Job Discussion Forums

[Maheen]

Hello everyone,

I am a British born Pakistani descent. I have a BSc in Archaeological Sciences and History, MSc in Social Archaeology and South Asian History and I am now doing my MPhil in Ancient Ideology and Economy: Indus Valley Civilization. I intend to do a PGCE (further education) in history after I have completed my degree . I am teaching african children english here in the UK and will have around 2-3 years experience once I have finished my education. I also intend to do a 120 hour TEFL course with TEFL-england and CertTrinity/CELTA course next year.

Will this be sufficient enough to teach in the Middle east? I am paticularly interested in teaching in the Middle East. I want to work for few year to pay my student loans and save some money so I can eventually come back to England and do a PhD.

By the time I have finished my Mphil and PGCE (with TEFL CertTrin) I will have around 2 years experience but also will be in my late 20s and married.

My questions are:

Will these qualifications be sufficient? Or should I just do a PhD and then try my luck in the ME?
Will my age and gender (female) cause a hinderance?
Will me being married cause rejection?

Thanks Maheen

Posts: 1
Joined: 29 Nov 2010 2:16
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[desertdawg]

I think no problem with being married, age and gender. Have you considered what your husband would do?

With a PGCE an international school might be your best bet. I don't know much about teaching children in ME. English foundation programmes at the higher education institutions would certainly be interested. Although not sure your MAs would be recognised when TEFL.

Other posters seem to say when teaching content in higher education you do need a doctorate. Not sure what it would be like teaching history to children. I would think you would be well regarded with your intended qualifications.

My initial advice would be to delay your doctorate til you find your niche in the ME. Either a school or HE. The realities of HE can wear you down. Perhaps teaching history at school would be better.

Hope that is of some use. Sorry not to offer specifics. Good luck.

[Maheen]

Hi Desertdawg, thanks a lot for your message. I will look into an international school. My husband-to-be has 5 years experience in teaching University students english and business and has also owned a education centre, but he has been offered a job to work in Research and development in UAE economics department. But I will look at the schools and also wait for someone who has worked in the UAE to give advice too. Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it.

[desertdawg]

Dear Maheen, all sounds good. As a teaching married couple you have a lot of bargaining power and are very attractive to prospective employers. If one of you secures a job with good benefits (perhaps as your future husband has done already) ie flights, education allowance for children and accommodation, it would allow the other to find a more fulfilling job with a good salary but perhaps fewer benefits.

I think employers in the ME unlike Europe are looking for a much more professional, stable employee. So as I said, your age, gender and marital status wouldn't be a problem, indeed now you have expanded, they are a distinct advantage.

I have found the ME generally a good place to work (started 2001). Financially very rewarding and if you are lucky, it can be professionally too. I have had in some ways too many jobs here. But it means that unlike England you aren't tied long term to one position. So if you don't like a job move on.

[Maheen]

I just hope my qualifications are sufficient i.e. no MA TESOL

[scot47]

Archaelogy ? And now you want to teach English ?

[Bebsi]

[scot47]

I am a qualified English teacher. Can I go and work as an archaeologist ? Mazybe I should try being a train driver. Or the Ringmaster in a circus ?

[johnslat]

Dear scot47,

"I am a qualified English teacher. . . . . Or the Ringmaster in a circus."

And the difference between these two is . . .???? (Well, besides the fact that the Ringmaster is paid more.)

Regards,
John

[veiledsentiments]

You already are a ringmaster in a circus!

VS

(I see John and I had the same thought at the same time. Great minds...)

[scot47]

Where I am it is lion-tamers they need ! Well.......... mice-tamers. Experience in cat-herding could also be useful. See one of my other posts about the Turkish painting of the guy training tortoises. What was the artist's name ?

[Maheen]

Scot, sure you could, for the first few weeks I could teach you the ins and outs of using a Trowel, then I can get you onto some soil sorting, followed by cataloguing artefacts. After a year you can get your hands dirty (literally) and start digging. After 4-5 years I can surely see you as a junior archaeologist. Wanna come on board? Oh by the way, you won't be paid.

Now back to the serious stuff. I have decided to do a MA in TESOL before my PhD and also have found myself a job teaching asylum seekers and their children English. I've also enrolled myself on to a TEFL and a CELTA course respectively for march 2011. I start my MA in September.

[veiledsentiments]

My goodness woman... no one can say that you are lazy!!

I suspect that the "tefl course" and "CELTA" may be a duplication. Personally, I think the CELTA and the MA... added to the experience that you are getting will be sufficient.

VS
(Yes, archaeologists today are still paying for the fact that the field originally started as an activity/hobby of the idle rich...)

[Maheen]

Oh goodness I am not lazy when it comes to academia but anything else I'd rather sleep. I think you are correct with the TEFL and CELTA being duplication but I thought may be the first would give me an insight to the latter.

If for any reason I couldn't leave UK what could I do with a MA in TESOL in the UK?

Archaeologists are paying a heavey price I specialise in South Asian Archaeology- I don't regret it, I love it in fact but jobs are just not there. Egyptology or British isle arch is quite popular.