Job Discussion Forums

solareyna · Joined: 30 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

My husband is just finishing his PhD in Environmental Sociology and I have a Bachelor's in Technical Writing. We both want to teach if we can find a place that is also convenient for my four year old to attend school. We were thinking of South America (Argentina or Chile) because it would be less of a transition (I speak good Spanish) but realize jobs in Asia might pay more and be easier to get. The money is not really an issue, we don't care how much we earn as long as we can live on it. What is important is that we get jobs in the same area and my son can attend school. So any opinions: South America or Asia (Korea/Japan)? And will my husband's doctorate degree make it easier to get a job? He also has experience teaching junior high and university level. Thanks in advance...

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Japan here.

I'm sorry to say that IMO if neither of you has any experience, even with a PhD you will likely have to face the bottom of the barrel entry level jobs. Conversation school, dispatch ALT, or JET Programme ALT.

Unless you have contacts, I just don't see it any other way.

If you come to the Japan forum, please describe your husband's teaching experience in more detail, and then I and others will be able to give you a more accurate assessment. I would still find it doubtful, simply because in my experience it is teaching in Japan that employers other than entry level look for.

Salaries will be roughly around 250,000 yen/month (do the conversion yourself). Figure three people will need a minimum of 300,000 to live on for bare minimum.

Putting a 4-year-old into daycare will usually require IMO some knowledge of Japanese so you can understand the contracts, policies, and any communication during interviews and emergency calls.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

You did not mention China Twisted Evil

But I will say that here in a smaller city in the middle of CHina, there are several parents with children of all ages. You can often negotiate with the school for schooling for your child. Schools like married couples, because the schools pay for housing, thus they are getting two teachers for the expense of one (partly)
Definitely you will make enough to live on comfortably. How much you will be able to save as compared to korea is probably less.
Getting a job at a fairly decent (in Chinese terms) college is fairly easy. Just don't get false expectations of what you will be teaching, like I did. In almost all positions you are teaching english, not a specialty. So your husband won't get much more because of his Phd. This is true world wide. Unless you come here as a visiting professor, you are just the same (almost) as the 22 year old back packer

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Try here in Beijing. Send them a letter and tell then what you have studied and that you would be interested in teaching English and helping students with what you have majored in. From what I can see they teach both your majors.

Welcome to Renmin University Of ChinaAddress: The Graduate Students Admissions Office, Renmin University of China No. 59 Zhongguancun St., Haidian District, Beijing, 100872, P. R. China. ...
english.ruc.edu.cn/en/100370/100381/19283.html - 12k

THE HIGH SCHOOL AFFILIATED TO RENMIN UNIVERSITY OF CHINACounting the days Kaile has been teaching at the secondary school attached to Renmin University (RDFZ) for almost a year and half. ...
www.rdfz.cn/English/Home/Hn/t20051008_8431.htm - 12k -

Renmin University of China - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaRenmin University of China is the member of national project 211 and project 985. ... The English Corner at Renmin University is very famous in Beijing. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renmin_University_of_China - 31k -

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

If you want to make it easier to get a job and money isn't really an issue, then why not invest 4 or 5 weeks in doing the CELTA or Trinity TESOL (the former is for teaching adults, the latter for younger people, but are fairly interchangeable as far as employers are concerned). That way, employers know that you have the basic skills and knowledge for teaching English. Do note that teaching English requires different techniques than teaching non-linguistic subjects. With your other qualifications and this entry level teaching qualification, you should be a shoe-in in any country that recruits English teachers.