Teacher Recruitment in China and Korea: We Must Raise the Bar
Calling all educators! If you've ever researched teacher recruitment in China, you know the myriad of bad situations many teachers have found themselves in. Teacher recruitment in Korea is no different.
English language instruction is a booming business abroad, particularly in the big international cities you find in southeast Asia. I've spent the last eight years of my life as a TESOL instructor overseas and I honestly can't see myself doing anything else. Once you've had two dozen Chinese children hugging your knees and singing along to Justin Timberlake, how can any other job compare?
The question I'm most asked about teaching abroad is probably related to recruitment agencies: What they're like, where you can find them, if they're really worth it. Well, I'm here to tell you that the answer is yes. I didn't have a lick of real-world teaching experience when I first stepped into a classroom in Seoul, and I quickly realized all the opportunities I'd missed by passing up on an educational placement agency. If I'd just looked into teacher recruitment in Korea, I could've had the same kind of training, support and all-around professional development that I later had to pay big money for through a private institution.
So that's something I really regret from my early teaching days, and it's something I definitely recommend to people considering a teaching job abroad. Not only will teaching agencies guide you through everything from lesson planning to goal-making, but they're a genuine lifeline when you're all alone overseas.
One thing I should mention is that you don't actually need teaching experience to become a teacher overseas. Most countries only ask for native English speakers with a college degree in any subject. That said, Asia is absolutely inundated with careless, unqualified young people who are only using the job as a paid sightseeing tour, so please don't add to their ranks!
Take the time to really develop your skills as an educator for the fulfillment of both yourself and your future students. Become the kind of instructor who is memorable not just for their blue eyes or American accent, but the quality of their lessons and the valuable knowledge they impart every day.
Whether you're a globe-trotting philanthropist or just part of a growing group of native English teachers looking for a change, stepping into a classroom halfway around the world will be an experience unlike any you've had before.
English language instruction is a booming business abroad, particularly in the big international cities you find in southeast Asia. I've spent the last eight years of my life as a TESOL instructor overseas and I honestly can't see myself doing anything else. Once you've had two dozen Chinese children hugging your knees and singing along to Justin Timberlake, how can any other job compare?
The question I'm most asked about teaching abroad is probably related to recruitment agencies: What they're like, where you can find them, if they're really worth it. Well, I'm here to tell you that the answer is yes. I didn't have a lick of real-world teaching experience when I first stepped into a classroom in Seoul, and I quickly realized all the opportunities I'd missed by passing up on an educational placement agency. If I'd just looked into teacher recruitment in Korea, I could've had the same kind of training, support and all-around professional development that I later had to pay big money for through a private institution.
So that's something I really regret from my early teaching days, and it's something I definitely recommend to people considering a teaching job abroad. Not only will teaching agencies guide you through everything from lesson planning to goal-making, but they're a genuine lifeline when you're all alone overseas.
One thing I should mention is that you don't actually need teaching experience to become a teacher overseas. Most countries only ask for native English speakers with a college degree in any subject. That said, Asia is absolutely inundated with careless, unqualified young people who are only using the job as a paid sightseeing tour, so please don't add to their ranks!
Take the time to really develop your skills as an educator for the fulfillment of both yourself and your future students. Become the kind of instructor who is memorable not just for their blue eyes or American accent, but the quality of their lessons and the valuable knowledge they impart every day.
Whether you're a globe-trotting philanthropist or just part of a growing group of native English teachers looking for a change, stepping into a classroom halfway around the world will be an experience unlike any you've had before.
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