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tselem
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
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 Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:12 am Post subject: Career Opportunities in TEFL within Korea |
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What career opportunities exist in the TEFL field within Korea?
It seems hagwon, public school, and most university gigs are designed as short-term opportunities running a year or a few at most. They don't seem to have a career educator in mind. This includes pay scale issues, opportunities for advancement, personal development options, and such.
These are the following ideas I have considered.
As a teacher:
(i) International schools. These seem to provide the more traditional external motivators mentioned above.
(ii) University back home. Teach for a few years, earn an MA and maybe PhD, and then move back home to become a professor in TESOL. This would be using the time in Korea as more of a stepping stone than focusing on teaching in Korea.
(iii) Formulating my own plan. This moves away from the more traditional concept of 'advancement.' Instead, it establishes internal motivators to be used as milestones in one's career. The internal motivators could be earning degrees, getting tenure at a university, publishing, advancing the state of education in Korea (or elsewhere), etc.
As a manager:
(iv) The Traditional Step-up. Work as a teacher, become a director or principal, etc. There don't seem to be many options for such an approach in Korea.
As a curriculum developer:
(v) Obtaining a position within a publishing company within Korea that creates EFL materials.
What are some others idea I might have missed? What are some potential problems with those above? What are the options for a career-minded individual? |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 6:50 am Post subject: |
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| You could get your TEFL degree from one well-known institution and possibly make money plugging it on Dave's. All you need to do is say things like, "You need the ______ if you want to work in ESL." |
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Sadebugo1
Joined: 11 May 2003
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:33 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, the problem with teaching English is that it's hard to make it a career while working overseas. In Korea, for example, there are no provisions whereby a non-citizen can fit into the normal career progression. Even if you could, the retirement system might not benefit you. I would use Korea as a stepping stone as you suggested yourself.
Sadebugo
Djibouti, Horn of Africa
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/ |
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tselem
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:33 am Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
| You could get your TEFL degree from one well-known institution and possibly make money plugging it on Dave's. All you need to do is say things like, "You need the ______ if you want to work in ESL." |
The entrepreneurial route. I neglected to include that one on my list.  |
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tselem
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 4:38 am Post subject: |
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| Sadebugo1 wrote: |
| Yeah, the problem with teaching English is that it's hard to make it a career while working overseas. In Korea, for example, there are no provisions whereby a non-citizen can fit into the normal career progression. Even if you could, the retirement system might not benefit you. I would use Korea as a stepping stone as you suggested yourself. |
This seems to be more and more the case. I keep looking for other options, but keep coming back to this.
I was browsing the international schools today. I noticed most of them have pay scales reaching 15 or more years. They definitely seem more career-oriented. Plus, time in one of these schools would look better if I ever decide to return home and teach.
It's a shame though. For all its quirks, I really do enjoy life in Korea. |
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