Job Discussion Forums

[waroo]

Greetings,

I'm moving to Turkey this summer and, like most neophytes, I have a few queries. Help!

Timing: Am I correct to assume that August is a better time to look for work than June? At present I'm considering a Celta course in July and a Via Lingua course in May (Both courses are administered in Istanbul). I'm leaning towards the Celta in July.

Experience/Qualifications: Although I completed a Bachelors in Education (BSED), my career the past 12 years has entailed stints in business, film, and nonprofits. My TESL experience has been limited to volunteering at refugee centers in the US, which I enjoyed immensely. If I take to teaching abroad I'll likely pursue an MA at some point, but given my current lack of relevant experience I've surmised that my prospects are presently limited to private language schools/centers. If possible I'd like to work for a school which offers a decent wage, health insurance, and a work permit. EF might fit the bill and I may contact them at some point. Are there others I might also consider, or unscrupulous ones to avoid? Given my experience and background, is there a salary range I should expect after the Celta course? Any advice regarding salary, insurance, and/or language schools would be much appreciated.


waroo

[Gregorio]

Just a question for you. What are you certified to teach with your Bachelors in education? If it is English you wouldn't need a celta to teach in Turkey. Or, some Turkish international schools will hire certified native speakers to teach science and math classes in English and they have good employment packages. The only subject areas that they won't hire native speakers for are any social studies courses. The Turkish ministry of Education states that social studies courses must be taught by Turkish nationals in Turkish. Hmmmm... me thinks this is influenced by a bit of nationalism, just speculating

I'll admit that I only know these things from doing a TON of research, not from first hand experience.

I'm moving to Turkey on August 25th....just to let you know.

[keitepai]

Hello,
I may be able to point you in the direction of a teaching job but need a little more information about your experience of teaching and subjects taught, also age ranges. PM me if you'd prefer.
If suitable the job has all the benefits; accomodation, health insurance, flights etc. You would need to apply now to secure a job and allow time for reference checks etc.
Jobs contracts like this start in mid August with some time to settle/orientation before the new term starts 1 September.

I am assuming you have spent some time in Istanbul? I definitely came here with my rose coloured glasses on..........nearly a year on and I feel wise enough to comment that it can be very difficult at times. Sounds like you have a bit of experience around the world so might be easier for you to fit in.

[waroo]

Thanks for the replies and assistance. I didn't major in English nor do I have a teaching certification, so international schools might be out of the question. At this stage I'm probably best suited to, and qualified for, teaching English to adults. My only teaching experience of any kind has been teaching English to adults in refugee and cultural exchange centers. I enjoyed those experiences so much that I've considered jumping into an MA-Tesol program, but it felt a bit like putting the cart before the horse.

Gregorio, best of luck come August!