Job Discussion Forums

Dishco55 · Joined: 31 Aug 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Kingsport TN

Hello Friends.
I'm new to the forum and was curious about something.
I'm 24 years old and as such I don't really have any strict teaching experience under my belt yet. I know that will hinder my job search but I was wondering if my experience in the field of professional childcare (3 years), and as a youth services librarian (1 year) would be of any extra benefit to finding ESL jobs.

I do have "some" experience teaching English. I was an au pair working for a French family that helped their 2 kids practice English. As someone who spoke very little French it helped me work with them in some creative ways.
Would working as an au pair "up" my resume?

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

From an employer's perspective, probably not. In practice, you will likely find it easier to cope with classroom management compared to the poor souls who step in preschool/elementary without understanding child development.

Dishco55 · Joined: 31 Aug 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Kingsport TN

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Where are you thinking of going?
Basically, in parts of the world where kiddie-teachers are more in demand, your experience matters more. Where the job market is tighter, it will help less-to-not-at-all.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

santi84 · Joined: 14 Mar 2008 Posts: 1317 Location: under da sea

I can't speak for all corners of the globe, but schools tend to want either certified teachers (such as early ed/elementary in your home state) or they don't. If they don't, then being a 24 year old female who likes kids is probably good enough.* Most people who pass through this board are not interested in teaching children.

*Assuming, of course, you meet legal requirements for immigration such as a degree in most locations.

suphanburi · Joined: 20 Mar 2014 Posts: 916

Dishco55 · Joined: 31 Aug 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Kingsport TN

Dishco55 · Joined: 31 Aug 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Kingsport TN

Dishco55 · Joined: 31 Aug 2016 Posts: 5 Location: Kingsport TN

mrenglish2nd · Joined: 07 Mar 2016 Posts: 45

Forget anyplace other than China if money is one of your goals. I worked there for 7 years and had a 1-man private tutoring business for close to 5 years. Specialized in adults, which is a tough market, as I had zero interest in kidlets under the age of 10 or thereabouts, and didn't have a lot of students under high school age. But the demand for teachers of kidlets, especially ages 5 to 12 or thereabouts, is HUGE. Get a business visa and just go there with $10,000 U.S., pick up work through eChinacities.com at after school/weekend private places, and connect with parents where you live. Better, for rapid finding of students, get a job teaching at a kindergarten or primary school and connect with parents there. If you're skilled at and interested in working with kidlets you have a gigantic market in China.