Teaching Abroad - A Discussion

Specifically, teaching in Mexico, and how to get started. Once again, over to the ESL Cafe where a lively and sometimes meandering discussion is taking place on the ins and outs of teaching abroad in Mexico.

dmd887 begins with some questions:

Hi, I am currently finishing up my last year in college then upon graduation was thinking of heading down to Mexico to try my hand at teaching ESL. I will have my Bachelor's Degree in hand and plan on doing an online TEFL course in the coming months. I had a few questions I was hoping you could all help me with (I know the boards have a lot of info on them but I wanted to condense all the info right here)

1.) Is my best option to find a school and sign a contract before I come to Mexico OR just find a school there when I arrive? I am guessing there are a bunch of options, especially in DF. Also, should I stay away from the language schools? They seem like they'd be the easiest place to get a 1st job at.

2.) Is it easy to find work as an ESL teacher if your Spanish skills aren't the greatest? I can speak some Spanish but it is still very much a work in progress. Will this hinder me in my search or will I have no problem finding work?

3.) How much $$$ in US dollars should I plan on coming to Mexico with in order to cover start-up costs and to hold me over until I get on my feet?

4.) Will the school that hires you sponsor you and help you turn the Tourist Visa into a Work Visa in Mexico? Also do you have to apostille your documents before arrival? I have heard conflicting reports on this.

AND FINALLY 5.) Should I stick with my plan to come to Mexico? I am 23, (a soon-to-be) college graduate, and I am very well travelled (I have been all over Latin America and Europe as my passion is travel and I devote much of my extra money towards it)...I know this is a big step, moving to a new country, but the thought of staying in the US and becoming a corporate stick in the mud doesn't interest me much....life is about new adventures. So will I have success if I keep the right attitude?

Thanks everyone!!

The first answer received:

1.) You will want to wait until you get here to find a school. Try Harmon Hall, Berlitz and Hamer Sharp. I know Harmon Hall will help you do the work to transfer your tourist visa into a work visa
No, do not stay away from the language schools. You can gain some valuable experience through them and learn some techniques that you can take with you if you ever decide to go to another school. They are good for experience and you may move up over time.

2.) I think it's easy to find work if your Spanish isn't perfect.I have had no problems. There are some schools that will not want you speaking in Spanish because they want the students to focus on the target language. You should have no problem finding work because of this.

3.) 3,000 to 4,000 dollars is what I would say to try and bring. Others may have different amounts,but I think what I mentioned is pretty average.

4.) Some schools may help you with the transference of your tourist visa into a work visa.I remember Harmon Hall does or at least they used to. I believe Berlitz does as well but I'm not sure about Hamer Sharp. I had my degree, EFL online certificate and my marriage license from the States apostilled before coming. Get the degree and EFL certificate apostilled beofre coming just to be safe. Some places may ask for that while others may not.

5.) Yes, stick with your plan to come to Mexico. You're young (23 you said) so the experience couldn't hurt. It may help your resume if you plan on going to graduate school for a Masters in International Business for example. The right attitude will carry you far in life. Stay positive. Being negative destroys your Ki.

TeresaLopez adds:

If you have all your needed paperwork there is no way it will take a few months. I just walked two teachers through the process, one had everything and got her FM3 in 11 days, the other was missing something and it took 3 weeks. The law is, currently, that you have to have an answer within 30 days. From what I have seen, for people that are waiting months, it that the schools are turning the job over to a lawyer who takes his own sweet time about going to immigration. To answer your other quesion, most schools will allow you to start teaching while your paperwork is being processed, yes. You might also pick up a few private classes on the side to tido you over.

The now 5 page conversation continues at the Mexico forum.

Graphs and Charts in ESL and EFL Teaching

Why use 1000 words when a pictue - or a chart or graph will do? Every ESL and EFL teacher is also an artist or at least can use google images to help teach English.

Here is a BBC news story discussing the power of graphs, charts, and images to convey complex ideas in different formats. Diagram That changed the World.

A picture, the old adage goes, is worth 1,000 words. But in science a diagram can describe things that transcend the written word. A single image can convey the simple underlying pattern hidden by words or equations, says Marcus du Sautoy.

Draw the right picture and you can literally transform the way we see the world. But a diagram is more than just a physical representation of what we see with our eyes.

The power of a diagram is to crystallise a new way of seeing the world.

Often it requires throwing away information, focusing on what is essential. Other times it changes a scientific idea into a visual language providing a new map where the mathematics of geometry takes over and helps us to navigate the science at hand.

Copernicus certainly understood the power of a good picture. In his great opus De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium published shortly before his death in 1543, Copernicus takes 405 pages of words, numbers and equations to explain his heliocentric theory.

more at the link above

Teaching in Mexico - Different Types of Jobs

There is a good discussion at the ESL Cafe about the different types of teaching jobs one can find in Mexico, ranging from primary and secondary schools, to language institute work, to private tutoring and more.

MotherF writes:

In another thread there was some discussion as what consitutes a "better" job in English teaching in Mexico.

Obviously, what is best for one person is not best for another, but I thought this is a worthwhile topic and would be helpful for new teachers.

I work at a university. I have a full-time permanent position.

For me the pros are:
a comfortable salary
full benefits package
some nice perks like paid sabbaticals and options to take extended leave--I just got back from 6 months off to extend my maternity leave. a reasonable work load and a pleasent working environment
for the most part respectful students who recognize English as important for their futures

The cons are:
inflexibility in hours, as a mother, I'd like to be able to consider part-time work. (the hours most teachers work at colegios are very attractive to me)
vacations fixed into academic calander, the same times as sooo many other people.
a cap on my earnings, while I get nice cost of living increases and small antiquity bonuses, I can't work harder to make more like I could if I were doing private or free lance lessons.
my students are too busy to really commit the time needed to advance in their language learning
my class sizes are often near 30

Guy Courchesne replied:

Common to Mexico City is teaching English directly in companies, either yourself or through a language institute with a business focus. I've done a lot of this over the years.

Pros

Good hourly pay
Flexible hours, usually no Saturday work
Good stepping stone into other areas, such as translations, or into other fields
Small class sizes
Motivated students, for the most part
Independence

Cons

Usually no benefits
Difficult to maintain a full work load
Travel time a pain if not managed properly
Holidays and cancellations can cause havoc with a schedule if not managed

Dixie also writes:

I teach high school at a colegio and would echo MotherF's pros with a few additons:

PROS
Hours - I can be home by 3pm and feel as though I still have a full day to accomplish what needs to be done, to enjoy my family or to do nothing at all.

Resources - My school is full of the basics and the extras; I have an apple laptop, a digital projector, and opportunities for professional development (some better than others, but at least it is there!).

Colleagues - I work with amazing people who help me to grow as a teacher constantly; we are all qualified and dedicated professionals who provide unlimited support to our kiddies and each other.

Students - my class sizes are (usually) a good size; this year I have groups of 17 (2) and one of 15; they have a great level of English; great resources at home and for the most part are competent and thus successful.

LOCATION - I do not have to travel far to get to work (or home) and best of all, I do not have to move around (like some language teaching).

Vacation/Holidays/PD - I have the norm but I also have days off that others do not, meaning I can vacation when it is off-season and thus cheaper and less crowded. We also have full days without kids (nine this year) dedicated to pd.


CONS
Admin is weak in leadership, positive modeling and general knowledge but for the most part (and this is a pro) they do not interfere in how I organize and lead my classes.

I too am stuck at a certain pay now, but my pay is good, as are the benefits. The school claims to be looking into how pay is determined and more importantly, how raises can be earned so perhaps this will be omitted in the future.

My first job here was in a horrible place, filled with horrible people and weak students. I followed that with another job that I enjoyed, but travel was time consuming, the hours longer, and less holiday time. Like all places, job environments vary but for now, I am quite happy.

more at this link

ESL School Commercials

Always funny stuff. Here are some you can find on You Tube from language schools around the world.

The first, from Denmark...



Next, from Germany...



This one from China is simply mad, offering up a video of some sort.



For this next one, your guess is as good as ours.



And of course, what teacher hasn't had this happen to them?

Teaching in Ecuador - A Discussion

There are plenty of opportunities to teach English in fascinating Ecuador, South America but plenty of challenges as well. Let's follow a discussion among new teachers and Ecuador veterans over at the ESL Cafe.

Tinman writes:

I have a few questions about Ecuador.

When is the best time to look for work, especially for university jobs?
I have heard about an " investor's visa" that one can get by depositing dollars in an Ecuadorian account. Does anyone on the board have one? If not, is anyone sure that this option actually exists?

I am planning a job hunting trip to Ecuador in June. Any help would be appreciated.

Gary B responds:

Wha'z up?
I can give you some names of places you can check out once you get there. I taught and lived in Quito for 5 years before coming back to the States for 2 and a half years so I still know the place quite well. In fact, my Ecuadorian wife and I are anxiously awaiting for our trip back in May. You can always find work in the many English language institutes. Key Languages, English First (known simply as EF). Inlengua, South American Spanish Institute (name might have been slightly changed on this one, but it's right on Amazonas Avenue in Quito). If you have a college degree and are EFL/ESL certified you can try the universities such as Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Quito or La Universidad de San Francisco in Cumbaya. They may hire you on only with a college degree and no ESL/EFL certificate. The best paying jobs are in some of the private primary and secondary schools, but I think you need to have credentials in education and it's a lot of work and you have to be a special breed of cat to handle the discipline problems. Timing isn't so important because in many cases people come and go except for the university positions where they obviously have semesters. Of course it depends on what city you want to hang out in as well. You could also post notices on the many message boards in the gringo joints around Quito anyway advertising that you'll do private lessons.
Chow for Now,
Hope This Helps Enjoy Ecuador, I Know I Did Both Good And Bad From Motown Gary B.
PS: If you want further info e-mail me. Word of warning. Since the country dollarized their economy, prices have gone up drastically and wages have gone up very little in comparison to inflation. I have a friend that's still teaching there and he gives me all the latest scoops.

Just A Mirage adds:

Ive been living and teaching in Ecuador for about six years now. An investors visa requires that you deposit 25k into a bank CD, or you can also buy property of at least that amount.
I have to disagree about discipline problems. I have worked in a couple of high schools, both for wealthy students and fundacion schools and have found the discipline to be much better htan when I taught in the states. In Quito and north areas, school is the same as in the states, but in Guayaquil and other southern cities, it is the opposite as we are in the opposite hemisphere. School here starts in March or April.
Ive heard people enjoy Canadian House, but they reportedly arent good about getting you a visa, and you cannot work legally in Ecuador on a tourist visa. If you work illegally on a tourist visa, the likelihood is that you will be taken advantage of, and may not be paid. And you will have no recourse. Canadian house reportedly pays about $4 an hour which is not much.

TEFL Destinations

This week - Costa Rica!

Costa Rica, a Central American nation of 4 million people, is a popular destination for those teaching abroad and punches above its weight for job availability.

More info on Costa Rica at this site.

Talk directly to teachers working in Costa Rica through the ESL Cafe.

And how to get there? Through Teachers Latin America TEFL Program of course!

Where will you be this winter?