Job Discussion Forums

Phyllis Purdy · Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

Hello, I have been in Sahuayo for one month, and teaching esl at a small private school. The monthy stipend is 4,000 pesos. The owner of the school was supposed to provide accomodation (which turned out to be a room in the school, which was filthy and resembeled a huge dirty jail). We were to have spanish lessons, that have not occurred to date. We were asked to pay 40% of the utilities at the school (for our accomodation). I teach 6 hours a day, and work at least another hour preparing. I teach 5 levels, and a total of 27 students, from 8 a.m to 10 am and then 4 pm to 8pm. I have since moved to a clean apt, and the schol is paying half of the rent which is a total of $1,800 pesos.
Is this all the norm for Mexico, this is my first time out! I�m thinking I could make more money and work fewer hours of I did tutoring or teaching on my own, but have no idea where to start. Any comments would be appreciated, thanks,
Phyllis Purdy

MELEE · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 10:22 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure where Sahuayo is, and that could make a difference. I also would need to know your qualifications and experience to know if you could get a better job. That doesn't sound like a good job, but if you have no teacher training and have never taught before...
Your salary seems to work out to 30 pesos an hour. I've heard of schools paying that and their only qualification for work is that you be a native speaker. If you have TEFL cert of some sort, it seems like you should make at least 50 an hour. It's not uncommon not to be paid for your prep time.
Private classes do usually pay more, the draw backs is you have to sponsor yourself for the visa, and hire an accountant to do your taxes if you want to be on the up and up AND, you have to establish yourself and get contacts to try to get reliable students who will stick with you.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

First hit on Google for Sahuayo says:

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

sorry to be negative but 4,000 is not reasonable under any circumstances i can dream of, unless you're illiterate. you do realize that's about US$360? so you're making about one third of what an illegal mexican immigrant makes working at mcdonalds in texas.

quit your job and move to another city unless you're in love with the place. you're wasting your time (if money is your goal) in suhayo or wherever you are.

MELEE · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks Guy for reminding me to Google before I post Laughing

PP your name is so different so I assume you are not Robin Kathleen
But maybe one of her co-workers. It's always fun to read those first impressions of Mexico blogs. But she hasn't been very consistant with it, maybe because your school is taking advantage of you? In Robin's case, from what I gather on her blog, she hasn't finished her BA yet. I think she's fine earning 4000 pesos a month, most people pay for their study aboard experiences, she's getting paid. But if you are a true teacher you should be earning more than that, like I said before at least 50 an hour, if not quiet a bit more.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Good points and PI work there.

Matt, you're right that it's low. I should have also made it more clear in my post that 4000 would be okay on less hours...she's working at least 36 per week.

Phyllis Purdy · Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 2

thanks, I appreciate your input. I have no formal teaching experience. I have an ESL certificate from Oxford Seminars. I am Canadian. There are two schools in Sahuayo, Robin works at the "other" school. The only reason I have stayed is because I feel I need to get some experience teaching, but after one month, feel confident. I speak very little Spanish, and am considering taking a month of spanish immersion. I am looking at a school in La Manzanilla (on the pacific coast). My goal is work in Mexico somewhere with a beach, with a better paying job (or teach on my own). I don�t want to stay in sahuayo, but not sure where togo from here. thanks for comments.
PP

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

You should just pack up and go soon. The longer you wait, the closer it gets to Christmas when a) schools aren't hiring as much and b) others in a similar position head to the beaches seeking employment. Lots of others.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

It is very difficult to just pop into a beach area and snag a job, especially at this time of year with school underway....even WITH teaching experience. The hiring has been long done. The established year-around foreign teachers, usually married to Mexicans, are the ones in the coveted university jobs that pay better. The schools in my beach city are heavy into hiring Mexican national English teachers and they are by far the majority in most institutions. (Which I guess is the law anyway).

Plus beach areas tend to be more expensive to live due to the tourist influence. The cost of living in my area has really increased since I moved here 6 years ago. Rents have at least doubled. I have seen many teaching hopefuls end up selling time shares for the winter season, and then head north never to be seen again. The language schools still pay between 35 and 50 pesos an hour and have part time hours. Again, very few foreign teachers working for them. Very difficult, but that's the reality in my area.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I agree with M@tt. Threw in the towel on this crap job and move on: chalk this one up as a learning experience for you on what to avoid in the future.
And unless you're living in a cardboard box, 4000 pesos per month is a terrible wage.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Hi ls650....Phyllis mentioned she has no teaching experience, only having taken an Oxford Seminar course. She didn't mention if it was online or what hers involved but I believe they are quite short. It may be easier for her AFTER she has some more experience to get a job somewhere else. Your Uni wouldn't hire her, right? I know she wouldn't get a job here either unless it was a "crap job" so she would be no further ahead. It will be hard to use a one month job as a reference especially if she leaves the school high and dry. The experience has to be earned somewhere, but I would seriously chat with Oxford if I were her.

MELEE · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 11:42 pm Post subject:

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Sgt Killjoy · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 438

36 hours a week? that is pure craziness. 4000 pesos a month? Even crazier! Household help in Mexico City earns almost as much as that! Qualifications or no qualifications, you would earn more as a nanny in Mexico City and have a lot better accommodations than what you got now.

Those kind of conditions are sickening and the only way to deal with it is by quiting. At this point, I have two suggestions for you.

1) Quit the job, give notice or whatever.

2) Get over to Teflwatch and post about the jobs. I want to know names and we can shame them internationally. If you pm me with the name of the school, I will add it to Rate This School ASAP. It is an awesome feature that allows anyone to anonymously rate a school on a scale of 1 to 5 and leave comments if they desire.

The only way this kind of slave labor can end is if we teachers stand up against it.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Pardon me sarge, but that's bullshit.

You're going to internationally shame a small-town school in rural Mexico? The pay isn't good by your standards, and it isn't by mine either, but how does it stack up to local standards? What's a qualified Mexican English teacher making in those parts? The same I'll wager. If you've lived in Mexico any stretch, you know full well you can't compare Mexico City earnings with the sticks. That's as idiotic as Matt's comparison.

By all means plug your site but if you're going to pick on rural Mexico, at least have some class. Join AMLO's camp if you want to bring wages up but don't just do it for a backpacking gringas. (sorry, Phyllis, really. I'm not a fan of how you came to be teaching in Mexico...nothing personal)