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Faunaki
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
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 Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject: What would you do? MEd vs BEd |
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I'm conflicted at the moment. I got into an online MEd TESL and it starts in January but I don't feel that great about it. For one, I can only use it to teach at private schools or unis which means I can only work in Canadian cities. Also private schools don't pay so much and uni jobs are hard to get (in Canada). Secondly, it means I'll be stuck teaching English for the rest of my life which as you know can be very boring and repetitive. The thing is I have time to do it now.
I was thinking maybe it'd be better to just wait and then get a B.Ed. so that I could teach in Canadian public schools and Korean international schools. If my kids grow up here it'll cost 20,000 Canadian each a year to attend an international school but not if I teach at one. The problem is I would have to spend two years while back in Canada getting it.
What would you do?
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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I went back to Canada and did a B.Ed.
I too did not want to teach English all my life. However, since one of my undergrad degrees is in English literature, and that is a core subject, I am guessing I will be teaching English for a great deal of my life. I am currently teaching all sections of English literature and while I don't love it like I do my other teachable, my past experience with ESL has been very beneficial to keeping my prep time down.
You do need previous experience to get into the Korean international schools, or so they say on their websites.
Just to warn you though, after you do a B.Ed you will want to do a master's level program/degree because of the pay increases you get with one. I would be making $5000 a year more if I had one. Think about that amount of money on a 10-20 year scale and it makes it worth the investment. |
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Faunaki
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
I went back to Canada and did a B.Ed.
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Have you taught in the Canadian public schools, specifically secondary? If so, what's it like? I'm teaching at a Korean middle school. I've gotten used to it but it took a while.
Also, did you do a lot of volunteer work to get into the the B.Ed.? |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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It would cost a bit more (roughly $15,000USD), but you could do an MS.Ed. on-site in the US that would take one year and give you an Ontario teaching cert.
I did one at D'Youville College in Buffalo, NY, and there are several similar programs in the Buffalo area. While I was there for the NY teaching cert the majority of my classmates were actually Ontarians who were going to use their NY cert to qualify them for the Ontario cert. TESOL is one of the subjects you could do through them, but you could also do elementary ed, or secondary ed if your Bachelor's would work as a teachable. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
It would cost a bit more (roughly $15,000USD), but you could do an MS.Ed. on-site in the US that would take one year and give you an Ontario teaching cert.
I did one at D'Youville College in Buffalo, NY, and there are several similar programs in the Buffalo area. While I was there for the NY teaching cert the majority of my classmates were actually Ontarians who were going to use their NY cert to qualify them for the Ontario cert. TESOL is one of the subjects you could do through them, but you could also do elementary ed, or secondary ed if your Bachelor's would work as a teachable. |
Do any of you have websites for these online schools that would be accepted by the Ontario education ministry or even of other provinces. |
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youtuber
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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Well:
BEd - teaching in Canada is no picnic. Best if you avoid it altogether. I wouldn't even teach at a Canadian uni if I had the chance. Kids are just too rude.
MEd - good for Asia, but where else?
If you want to be a teacher, stay in Asia and get the MEd. I have taught in Canadian public schools and I didn't enjoy it at all.
If you don't want to teach in Asia, then don't teach in Canada. Do something entirely different. You will thank me later. |
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runthegauntlet
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Location: the southlands.
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
It would cost a bit more (roughly $15,000USD), but you could do an MS.Ed. on-site in the US that would take one year and give you an Ontario teaching cert.
I did one at D'Youville College in Buffalo, NY, and there are several similar programs in the Buffalo area. While I was there for the NY teaching cert the majority of my classmates were actually Ontarians who were going to use their NY cert to qualify them for the Ontario cert. TESOL is one of the subjects you could do through them, but you could also do elementary ed, or secondary ed if your Bachelor's would work as a teachable. |
Did you already have the courses from your Bachelors? If not, how did you get a M.Ed. without having the Bachelor's work? Every program I looked at had prereqs. of bachelor's degrees in Education and said I'd have to do about 40 hours of undergrad work just to start the Masters...which actually makes sense but would considerably lengthen the amount of time taking to get the cert and degree.
I've been exploring every avenue available to get a teaching cert. in the U.S. Might go the alternate cert. route, get the certification after a year or work, then try the M.Ed. |
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jpotter78
Joined: 29 Oct 2009
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| youtuber wrote: |
Well:
MEd - good for Asia, but where else?
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Uh...everywhere in the world. Why else were there teachers who were going to teach in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and South America in my Master's program? |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Faunaki wrote: |
| Mr. Pink wrote: |
I went back to Canada and did a B.Ed.
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Have you taught in the Canadian public schools, specifically secondary? If so, what's it like? I'm teaching at a Korean middle school. I've gotten used to it but it took a while.
Also, did you do a lot of volunteer work to get into the the B.Ed.? |
I am certified to teach middle and high school. I taught high school while I was there and believe me (and youtuber) when we say, Korea is a piece of cake compared to being in Canada.
I lied to myself before I went back and told myself that the kids couldn't really be that bad, or the job couldn't be that bad. It isn't if you have never had the pleasure of teaching in Asia. However, after 10 years in Korea, why would I want to accept crap when I know where the gold is in terms of students and teaching opportunities are?
I didn't volunteer at all. I think my 10 years of teaching experience and my ideas on education that I put in my application essays in addition to my grades were enough. Grades are pretty important, the first time I applied I couldn't get in so I did another 10 credits of undergrad to boost my average to a level where they basically couldn't say no to me. High 70s aren't enough anymore. You need 80s to ensure a place, especially in a competitive environment such as the intermediate/senior cohorts. They tend to be the smallest. We had 2 classes of intermediate/senior or 40 students, while primary/junior and junior/intermediate had 8 classes and around 200 students.
I could have gone the Buffalo, NY route. They get a ton of Ontario students. D'Youville, Niagara University and 1 other school there have teaching programs that can get you an Ontario cert. The problem was for me, I also only had enough credits for 1 teachable so I would have been stuck in junior/intermediate. Now I have an equal amount of credits in my two teachable subjects and I can teach either without a problem. I am also able to teach ESL because I took an AQ course which is basically all you have to do to teach ESL in Ontario.
Last edited by Mr. Pink on Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Faunaki
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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| youtuber wrote: |
Well:
BEd - teaching in Canada is no picnic. Best if you avoid it altogether. I wouldn't even teach at a Canadian uni if I had the chance. Kids are just too rude.
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REally? My K students are pretty terrible.
Could you give me some examples, just so I can get a picture of how bad it is?
It seems that you'd make more in Canada, have more benefits, be treated better (by co-workers, boss, etc.).
I don't wanna live in Korea forever.
Actually I never wanted to teach, I've just done it for so long that I really don't know what else to do. Maybe I just shouldn't do the MEd. I've no idea what to do here.>< |
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Faunaki
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
It would cost a bit more (roughly $15,000USD), but you could do an MS.Ed. on-site in the US that would take one year and give you an Ontario teaching cert.
I did one at D'Youville College in Buffalo, NY, and there are several similar programs in the Buffalo area. While I was there for the NY teaching cert the majority of my classmates were actually Ontarians who were going to use their NY cert to qualify them for the Ontario cert. TESOL is one of the subjects you could do through them, but you could also do elementary ed, or secondary ed if your Bachelor's would work as a teachable. |
Good info but I'd be teaching in AB. |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Faunaki wrote: |
| youtuber wrote: |
Well:
BEd - teaching in Canada is no picnic. Best if you avoid it altogether. I wouldn't even teach at a Canadian uni if I had the chance. Kids are just too rude.
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REally? My K students are pretty terrible.
Could you give me some examples, just so I can get a picture of how bad it is?
It seems that you'd make more in Canada, have more benefits, be treated better (by co-workers, boss, etc.).
I don't wanna live in Korea forever.
Actually I never wanted to teach, I've just done it for so long that I really don't know what else to do. Maybe I just shouldn't do the MEd. I've no idea what to do here.>< |
Read this thread:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=171698
If you still have questions, then feel free to drop them in either thread.
Also, good luck in Alberta. The job market there is just as bad as Ontario for teachers. The kicker is you have to spend twice as long to become a teacher as Ontario.
My advice: go to law school. It is two years and chances are you will get a job after you are done. Also in the summers you should be doing intern type work which at least pays some money. Also law school students get almost guaranteed student lines of credit from banks. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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Well, the web site for my college is www.dyc.edu. I'm not talking about online programs, though, these are brick and mortar programs.
The D'Youville program is designed to qualify you for either a New York or Ontario teaching certificate. I don't know what you'd have to go through to get certified for other provinces. I'm not even Canadian, I just had a lot of Canadian classmates. |
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gordo
Joined: 02 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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Son Deureo!.... did you go back to Korea after you completed your Masters? I am about to start in January at D'Youville for Masters in Childhood Education. I am Canadian and want the certification for Canada (as well as the US for possible international schools that use the American curriculum), however, I believe I'll be heading back to Korea after it is done (possibly on an F2). I already did two years in the hagwon system.
If you did go back to Korea, how did employers take to your degree and what jobs did you look at? Did you look at jobs in the Middle East or Hong Kong at all?
Cheers |
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BobbyOrr
Joined: 01 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 2:06 am Post subject: |
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| I have no desire to refute the points or get into an argument, but there are many, many happy and satisfied teachers in Ontario and the rest of Canada. I have volunteered and taught (briefly) in numerous schools. I count many of these teachers as my friends and family. Anyone making it sound like a hell-hole does not represent a majority opinion. |
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