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Teaching abroad

post #1 of 19
12/2/07 at 5:01am
Thread Starter 
Does anyone have any experience with any teach abroad programs? I'm thinking about doing something totally new and different - Asia - Japan or Korea or China or somewhere else far away and nothing to do with anything I've ever known. I'm trying to gather some insight as to certain programs that might be more together than others and what to look for in a strong program. Also, to sort of cloud things unfortunately, I would like to make some money. Thanks to all comments.
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post #2 of 19
12/2/07 at 5:05am
My girlfriend's sister teaches in Japan with GEOS, and loves it. Good money too, but it is expensive over there. GEOS sounds like a really good company, unlike Nova, which just collapsed. Apparently they'd been dodgy for years.
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post #3 of 19
12/2/07 at 5:07am
http://outpostnine.com/editorials/teacher1.html

Start here, and read.

These are from an old series of posts called "I Am a Japanese School Teacher" about an American teaching English in Japan. Funny stuff, and also quite educational about cultural differences and such.

edit: to add a sample
Quote:
One day after a school assembly, this ichinensei girl walked up to me and asked me how to say "oppai" in English. "Oppai" being the Japanese word for a woman's breast. And now I've taught you a dirty Japanese word. But it's not that dirty, so don't get too excited. I told her that kind of English was definitely not for her. But she continued to persist, and finally just breaking down my will to live, I gave in and told her - "breast".
Unfortunately, she didn't quite understand it, and asked me to repeat it several times. I did, but her Japanese tongue couldn't get it right - "buraido?" "burasuto?" Also unfortunately, she decided to practice rather loudly, which got pretty much the whole school's attention. My english teacher, the Americanized one, overheard and said to me "Aw, don't teach her that!" I said it's probably best she learn the correct term for it before she gets something vulgar from TV or music. "Oh, like tits?" My Japanese teacher asks. I told you her English was pretty good.
Anyway, she almost agreed with me on that point. Almost. Until the girl ran by screaming at the top of her lungs "Breasts! Breasts!"
She doesn't even have them. And since she's Japanese, she probably never will.
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post #4 of 19
12/2/07 at 2:54pm
I've taught in Japan. It's decent pay for the work involved. Just be careful who you sign up with, 'cause there are some shady outfits out there (like NOVA).
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post #5 of 19
12/2/07 at 2:58pm
Thread Starter 
What kind of stuff do they do that makes them shady?
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post #6 of 19
12/2/07 at 3:28pm
I'm sure you can find message boards with horror stories. I didn't have any big problems myself. But I also interviewed at a couple places that made me rather nervous. You hear about companies that are very reluctant to pay (previously agreed on) bonuses, or don't pay if students suddenly cancel, or are generally very unwilling to give time off, even in cases of illness.

NOVA of course suddenly shut its doors while owing its teachers several months salary. Also it was often said that "NOVA" stood for "NO VAcation."

You should be OK with the big chains like AEON and GEOS, although I think the best money and terms can be found with smaller outfits. Might be better to start with the big guys though.

Don't have any experience with the other countries, but I know some people who seem to have had a decent time teaching in Korea. The money may not be quite as good though. Then again the cost of living must be lower.
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post #7 of 19
12/2/07 at 6:11pm
The thread title is so misogynistic. They now prefer the liberated and modern terms "SKIRT", "DOLL", or "SWEET THANG".
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post #8 of 19
12/2/07 at 7:48pm
I think that there's an opening in the Sudan.
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post #9 of 19
12/2/07 at 8:28pm
Quote:
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to DARKMITE8 again.
I've been considering going over to Japan on some kind of teaching/work program for a few years now, but have been too wary of what companies are worth going over with and such. Plus the whole, not having a teaching degree or a Bachelor's, anything like that.

I just really want to spend some time over there, and going on trip would cost a mint. Alas..
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post #10 of 19
12/2/07 at 9:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trejo
I've been considering going over to Japan on some kind of teaching/work program for a few years now, but have been too wary of what companies are worth going over with and such. Plus the whole, not having a teaching degree or a Bachelor's, anything like that.

I just really want to spend some time over there, and going on trip would cost a mint. Alas..
You don't need a teaching degree, but not having a Bachelor's degree would be a big hurdle in terms of getting visa sponsorship. It's not impossible, as I worked for a little while with a guy who hadn't gotten his degree yet. However you'd have to seek out a small company that didn't mind bending the rules a little.

Despite the NOVA disaster, I don't think the industry is in any danger of collapsing. Keep in mind though that if your real goal is sightseeing, most teaching schedules will keep you very busy.
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post #11 of 19
12/4/07 at 10:53pm
One of my best friends from high school and Berkeley is a sophmore now because he took off to teach English in China for two years. When I told him I was applying for the Peace Corps, he strongly urged me to avoid rural China. (Apparently, the "not economically active" Chinese try to scam foreigners out of money for sport.)
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post #12 of 19
12/4/07 at 11:19pm
Just don't name any teddy bears Mohammed.
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post #13 of 19
12/5/07 at 1:11pm
Damn you, Dark, I was coming in here to make a broad joke.

Crazy dames.
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post #14 of 19
12/5/07 at 3:40pm
Here's a link to the HR website for the DoD school system, which operates schools for the military families all over the world.

http://www.dodea.edu/offices/hr/onli...on/default.htm
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post #15 of 19
12/5/07 at 3:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by James Kimbell
I love this website. It's like a portal into a bizzarro dimension.
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post #16 of 19
12/6/07 at 7:18pm
In my experience, you can't teach a broad anything.

C'mon, you knew it was coming...
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post #17 of 19
12/6/07 at 8:19pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah you're like the fifth person who has made that lame joke.
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post #18 of 19
12/7/07 at 11:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankCobretti
Here's a link to the HR website for the DoD school system, which operates schools for the military families all over the world.
Ah DOD schoolteachers...

I remember them (at least the girls) being like Kirsten Dunst's character in "Interview with the Vampire." They looked like the innocents abroad, but I soon realized that they had the blackest of hearts. Which wasn't such a bad thing.
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post #19 of 19
12/7/07 at 12:04pm
Heh. Actually, becoming DoD schoolteachers is my wife's and my retirement fantasy. It just seems like such a good deal.
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