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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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 Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd say keep trying. Try w a y g o o k dot o r g also. There are recruiters on here and on that site too. But, I have seen specific schools advertising for people. I mean a public middle, high, or elementary school. Stress you like kids, have lots of energy, ect. You can also download powerpoints to use in your classes from that site once you get here. China is an option too. If I didn't have any experience now, I'd prob try to get a classroom TESOL, but I know those cost money. When I first came over a few years ago, I didn't have much cash and a small credit card near it's limit. |
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cheezsteakwit
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: There & back again.
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| Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:02 pm Post subject: Any hope for a 47 year old white male? |
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| Pablo wrote: |
| austrian123 wrote: |
| At your age why would you want to teach english in korea? |
Perhaps because with age he has acquired enough world wisdom, not to mention courtesy, not to make a comment like yours? |
OP,
Contact Alistair @ Korean Horizons. He was very helpful in getting me hired for a PS high school job 6 months ago. I'm 40 , about to be 41 in 2 weeks. He recruits for public school jobs in a few different provinces throughout Korea.
I didn't have a TESOL cert at the time of my hiring. I just had to agree to get one within the year & DID complete an on-line course a month ago.
China might be a good option B , but the free / reimbursed airfare & housing in Korea makes for a 'softer landing'.
Good luck & keep at it, despite the naysayers.
You read this forum long enough & you'll realize whose opinions don't really matter. |
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iggyb
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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For info on public schools waygook(dot)org is the place to ask. A lot of public school teachers go there to use the fuction where they can upload activities they have created for specific textbooks and units their school (and others) use. Or they download a lot of material others have created - making their own lesson planning a breeze.
So, if there are older public school teachers about on the internet, they'll likely find that site and read the forum. |
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austrian123
Joined: 15 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:05 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
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At your age why would you want to teach english in korea?
Ok, that was the huge, disgusting, ugly 800lb gorilla in the room, but I didn't want to say it lol.
after working 20 years for the government, sometimes a change is in order. |
Your problem is not your age, it's your lack of experience/qualifications. If you want a change in career do it properly and fork out a bit of cash (which you should have by now) to get qualified enough so you don't have to demean yourself by applying for entry level jobs along with all the 23 year year old newbies. |
what are you talking about? esl teachers do not need experience or qualifications to teach esl. That is why it is such a joke of a profession. |
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Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 3:11 am Post subject: |
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| austrian123 wrote: |
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
At your age why would you want to teach english in korea?
Ok, that was the huge, disgusting, ugly 800lb gorilla in the room, but I didn't want to say it lol.
after working 20 years for the government, sometimes a change is in order. |
Your problem is not your age, it's your lack of experience/qualifications. If you want a change in career do it properly and fork out a bit of cash (which you should have by now) to get qualified enough so you don't have to demean yourself by applying for entry level jobs along with all the 23 year year old newbies. |
what are you talking about? esl teachers do not need experience or qualifications to teach esl. That is why it is such a joke of a profession. |
yep. |
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mike in brasil
Joined: 09 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:13 am Post subject: |
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Your problem is not your age or color. Experience.... not really either.
You're just up against all the women applying for the same jobs.
What I doubt you are ready for are all the hellish kids you'd be up against.
Believe me, look for a job where you can teach adults. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:17 am Post subject: |
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It's not so much experience teaching that they look for.
(although they may say they the opposite in their ads)
It has more to do with experience living in Korea, or elsewhere.
They don't want another Korea whiner on their hands.
But youth and looks seem to trump experience 9 times out of 10.
It really depends on the school/hagwon etc.
For a better shot, try applying to places way out in the middle of nowhere.
They are more likely to hire an older person out in the sticks. |
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iggyb
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:30 am Post subject: |
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what are you talking about? esl teachers do not need experience or qualifications to teach esl. That is why it is such a joke of a profession.
yep. |
In Korea and China. Not so in some other countries. And not so for better teaching (and paying) jobs in all of them. |
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pattyb
Joined: 29 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:56 am Post subject: Re: Any hope for a 47 year old white male? |
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| cheezsteakwit wrote: |
| Pablo wrote: |
| austrian123 wrote: |
| At your age why would you want to teach english in korea? |
Perhaps because with age he has acquired enough world wisdom, not to mention courtesy, not to make a comment like yours? |
OP,
Contact Alistair @ Korean Horizons. He was very helpful in getting me hired for a PS high school job 6 months ago. I'm 40 , about to be 41 in 2 weeks. He recruits for public school jobs in a few different provinces throughout Korea.
I didn't have a TESOL cert at the time of my hiring. I just had to agree to get one within the year & DID complete an on-line course a month ago.
China might be a good option B , but the free / reimbursed airfare & housing in Korea makes for a 'softer landing'.
Good luck & keep at it, despite the naysayers.
You read this forum long enough & you'll realize whose opinions don't really matter. |
Funny you should mention him because he actually responded to me. I confirmed my interest and never heard back. I did notice later that it appears they (KH) are now requiring experience and/or certificate for employment. I appreciate your suggestion. Maybe I'll shoot him another email. |
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cheezsteakwit
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: There & back again.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:38 pm Post subject: Any hope for a 47 year old white male? |
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Wow, that stinks. I guess the Korean ESL market really IS tightening up requirements.
At my orientation class only 6 months ago, I honestly can't remember meeting another certified teacher.
I socialized with a lot of people there and the majority of them were total newbies, fresh off the plane , with NO prior ESL experience. There were at least 60 people in the orientation, enough to fill a small auditorium.
I also wasn't the ONLY person without a TESOL certificate. There were a number of people who started an on-line certificate course but hadn't finished. We had to promise that we'd have it completed by the end of the year.
Send Alistair another e-mail. Maybe start a cheap on-line cert. course & let him know you've started it, if you haven't already done so. I went thru ITTT, & it was about $200, if I remember correctly,
Good luck. |
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pattyb
Joined: 29 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:39 am Post subject: Re: Any hope for a 47 year old white male? |
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| cheezsteakwit wrote: |
Wow, that stinks. I guess the Korean ESL market really IS tightening up requirements.
At my orientation class only 6 months ago, I honestly can't remember meeting another certified teacher.
I socialized with a lot of people there and the majority of them were total newbies, fresh off the plane , with NO prior ESL experience. There were at least 60 people in the orientation, enough to fill a small auditorium.
I also wasn't the ONLY person without a TESOL certificate. There were a number of people who started an on-line certificate course but hadn't finished. We had to promise that we'd have it completed by the end of the year.
Send Alistair another e-mail. Maybe start a cheap on-line cert. course & let him know you've started it, if you haven't already done so. I went thru ITTT, & it was about $200, if I remember correctly,
Good luck. |
Thanks for the response and thoughts.  |
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fustiancorduroy
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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| austrian123 wrote: |
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
Your problem is not your age, it's your lack of experience/qualifications. If you want a change in career do it properly and fork out a bit of cash (which you should have by now) to get qualified enough so you don't have to demean yourself by applying for entry level jobs along with all the 23 year year old newbies. |
what are you talking about? esl teachers do not need experience or qualifications to teach esl. That is why it is such a joke of a profession. |
For the better, higher paying jobs you don't need experience? You can't be serious. Yes, there are a lot of jobs that only require you to be a native English speaker with a college degree. Those would be the entry level jobs that Edward is referring to. But for the better jobs, like the one Edward has? You absolutely need at least some teaching experience, if not also a relevant degree and certification.
For the record, I work at a test prep academy in Gangnam. My academy does not necessarily require certification or a relevant degree, though they do prefer them, but they will not even consider hiring somebody who doesn't have at least 2 years of teaching experience. Currently, the least experienced teacher has about 3 years of experience, the most experienced, 10. And some of us also have master's degrees. One teacher even has a PhD.
So don't assume that all jobs don't require skilled, experienced teachers. Just because you consider your job a joke doesn't mean ever teacher or English academy does. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:47 am Post subject: |
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| pattyb wrote: |
| after working 20 years for the government, sometimes a change is in order. |
I'd say that's your problem right there. You waited too long to make that change. You do something for a year or two, you can say you were just dabbling in it. You do it for 20 years...that's �what you do.�
When I tried looking for non-teaching jobs, I had to work pretty hard to convince prospective employers that I wanted to work for them after I'd been teaching for a whopping 3 years. Eventually had to come to terms with who I was and why I'd made the decisions I made.�
Though...that point is probably moot. If Korea were dying for teachers, I'm sure they'd take you.�
If you have a good deal of money saved up from your government job to enable you to take a lower salary, maybe give China a try.� |
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Kepler
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:45 am Post subject: |
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OP, persevere.
I came here as a later starter (46) with people telling me it was "a young person's game" but for me its proven an altogether fresh new phase in my life.
Conditions on hiring have tightened but there are still opportunities. I know of people close to 60 who have landed decent jobs within the last few months. |
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