I’m thinking about doing a TESOL course and am off for a ‘taster’ day tomorrow to get a feel for the life of a TEFL/TESOL teacher.

Anyone done similar? Just after folks’ experiences, good’n’bad etc

Did it for 6 years, but it was a long time ago…

Good side:
* Being able to live abroad and meeting “real” people, not just resort staff out to make a living.
* Relative freedom to change countries when you get bored (relative in that getting a job in some countries can be hard)
* Loads of other 25yr old teachers means a great social life.
* Teaching, at least for the first couple of years, is fun. Changing country freshens it up for a while, too.

Bad side:
* Teaching the 1st conditional year after year after year gets dull, fast.
* The wages are pretty poor unless you do loads of hours. It’s a bit like a student lifestyle, great fun but you might find you grow out of it.
* Limiting in the end if you’re ambitious / career minded. (I’m exaggerating a bit: you can move into proper school teaching, although the lack of a formal kids qualification can be a problem.) If you’ve got a degree and you plan to use it at sometime in the future be aware that your fellow graduates will have a 2/3/4/whatever year headstart on you. (Again, this may or may not be a problem)

Neutral:
* You might find yourself, 14 years down the line, living in a foreign country with a foreign wife, mortgage, kids, dog and cat. At least I did 🙄

Edit: double post. Bloody hamsters, working overtime.

Yep, that’s what I do now, for my sins.

Which one’s the first conditional???
Good, as mogrim says.
Choose your hours within reason.
Money isn’t too bad at the moment and I’m finding plenty of hours, pretty much like any other full time job.
If you’re serious, it can be quite rewarding.
I spend most of my time teaching director level student (upper management) of large companies (Acciona, Samsung, Carrefour) which is more interesting and rewarding than the lower level plebs.
No boss, I work for who I want to.
Bad.
As a self employed teacher, No work, no pay.

Cheers guys.

Don – do you work in the UK?

Madrid, Spain. Where are you looking at going?

I’m doing the same. Put my roots down in the Basque Country, no intention to move on. Working for an academy, which has pros and cons (as hinted above, working for yourself is the way forward; at the very least, a bit of moonlighting is necessary). I’m giving morning/lunchtime classes in local businesses, evening classes to 12-18yo’s. Try to avoid teaching the wee ones if I can.

Pros: part time hours. Cycling “windows” in almost every day.
Cons: part time hours. My state contributions count less towards the dole, pensions etc.
I get July or August off, paid, and between 2-3 weeks at Xmas, Easter, but this is my third year – last year I ‘had to’ go on the dole for 2 months in summer (which is sweet compared to doing it in the UK).

T’only thing is, I’m 37 this year and can’t really see myself doing this job in 10 years.

T’only thing is, I’m 37 this year and can’t really see myself doing this job in 10 years.

Why not? I’m 44 and love it, it’s given me the opportunity to look at moving into a more specialised area and do some presentation coaching, which I hope, when I have time, to develop into its own little business.

Yeah, maybe down a more specialised avenue, but I won’t be teaching moody teens that’s for sure. That said, a colleague’s just retired at 60 after coming here in his 20s, another retiring this year at 55…. maybe it’s worth sticking out 😉

It’s what I’m doing. Been doing it for about 5 years, sort of fell into it because I just fancied riding my bike more. I need to decide if this is what I want to do as a career or try and get a proper job.