Prices start at $20 USD per year.
Index
● Looking for jobs? Go to The LA Job List.
● Want information about teaching in Peru? Go to A Country Guide to TEFLing in Peru.
The Age Issue: Mature Teachers
Updated 24 March 2009
Age may not be as much of a hindrance as you may believe. In many societies, older people are viewed with respect, they often have more education and experience than those fresh out of university. Some societies may be more accepting than others, for example, Asia (in particular China and Taiwan) as well as some Latin American countries (such as Mexico) have been known to be more accommodating to mature teachers. Be aware than some countries may have age restrictions for visas and may vary between 55-65, so be sure to be honest with your employer beforehand. The good news is that in many countries, after spending a certain amount of time as a resident, you can become a permanent resident, thus reducing your need to renew your visa or be dependent on an employer for a visa.Playing up any teaching or tutoring experience that you have is a great help. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in a classroom setting, induction of new employees, managing training sessions, and even running meetings are all useful in the teaching world. See Writing a Teaching CV for more tips on how to write a teaching CV. If you're getting into teaching from another career, try reading this article about Transferrable Skills. If you have little teaching experience, you might want to consider a Functional Format, look at example 1 and example 2.
Always ask for a written reference when you leave a job, no matter if it's paid or a volunteer position. Have your employer write when you work, job title, levels worked with, and what your responsibilities were. It should be printed on school letterhead and carry your employer's stamp (if they have one), their signature, their name, job title, school address, phone, and email. Try to get two copies of this. This is the basic info which gives you proof of employment. Even if you leave on bad terms, you should still ask for proof of employment. If you're leaving on good terms and if your employer is willing, they could also say what a great teacher you were. It's better to get this BEFORE you leave your job, because if you ask for a reference in the future, your eomployer might forget all the wonderful things you did and also might be less inclined to write a reference. Whereas if you ask while you're still working for them, you can remind your employer daily until they give you the reference/proof of employment. Then scan this and send it in an email when you apply for your next job.
Only you can decide whether teaching in another country is for you. Try looking at What's the Best Country to Teach English In? Remember that with teaching abroad, there are two things to keep in mind. First off, if you’re not a teacher, would you enjoy teaching? You can always try volunteering in your local community to teach new immigrants or tutor children or teenagers to see if teaching is something you would like to do. Remember that most teaching contracts are six months to a year, with the latter being more common. Be aware that setting up in a new country is expensive, just the plane ticket may be a couple months salary. So before you commit, make sure you are up to completing the contract. Find links for jobs in the Job Sites article.
Second, living in a different country can be fun and glamorous, but it can also be daunting. Culture shock starts to set in when you realise that things are different than what you expected. Everyone goes through culture shock, even if you go to a country where you know the language. Knowing about culture shock and how to deal with it can greatly help you. Read more about Culture Shock in this article. Going to live in another country is a great way to open your eyes to another culture, just be aware that you might have a couple of rocks along the way. If you/re ready for them and prepared to deal with them, then you’ll probably have the experience of a lifetime.
You will also have to take some practical concerns into consideration. Bear in mind that not all countries may equipped with facilities that you take for granted, such as elevators. An example of this is China, where only building with more than six floors need to have elevators. Teaching abroad is a wonderful experience and a great adventure, but with all new experiences, you will have to be prepared to put up with things that are different than you are used to. Take a look at the questions below , and if you can answer “yes” to the majority of them, then you’re up to the challenge of teaching overseas.
● Can you get around old streets, hills, steps or stairs made of rocks of bricks?
● Can you live in a place without central heating or AC?
● Is it ok for you to stand on your feet for a couple hours at a time?
● Will you be able to work with active young children, talkative teens, or tired adults?
● Are you up to playing games in class or moving around the room?
● If you need medicine or require a special diet, can you get this where you want to live?
● Are you up to the challenge of learning a new language (at least the basics) and about new customs?
So if you’re up to the challenge, what are you waiting for? Dust off your CV, start looking for jobs that interest you and apply. Before you know it, you’ll be about to embark on an experience that will make your friends and family turn green with envy.
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