Job Discussion Forums

[Chancellor]

I have everything I need to teach early childhood through eighth grade and ESL in the Texas government schools but need my probationary year as the teacher of record before I can take the final pedagogy and professional responsibilities exam. The job market is insanely tight as schools across the country are laying off teachers left and right.

I also have a bachelor of science degree, a 250-hour TESL certificate with 20-hour teaching practicum from Coventry House International/ONTESOL in Toronto along with a Standard 2 (Interim) certificate from TESL Canada.

My Spanish is upper beginner to low intermediate (hence my interest in Latin America; I want to improve my Spanish by being immersed in it).

So, with that little bit, what are my chances of landing a job in an elementary or middle school (public or private) in Latin America? I'm fairly certain the IBO and other international schools are out of the question.

[fladude]

You need to get certified. Some schools hire non-certified teachers but you will always take a pay cut and will be the first let go. My school would not hire you, but tier 2 schools might. Still though you will be better off working that year and taking the tests. There are jobs available in Texas. I know people there. But you will have to take a job you don't want, like in a border town or out in the desert or in an inner city school. Just do it and get it over with. Life as a non-certified international teacher would suck.

[naturegirl321]

I got hired by an intl school with NO BEd, but I had 3 "teaching licenses" they weren't full ones, since I had never tuaght in schools, but had I wanted to (and I still could) get a job teaching at a PS in NJ. Laws have changed since then and peopel can't easily get the certs I did.

Basically, some places will hire you, intl schools I mean, and others won't. As peopel have said, it's usually the second tier schools. Or schools in not so popular countries.

Your 250 hour cert sounds good, I take it there was a practical teaching component?

You don't need Spanish to teach here and unfortunately, teaching English isn't the best way to learn Spanish

I think your chances are pretty good. Start contacting places and head to an intl school job recruiting fair.

IBO schools aren't out. If I can teach at one of them, so can you! I wouldn't go to PS in LA though. Hit the private ones.

[dfwolf]

Latin America - Foreign English teachers in these regions typically earn a wage that allows them to live comfortably in an apartment, purchase groceries, dine out, commute by public transportation and have some extra money to travel and pursue other interests. In both regions, private lessons are in high demand and provide excellent opportunities for teachers to earn additional income.

This is taken from The International TEFL Academy's "International Job Search Guidance Manual." It's assuming 20-25 hours per week of paid work.

Those of you who are in the know, how closely does this resemble the truth?

[reddevil79]

Generally I would say yes, but the question relates to an area which is just so vast and varied it is hard to give a definitive answer in a few words; the teacher working in rural Bolivia would probably give a very different answer to the private tutor working with business executives in Sao Paulo.

One thing I have noticed though is that quite a few teachers go to the region expecting to live like a king by virtue of being a foreigner and nothing else. I�ve met a number of �teachers� who complain that they can�t save any money, yet when I�ve probed a little deeper it turns out that they eat out three times a day, go out most nights, employ cleaners, go away a couple of weekends a month, and generally spend their money as quickly as it comes in. It amazes me how they scratch their heads and wonder why they�re broke. I find that, for whatever reason, a lot of people come with unrealistic expectations, and get miffed when these are not met.

[naturegirl321]

[Chancellor]

[Chancellor]