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seriouslydog
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Location: states
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 Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 12:55 am Post subject: single white english major seeks help version 2.0 |
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Hey, ya'll. What follows is a new and improved version of my previous post:
I can understand your concerns. I'm not looking to go down for just a month or until I get bored and decide to hop back across the border. I've got a BA in English and am looking to make a serious one year committment to teaching. What would really be great is if those of you a little more experienced could point me in the right direction, you know, where I should be looking. I'm not asking anyone to get me a job (unless you want to give me one). Besides, it's good for your karma and I'll be, like, your best friend totally. Just looking for some good advice. And, not to put any pressure on ya'll but THANKS IN ADVANCE!
phillip
Last edited by seriouslydog on Mon Jul 28, 2003 10:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 1:08 pm Post subject: Looking for a vacation? |
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Hi Long Walks on the Beach...
What kind of a teaching position are you looking for? Something in a nice coastal town, with warm nights, high pay and few hours...?
Try Vera Cruz...or Merida!
Sorry. A good teaching job in Mexico can be gained with having good and relevant experience in a classroom, a solid training in the ESL field. Your degree is a good start. Why do want to come to Mexico to teach? |
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seriouslydog
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Location: states
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 3:53 pm Post subject: Automated Response from the Bureau of Sarcastic Appreciation |
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Wow, thems fighting words.
Actually, I plan to teach English in Mexico for a solid year while working on my Spanish (I'm already at an intermediate level). The reasons behind this are many: I love Mexico, have studied it's history, and have been three times; I would like to read some of my favorite writers (like Gabriel Garcia Marquez for example) in their original language; and I would like to become fluent in Spanish as I plan on going on to earn a Phd in English after returning from Mexico-something that requires fluency in a foreign language.
I'm not looking to make a lot of money or to live in a Club Med town. In fact, I'd like to avoid the tourist areas.
Well, I've talked enough about myself. Please people, don't be shy. Any advice? Again, it would be greatly appreciated.
pollito |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:00 pm Post subject: Sorry |
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I'm in some kind of a mood today. Sorry about that.
There are quite a few people who like to backpack down and look for casual work, taking away real job opportunities for those who invested in teacher development and training. the sad part is often that many schools cater to that. Read through other posts in this forum and you'll see there's a lot out there on this theme. I didn't mean to unload on you, sorry.
You should probably get into private tutroing work so as to keep your schedule open enough to finish your studies. Serious ESL teaching will require a huge committment on time, and you might not find time to do both. Any idea on where you want to study? Mexico City and Cuernavaca offer good opportunities through UNAM for a degree and Cuernavaca language schools for Spanish language studies. |
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brittu
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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Hey, I sent you an email but I don't know if it went through. I'd be happy to help with whatever I find...thanks for your help too!
Britt |
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Lee_Marrero
Joined: 07 Jul 2003
Posts: 66
Location: Saigon, Vietnam
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah I used to get pissed at those Canadian backpackers who came down to Mexico for vacation and decided to take on work for some extra cash. They really did rob opportunities from those who were there to hone ESL skills. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1946
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 2:46 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
What kind of a teaching position are you looking for? Something in a nice coastal town, with warm nights, high pay and few hours...?
Try Vera Cruz...or Merida!
- Guy |
Thanks, Guy, I owe you one. 
Actually, Merida isn't really on the coast. From the northern edge of the city (the part closest to the sea,) the nearest beach is about 30 km away.
There really aren't that many EFL teaching opportunities for true backpackers here. Most schools look for people who plan to stick around for a while. Even the chain schools, which are the best bet for short-term employment of at least 6 months, require their own teacher training prior to teaching for them. That usually means a month without work or pay while being trained to teach in their particular system and no guarantee that trainees will be hired after their month of training is completed. The few language schools willing to hire someone off the street who has no EFL training and/or experience aren't very reputable schools to work for.
Now that I think about it, Guy, the job you described in the quote above is exactly what I'm looking for.  |
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seriouslydog
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Location: states
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 3:27 am Post subject: Queston |
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Does anyone know about ITTO (International Teacher Training Organization) in Gualdalajara? The website is www.teflcertificatecourses.com.
What I'm wondering is, is it reputable? Has anyone heard of this program? Is going through a four week TEFL certification program the best way to go, as opposed to trying to work with only a BA in English?
Also, I've never been to Guadalajara so I'd also like to hear comments from anybody who has been there.
Thanks,
phillip |
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MELEE
Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland
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| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2003 5:53 pm Post subject: Re: Queston |
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| seriouslydog wrote: |
What I'm wondering is, is it reputable? Has anyone heard of this program? Is going through a four week TEFL certification program the best way to go, as opposed to trying to work with only a BA in English?
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This is an old post, but I want to take a minute to respond to this point again. Generlly in a B.A. in English in the US, students study literature, writting and a little bit of snytax or linguistics. Generally (your case may be different) things like second language aquistision and elvaluation is not taught. If you have a B. A. in English and I gave you a group of 25 students who were maybe more or less at the same level, showed you a shelf of books and said okay, teach them, would you know where to start? How would you decide what to teach them? In what order? How would you evaluate if they had learned what you had taught?
There are many language schools like Berlitz or Harmon Hall, that have a whole language learning system and wouldn't leave you alone like that--in fact they would require you to teach what they told you to teach. But there are also many places where they won't be anyone to answer your questions or give you any guidence. In those situations some sort of specific training would be invaluable.
cheers, |
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