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silkhighway
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Location: Canada
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 Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:45 am Post subject: |
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| Bruce W Sims wrote: |
BION, Silk, I have come to believe that what you just pointed out is the single hardest nut to crack and I call it the matter of having an "Over-qualified" person in the mix. Afterall, if a BA is asked for and is doing a great job, its unfair for someone to come in and demand more money (for doing the same job) by dint of just having a higher degree.
Yes, I know.... Here's "Mr MA" saying that.....but I'm talking as a teacher now and not a University grad. In my own case, if I am willing to go to Korea and work for, say, 2.3 like any BA, then thats on me, right? I'M the one who is accepting the position, right?
As it is right now, I know that recruiters are avoiding me because they are quite sure I will demand more for my MA. and thats probably because they have had that experience before. IMHO, though, it would be as unfair to demand higher pay for doing the same job as it would be for asking a person to accept the responsibilities of a higher position for less money, right?
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This is what I've been trying to say..if I apply for a job as a cashier at Wal-mart, I can hardly expect to get paid more because I'm an accountant because they're not asking for an accountant.
There's really three questions here:
1) Are qualifications beyond a BA necessary: (I would argue no)
2) Are qualifications beyond a BA helpful: ( I would argue yes, if only slightly)
3) If the answer is yes to 2), to what degree should public schools and hagwons try to attract people with these qualifications? This question is rhetorical because economics of diminishing returns has to factor into this. If you have to offer a lot more incentives for a marginal return in improvement..well..you're probably better sticking with the BAs. |
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silkhighway
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:24 am Post subject: |
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One more point Bruce, in regards to being "over-qualified", at least in theory, in Canadian school systems that's not really the case. The difference between it and Korea which I keep coming back to is that in Canada you are a long-term investment. Teachers are semi-professionals with a huge degree of autonomy, and the Master's degree is seen as valuable (rightly or wrongly), but not until you have experience under your belt.
The reality isn't so different than Korea though. One ill-advised decision is to get your Master's degree before getting a full-time position, because then schools won't hire you because they then have to pay you more. *
* An entry level M.Ed. from an American university is considered the same status as a B.Ed. in Canada so that doesn't count. |
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Bruce W Sims
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Illinois; USA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 5:45 am Post subject: |
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Agreed.... I know that in my own life (and I think I mentioned this before) if I had it to do over again, I would have grown my academic standing in-hand with my career. What I mean is that I would have secured my BA and then my Teacher's Cert but would have waited on my MA longer to see which way my career turned. Its not that an MA in Psychology was altogether worthless, but that given my investment in Education, an MEd would have probably been a better choice. I think the same holds true for the ESL approach. Which brings me to the next bit.
Given that---by the report here--- a BA would be sufficient, ought the criteria be up-graded for that BA to have a focus on a English, ESL or Linguistics? Would this turn-out a better product?
How about enhancements such as a cert in Teaching, a cert in ESL/TESOL or a few extra hours in Business? Thoughts?
Best Wishes,
Bruce |
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