Job Discussion Forums

khalid · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 5 Location: California, USA

I am seriously considering signing up for the Feb. EBC course, but before I do, I have some aching questions:

1) EBC says that working at a school in Madrid, one will make 10-15 euros/hour, and private lessons will get you 15-20/hour. Is this true?

2) They also say that you will work anywhere from 20-30 hours/week, and they will have you working within a month after graduating. Is this also true, and how many hours can one expect to work per week?

3) What are the real differences, besides price and location, between CELTA (CCLIC for instance) and EBC? Will CELTA get one a job faster and higher pay than EBC and carries more prestige, or vice versa?

I need to give EBC a deposit in a day or so, I would be grateful for all your responses.

justin andersen · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 17

Hi Khalid,

Firstly, I think what you quoted was too low, the rates in Madrid are from 12- 15 thru an "academia". This is the average, at least from the language schools EBC has as part of their list.

As you go higher that would be the private classes, like in my case I teach a young boy from 6-7 in his house on Serrano, Monday and Wednesday and his parents pay me 20 euros an hour for these classes. I also teach another private students (s), they share the hourly rate, and they are preparing for an examination called First Certificate. I get 25 euros an hour for this, and I teach them 3 hours a week. The rest of my hours are thru 2 language schools, both I met through EBC. The rates are different, more between 14 an hour but with my "academia" hours, my 2 private classes I teach a total 25 hours a week.

Normally you build up the hours, and with me, the first week after the course , I had 12 hours , then by the third week I had 25 hours and that�s where I stopped. No more please!

I still get calls but I don�t want more, I want to have time to enjoy myself as well! All I can advise you before you hand in your deposit to any school, ask them the questions that you feel need answering, obviously like jobs, how fast you find them, visas, etc.

Madrid has jobs and as for me I really don�t want to burn myself out, you see I want to enjoy this city as well and of course pay for it with my teaching wages! Also make sure you ask the schools what type of job help they will give you, because that is really what counts after you get whatever certifcate you choose, the job search support after the course.

How much you get? it all depends on the language school hiring. The pay is not dictated by the certificate you got. They have a pay scale range, you will be paid depending on what the school pays, how you were at the interview and what type of course you were hired to teach, like if it was an intensive, an immersion, an exam preparation course, etc.

good luck.

debora · Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 10 Location: States

I'm sorry that I cannot be of more help, as I know what it is like to need an answer to these questions. I posted a similar post in the Poland forum recently without any replies. I can tell you that I too have decided to take the EBC course. My reasoning was that I could not afford one of the CELTA courses in Spain, but due to my spanish and from what I hear about the job market, I wanted to start here. If you can afford a CELTA, and would like to work in Europe (it seems as though you will find conflicting views everywhere), this might be your best bet. Through my research however, I have also learned that it doesn't seem to matter in the end so much as your experience and character. In Madrid, there are many teachers working with the TEFL certificate, as well in many other countries. The job hunt will be what you make of it. If you are determined, you will find a job.

I just feel like you deserve some sort of reply, even if it's coming from someone who doesn't know anymore than you do. I chose EBC because it fits into my schedule, I want to be in Madrid, and I have heard good things from the course. Good luck!

khalid · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 5 Location: California, USA

Justin and Debora, thank you both for your replies. I agree that since EBC has a reputation for supporting their graduates (so I hear), they probably will be my first choice.

shevek · Joined: 29 Jul 2003 Posts: 17

I took the October EBC and didn't have much trouble finding work. I only had 1 interview the first week after and was feeling nervous, but by the end of November I was set with my current 23 hours. EBC did what they said they'd do, put my resume out to lots of businesses Madrid, and that's how I got all my work. I have no idea how the CELTA is though.

Joan Mitchell · Joined: 01 Jun 2004 Posts: 21

Good for you shevek, I like the name, real catchy! I had the same experience with EBC. I�ve been in Spain longer but I do recall how happy I was when I was getting all those calls for job interviews. I�ve stayed with the schools I initially went with with some private students along the side. Keep on enjoying Madrid! Hasta pronto.

joan

shevek · Joined: 29 Jul 2003 Posts: 17

Thanks Joan. Shevek is from one of favorite books, The Dispossed by Ursula le Guin. I haven't gotten any privates yet, but I haven't looked. I'm not sure if I will. I am pretty content with my load right now. And I love Madrid. I am going home at the end of June, but I will definitely be back. It's the most enjoyable city I've ever lived in.
So khalid, did you do it? Have you joined the ranks of happy Enlish teaching madrilenos? I hope you are enjoying yourself if so.

khalid · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 5 Location: California, USA

Shevek, thanks for checking, but no I haven't gone yet. Just have so many obligations in this stupid place, but not a day goes by that I don't feel like just packing up and heading out. I should've stayed in Barcelona way back in October when I had the chance, as right now I am just trapped in hotel california. Perhaps I'll go for the April course if nothing else. I wonder what are my chances of finding a nice spanish woman to settle down with over there (but first I gotta work on my spanish a bit more).

Wink

-khalid

justin andersen · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 17

Good idea khalid but I�ll do the TEFL certificate first, earn some money and then you�ll be able to hit the social scene and find your special Spanish girlfriend!

justin andersen · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 17

khalid,

any news on the spanish gf? Cool

justin

khalid · Joined: 03 Dec 2004 Posts: 5 Location: California, USA

Hi Justin,

My Spanish gf is still pretty much a fantasy Smile

but thanks for checking!

Are you currently living in Spain yourself? I often wonder how us yankees manage to stay in Spain for more than 3 months at a time? Does one just go over to France or Portugal and then come back? If I do ever decide to go, it'll be at least for one whole year, if not longer.

khalid

justin andersen · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 17

This yank does it exactly that way, I�m out of Madrid on the long weekends, they call them puntes here (but doesn�t translate to bridges Wink

)!! They�re the long weeknends. I�ve had my passport stamped two times, but once I crossed over to Morocco and I went to ask the Immigration guy to stamp my passport and he just waived me in, so there you go, a lot say they don�t even get their passports stamped to show the 90 day stays but some have some type of way around it. Good luck on the Spanish gf and good luck as well on coming to Spain. Like you I am also planning on staying here at least a year.

Drop me an email when you hit Madrid.

Meg4 · Joined: 26 Oct 2004 Posts: 31 Location: Madrid

Jenny Thomas · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 12

Americans teaching in Spain, not just Madrid, I�d say all over really have so many different experiences about this whole 90 days business. Many of us go to Morocco, the UK, Switzerland (assuming the spare cash can make it, it�s so expensive over there!) and we come back, some have had passports stamped, some - no. So I guess technically speaking there is a rule to follow BUT I�m no immigration expert and I know a lot of Americans who have taught in Madrid for the whole school year Sept/Oct - June, early July, have been home on the Christmas vacation, back to work on the week after Spain�s "Reyes" with no problems whatsoever. An friend of mine, has since gone home and he was asked once at Barajas what he has been doing in Spain . He�s been in Madrid more than 6 months without leaving the country and he simply said, travelling. Of course we will all have our own experiences, but if its of any worth, immigration officers don�t really bother hassling US passports, I have been told they�re stricter on other countries, passports from Arab countries, Africa, maybe even South America, but they�re cool on the US passports!

One thing for certain there are jobs in Spain, Madrid especially, you just gotta know where to go. Like all the other threads on this whole business of permits, visas, you just gotta set your priorities and if you do want to stay the long haul in Spain, do check out from home the possibility of legalizing your stay.

b harmon · Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 20

Nicely said, jenny. I guess you have to do it the right way if you want to stay in Spain for a long, long time! I�ve been told that some US passport holders were able to get their residency because their grandparents were from the EU countries, I know a couple of American teachers whose grandparents or parents were Italian and they got their residency through this process. Again check with the Spanish consulate from your home state , I�m sure they have more info. There�s so much to experience in Spain, and there is definitely work in Madrid. Sorry didn�t mention other Spanish cities coz I haven�t worked elsewhere! They come in all shapes and sizes, some pay good money, some have great resources, some send you to the boondocks, etc, etc.

The TEFL school I went to has a sister company who is a language school "academia" and their TEFL school �s graduates go so fast that the "academia" is now having to look elsewhere to fill in the demand they have. So I guess there is work in Madrid. Good luck and hope you enjoy Spain as well.