Job Discussion Forums

[joeyjojo]

I am looking to return to hk or travel to taiwan. I have experience from teaching in hk but no degree. from what i gather the best way to do this would be to just go and " give err". I have several contacts in hk so theres not much worry there. I have some concerns with trying taiwan out (fear of the unknown!!) From what I've see in forums peoples opinions are to just go out and find work once I'm out there.I was pretty set up in hk so I'm really sort of new to this. Would just going straight to a hostel be apropriate?Also

[UpperClassTwitoftheYear]

From what I have gathered so far, you need a degree to teach legally in Taiwan. I haven't yet reach to the point on "just give'n er," but I have done quite a bit of homework on the area. Good luck!

[lagerlout2006]

Without a degree how can you do anything else but "give err.?" They can't offer a visa so why would anyone hire you from overseas? Or maybe you just want some leads--which would be a good idea. Did you really teach in HK with no degree...Wonder what You Know Who would have to say about that.

[enigma]

Weirdly, when I was a totally unqualified newbie in the field of ESL, I received several fairly lucrative offers from schools in Taiwan. I assumed that they were bullsh.t, and went to mainland China instead. I went on instinct, basing my decision only on which school I thought was not lying to me in their "contract". I chose well, had a great time, learned a bit about teaching (in a weird situation that most qualified teachers would refuse), and earned nothing worth saving. It was the break I needed before going back to school, which I greatly enjoy, and am hoping will give me the skills I need to do a good job of really teaching in the future (of course there is bullsh.t to wade through in school, too, but I feel that I am better qualified to do that after a job in China).

Back to the topic at hand, though... I would be pretty suspicious of anyone in Taiwan who offers to hire a teacher without a degree. As far as I know, it's not legal (though they will promise that it is, and I'm sure it's common practice). The only first-hand reports I've received have been of horrible experiences. However, since you are an experienced teacher/traveller, you might be able to cope better than most naive nomads with the lack of support/stability that you will encounter.

Personally, I'd be reluctant to take a job where I'd be working illegally, especially in Asia, where contracts hold a lot less weight than in the western world. If you have experience and contacts in Hong Kong (which I know nothing about, in terms of legality and degrees), it would make more sense to go there.