paulrm
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Thu Mar 29th 18:04 2007 / #1 |
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If you just click on the category, TEFL, above you will see many threads and 100's of messages answering this same question. |
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angg321
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Thu Mar 29th 18:37 2007 / #2 |
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Thanks buddy, I did that already, but I want responses to MY question. |
Seppo
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Thu Mar 29th 20:37 2007 / #3 |
angg321
What do you mean by the 'best' course? Define your parameters, else take paulrm's advice.
No mind readers here. Unless you want to dip into the murky waters of American politics. :-) |
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angg321
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Thu Mar 29th 20:43 2007 / #4 |
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Not sure what part of best school requires mind reading but "best" school in terms of reputation, assistance in finding employment, etc. paulrm, as far as I can tell, replies to almost everyone yet never seems helpful. I am looking for some fresh advice. I have read all of the other posts. I basically want to know if it is worth the money to take the course and obtain the certification. Am I going to be able to afford to live in Prague and find work? I am more than willing to work hard but am not willing to throw my money away on a course and not be able to earn enough to live when I am finished. |
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paulrm
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Thu Mar 29th 23:53 2007 / #5 |
I'm sorry... I didn't realize that you read everything I posted (about 20 postings going back 4 months). But, I'll give you an answer to your question. When teaching, you don't base the work week as "more than 40 hours", you base it on teaching hours. FULL time here is considered 24-25 "teaching hours" which are really 45 minute periods. Thus, a 90 minute class would count as 2 teaching hours.
Now, a "good" school would pay about 310kc for one 45 minute lesson. You say you are willing to put in long hours, ok... the hours most in demand are before 9am or after 4.30 or 5pm. This can stretch your day a bit. Some teachers work until 8pm or so, teaching public courses.
So, you work your ass off and gross about 30,000kc for a month. Good schools will take out 10/15% for taxes. Rents have gotten quite high in the last couple of years, but maybe you can find something for 12,000kc (probably about 30sq meters and beyond the end of a Metro line).
You still have to pay Social Security taxes here, and health insurance. You're probably left now with about 4,000kc to live on for the month. Oh wait, forgot the gas and electric bills.
So, you decide. Oh and about the certificate... After 7 years of sitting in the bottom of a drawer, a school I work for was going for re-accreditation so I finally, officially had to actually show my TEFL Certificate for the review board. |
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Andrew
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Fri Mar 30th 11:59 2007 / #6 |
It's a rather general question, If you could let me know your financial situation (IE do you have savings etc), your expectations of this project and how soon you are ready to work, then perhaps I could lend some advice?
There are also Schools which gear more towrds Americans or British even afew which come from an Australian/Kiwi background. Not that it matters but you'll often find dealing with your own native speaking English group easier than trying to justify why your grammar and spelling is different. |
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angg321
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Fri Mar 30th 14:43 2007 / #7 |
Thank you all for the wonderful advice.
As far as saving, I have about 100,000kc that I would like reserve for desperate times. I would prefer to be able to support my living while I was there and reserve the savings for travel, etc.
Andrew, any specifics on which schools are geared towards Americans. I agree that grammar varies from country to country and would prefer an American geared school. There is so much information out there, it is a bit overwhelming. I saw a few schools that mentioned they were owned or run by Americans but is there a specific school you would recommend? There seems to be so many schools and I think I may be making it harder than it is.
As far as expectations, I would like be able to work hard, find some enjoyment in what I am doing and experience a different place. My life in American is a day to day routine that never seems to change. I do not have grand expectations just a desire to experience new things and be able to know I am going to be able to support myself while doing so.
Thanks again and any more information is much appreciated. |
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jay
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Fri Mar 30th 22:05 2007 / #8 |
I too have researched this ad nauseum and have come to the conclusion that any so called glory days of TEFL are pretty much over as far as Europe is concerned. It seems that most of these types of jobs pay meagerly at best and cannot afford the rising cost of living. It was advised to me to pursue jobs in Asia instead.
I've directly spoken with about 10 Americans who have tried to pursue TEFL in Eastern Europe and all but two have abandoned it as a monetary loss. That is not to say that they did not value their experience but it was not a comfortable living. As for the two who are still in the field...one is in South Korea and loving it and the other got married and, thus, legal to work in the EU and is now working outside of the TEFL profession which brings me to another point...it's damned near impossible for a non-EU citizen to work legally in the EU. Trust me, I've tried and ended up working under the table in an Irish bar. |
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angg321
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Fri Mar 30th 22:07 2007 / #9 |
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Thanks for the info Jay. |
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Andrew
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Wed Apr 4th 15:27 2007 / #10 |
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Jay, you definately have a point. I think that the days of informal, cash in hand working are coming to an end in Eastern Europe. That is however not to say that you can't earn a decent salary in Western Europe. I know people who earn a very good salary in Spain, France and even summer camps in Scandinavia, the UK and Ireland. Spain is a very popular place to teach with a wide range of schools on offer. Uniquely too, you will enjoy EU employment benefits of holidays etc and not be at the mercy of an independant employer paying you under the table. |
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jay
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Sat Apr 7th 11:58 2007 / #11 |
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Yes but as an American I'm not officially entitled to any EU benefits...nor can I obtain them easily! |
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Corbin Dallas
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Sat Apr 7th 14:16 2007 / #12 |
I find paulrm's math a bit questionable, but it is true that rents are steadily going up, as are utilities. You can keep your costs down here in Prague by not insisting that you must live alone in a flat in the center. I'm paying 16,700 Kc a month for rent in a 3+1 (that's a two-bedroom apartment for those unfamiliar with the terminology here), and I split that with a flatmate. So, if you're willing to make some compromises, it is certainly possible to live comfortably...IF you work your ass off teaching, as paulrm states.
However, I second Jay's statement. Schools here are not typically not going to pay the 310 Kc per hour that paulrm suggests (if only they did!). Competition among the language schools has intensified tremendously over the past few years, with schools scrambling to offer more services to their clients for lower prices. This translates into stagnating hourly wages and reduced benefits for their teachers. An industry-wide shakeout is coming within the next couple of years. I don't see a bright future for TEFL schools here either. Competition is already a bit intense, and the shakeout period will probably happen not long after the one in the language school industry.
Add all this to a flattening demand, and you don't have a particularly pretty picture here. The TEFL schools here (and elsewhere) offer lower rates than you would pay back home for the same course. But the demand lies east of here, in Asia (and even in Central Asia). I have this from friends and others who either live now or have lived in various points east. |
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WaynethePom
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Fri May 4th 08:49 2007 / #13 |
Ask yourself why you want to go. Life is an adventure. I live in Perth Australia at the moment. I live rent free as the manager of an amazing complex with swimming pools, spas and a gym. The sun refuses to stop shining, I have over $400 a week displosable income after I've paid for everything.
BUT - we have one inadequate art gallery, one hopeless museum, a culture of 'I'm not having fun unless I'm pissed' and an insular attitude in which most people believe that no-one needs to die because perth is heaven.
So, at 60, I'm taking off to Prague in November. Maybe I'll have a good time. Mybe I'll be back with my tail between my legs. But I am NOT going to Prague because I expect everything to be amazing and wonderful. I'm going there for the adventure.
So I will give up two jobs, my free home, my security, and I am doing it with hope, and enthusiasm.
What I do find, unfortunately, is that many of the people who complain will be complaining about the inconvenience of wings, and the tonal performance of their harp when they get to heaven.
I can walk along the wonderful cafe strip in Fremantle and it really is exciting. But, then I realise that every cafe sells coffee that tastes exactly the same, that there is ONE book shop, ONE newsagent, ONE souvenir shop.
And if I want to see a different art gallery, I have to fly for hours to Adelaide, or Sydney, or Singapore.
So I'm off to Europe. To maybe win, to maybe lose, but to to see a different perspective.
So please, remember why you are going. You'll take back great memories, even if you fail. I will come home to no swimming pool, no job, and the prospect of having to start again at my age of 60+. But what is the alternative? More of this boredom?
Take the chance - you can't plan for life - obviously you display a little sensible caution, but in the end, you have to just take a risk and do it. |
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pane_bee
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Wed May 9th 23:53 2007 / #14 |
No offense, but the first thing you should do is disregard the comments about working for a UK/US/AU geared school. All the tests that manyu students ultimately strive for are administered by Brits who are worldly enough not to penalize the students for pronunciation, spelling, and useage which are considered "standard" in another English lexicons outside of the scant 60 million or so English speakers in the UK.
I went to Oxford Tefl Prague (http://www.teflprague.com/About_TEFL_Prag.htm) and don't know anyone who had any trouble finding work afterward. The certificate is Trinity validated (which means global recognition) and you can use it anywhere, particularly after you have some experience. This is of course, barring work permits, etc, which can be difficult to obtain in the "old EU." In the new admission states like CZ, PL, SK, RO, HU, BG plus HR, SB, MC and the REST OF THE WORLD, it's an ace if you can find a REPUTABLE SCHOOL.
My only caution about OxfordTefl is that the housing rates are a bit steep. Having said that, for a month and the location, it is probably worth your while just to accept it and look for something once you can actually see it. Those who attempted to complete the rigorous 40 hour program while living in a hostel were not happy campers.
I don't care how hard you work in the states. This is a different kind of work with intangibles such as planning, patience and a degree of travel that a traditional desk job doesn't require. In some ways, teaching English is a joke. In others, it really requires effort to wake up in the morning to do it and do it in an effective and fair manner. Disregard your past experiences, for the most part. Unless, of course, you have taught English in the past.
CorbinDallas is pretty well informed about the money. You will not make much money teaching legally here or around here. If you want to gouge people in private lessons on the side of your real job, then so be it, but I have moral hangups about this. Teach English because you want to live abroad. I can almost guarantee you won't live abroad because you love teaching English. Hopefully you'll enjoy it enough to make it productive for the students and entertaining enough for yourself. |
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paulrm
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Thu May 10th 21:29 2007 / #15 |
Sorry, Corbin, but if a teacher isn't making at least 400kc for a 60 minute lesson, then they are either incompetant or just working for the wrong school.
Only schools that take advantage of teachers pay less than that. |
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Corbin Dallas
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Fri May 11th 20:38 2007 / #16 |
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Well, Paulrm, I'll reserve my scepticism for now if you would be so kind as to provide the names of a few schools that pay 400 Kc for a 60 minute lesson. I have yet to encounter such a school here in Prague, as competition within the industry is intense and increasing. |
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