Job Discussion Forums

[superturbo]

Just been looking over some expat threads (mainly Czech Rep.) and it seems some native peoples, including expats, look down on English language teachers. I assume this might be because some ELT's might be young, frivolous and not committed to actually teaching but rather looking for a paid holiday.

Just wondered what experiences you guys have had in your respective countries. How do 'the natives' view/treat you?

Thanks

[zorro (4)]

IME, being an English teacher doesn't hold much status, but it depends on what country you're teaching in and who you work for.

From your peers (expats, people at home), IME, status isn't that great either. Some people say "oh, I had a friend who did that for a year when he graduated", meaning that his friend now has a 'proper' job.

From the locals and your peers, some of them don't know the difference between English language teaching in the ESL industry and teaching in general education, so they will consider you to be at the same status level as teachers in whatever country you are currently teaching in.

I find myself acutely aware of people's perceptions of my job, and even have colleagues who give themselves creative job titles to avoid saying English teacher. I just use the name of the company I work for, whilst trying to avoid my job title, as it holds more status.

[Mike_2007]

In Turkey the standard question was 'What's your real job?' They assumd that I had to have another career which I'd given up to temporarily become a teacher.

In Romania it's all about the company. If you can say you work for a particularly company (IH, the BC, etc.) or a known school you'll be respected to some extent. As a freelancer you aren't particularly respected because being self-employed is something that people who can't get employed by companies do (in their minds). The fact that as a freelancer you can earn much more doing a lot less than in one of the sweatshop schools completely passes them by. It is very important here to say 'I work for XYZ plc'.

Best,
Mike

[Marcoregano]

When I taught in Korea, working as a teacher in a public school seemed to be quite well respected - more so than in the UK in fact. But private school (hogwan) teachers weren't accorded the same level of respect, perhaps because there have been so many cases of foriegn teachers at hogwans getting into trouble with the authorities.

Here in HK nobody cares - there simply isn't the same social awareness given to people according to their line of work - or I haven't detected it.

[denise]

[SueH]

How important this is depends on you as well. How important is the regard of others for your own self-esteem?

if you are looking for a relationship and someone looks down on you based on a notional status I'm not sure I'd want to be with that person anyway.

Mind you, my business card does say 'English Language Services', but that's more to cover all the possibilities: translation, interpreting, anything you can name really!

[Jetgirly]

In Italy I was viewed as a golden vagina. But that was Italy, and I was young and female. I think the only females more desireable than English teachers were Miss Italia contestants. I imagine it would be different for a male teacher.

[JZer]

[Marcoregano]

[denise]

[JZer]

[Marcoregano]

[JZer]

[Marcoregano]

I'm fairly sure that if you look at the Korean forum you'll find quite a few threads about western guys dating Korean girls. I agree that many traditional locals, especially Korean men (of course), don't like it, but it still goes on. But in any case, I wasn't referring just to Korea but Asia generally.

[denise]

Desirable merchandise, sure... even a ticket out of the country in some cases. But is that the same as being generally respected by the locals? And I should add that I was thinking only of Japan, and of male teachers at the private eikaiwas whose lady friends had to explain to their families that their boyfriends were (only?) English teachers.

d