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latinamericaorasiaorbust
Joined: 25 Jul 2013
Posts: 16
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 Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 3:41 pm Post subject: Finding a teaching position in Mexico |
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Hello. I’m American and taught in South Korea for one year followed by approximately 8 years of teaching EFL in various Middle Eastern countries. I would like a change in scenery and am strongly considering Mexico. I have a Master of Science (not an MA) in Education and a CELTA (6 years experience post CELTA). I have a few questions and would greatly appreciate any feedback that can be provided.
1. What types of institutions could I work for? (I am debt free so I would consider all types of learning institutions as long as I could save a little money.)
2. What pay should be expected at each type of institution? (college, high school, after-school and after-work language schools, etc, etc)
3. How much should I be able to save even if working at a low-scale institution? (don’t really need to go out a lot as I am past that age)?
4. With my credentials, could I work at a Mexican K-12 school, or MUST I be licensed?
5. Do most jobs in Mexico include medical coverage? If not, which EFL jobs do, if any?
6. Is there a preference for Caucasian instructors? Do you know of any native English teachers that aren’t Caucasian?
7. From reading threads, it seems it is better to find a job prior to flight as opposed to arriving as a tourist and then applying. Correct?
8. Would an international school consider me or is a license required?
9. Is it possible to change employers after starting a position? Or is it difficult without leaving the country and returning?
10. Is there a certain time of year that is better to apply?
11. Am I correct in assuming flights are not paid for nor reimbursed? If only some institutions, may I ask the names of institutions that you know of which do pay upfront or reimburse?
I sincerely thank you for any feedback you can provide. Please feel free to PM me. And if anyone has considered the Middle East, I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have as I have worked in the U.A.E., Saudi, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. Thank you again. |
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Posts: 1450
Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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| Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Finding a teaching position in Mexico |
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| latinamericaorasiaorbust wrote: |
Hello. I’m American and taught in South Korea for one year followed by approximately 8 years of teaching EFL in various Middle Eastern countries. I would like a change in scenery and am strongly considering Mexico. I have a Master of Science (not an MA) in Education and a CELTA (6 years experience post CELTA). I have a few questions and would greatly appreciate any feedback that can be provided.
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First, one question for you. Can you tell me a little about what you studied in your Master of Sicence in Education. Education is a fairly broad field. And based on one of your question below, am I correct in assuming your MS did not include any teacher license of any sort?
1. What types of institutions could I work for? (I am debt free so I would consider all types of learning institutions as long as I could save a little money.)
In Mexico a Master's degree pretty much opens up everything, except teaching Doctoral candidates in the field they are studying (you could still teach them English if that's not their major).
2. What pay should be expected at each type of institution? (college, high school, after-school and after-work language schools, etc, etc)
At a university you would expect something in the 20,000 to 30,000 pesos a month range for a full time position. Deductions are pretty high, but you usually get a nice Christmas bonus and a sort of forced savings plan that pays out once a year. Unfortunately a lot of universities hire English teachers as hourly support staff, then you'd bet a couple of hundred an hour and only paid for class hours. Top tier high schools pay about the same as universities, often with better hours, but you have to deal with behavoir problems. I'm out of the loop for other types of work.
3. How much should I be able to save even if working at a low-scale institution? (don’t really need to go out a lot as I am past that age)?
It really depends because we never agree on cost of reasonable living on this forum. A few years back opinions varied from 8,000 a month to almost 30,000 a month! Where I live and work, single teachers easily save a third or more of their income.
4. With my credentials, could I work at a Mexican K-12 school, or MUST I be licensed?
There really aren't any regulations for licensure of teachers in private K-12 schools in Mexico and the chances of a foriegner getting hired in a public Mexican K-12 school is basically zero (union requirements, trust me, you wouldn't want that job anyway!) Your current credentials could get you in at a public university.
5. Do most jobs in Mexico include medical coverage? If not, which EFL jobs do, if any? All full time jobs do. It's a state run system. Opinions of the system are varied. I'm okay with it. Private health care is not to bad to pay for minor things out of pocket.
6. Is there a preference for Caucasian instructors? Do you know of any native English teachers that aren’t Caucasian? I'd say there is a slight preference (the kind of unspoken preference), but I do work with native English teachers who are not Caucasian.
7. From reading threads, it seems it is better to find a job prior to flight as opposed to arriving as a tourist and then applying. Correct?
Immigration laws were changed last fall. You would now have to leave Mexico to change from a tourist visa to a visa that would allow you to work.
8. Would an international school consider me or is a license required?
It's a requirement at the top schools but there are plenty of second tier schools that would take you. Behavoir problems are issues at those schools there are plenty of threads about it on here!
9. Is it possible to change employers after starting a position? Or is it difficult without leaving the country and returning? It wasn't a problem in the past, and we did have two teachers join us from another school since the change in the immigration laws. I think poaching teachers who already have visas is going to be the next big thing.
10. Is there a certain time of year that is better to apply?
Late Spring for fall or immediately before the semester starts as there always seem to be last minute openings in this country.
11. Am I correct in assuming flights are not paid for nor reimbursed? If only some institutions, may I ask the names of institutions that you know of which do pay upfront or reimburse? Generally no, they are not.
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