-Bachelors Degree - General Studies with two minors, each in a foreign language
-Associates Degree in Science (probably irrelevant)
-Tutored Spanish to College Students while I attended college
-I'm a published author of a non-fiction book
-Took a career/personality test at the local community college and it said I should be a teacher.
I was digging through my diplomas and other important stuff in order to locate my TEFL certificate from the community college class that I took a few summers ago. It turns out that the certificate is actually just a Skills Competency Award in Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
I had lost this certificate for the longest time, so two years ago I went back to the community college and requested they print another one. The second one they printed just says, "This is to certify that (my name) has successfully completed coursework for Teaching English as a Foreign Language."
WTF!? What good is that? Seriously, what can I do with that?! Here I was the whole time thinking that I had a TEFL certificate, when in actuality it is just some sort of introductory thing?!
Also, although English is my native language, I feel like I lack the confidence to be able to teach it. For instance, if a student asked me a question about grammar my explanation could very well be, "I don't know. That's just the way it is."
Is there something I can accomplish in the next six months (preferably free of charge) that would both increase my chances of landing an English teaching job, and my confidence to be able to actually teach well?
I am a bit concerned because I read an article on Escapeartist about how it's damn hard to make a living teaching English in Mexico. Anyone know the article I'm talking about?
Would it be better to get a job at a school or to just freelance under the table? Or both?
Also, I'd really like to hear royaldude elaborate on his previous post:
Are you still doing this? Aren't you worried about the authorities finding out about your under-the-table ESL dealings?royaldude wrote:most important quality to living abroad is being independent. you have to have it or you will not make it. that is probably more important in working and earning a living than anything else. so when i hear expats working tesl and going thru schools i think dude you are a slave to a company and to your boss. just quit and work independently. thats what i do. how do i do it well let me explain at 25 i quit my job in us and sold pretty much all my shit and since working for myself i have never been happier. i initally worked in expat bars and even in an english school. i the pay and work were sporatic and i didnt like working for a boss it made me feel like i was a slave. i realized i have a still (ability to teach english) and i have a market (in my case mexicans who want to speak english) the only question was marketing myself to them. heres what i do. i l have an apartment in a mexican neighborhood i live by myself so its easy to have students come over. i put flyers around my neighborhood explaining my services i explain i can offer discounts to multiple students and charge more if i have to go to the students house. the result. well i have consistent work. i work when i want. i get paid before i teach and always in cash. i live here on a tourist visa. if i dont like a student or they are flakey i dont work with them. anyone on this forum who says i want to leave the us just do it you will find work if you make it for yourself. the only recomendation i have is avoid cities with lots of other expats since they are your competition. but even then very few do what i do and work independently
Please forgive me if this topic is redundant.[/u]