Flamenco in Sevilla, Tango in Buenos Aires, Salsa in San Jose. Culture is an integral part of teaching abroad. But no matter where you are, you still have to wake up in the morning and work. Grab your cup of coffee and get ready to teach conjugations. Your experience will be richer if you love what you do and where you are becomes a bonus.
In the film Dead Poets Society, starring the late Robin Williams as Professor John Keating, one of the students asks his teacher: “You can go anywhere. You can do anything. How can you stand being here?”
Keating replies, “’Cause I love teaching. I don’t wanna be anywhere else.”
Passion is more powerful than circumstance. Robin Williams’ character was not invested in the remote countryside of Vermont. He was invested in his students. If you choose to teach English abroad, no matter where your career takes you, you will still be a teacher.
But if that’s what you’re looking for, follow your heart and see where it leads you. You have to willfully prepare to pull off this kind of journey. So here are three tips for those of you who are interested in taking your classroom across the globe. Set yourself apart from the rest and you will carve a path to success.
Be prepared and know what questions to ask.
Here are questions to ask yourself while you research job postings:
Where are you going to teach?
The company that hires you will do their best to research you. You’ll likely submit a resume and they will conduct an interview process. So why wouldn’t you do the same? Make sure you have a picture of the work environment you’re entering. Check the website, reviews and any other information about the school.
What are the job requirements and qualifications?
Some institutes and schools require a bachelor’s degree while others want a TEFL/TESOL certification. Some positions are only open to native English speakers. If you are not a native speaker but are fluent, other institutions may allow you to take a language placement test to qualify. Make sure to review the job description thoroughly. Are there any passport restrictions? Do you need to speak the country’s native language? If you don’t check every box, it may still be worth applying but always be transparent about your experience and qualifications. If all goes well, you will need to prove yourself in person.
What are the working and living conditions in that country?
When looking at salary and compensation packages it is important to consider them in the context of the country you are going to. A salary that would be below minimum wage in your own country may be more than enough to live on in your new home. But do your research if you don’t want to live off rice for a year.
Can your future salary sustain your lifestyle and teaching needs? Are you going to live in a safe and peaceful community? Have you looked at maps of the surrounding area? Have you read the country’s laws, especially in the fields of employment, housing, and transportation? The more prepared you are the smoother and safer your transition will be.
What’s plan B?
Hardworking qualified teachers will have no shortage of job opportunities abroad. But sometimes things fall outside of our control. Anything can happen. And life’s unpredictability has been made clear on an international level by COVID-19. There’s no use in fretting but make sure you have a backup plan in place and solid connections back home and abroad. Know your options and do your best to have a little money in the bank for a rainy day.
Self yourself!
If you don’t sound confident in your own abilities, why should an employer be? There is a high demand for English teachers worldwide but there is also a high volume of applicants who are interested in this field. How will you stand out from the crowd?
First, you must fill all the requirements specified on your job applications. You’re a teacher; you should be able to follow instructions. If you have additional qualifications, all the better! These could set your CV apart from many similar but slightly less substantial applications. Create a CV that showcases not only your academic and work achievements but also your ability to adapt to life in another country.
Next, be competent. This seems like it could go without saying. But unfortunately there is a misconception that everyone who speaks English can teach English. Become comfortable with the content—from basic grammar concepts to advanced syntax. Review everything and focus your energy on the areas in which you need to improve.
Finally, be flexible and creative with how you’re marketing yourself. Your additional skills may be what makes you different from every other English teacher vying for the same position. Aside from English, you might want to study the basics of other common languages such as Spanish, Mandarin or the whichever language is spoken in the region where you plan to teach. Gaining more skills never hurts and will probably increase your scope of opportunity.
Have a real love for language.
Once again, no matter how exciting your city is, you will still be waking up to teach English. And it won’t be easy. It requires patience, practice and passion. If you love language and you love helping your students, this will overshadow any complications you may encounter in your career abroad. Teaching a foreign language can be daunting and technical at times but its impact is lasting. Your students will bring their skills into society, maybe even passing them from one generation to the next.
So get into the grammar and make classroom learning fun no matter where you are. What are homographs? Entrance your students from the moment they walk through your classroom’s entrance. You know better than anyone else where your passions lie. If the distance from home doesn’t trouble you and you would be thrilled to play with language day after day, then start preparing yourself for the process. No matter where “where” is, where else would you rather be?