Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

I would like to get into teacher training. I have about 5 years experience and halfway done with a Masters.

HOw did you find your jobs?

Any advise for someone who would like to become a trainer?

[dmb]

Contacts and being in the right place at the right time. I've done training on CELTA and DELTA, aswell as in-house stuff. Get to know the people in the know in your area.

[Guy Courchesne]

[Jetgirly]

As a student, I can tell you that I wouldn't be happy if I enrolled in a course and found that my trainer didn't have either a DELTA (with oodles of experience) or a complete Masters (with lots of experience but not necessarily oodles).

[tedkarma]

Right place at the right time.

I support the notion of a master's degree AND "oodles of experience."

My experience has been that most programs are both small and employ only a few teacher-trainers, AND have very little turnover [as these jobs are often the best around in terms of flexibility, creativity, and time off - if not always the best wages]. Because of the low turnover - you might need to cultivate contacts and be very patient, and be ready to jump when the opportunity presents itself.

[dmb]

[tedkarma]

[ls650]

[naturegirl321]

The problem here is that the DELTA is in Mexico, Brasil and Argentina, I think and they are long courses, about 9 month to a year. Being in Peru, that wouldn't be an option.

But thanks for the info. guess I'll have to be patient.

[naturegirl321]

So if anyone knows of a position in Peru, please let me know.

[wildchild]

Jetgirly,

Are you being paid to promote MA and DELTA programs?
for as you surely know, simply possesing such a qualification does not make one a good teacher trainer.
Degree or no degree, what is important is the ability to help others learn to be a good teacher.

After all, having the MA or DELTA can mean as much as simply having been able to afford the high costs and please the authorities.

[Jetgirly]

Okay, so I'll add that I want an instructor who is qualified (DELTA or MA), has experience (somewhere between lots and oodles) and is a good teacher trainer. Arguing against the values of credentials in a thread about training people to become TESL-qualified seems a little ridiculous. After all, if credentials didn't matter then I suspect most teacher trainers wouldn't have jobs in the first place. And university courses would be taught by chinchillas.

[tedkarma]

I certainly think trainers need both experience and some formal education.

And, it is essential that people considering taking CELTA or TEFL courses take a good hard look at who their trainer(s) might be. I have previously had people go through the course I teach - who were almost immediately offered trainer jobs (at other schools) though they had NO experience at all.

Frankly, I would advocate that all trainers need to have their resumes/CVs online for prospective trainees to review.

Ideal instructor/trainer? At least a couple years experience in each of at least two countries - preferably more (I am not an advocate of "one-country wonders" unless all your trainees will work only in that one country for the rest of their TEFL careers). DELTA or grad education required.

Personally, I have never understood why people want to work in education, want to be considered "educators" - yet deny the value of a good education. Oddly enough, I once worked for a school where the "Academic Director" spoke nastily of someone who had referred to himself as an "educator" - and literally spat out the word "educator" - I was quite surprised as he was the AD where I was working and I certainly considered myself an "educator". I won't go into the details of the argument that followed.

We want our students to work hard - we try to motivate them with the value of the education they are purchasing from our school(s) - but yet some say it just isn't important. Yes, I fully understand all the arguments such as: "I worked with a teacher with a Ph.D. who really s*cked - and I worked with a high school drop out who was great." That's not the point. It is about BELIEVING in the value of education - and your students easily pick that up. You know they do. Whoops! That should have gone on the "philosophy" thread . . .

[Gordon]

Ted,
I agree with you on every point. A variety of teaching positions would also be helpful, perhaps someone who has been a teacher and a director or coordinator. Then they could tell them what employers look for.
Teacher training is something I also am seriusly considering when i do return to my country of origin. Even with 11 years of reaching experience in 3 countries and a masters and Celta, I still feel there is so much for me to learn about teaching.

[coffeedrinker]

I'm not a teacher trainer and I have only a measly CELTA (with a couple years' experience) but I disagree with the line of thinking that any program (a month-long CELTA, a nine-month DELTA, OR a two+ year Master's program) is going to "teach" people to think outside the box.

If they already do "think outside the box" then certainly they can benefit more from a program - and certainly this is a valuable skill for anyone, EFL teacher, teacher trainer, or a variety of other jobs. Experience and education are good things, and I'm not saying they are superflous (?? waiting for further education before I know how to use big words and be certain I'm correct:)), but I think that assuming that someone who has completed a certain program is necessarily thinking or acting a certain way is a symptom of thinking IN the box.

It would be great if there was research that could show a correlation between "amount learned" and "method or qualification of teacher" for EFL, but I think we can all agree that would be nearly impossible. There are SO many factors influencing what students learn, not the least of which are lessons that they are actually motivated to attend and participate in and a positive envirnoment (plus a whole host of things that the teacher has no control over) - most of which are not directly connected to one method of training over another.

Anyway, this may be off topic but I wanted to reply. I guess there is a difference between "what qualifications are in fact often required in the job market" and "what qualifications make a good teacher/teacher trainer."