TESL questions

[GirlinContempt]

I want to (and am going to) get my CTESL (Certified Teach English as a Second Language) license, but I'm wondering if anyone around here has done this.
Where have you gone? Did you have a license? Did you love it, hate it? Any tips? Did you have an agent? Can you recommend job-finding?

I'm thinking maybe China first, then Russia/eastern europe, maybe back to South America...

Anyway, I'd LOVE to hear experiences and suggestions!!

edit:
Sorry for the multiple threads in succession. I don't like doing that, but I suddenly thought of asking you guys this.

[crispini]

1. If you wanna teach English overseas, join the Peace Corps.

Great support, great training. I had a wonderful experience. Thailand for two years, and then I taught in China for a year after I got out, in Shanghai. I was not certified, but with my prior experience that didn't seem to matter.

I'm sorry I'm kind of tired and can't think of a lot to tell you ... maybe if you asked specific questions I could answer them.

[GirlinContempt]

2. Isn't the Peace Corps Volunteer?

And american?

Sorry, I should have said, I'm Canadian, and I can't really see being financially able to do volunteer work unfortunately

[crispini]

4. Ah. Canadian, yes, that wouldn't work.

As for it being volunteer, they do give you a living allowance which is pegged to your host country's teaching equivalent, but you are not going to get rich on it by any means.

How about VSO? Similar program, and I believe they recruit Canadians. Yes, look, they are recruiting for China now:

http://www.vso.org.uk/volunteering/stepone/secondary_teacher_english.asp

It's nice to have the support of an organization behind you when you go, especially if you haven't travelled extensively before. We had tons of resources available to help us out, like all kinds of books, other teachers, professional staff, medical care, and so on.

[Blue_Tires]

3. i'm interested in learning more as well

[JCMach1]

5. If you want to do more than be a gypsy traveller

you must get a degree to go with the certification... MA/or Ph.D.


Salaries and conditions are not so good with people who only have a certificate-- even in an okay country like the UAE where the gov. regulates schools pretty carefully.

[GirlinContempt]

6. I dunno

A number of people I've talked to have done China with nothing but a high school diploma, one guy I work with went over with a bachelor of arts in something totally unrelated. I'll have to look around, thanks for the heads up.

[JCMach1]

7. Depends on whether you are thinking career, or travel experience

I teach writing for the premier University in the UAE (good job). But, there are countless other jobs that are NOT so good.

Do your research carefully.

Do checkout Dave's ESL CAFE if you haven't already. There is a great job board there.

http://www.eslcafe.com/

[GirlinContempt]

8. Awesome, thank you

[GirlinContempt]

9. .

[no name no slogan]

10. What do you want to know about TESLA?

They totally rock. That's all you need to know.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

11. I've heard good things about Korea on that front

I know a couple people who have done it; I personally considered it doing it too when I got out of college.

Apparently, the people are very friendly, and the pay is good. (And there's apparently lots of opportunity to travel around to other parts of SE Asia during breaks, etc.)