teachers who are certified and have CELTA under their belts.
It does seem that the posts at Dave's carry a negative attitude most of the time and I can't help but wonder why these people are teaching if they're so miserable. |
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Otterman Ollie
Joined: 23 Feb 2004
Posts: 1067
Location: South Western Turkey
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 11:50 am Post subject: |
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| In fact although the op does not have an M.A it would not be impossible to secure a position at a university. I have done so for the last 10 years and most of my collegues have similar qualifications. The bottom line is that although unis and some schools would prefer applicants to have that SPECIAL piece of paper with those magical letters on them, the reality is that will take whatever they can, the op falls into that select group. I intend to stay in adult (such as it is) education, without these all important letters after my name, I have something which I consider to be of greater value, experience, lots of it! |
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Moonshadow_51
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey
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| Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:58 am Post subject: How qualified am i...please give me some feedback |
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Ollie, a lot of universities require experience + the MA, so having one certainly does not cancel out the other. My 16+ years in the field was enhanced by the MA and DELTA. We build on our assets over time.
Bottom line is that the OP definitely has these marketable assets, and he can choose to work with either a high school or within a sector serving adults. Besides, Turkey is remarkable, and I hope he comes here. |
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