I really need some guidance

Discussion about jobs and employment conditions

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Allophony
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Joined: 02 Jan 2016, 13:37
Status: Prospective Teacher

I really need some guidance

Unread post by Allophony »

I am TEFL qualified through I-to-I (140 hour professional course).

I really, really want to leave my present job and start teaching, first in London and then after a year abroad.

I passed my course fine and I have a BA(hons) but I still feel horribly unprepared to teach. I bought a bunch of TEFL books (Teach EFL, lesson plans for dummies, the emergency English teach etc.) but I still worry I'm not ready.

I've been looking for jobs in London because it would a chance to be close to my brother for a while and I want to get used to the whole teaching thing before I add adapting to another country and language on top of that. London jobs aren't easy to find though it seems, especially compared to job in China.

So I'm reaching out to those who have been there. What do you think of my situation? What should I do? Is is futile to find domestic work? Should I go straight to Russia or somewhere and skip London?

Does everyone feel this terribly unworthy before they've gained practical experience?

What should I do?

Thanks to anyone who replies. Few people on here do.
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Susan
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Joined: 12 Mar 2004, 21:17
Status: Teacher Trainer

Re: I really need some guidance

Unread post by Susan »

You'll have a better chance of finding a job in the UK in the summer. You could start looking for a summer school job now. Not sure if your qualifications will be enough though.

Susan
Briona
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009, 20:33
Status: Teacher

Re: I really need some guidance

Unread post by Briona »

Hi there,
Allophony wrote:I've been looking for jobs in London because it would a chance to be close to my brother for a while and I want to get used to the whole teaching thing before I add adapting to another country and language on top of that. London jobs aren't easy to find though it seems, especially compared to job in China.
Outside of short-term summer positions, jobs in the UK are very hard to come by. Thanks to stricter rules regarding student visas, and rising costs, the market is shrinking. The few jobs there are tend to go to highly-qualified teachers with bags of (overseas) experience.
Allophony wrote:I am TEFL qualified through I-to-I (140 hour professional course).
While there are hundreds of summer schools out there offering short contracts for 2-8 weeks, most, if not all, are affiliated with or accredited by the British Council, meaning that you need a qualification such as the Cambridge CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL to work there, i.e., courses which include a minimum of 6hrs of observed and assessed teaching practice where you teach real students as opposed to your fellow trainees. Online TEFL qualifications are categorically NOT accepted.

The bottom line is that if working in the UK is your goal, you will need to invest in a reputable qualification such as the ones I mentioned above. You will also need some overseas experience. However, even with all that, year-round TEFL jobs in the UK are hard to come by, and generally very poorly-paid.
Allophony wrote:I passed my course fine and I have a BA(hons) but I still feel horribly unprepared to teach. I bought a bunch of TEFL books (Teach EFL, lesson plans for dummies, the emergency English teach etc.) but I still worry I'm not ready.

Does everyone feel this terribly unworthy before they've gained practical experience?
I don't know of any teachers who felt fully-prepared when stepping in the classroom for the first time. I certainly didn't. In fact, it took me almost a year to feel like a "real teacher", that is, someone who knew what they were doing.

While reading books, blogs, websites, etc., is a great way to gain knowledge, I firmly believe though that teaching is like driving a car - you can read all the books you like, but until you've actually got some practical experience, some things will never make sense.
Allophony wrote:I really, really want to leave my present job and start teaching, first in London and then after a year abroad.

Should I go straight to Russia or somewhere and skip London?
One thing newbies to the world of TEFL find hard to grasp is that you can't just go to a country any time of year and find work - there are defined hiring periods, which tend to coincide with the start of the academic year or, in the case of Asia, of one of their two semesters.

If you have your heart set on going to Russia, then you should probably know that they take their summer holidays in June, July and August, meaning that you are most unlikely to find a job with an immediate start now. However, now would be the perfect time to try and find a job for the next academic year (starting on September 1). You will need to have a job offer to secure a visa.

Hope that helps, and if you have any other questions, please ask.

Briona
Experience teaching in Vietnam, Portugal, Poland, Spain, the UK, and Qatar
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John V55
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Joined: 02 Apr 2015, 01:34
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Re: I really need some guidance

Unread post by John V55 »

For what it’s worth Allophony, I personally think that teaching involves more than just theory, but along with it, self-confidence, public speaking, management skills . . . These are skills that are learned by previous experience and the only way to get that is to try it out.
Of course, in London you’ll face stiff competition, a bit like selling sand to the Arabs.

There are lots of reputable recruiters out there offering one year type internships to newbies in Asia, with support included. Go for it, take the plunge and try it out. In a year you’ll know yourself whether you’re cut out for it, with a good reference included. If it’s what you want after a year and feel suited, you’ve already joined the experienced.
payal005
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Joined: 15 Nov 2017, 10:59
Status: Teacher

Re: I really need some guidance

Unread post by payal005 »

You'll have a better chance of searching a job in the UK in the summer. You could start looking for a summer school job now. Not sure if your qualifications will be enough though.
jw34
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Joined: 05 Oct 2018, 10:31
Status: Teacher

Re: I really need some guidance

Unread post by jw34 »

This school in Russia is looking for a teacher right now: glossologus.ru

(Not recommending it either way - I just know they have a vacancy).

I agree with the other posters - the CELTA may be a better qualification for the UK.
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