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I'am under the impression this Teaching English is an over-hyped fad. There was a time when a person could teach in another country even if they just spoke, read and could understand it. It was desirable to take a TESOL course. I see job postings for English teachers and all want University degrees even if the subject isn't relevant to the job. People with other good post secondary credentials such as Journalism Diplomas are not considered. Some countries do require a degree. Of course if you are working for a university you ought to have more experience. We have an diverse choice of quality post-secondary schools here that are often looked down by certain people in the academic community. Perhaps there have been too many incompetant teachers with western attitudes that have dampened the industry. Perhaps these countries have enough fluent English speakers at home to to teach saturating the market. Then there is outsourcing to other non western English speaking countries. Getting a good teacher from India is doable they are very literate,don't necessarily demand high salaries and don't have alot of the western attitudes and financial expectations teachers from westernized countries have. I have heard of people not being payed treated badly etc. This is not an easy job
After college graduation, I almost moved to Argentina, working as an English teacher for Berlitz, but the deal fell through at the last second and a part of me really regrets that as it seems to be the easiest way for Americans, at least those with a college education to live and work abroad.
The reviews I've heard from people who have taught English abroad are incredibly varied, depending not just on the country you choose, but also the town, the school/company, who you're teaching, etc. and there are numerous horror stories (particularly in China) of being ripped-off, abandoned at the airport, and living in horrific housing. It's definitely something that you need to carefully investigate before buying a plane ticket to Korea on a whim.
I haven't ruled out the idea of doing it in the future. However, it does seem that most schools now are looking for those with TESOL or it's equivalent degree which I don't have and don't care to get. The demand for American English teachers is highest in Asia, particularly China and Korea where they oftentime have less stringent hiring criteria and it's essentially "speak English fluenty and you're hired". There is a decent amount of work in Latin America as well. Most of Europe however is off-limits for Americans as they prefer to hire Brits due to lesser visa issues and a preference for the British accent.
Once you're in, you're in.
As dullnboring says, there is a wide variety of teaching English possibilities.
My older son (a French major) did it one year in France, then another after he graduated. This was organized by his college professor (not through his university.) Then in the summer, he made friends with an American, and worked the American's camp for French kids who were only supposed to speak English. He's going to do it again next summer after he finishes grad school.
It's not a life career to pursue, but it's a great life for a young, single person. He's completely fluent in French now.
I have heard some crazy stories about eaching English in Asia, though.
Anyone hear about kanchu?
(I am undoubtedly spelling it wrong.) I am talking about that schoolyard game where kids, using hit-and-run tactics, practically molest their teachers.
Kancho! Indeed I have heard warnings about this. For the record, it's a schoolyard game of sorts played in several Asian countries (namely Japan) where little kids essentially try shove their fingers up a man's rear (I think the board censors will let me type that). It sounds twisted and would qualify as sexual assault in this country but I suppose it's their equivalent of a wedgie. Freaky.
I agree that it's not really a life career to pursue. Not to generalize too heavily but those who do tend to make a career out of it, tend to be a little "off". To give a horrific example, John Michael Karr (was that his name? I already forget), the Jon Benet fake killer, made a career out of teaching English abroad and that type, the sort of anti-social, socially awkward, with a chip on their shoulder, tend to gravitate towards it. I have to admit, I've heard actually much more negatives than positives from people who have done it, saying it was a somewhat dejecting experience that didn't live up to expectations and it seems few people sign on for longer than two years. My mom's friend, a divorced mother in her fifties on somewhat of a whim, headed to Vietnam to become an English teacher and got violently ill while there and came back three months later for the holidays and just didn't return. She had had enough with getting sick, with the culture shock, and with the loneliness and her dislike for her co-workers and the American expatriate community in Vietnam. She thought she'd meet tons of interesting people but instead met angry, bitter, unhinged Americans who were there basically to run away from something back in the States. Not all experiences are bad, but you definitely have to do your reserach beforehand.
Thanks, dullnboring, I knew I had to be spelling it wrong.
Yeah I think there are a lot of expatriates out there who are indeed running away from something.
And with a teaching English program (or, for that matter, the Peace Corps) I can well understand how culture shock can derail someone's plans. Even if your research checks out, it just might not work. No doubt southeast Asia could be a more difficult acclimation than Western Europe.
Going abroad is supposed to enhance your life, not uphold it--or postpone it.
But the teaching English thing, for the right person at the right time, can be a nice after-school-before-career option.
DullnBoring - you supply nothing to back up your outlandish claims about the kind of people who teach English overseas. You cite the example of someone you heard about on TV -whoopie. In fact, its obvious from your writing you know nothing about English whatsoever!
I never taught English overseas, however I did hang out with a group of these teachers- many of who taught in Korea and Taiwan. In the later country I went to the school because a friend taught there.
Its true - not all of them felt it was a great job, but most were pretty satisfied. As for what kind of people they were - many were just recent college grads who wanted to see a country other than the US.
Hey - wasn't there three cases recently where American women teachers had slept with their young male students???!!!! Well I don't want to over-generalize but American women who go into teaching- are generally sex perverts who prey on young boys.
DullnBoring - you supply nothing to back up your outlandish claims about the kind of people who teach English overseas. You cite the example of someone you heard about on TV -whoopie. In fact, its obvious from your writing you know nothing about English whatsoever!
Whoa. Calm down killer. No need to be melodramatic or take such offense and attempt to throw baseless insults at me.
Quote:
I never taught English overseas, however I did hang out with a group of these teachers- many of who taught in Korea and Taiwan. In the later country I went to the school because a friend taught there.
Then I have just as much knowledge as you do of teaching English abroad then as I know plenty of people who have done it. So basically, if I have nothing to back up my "outlandish" claims as you stated, the same can be said for you. Or as you would say: you cite the examples from a few people you know - whoopie. I'm just relaying what information I know to others on this board which is the point of a message board.
Quote:
Its true - not all of them felt it was a great job, but most were pretty satisfied. As for what kind of people they were - many were just recent college grads who wanted to see a country other than the US.
Which would've been the case for me had I done it. As someone interested in it, I've researched teaching English abroad extensively, through conversations in person and message boards devoted to the subject and can safely say that a majority in the strictest sense (i.e. over 50%) were disappointed by their experiences teaching abroad.
Quote:
Hey - wasn't there three cases recently where American women teachers had slept with their young male students???!!!! Well I don't want to over-generalize but American women who go into teaching- are generally sex perverts who prey on young boys.
Get it - Dullnboring?? LOL
I said it was an admitted generalization and admitted in my post that Karr was a horrific example, but I stand by the fact that many career expatriate American English teachers have some screws loose. Not all of them, but quite a few.
Kancho! Indeed I have heard warnings about this. For the record, it's a schoolyard game of sorts played in several Asian countries (namely Japan) where little kids essentially try shove their fingers up a man's rear (I think the board censors will let me type that). It sounds twisted and would qualify as sexual assault in this country but I suppose it's their equivalent of a wedgie. Freaky.
I agree that it's not really a life career to pursue. Not to generalize too heavily but those who do tend to make a career out of it, tend to be a little "off". To give a horrific example, John Michael Karr (was that his name? I already forget), the Jon Benet fake killer, made a career out of teaching English abroad and that type, the sort of anti-social, socially awkward, with a chip on their shoulder, tend to gravitate towards it. I have to admit, I've heard actually much more negatives than positives from people who have done it, saying it was a somewhat dejecting experience that didn't live up to expectations and it seems few people sign on for longer than two years. My mom's friend, a divorced mother in her fifties on somewhat of a whim, headed to Vietnam to become an English teacher and got violently ill while there and came back three months later for the holidays and just didn't return. She had had enough with getting sick, with the culture shock, and with the loneliness and her dislike for her co-workers and the American expatriate community in Vietnam. She thought she'd meet tons of interesting people but instead met angry, bitter, unhinged Americans who were there basically to run away from something back in the States. Not all experiences are bad, but you definitely have to do your reserach beforehand.
I surfed and corresponded with some people on the English Teacher forums and there seems to be alot of people that were really out there ...no pun intended. There seemed to be alot of angry people from commonwealth countries Maybe I'll teach with a missionary organization. It is a more decent way to get to know a country. It is not a career choice however.
Maybe I'll teach with a missionary organization. It is a more decent way to get to know a country..
Why? How will working for missionaries help you get to better know a country?
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Some countries do require a degree. Of course if you are working for a university you ought to have more experience. We have an diverse choice of quality post-secondary schools here that are often looked down by certain people in the academic community. Perhaps there have been too many incompetant teachers with western attitudes that have dampened the industry. Perhaps these countries have enough fluent English speakers at home to to teach saturating the market. Then there is outsourcing to other non western English speaking countries. Getting a good teacher from India is doable they are very literate,don't necessarily demand high salaries and don't have alot of the western attitudes and financial expectations teachers from westernized countries have. I have heard of people not being payed treated badly etc. This is not an easy job
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