Job Discussion Forums

[Voyeur]

I'd like to thank everyone for their assistance thus far. The tips and advice provided have been very helpful in guiding my ongoing research. Older posts from some of this thread's contributors made me realize that before I can make a plan for the future, I need to be a lot more specific about exactly what it is I want to do.

With that in mind, I did some serious thinking. I realized that I want to teach; I don't really want to do research, publish, or attend a lot of conferences. Furthermore, I came to the realization that trying to "keep Saudi on the table" was a bit self-defeating. I don't think I would like to be there for more than a few years, and given that it is the most restrictive destination in terms of requirements, keeping that option open might end up costing me a lot more than I would ever gain, comparatively, from a possible 2-year stint in that country.

Given that I don't want to do a lot of research or publishing, I think the PhD track is not something I want to pursue. In an ideal world, I'd get my B.Ed, then an M.Ed, and certification plus experience in an English country. But I don't really have that kind of time or money (loans don't seem a possibility at this stage). My 3-year BA would really hurt me if I wanted to pursue this plan, and it would take a lot of undergrad classes to get my degree in order before I could take the B.Ed (I don't have the teachables).

As I said, what I really want is to be a teacher--and possibly some kind of DOS-type position down the line. I don't need to have the best jobs in the world; what I really need from my education is something that keeps me employable when age starts to become a serious factor. And given my lack of funds, and 3-year degree, I'm looking for "the sweet spot" between cost of education in time and money, and results.

Based on further research, that path seems to be to get a DELTA and a MA TESOL--likely distance, though possibly at one of the foreign campuses in China. I've contacted some British universities, and getting a MA TESOL is possible even with no BA whatsoever, though not easy. What was suggested is that I find somewhere that will accept me for a DELTA, complete that with a high score and good recommendations, and then use that to add weight to my application for an MA program--preferably one that gives partial credit for the DELTA (so you get a bit of a 2 for 1).

So I am going to aim for the MA + DELTA, and only take other courses if I am frustrated in my pursuit of these progams, and only to the extent needed to get back on track with the main plan. For example, if my current TESOL cert isn't recognized, I might have to take a CELTA and then wait two years for my DELTA (and perhaps begin a distance TESOL in the meantime, if possible).

Meanwhile, given I can't/don't want to go back to Korea, I think China will be my next destination. I'll go there, save money, and try to get up and running on the DELTA or MA as soon as I can. I'd be interested in hearing about any of the programs available in China, though distance courses still seem like the most probable route.

Sorry for the long post, but if anyone has any further advice or comments with respect to the new plan, I'd definitely welcome them. In particular, I'm worried I may be not be properly evaluating the costs and rewards of the teacher certification track--especially since I'd be willing to get certified in any English country. Thanks again for all the help so far.

[MdSmith]

Just a few observations. You originally posed the question of whether it was possible to get a decent job in Saudi without an MA - nobody seemed to answer that and you may need to post this on the Saudi forum. There are Saudi jobs advertised for a BA and CELTA (faster and cheaper than an MA of course). So I guess the first thing at least would be to get your BA up to scratch with the final few courses.

It's interesting you are in Ukraine and Moldova, are you doing online teaching as there is not much demand for 'face-to-face' teaching there? I travelled through both countries a while back, particularly liked it in the NW of Ukraine with the mountains and forests; it seemed a bit more prosperous in that part of the country too. Good luck.

[Voyeur]

Thanks for the info. I think that my 3 year BA might satisfy the minimum Saudi requirements asked for--especially if I didn't get my visa through the embassy in Canada (since I am not in Canada). However, I have heard there might be some problems with not getting your VISA through your home country. Furthermore, from what I have heard, it seems unlikely I would get many offers for these jobs with the min. requirements--I might meet the minimum, but there are probably better candidates. Finally, from what I have heard, even if I did get a Saudi job with better pay than I could get in Asia, and found a way to get a proper visa and permit, the consensus seems to be that I am taking a huge risk of getting screwed. There is a much higher than average chance that company willing to offer me a job with my min. qualifications would be shady.

So all in all, it seems like I would do better in China for my cash building years until I get my qualifications. Of course I could have this totally wrong, so comments are welcome.

And yeah, I'm teaching online at the moment.