Job Discussion Forums

McQueen · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 4

I have a TEFL certificate and a few months teaching experience (but no Uni degree). I am saving to go travelling around central Asia and the Far East for around a year and then looking to get a teaching job in China/Japn etc.

Is this something that can be achieved by just turning up at the school/institute? I know that you need to arrange VISA's etc, but if I am in the country that I wish to teach in, is it possible to knock on some doors??

I have just come back from S America where I taught English for a few months. In that situation, I just turned up and started the next day. I realise that China/Japan/Taiwan are very different, but any info would be great.

Which country is going to worry the least about my lack of Uni degree?

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

You should worry about trying to find legal work in each of those. Why not get your education fixed first thing?

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

you ought to post on the relevant boards for answers on japan and taiwan. however, japan requires a degree as does taiwan (altho it can be gotten around in that country, but not so easily). chinese schools also like to see a degree but as with taiwan, you CAN get a job without one.

McQueen · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 4

I dont want to get a degree as I would rather go travelling. Surely the fact that I have a TEFL and some teaching exeperience is enough? I was more interested in hearing people's responses to just turning up at the school. Has anyone ever done this?

I have no idea how long I will be travelling for, so I would like to know if anybody has heard of people just knocking on doors and finding work as an English teacher.

Bro D · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 46 Location: Nanjing

If you're planning on travelling that should make the whole decision a lot easier. Just travel to China, have enough cash to last you a few months and see if you can find a job. If you can't you just go back home, better luck next time.
I'm pretty much doing the same thing as I'm going to China to finish my studies and will be travelling/job hunting after that. If I can't find something within two months I'll be almost outta cash and my visa will be due to expire so I'd just come home and try my luck later for jobs starting in 2007.

Steppenwolf · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 1769

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

You don't seem to be cut out for teaching. To many of us who've been at it for a while, it's not a job, it's a calling. It ranks up there with nursing, social work, the true clergy.

Even though a great number of us have been with schools who fail to respect our contributions and only look on us as assets to improve their profit pictures, it's still no excuse for a poor performance in the classroom.

It's not so much your lack of education, but your complete disregard for learning itself as a higher pursuit. You want to use the job as a teacher to travel around.

Let me give you some advice. If you want to travel on daddy's money, then do so. Just don't believe you can walk into a classroom and suddenly become a Teacher. [Notice the capital letter.]

McQueen · Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 4

Oh my, what scorn.

I always thought that teachers were fairy well educated people and would like to think that whomever you teach, in whatever country you choose to teach, you would explain to your students that you should never judge somebody that you don't know.

I have already travelled around the world for 18 months on my own hard-earned cash, none of which was funded by "daddy." I choose to travel once again for a length of time on money that I will work my ass off saving. Once I have seen what I want to see, I will look at teaching in the Far East. I am not interested in obtaining a degree - clearly this is a "total disredard for learning a higher pursuit."

I hope to never meet anybody like you on my travels (it must be catching as I am judging someone I don't know) and fear for your students sanity in the classroom.

For the record my father was an abusive drunk and left me when I was 5. *beep* - note the capital letters!

adamsmith · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 259 Location: wuhan

you will make a fine candidate for the language mills - you can go sing and dance and tell all your little students all about the wonderful places you have been and all the interesting people you met on your worldly travels. Just do not expect them to learn anything. Teaching is all about imparting your knowledge that you have gained through education and experience yourself.
It sounds like you will only have travel experience to give to your students with no real knowledge of how to pass on wisdom. Enjoy your travels - but please let us know which schools you are knocking on when you arrive here so we can try to make the process easier for you.

brsmith15 · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1142 Location: New Hampshire USA

McQ,

You need to grow up..........in more ways than simply getting older.

troysantos · Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Posts: 1 Location: Jeju, South Korea

Wow. What scorn is right!! Give the person the benefit of the doubt. How in the world can you know this person from one or two brief emails? Judging a book by its cover ....

Bayden · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 988

jonathanj · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 93

MOD EDIT

Once again, I do not advocate this by any means. I studied and worked my ass off for 4 years to get my degree. Sometimes I wish I didn't.

Good luck, and don't listen to some of the d!cks on this site! They think their *beep* don't stink. Confused

P.S. I teach in Japan, and they're extremely strict about the Uni degree. Don't come here unless you have one. If you do have one after visiting Bangkok (which I suggest you do because Thailand is great and Bangkok is a magical city), you can find a job within a week in the Tokyo area.