Job Discussion Forums

[bule_boy69]

I'm curious to hear the experience of you folks who have made the shift from ESL language schools to working in a mainstream school. I'm guessing you did so for the cash, but how was it?

Is it a case of never looked back....or have there been a few regrets?

When is the main hiring season? Must be nearly upon us I imagine, but I haven't seen much in the way of Ads.

Thanks

[Fishy]

Working in a language mill as and ESL teacher and working as a teacher in a school are two very different jobs. It isn't a natural progression to get good at working in EF or TBI or any other language course and then have what it takes to be a real teacher in a primary or secondary school.

I started off working as an ESL teacher in a language mill but I left to become a teacher, not for the cash, but because I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Teaching is not just about teaching your subject, it is about much more than that. As a teacher you are responsible for teaching young people how to learn. You have are responsible for being a positive impact on the lives of young people, inspiring them and helping them to meet their potential. You are responsible for making sure that every single person in a class of around 30 students progresses every time you teach them. You are responsible for providing opportunities for a lot of young people to develop their character so they grow up to be good people.

In terms of the actual subject matter, teaching in a nat plus school or international school is very different to a language mill. In a language course, things only get really technical at IELTS and TOEFL but for the most part its providing a fun environment for students to practise their speaking with a bit of grammar clarification thrown in. There is pretty much no pressure on you.

In a high school you have to teach students to read and write. You need to constantly read yourself, and very importantly you need to teach students to write. A lot of high schools now follow Cambridge IGCSE or IB and these course require students to learn to write essays and letters etc.

As such you have to do a lot of assessment to help learning and understand your students.

I think my descriptions above may only scratch the surface but should give you an idea of the difference between being a native speaker who teaches at an ESL course and a qualified School Teacher. These are two different professions. Before moving into working in schools, I went home to the UK to take my PGCE first. I could never have been anywhere good at my job if I hadn't. If you want to become a teacher you need to be prepared to do a lot of learning. Really you should go to your home country and get qualified. If not then you need to do a lot of reading and studying and ensure that in your first job you have an experienced teacher to guide you.

I don't know any teachers who do it just for the money. There are many better paid jobs out there if you are interested in being well paid for the hours you do.

[rayman]

A good response Fishy. From what I know, bule_boy69 is well qualified and capable of working in the national plus/international school scene. It's definately a change of 'mode' from being an ESL teacher. But also very worthwhile and NOT as difficult as working as a school teacher in the West.

In my humble opinion, as an international school teacher you have all the rewards;

* high job satisfaction
* helping others
* high appreciation and respect from students and parents
* high salary: cost of living ratio
* low level school bureaucracy
* 3 months holiday/year
* A teacher assistant

Without all the negatives attributed to a teacher in the West;

* student misbehaviour
* lack of respect from students and parents
* highly bureaucratic education system
* low salary: cost of living ratio
* No teacher assistant

[malu]

Rayman and Fishy both sum up the pros and cons nicely. There are advantages in working for a mill - you tend to be teaching while the rain is coming down outside while as a schoolteacher I find it generally starts just as I'm going home.

I wouldn't consider teaching back in my home country, the UK, because the paperwork and bureaucracy is simply out of control. I have also become accustomed to the better behaviour of students (and most parents) in Indonesia.

[jhemmila]

I worked for a few years in different language schools before moving to a Nat. Plus school. The pay is a LOT better, yes, but there's a lot of other perks;

great holidays;
more professional environment;
better hours (7-4 rather than 1-9);
No Saturdays; contract renewal bonuses;
teaching a real subject that follows an international curriculum (IGCSE);
not playing UNO and solving the Mystery of Petey the parrot.

Cons: I'm stuck with these brats for a whole year, not just a course, and SMP/SMA kids - no easy High Flyers;
I'm considered an "expat local hire", so they justify not paying housing , or flight money;
The lack of respect from these kids can get you down - the school i'm at has the worst-behaved kids I've ever seen.
Since it's not an International school, all the kids (except expats) have to take the UANs, and after that there's a month of zero effort from them, because why bother?


All in all, it's a good job, and I'm lucky to have gotten the opportunity. Just get your CV out there, and it really helps if your Degree is in something worthwhile. (English, Business, Maths, etc.)

[eddie honda]

whilst some are excellent places to work, other nat +/international schools are hideous operations that would try the patience of buddha himself. far worse than any language school...

as a generalisation, if u are to be the 'token whitey' at a school, then be very careful before signing on the dotted line....