Job Discussion Forums

[mighty_q22]

Hello. I'd like to teach in the Czech Republic for a little while. I'm thinking less than a year right now. I'd like to go in March and start teaching as soon as possible. What are my best options for moving there, getting certified and teaching quickly and easily? I'm not looking to make a ton of money, just enough for a few beers on the weekend. What I'm trying to say is I know nothing about teaching TEFL and want to make sure I don't make any mistakes. I want to make sure I get a certificate I need and that I don't waste my time. I also would like to be teaching right away, not applying for jobs in September. If this is a pipe dream, please let me know. If not, what should I do? Thanks for any help.
-Bill

[denise]

If you do one of the certification programs while you`re there, and do it responsibly (e.g., not going out and getting pissed every night during the course), you can have interviews lined up before the course even ends.

I did the ITC course there several years ago (1999), and it was really good. I know ITC had some problems with its Barcelona school, but I don`t know how involved the Prague branch was. If it made it through that mess, then I can recommend it.

d

[mighty_q22]

That's comforting to know. I was reading some of the other threads and I thought I came across some questions to ask future employers, but I can't seem to find it again. What are some good questions to ask ? I know there was something about "does the school you end up working for take care of the visa."

Also, how much should I be expecting to make? 20,000 sounded like it should be my goal?

This messageboard has been invaluable, by the way. Thanks for the advice.

[spiral78]

Prague's got six or seven training centres for teachers. Pretty much any of the 30-day certification courses in the city will be accepted by employers in Prague.
March is not a big hiring season, of course, and remember that because there are now so many training centres in the city, there are plenty of newly-certified teachers for employers to choose from. You should be able to find some work, but it probably won't be a breeze -
Most schools will help you with paperwork (visa, work permits).
Most schools will not pay you a salary monthly - with a few exceptions, teachers are paid for hours worked. 20,000 monthly would be fine - but you'll need to find some shared accomodation. If you do a course in Prague, you'll make contacts that can help you with the accomodation issues.
Remember that you will typically spend your workday traveling to the offices of your students. You can't expect the best schedules, coming in new in March, so plan on working early mornings, with some breaks throughout the day, and then into some evenings.
It's feasible to make enough to travel a bit around the CR and drink a few beers at the weekends. But not much more!
As for schools and hiring, you should ask about visas/work permits. It's normal for schools to pay at the end of each month worked. They will likely pay for your public transportation pass, but it's useful to ask. You might also want to ask about lesson cancelation policies - it is fairly normal that if your student doesn't cancel at least 24 hours in advance, you should be paid anyway. Some schools offer housing for their teachers, and most will at least help you with contacts for housing. Check out the housing opps in person before committing to them.
All of this general info and more will be available to you while you are taking a certification course. It's probably most useful to ask then! Good luck.

[Hamett]

[spiral78]

'A few beers' is a relative statement. Here, I'll try to express myself more clearly.
Most teachers make enough to eat out pretty regularly, drink beer, visit the cinema, and probably enjoy whatever other attractions they wish to in Prague. And, to travel around the CR and probably a couple of trips to surrounding countries during a contract year

I stated in my first post that you can find a job at any time of year. Please note that I said earlier "you should be able to find some work, though it may not be a breeze."

Defensive? I've got no arguments to make with anybody, Hammett. And what would be negative if I were Czech (thanks for the compliment, by the way).

[Hamett]