Job Discussion Forums

chaquitamaria · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 20 Location: Buenos Aires

Hi everyone,

I just finished my degree here in Canada and am planning to head down to B.A. (which sounds like much fun based on what I have read here...). It seems like many of you have done the EBC course and that is what I am thinking of doing. For those of you who have done it - would you recommend it?? And for all of you - is is a good idea to do a course in November since the job market slows down so much in December - March? Maybe I would just travel in the meantime ...

Thanks in advance and I appreciate having all your posts as a resource.

Maria

jp · Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 18

Maria,

I have only this advice to give: If you think EBC is going to be good for you, contact them, if you feel BridgeLingua is better call them. Forums are helpful but at times it all boils down to how these schools present their information to you, by phone, email. There's also such a thing as going with the one you feel comfortable with, gut feel? One thing for sure, you will love BsAs.

jennifer

Ackerley81 · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Posts: 49

I think if you are trying to decide between Bridge and EBC, definitely contact the schools and see what they have to say to you. Also, ask them for a list of past participant's e-mail addresses so you can find out what they thought about the course. I went to EBC, and I made the decision to go there based on what I heard from ex-students of both institutes. I can personally recommend EBC--it was a solid course, the trainer's were great (I can call them my friends) and the teaching practice was very helpful if you have never taught before. It was good experience. And at the end of the course, they send your CV out to over 100 schools, so you stand a very good chance of finding work immediately.

BUT, if you are trying to decide whether you really want to take a course at all, I have a whole different opinion on that matter Smile

I believe you will will be able to find work without the TEFL. There are so many institutes, and (alas for them) teachers are always flaking out and going home or heading for the hills in the middle of the month, semester, week, day whatever. To me, the EBC course was more about preparing me to be a better teacher and giving me a sense of security and not necesarily about finding a job. That part could have been done without EBC sending out my CV. I would have had to be more aggressive, and would probably have had to be more convincing in an interview with out the TEFL on my CV, but I've seen people get the same work I did with out it so....

If you have extra cash, and you want to take a worthwhile course, I say go for it. Especially if you plan on doing this for a while, and not just for a few months to satisfy the travel bug. But if your savings are low and you feel fairly confident about teaching, maybe you should pass up the course and just come and jump right in.

Anyways, I hope I haven't confused you with my advice! Don't just listen to me, listen to everybody, contact the schools, and then make a decision. Feel free to PM me any time and I'll give you more of my words of wisdom, haha. At least I can tell you all the things I wish I had known before I took this leap. Good luck!

Sarah

Veritas_Aequitas · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 88 Location: Jalisco, Mexico

After going through the bridge course, I would never recomend it to anyone. Expect little to no help finding work upon graduation, and an arbitrary grading system doled out by unqualified instructors. This was my interpretation of the course as well as the majority of the people in my class. Be that as it may some people seemed to get something out of it. I was not one of those people.

chaquitamaria · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 20 Location: Buenos Aires

Thanks so much for the quick responses - you probably all know how nervous you can get right before you are making big decisions about moving etc. As to what Sarah was saying about taking the course more for self-assurance, I definitely fall into that camp. I know I could probably get work by just pounding the pavement, but I would be really anxious about showing up in a new, unfamiliar place and going at it, knowing nothing about any institute, etc. Hopefully, taking the EBC course (which I think I will take) will let me get my bearings and make some friends before starting to work.

Again - thanks for the feedback and I will probably rely on it once or twice more before my departure!

Maria

Veritas_Aequitas · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 88 Location: Jalisco, Mexico

Good luck, Maria. Have a safe journey.

chaquitamaria · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 20 Location: Buenos Aires

Ah!! After reading some older postings on this site, I realize that I am probably being recorded among the lists of pseudo-posters being compiled by the good folks who post regularily (see "TEFLocal School vs EBC).

This is just to clarify: I am not a fake!!! I hope to use this chat room as a reference now that I am totally set on coming to BsAs this fall ... don't hate me!

Maria