| Amy "I'm currently teaching first graders in a bilingual school here in Budapest. As an ESL teacher, I've also taught in Prague. In Prague, I taught pre-school, kindergarten, English club, and had private child clients and private clients at businesses. It's a job that varies wherever you are in the world!" |
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Education
Required License(s)
Some countries require a TEFL/TESOL certificate
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Required Degree(s)
A Bachelor's degree |
Importance of GPA
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What do you need to do to maintain your license(s)?
To obtain my certificate, I took a month long intensive course in Prague. There are many of these courses, all over the world. As tempting as it is to live in say, Paris, for a month, it is best to take a course somewhere you will more likely to be able to find a job, since you'll have built-in networking at your program.
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Amy's Highest Degree: Bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Arts) and Master's degree
Amy's College Major: Bachelor's in English and Master's in Psychology.
Amy's College GPA Range: 3.1-3.5
Salary
ESL teachers have a huge range of pay, primarily depending on the country. Generally, an ESL teacher can get paid more in Asia or the Middle East. While I don't make very much here in Budapest, at least by US standards, my salary package includes perks: like a free apartment! Plus, the cost of living is quite low here.
Getting the Job
How did you get your job?
I found my job thanks to the internet (research!), and then I happened to meet a woman teaching for my current program in Hungary, which solidified my decision. From there, I reached out to see if there were any openings in the program, interviewed for a few, and the rest is history.
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How important was networking to landing your position?
For this particular position, not so important, although it helped to have good references. In Prague, I found the best jobs through networking, so it depends on where you are.
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Life on the Job
What is a typical day (or week) for you like?
My days vary greatly, but here is one example: I wake up at around 6am, take an hour-long commute and begin teaching at 8:45am. I teach in 45-minute blocks approximately, with breaks in between, although my breaks still involve supervising the children. I have lessons until about 1.30pm, then a staff meeting, then planning for the following days. Depending on the planning and the commute, I get home anytime between 2-5pm. Often I plan at home, too.
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How closely does your typical day (or week) match up to the general "job description" for your position?
My job description is not entirely accurate, as I am not a main class teacher. Rather, I co-teach with a Hungarian teacher. This is not necessarily unique to be an English teacher, although I wasn't expecting this dynamic in this particular job. However, I do teach less than I thought—and on the flip side, I plan much more than I thought I would have to.
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Does being a woman affect any aspect of your career?
Teaching is often a female-dominated field, especially while working with elementary age children, and in more old-fashioned countries, they still don't hire men to work with very young children. Since I am newly married, many people have questioned if I will be leaving soon to have children—perhaps if I ever say yes to this question while being interviewed, I wouldn't get the job!
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What is the best thing about your job?
The students!
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What is the worst thing about your job?
The politics!
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How demanding is your job?
It was quite demanding at first, but now that I have been here over 3 months it is getting better. I always get very invested in my students, so it is hard on me mentally and emotionally if I don't practice self-care. Physically, I am on my feet and moving most of the day, which is great for my health but also exhausting!
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Do you have any advancement opportunities?
In my current position, there is little room for advancement, unless I stay for over 5 years. However, I will be taking a different position next fall—same job at a different school. I'm not sure how long I will be staying there, but there is more opportunity for advancement.
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Advice for You
What are the skills, characteristics, or talents that are most important to be effective in your position?
Creative, open-minded, interest in new cultures, adaptability. Teaching is not easy, and going overseas will present its own set of different challenges.
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What advice would you give to someone thinking about pursuing a career like yours?
Do it! ;) It's amazing to get the chance to live somewhere else and have a job, which is the main reason people are drawn to this career. Many people do it for the short-term, however, and it is a great experience just for a year or two. I would recommend, though, that you take the teaching aspect seriously as well as the traveling aspect, no matter how long you are going to do it—it might be just a way to help you fund your travels, but for your students, their education will impact their whole lives!
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If you could do it over again, would you still pursue the same career?
Yes! I love my job and I love that I get to live in different countries while I do it. I would do a few things differently, however: get started sooner, maybe right of out of my undergrad, and I would get certified to teach in the United States as well.
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Follow Up
Want to learn more?
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