Job Discussion Forums

hammerman · Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 3 Location: S.E England

I currently teach at a successful secondary school in S.E London/Kent. I would very much like to teach abroad in the near future but am confused as to where to start.

I hold dual British/German nationality as my nother is German. I have a large family in southern Germany, mainly around Bamberg. This is where I would ideally like to work.

There is a fairly large American Base in Bamberg which has two schools. As a start, can anyone confirm whether or not a non-American/Military person can get a job teaching at one of these schools?

As a German National I am not clear on whether my progress/success rate will be different or more difficult as a result. My German is better than passable but I am not fluent. Can anyone advise me as to the best place to go for advice/help?

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance- really want to get going on this.

puhutes · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 46

It would probably be no problem for you to get a job teaching english and since you already hold a passport for Germany, I doubt you would need to do very much paperwork. Do you already have a tax number? If not, you might want to talk to the "auslaender amt" (foreign office) and the "finanz amt" (tax office). First figure out where you plan to move and contact the offices in that area. Next, the best place to find a job is to search the Internet. Go to the 'gelbeseiten" (yellow pages) for your area and search for "sprachschule" (language school), volkshochschule, etc. You can usually earn good money as a freelancer. I personally earn between 35euro-45euro an hour. One of my coworkers told me she earns over 60euro an hour working for a local Volkshochschule (kind of like a adult evening school). You might want to take a German course along with teaching English... most schools prefer you to have a good working knowledge of German. Most people are also looking to learn business English. I've been here since July 2007 and I've had a lot of offers, even when I wasn't looking for any work. I think you'll really have no problem Smile

Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions.

neil1979 · Joined: 15 Nov 2003 Posts: 33

How the hell do you get paid 35-45 euros an hour in Germany? I have 5 years experience and am earning on average 13 euros an hour in Berlin . . . it's pretty dismal, but everyone else seems to be getting the same . . .

I take you have managed to cut out the school as middle man?

SF21 · Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 72 Location: California

neil, are you working for berlitz?

neil1979 · Joined: 15 Nov 2003 Posts: 33

SF21, I sent you a PM . . . don't want to name-and-shame in public!

puhutes · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 46

neil1979 · Joined: 15 Nov 2003 Posts: 33

No, I work for two different private schools. It's not quite as bad as I made out. I have some business courses where I get 40 euros for 90 minutes, which is okay. One of the schools will soon rise the hourly rate from 13 to 15 euros (after six months there) which is also slightly more respectable, though that still makes only 30 euros for 90 minutes.
I'd be glad to know which these schools are that pay 45 euros for 90 minutes as standard . . .

fraup · Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:25 pm Post subject:

Re working in an American school on a military base, you'd normally need a teaching certificate from a U.S. state. These are DODDS (Dept. of Defense Dependents Schools) and pay quite well. A few years ago I was on a base in Okinawa and discovered that substitute teachers didn't need a certificate, or even a 4-year degree; however, you do need an I.D. card, so that might be difficult for a non-US citizen.