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pangaea
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
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 Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:35 am Post subject: Anyone gone on to teaching at home after Korea? |
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| I'm considering getting teacher certification after I go home this year. Looks like it would only take a year and I would just have to do 15 weeks of student teaching. Just wondering if anyone else decided to pursue teaching at home after teaching in Korea and how you felt about it. I'm just concerned that I'll spend the money on the program, then find that teaching in the US involves too much pressure, frustration, red tape, etc. Any opinions would be welcome. |
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crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:11 am Post subject: |
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I'm here by choice after teaching in Canada-i believe quite a few fit the bill.
don't let that discourage you-get the certification, and give it a shot-if nothing else you know whether it's for you or not, and you have the certification in your pocket. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:13 am Post subject: |
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| If I was to move back to Canada in the next decade, I'd probably end up teaching. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:05 am Post subject: |
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| Captain Corea wrote: |
| If I was to move back to Canada in the next decade, I'd probably end up teaching. |
hopefully before doing that, you'd learn that this is one of the few times the subjunctive tense is used (and changes the conjugation of the verb in the English language)
ergo
If I were...
(just f'ing with you, don't take it personally, but I"m right)
I have a fascination with this particular example because it's the only one I can find in English that approximates the horror story of the subjunctive tense in Spanish. Imagine having to differentiate and change conjugations merely based on the subjunctive in the present,past and future.
English grammar is actually amazingly SIMPLE, the only difficult part is to memorize all the irregular conjugations of the past tense.
p.s. btw I plan on getting certified down the road....it's going to be a major part of my career change. |
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teachteach
Joined: 26 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:29 am Post subject: |
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| Did it an an esl school on Vancouver. 15 dollars a day, no overtime, no office time. Just 5 hours a day. Barely covers living expenses. |
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egrog1717
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| I plan on coming over for a year starting in August so that I can afford to go to teacher's college in Canada the year after that... and then probably come back because jobs are scarse in Ontario at the moment... |
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Hank the Iconoclast
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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| I will get certified in America after I get my MA. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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| I was certified before I came here and I re-upped my certificate, so yes, I will be going back to teaching. However, I'm general ed certified and I'm going to get my ESL certificate when I go back. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| egrog1717 wrote: |
| I plan on coming over for a year starting in August so that I can afford to go to teacher's college in Canada the year after that... and then probably come back because jobs are scarse in Ontario at the moment... |
I read a newsletter from the Ontario College of Teachers. Roughly 41% of graduates with a B.Ed land a teaching job right out of university. For areas around the GTA it is around 50%. For smaller areas like Niagara it is more like 20-30%.
Yes, those are some scary figures, as you roughly have a 60% chance NOT to get a job your first year out of school.
I think it is worth a shot at any rate. ESL teaching in Korea doesn't pay as well in the long term. I've been teaching in Korea for 10 years. I can teach a lesson a hell of a lot easier than some noobie, as well I understand the culture here and the types of students. YET, I am not compensated for that expertise. If I had 10 years seniority on a new teacher in an Ontario school, I'd be making 10-20,000 a year more than them. Here I am lucky if I can score 300,000 more a month, which is at best under 4mil a year more. Veterans should be getting over 4mil a month here, but those hiring do not care about quality, but rather just having a white face to satisfy some requirement other than the student's learning English in the best possible way.
As well, the reason SO many people want to teach in Ontario is the pension is one of the best in Canada. Retiring and getting back 80% of your salary is amazing. |
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Cognorati
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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I'm certified, and from the US.
My advice to you would be that if teaching is not a vocation for you, to bow out of the profession.
If you do believe that it is your vocation, that you have a gift for it, then be very selective of the subject matter you teach, and in what state and district you would like to work: stay away from core curriculums (like Math and Language Arts). Research the demographics of institutions and get a feel for administrators. You may want to try independant or private schools -- but those usually require a Master's or experience.
There are also ways of getting alternative certification, called Teaching Fellowship, which usually require summer internships and you will be immediately hired as you get your certs. Oakland, California, Miami, Texas, and New York have such programs. So does an organization called Teach for America.
If you should choose to become an educator, you will realize, without a doubt, that what you were doing in Korea was not teaching. The is a standard of professionalism, development, and ethics that is COMPLETELY non-existent here, even at the worst schools in America. There is the support and protection of the Union, and state and national law that must be respected. You will have colleagues you can respect, and with the right subject area or school, your class sizes and behavioral issues may be eradicated. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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| bogey666 wrote: |
| Captain Corea wrote: |
| If I was to move back to Canada in the next decade, I'd probably end up teaching. |
hopefully before doing that, you'd learn that this is one of the few times the subjunctive tense is used (and changes the conjugation of the verb in the English language)
ergo
If I were...
(just f'ing with you, don't take it personally, but I"m right). |
Aye, you're right. And if I was to teach, it would not be English. 
| teachteach wrote: |
| Did it an an esl school on Vancouver. 15 dollars a day, no overtime, no office time. Just 5 hours a day. Barely covers living expenses. |
Either you just made a typing mistake, or someone was breaking the law. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:42 am Post subject: |
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| Cognorati wrote: |
I'm certified, and from the US.
My advice to you would be that if teaching is not a vocation for you, to bow out of the profession.
If you do believe that it is your vocation, that you have a gift for it, then be very selective of the subject matter you teach, and in what state and district you would like to work: stay away from core curriculums (like Math and Language Arts). Research the demographics of institutions and get a feel for administrators. You may want to try independant or private schools -- but those usually require a Master's or experience.
There are also ways of getting alternative certification, called Teaching Fellowship, which usually require summer internships and you will be immediately hired as you get your certs. Oakland, California, Miami, Texas, and New York have such programs. So does an organization called Teach for America.
If you should choose to become an educator, you will realize, without a doubt, that what you were doing in Korea was not teaching. The is a standard of professionalism, development, and ethics that is COMPLETELY non-existent here, even at the worst schools in America. There is the support and protection of the Union, and state and national law that must be respected. You will have colleagues you can respect, and with the right subject area or school, your class sizes and behavioral issues may be eradicated. |
I'd take issue with not wanting to teach a core curriculum like Math or Science. That's where the biggest demand is. (because people with bachelor's much lesss advances degrees in those subjects can make 5x the money or more in the private sector)
The schools are full of "English" or "Social Studies" teachers who can't pass a basic math test to save their lives.. It's beyond embarrassing.
I'd also object to being forced to be in a union. Just as it should be a right for people to unionize, shouldn't I have a right not to be?
then of course there's the political correctness and "Little Johnny could never do wrong" attitude prevalent in the US school system.
or getting shot/beaten up by punk in some urban school. (I'd be happy to beat the crap out of some of these punks mano a mano, but who'd get arrested if I defended myself?) ME.
so should I teach, I'll teach in international schools, THANK YOU. |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:43 am Post subject: |
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| Cognorati wrote: |
I'm certified, and from the US.
My advice to you would be that if teaching is not a vocation for you, to bow out of the profession.
If you do believe that it is your vocation, that you have a gift for it, then be very selective of the subject matter you teach, and in what state and district you would like to work: stay away from core curriculums (like Math and Language Arts). Research the demographics of institutions and get a feel for administrators. You may want to try independant or private schools -- but those usually require a Master's or experience.
There are also ways of getting alternative certification, called Teaching Fellowship, which usually require summer internships and you will be immediately hired as you get your certs. Oakland, California, Miami, Texas, and New York have such programs. So does an organization called Teach for America.
If you should choose to become an educator, you will realize, without a doubt, that what you were doing in Korea was not teaching. The is a standard of professionalism, development, and ethics that is COMPLETELY non-existent here, even at the worst schools in America. There is the support and protection of the Union, and state and national law that must be respected. You will have colleagues you can respect, and with the right subject area or school, your class sizes and behavioral issues may be eradicated. |
I'd take issue with not wanting to teach a core curriculum like Math or Science. That's where the biggest demand is. (because people with bachelor's much less advanced degrees in those subjects can make 5x the money or more in the private sector)
The schools are full of "English" or "Social Studies" teachers who can't pass a basic math test to save their lives.. It's beyond embarrassing.
I'd also object to being forced to be in a union. Just as it should be a right for people to unionize, shouldn't I have a right not to be?
then of course there's the political correctness and "Little Johnny could never do wrong" attitude prevalent in the US school system.
or getting shot/beaten up by punk in some urban school. (I'd be happy to beat the crap out of some of these punks mano a mano, but who'd get arrested if I defended myself?) ME.
so should I teach, I'll teach in international schools, THANK YOU. |
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crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
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| Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:40 am Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
| egrog1717 wrote: |
| I plan on coming over for a year starting in August so that I can afford to go to teacher's college in Canada the year after that... and then probably come back because jobs are scarse in Ontario at the moment... |
I read a newsletter from the Ontario College of Teachers. Roughly 41% of graduates with a B.Ed land a teaching job right out of university. For areas around the GTA it is around 50%. For smaller areas like Niagara it is more like 20-30%.
Yes, those are some scary figures, as you roughly have a 60% chance NOT to get a job your first year out of school.
I think it is worth a shot at any rate. ESL teaching in Korea doesn't pay as well in the long term. I've been teaching in Korea for 10 years. I can teach a lesson a hell of a lot easier than some noobie, as well I understand the culture here and the types of students. YET, I am not compensated for that expertise. If I had 10 years seniority on a new teacher in an Ontario school, I'd be making 10-20,000 a year more than them.
As well, the reason SO many people want to teach in Ontario is the pension is one of the best in Canada. Retiring and getting back 80% of your salary is amazing. |
Speaking of the culture, I taught one of my midschooler classes yesterday usning the Ev boyz 'Kickin' it in Gumcheon' deal. It's extra-curricular, and most of the time my coteacher isn't there, but I don't mind because she has 3 of 4-she's hot, she's sweet, she's competent, and unfortunately she's married. Anyway, we
re going on the video and coteacher is there, so I pause it where one of the dudes is mugging for the camera wearing an adjumma vampire mask.
"Students, what do we do with these?"
"Teacher, we put them on the ground and jump on them. Kickin' it in Gumcheon!!!"
Mr. Pink, I've got good and bad news for you
Eventually, the deadwood boomer teachers who are still there will retire, or die.
Bad news: The teaching profession will reflect the aging and shrinking population-there is no way that if you were to get a permanent job you would be getting 80% of your salary, because there would be far less people paying into the pension. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:18 am Post subject: |
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| Cognorati wrote: |
| If you do believe that it is your vocation, that you have a gift for it, then be very selective of the subject matter you teach, and in what state and district you would like to work: stay away from core curriculums (like Math and Language Arts). Research the demographics of institutions and get a feel for administrators. You may want to try independant or private schools -- but those usually require a Master's or experience. |
And on the flip side, if you want to teach math, GO FOR IT. It's a NEED AREA in MANY states. Plus, in my state, if you want to teach at the high school level, you usually need a certificate in a specific subject.
Also, the bit about "demographics..." One of the great things about teaching is that you can move around fairly easily.
| Quote: |
| There is the support and protection of the Union, and state and national law that must be respected. You will have colleagues you can respect, and with the right subject area or school, your class sizes and behavioral issues may be eradicated. |
Not where I taught. I did NOT teach in a union state, the union couldn't do much at all. No behavioral issues? Ha! |
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