Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Adam J]

I'm considering starting an M.A. while searching for a job at an International School. I want to do the Creative Writing emphasis program. The TESOL program seems like an obvious choice, but would require me to quit my full-time teaching job and become a poor college student again. The three other programs offer classes at night.

This is my second year teaching high school in the U.S. I have a teaching credential in addition to the B.A. I want to get a job at an International School, hopefully Korea, Taiwan, or Japan.

This is a follow-up to an earlier thread:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=19367&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[OiGirl]

Many students in MA TESOL programs also work for pay in the university's IEP. (Intensive English Program.) I have also known MA TESOL students to have a TAship that involved their teaching credit ESL courses for tuition reimbursement.

[JaphieR]

[rapier]

I'm wondering about the same issue..I love literature and would be quite happy doing an MA with that, but it seems that outside of Korea, the better esl jobs require an M.A in Tesol/linguistics.

[Zark]

My quess would be that an MATESOL would increase your marketability to the international schools as a good proportion of their student base would not have English as their first language.

[Adam J]

OK, here is an interesting footnote. I've been e-mailing one of the directors for a prominent International School recruiter (don't want to use his/her name since I didn't ask permission first). Here is the reply:

"A Master's in TESOL is helpful - but there are more
opportunities abroad in advance English instruction. I believe that
any of the programs you mention would be helpful - a MEd is also very
helpful. Check the content and see if the latter deals mainly with
curriculum and instruction. If yes, that would be a good course of
study to pursue."

[Adam J]

I'm bumping this up - hoping for some more votes or written feedback.

I talked to the head of my department at school, and he recommended the Pedagogy emphasis program. Nobody's voted for that here. Go figure.

[waterbaby]

You want to do the creative writing course, so do that!!! Follow your heart

[VanIslander]

If you're interested in quality, enter the university program with the highest standards of entrance. It's a good indicator of its reputation. As would be considering its years of operation and the success of its PRESENT faculty and past students. The professor-to-student ratio can be insightful as well as whether teaching assistants substitute for the profs you pay good money to work with.

Of course, I turned all that down to enter the Master's program I wanted the most. Follow your heart and you'll never really regret it.

[Scott in HK]

I think the M'Ed is a good choice as well...at least in the one I am doing you can tailor the course to fit your needs...take some units in TESOL...and others in Literacy...Curriculum development...units that you think might help you in your career...or you can specialize...I chose to do a Language and Literacy stream as that is what I am most interested in...getting students to read well.....

[rapier]

I'm interested in doing an M.A in English literateure, TESOL/Applied linguistics, Environmental management/ ecology, or possibly a B.Ed.
How do I choose????

Also, whats "Pedagogy". It sounds like anyone who studies that should get the death penalty. Or is it all about feet and walking?

[Adam J]

rapier --

Pedagogy is the study of teaching and learning, or teaching teachers how to teach. Where I am the consensus is, Pedagogy is for people heading into a doctorate program in English (although a M.A. from a state university is not considered to be prestigous at all when applying to PhD programs). Creative writing is for flakes, wannabe artists, and egomaniacs. Literature is for people who want to teach a class or two at the community college level, or who want to broaden their knowledge of books and authors. TESOL sounds great but I don't see myself quitting my job over it.

Scott in HK --

Good tip. I actually just started looking into this. People who have been teaching for a long time at my school recommended the Masters in Education because it can prepare me for going into administration later on, and develop my "professionalism" now. At the college I am considering, this degree is actually the most convenient (and possibly the "easiest" academically) because all the classes are at night with multiple sections/options, some of the semester-long classes are really only eight or so weeks long, and I already have some units that would count toward this M.A.

I'm also looking into a distance/online M.A. in TESOL. I'm a bit hesitant, however; some people I've contacted say an online or distance degree may not be accredited, and that overseas universities prefer Americans to have degrees from American schools.

Thanks for the feedback. Keep it coming.

[OiGirl]

[em]

The votes for Pedagogy are pretty low, but I really think that's your best choice. You can translate that into so many things. And educational institutions are more interested in you as an educator than as a specialist in any given area (well, apart from universities).

A Lit MA is basically useless (I'm speaking from experience) as is Creative Writing. I'm guessing that an MA in TESOL could pigeon hole you too much.

[Adam J]

I've done a little digging around offline and several people whose opinion I respect suggested that I get an M.A. in Education. The M.A. in Education program fits into my current work schedule (lots of options with night classes) and offers me some control over what to emphasize in the coursework. It is likely I will be teaching, one way or another, for the majority of my working life, so this doesn't seem like a bad investment of time or money.

Is there any way to edit the questions in the poll or should I start a new one?