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HelloFromSeoul
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 8
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 Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:30 am Post subject: University Jobs? |
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Hello, I am looking for some information and/or advice. I am an English teacher working at a public school in South Korea. I am considering renewing my contract for a second year and also considering looking for work elsewhere. Money is NOT the most important factor to me. I am looking to find a job at which I can experience culture, teach well, and live comfortably (which for me, entails having a pleasant job experience and clean living space).
I love my young students, but I�d really like to teach adults--ideally at a university. I don�t think it�s possible (or at least very likely) that I could get a job at a university in Korea, so I am wondering if there are any options for me and if so where. My first preference would be to stay in Asia. Do you think with my credentials (see below) it would be possible to teach at an Asian University? Southeast Asia, maybe? What are my options? Any direction or advice will be appreciated.
Has anyone applied or been awarded a Fulbright Grant? Sometimes they offer university grants in Southeast Asia.
I am an American female, 26-years-old. I have a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.A. in Philosophy from a good state University. I have a TEFL/TESOL certificate from an online TEFL course and (will) have one year teaching experience in a Korean public primary school. (In the past, I have volunteerd in American public primary schools and worked for a law firm. I don�t think that is relevant.)
Thanks for your help. (Sorry for the length and the selfishness of this post.) |
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Perilla
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Posts: 792
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:08 am Post subject: |
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| As you have an MA I reckon you'd be in with a chance of a university job in Korea, though with your limited experience to date not at one of the best ones. As for other Asian countries I can only speak for HK, and certainly you'd have no chance of a uni post here. Thailand perhaps? |
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HelloFromSeoul
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:00 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the information, Perilla. I was considering Thailand or Vietnam as a possibility. I know next to nothing about TEFL jobs in those countries. Hoping someone here can fill me in.
Anyway, since Hong Kong was mentioned, do you think I would have a chance getting a job in Hong Kong at the primary level? (I realize it's difficult to say, but do I at least qualify?) Perhaps the best thing for me to do is stay in primary a few more years until I get more experience. I'll likely stay in Korea if I decide to continue teaching children, but I would give HK, Japan, and Taiwan a consideration. I have heard really good things about HK and Japan, but I didn't think I would have a chance as these seem to be extremely competitive locations even at the primary level.
Honestly, I know very little about TEFL jobs outside of Korean public elementary schools. I'm trying to gather information.
Last edited by HelloFromSeoul on Fri Jul 06, 2012 4:50 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Four
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:05 am Post subject: |
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You have no primary teaching qualifications and no recognised EFL qualifications.  |
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HelloFromSeoul
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:24 am Post subject: |
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| Four wrote: |
| You have no primary teaching qualifications and no recognised EFL qualifications. |
Yes, that's correct. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:43 am Post subject: |
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| HelloFromSeoul wrote: |
| I have heard really good things about HK and Japan, but I didn't think I would have a chance as these seem to be extremely competitive locations even at the primary level. |
Which is it you want, uni work or kiddie work?
Read the FAQ stickies on the Japan forum for a lot of background info, especially about uni jobs. Frankly, you are hardly even minimally qualified. I suppose you have no publications, which would essentially be a killer in Japan unis. Your degree alone is not inviting for English teaching. And, your only teaching experience is in primary school. Look at the JRECIN site to see what I mean about qualifications.
As for competitiveness, yes, ALL jobs in Japan are highly competitive. But if you don't apply, your chances are precisely zero. |
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HelloFromSeoul
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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Oh. Okay. Thanks guys. I thought it would be possible to get work in Thailand or Vietnam, but I guess not. Thanks for filling me in.
Also, I didn't realize that Korea was the only place I could teach at an elementary school with merely a Masters. I thought some people were getting jobs with B.A.s, but I must have been mistaken. Thanks for your help.
I guess I will stay where I am. You are making me realize how lucky I am to have my job.
Last edited by HelloFromSeoul on Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:09 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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HelloFromSeoul
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Four wrote: |
| The problem is your masters is in philosophy not applied linguistics or elementary education. Your crappy cert is worthless. If you had the CELTA at least.... |
Yep! I am not sure which is more useless in life, the TEFL certificate or the M.A. in philosophy. 
Oh and since it was brought up, I do have one (joint) publication in a journal. I didn't think of that. I doubt it will help much... I wasn't considering a job in a Japanese university anyway. I would have assumed you'd need to be a proper professor with a Ph.D. or the equivalent for that.
What is the best thing I can do to work on improving myself for the TEFL market? Should I go back to school? I would have thought Philosophy would have been more inviting than some degrees since it is pretty much entirely, reading, writing, and communicating clearly. At this point, would it be better to get a degree in Education or build teaching experience here in Korea? |
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spanglish
Joined: 21 May 2009
Posts: 742
Location: working on that
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Maybe you should decide what you want to do - ESL or philosophy. It sounds like you want to teach and you want to do it at the university level while having a comfy lifestyle. Do you have the talent and patience to go back to school and get your PhD in philosophy? Perhaps you could consider foreign schools for the phd. My former undergrad prof is currently a philosophy professor at a private university in your current country of residence. I think he's pretty happy...maybe that's the direction you could go. |
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HelloFromSeoul
Joined: 25 Jun 2012
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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| spanglish wrote: |
| Maybe you should decide what you want to do - ESL or philosophy. It sounds like you want to teach and you want to do it at the university level while having a comfy lifestyle. Do you have the talent and patience to go back to school and get your PhD in philosophy? Perhaps you could consider foreign schools for the phd. My former undergrad prof is currently a philosophy professor at a private university in your current country of residence. I think he's pretty happy...maybe that's the direction you could go. |
Thank you. I never even knew this was an option. I just want to live in Asia. Philosophy is my true passion. I actually really enjoy teaching children English, but as a graduate student I taught undergrads Philosophy and I liked this a bit more. I will investigate this option more. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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| HelloFromSeoul wrote: |
| Also, I didn't realize that Korea was the only place I could teach at an elementary school with merely a Masters. I thought some people were getting jobs with B.A.s, but I must have been mistaken. |
Can't speak for anywhere else, but a BA degree will let you teach in elementary schools in Japan. Usually, that means an ALT job in a public school.
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| Oh and since it was brought up, I do have one (joint) publication in a journal. I didn't think of that. I doubt it will help much... I wasn't considering a job in a Japanese university anyway. |
Maybe I misunderstood when you wrote this earlier.
Do you think with my credentials (see below) it would be possible to teach at an Asian University? Southeast Asia, maybe? What are my options? Any direction or advice will be appreciated.
| Quote: |
| I would have assumed you'd need to be a proper professor with a Ph.D. or the equivalent for that. |
You still have not read those FAQs...? |
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Four
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| HelloFromSeoul wrote: |
| Four wrote: |
| The problem is your masters is in philosophy not applied linguistics or elementary education. Your crappy cert is worthless. If you had the CELTA at least.... |
Yep! I am not sure which is more useless in life, the TEFL certificate or the M.A. in philosophy.
Defo the TEFL CERT, IF IT WERE A CELTA THEN YOUR MA
Oh and since it was brought up, I do have one (joint) publication in a journal. I didn't think of that. I doubt it will help much... I wasn't considering a job in a Japanese university anyway. I would have assumed you'd need to be a proper professor with a Ph.D. or the equivalent for that.
What is the best thing I ould have been more inviting than some degrees since it is pretty much entirely, reading, writing, and communicating clearly. At this point, would it be better to get a degree in Education or build teaching experience here in Korea? |
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fladude
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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An MA in philosophy absolutely will help you get jobs at international schools. People who say otherwise don't work at one. They probably work for 10 bucks an hour at a language academy or Chinese Uni. It should also qualify you for a higher pay grade if you are teaching at the secondary level whether you teach English or Social Studies (and yes I do work at one).
That said... a relevant teaching certificate is the key to getting that job in the first place. I would look seriously at becoming certified to teach. That won't get you a uni job which requires a masters in the subject area but it will get you a job at an international school. |
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Four
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 30
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| International schools want real teachers not philosophers with online teflmcerts. |
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fladude
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Four wrote: |
| International schools want real teachers not philosophers with online teflmcerts. |
That is true if you teach elementary school or ECE. Quality high schools value content area degrees over generic EDU degrees, especially if there is no corresponding content area degree. Someone with an MA in philosophy has a level of education far above the average job applicant. And even though the degree itself is not in either English or Social Studies it does require a very high level of analytical reasoning and an ability to write and defend a thesis (which is especially important in an IB school). Most schools will see a great deal of value in hiring an applicant with an MA in philosophy over someone without a content area degree.
As for becoming a "real" teacher, alternative certification is the way to go. You will have to check with your home state or nation for information on how to do that though. That way you can become a "real teacher" without having to go back for what I consider to be a largely useless EDU degree (such a degree is not needed for teacher certification in most areas, but a content area degree often is).
CELTA and TEFL are both equally meaningless to high schools unless you just want a job as a teaching aid. |
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