Everyone's had one of those "why didn't someone tell me that
before?" moments - everyone. And it seems like travellers
have a special knack for finding them.
Verge asked a panel of overseas teachers who have been there,
done that, "what's the one thing you wish someone had told
you before you got on that plane?" Here's what they had to
say.
Things I wish I'd known:
Better qualifications get you better positions and mean
that you are better prepared to do the job.
Bigger employers often have more structure, but sometimes
they can lead to less interaction with the local people.
International employers might be willing to pay in a foreign
currency, which is easier to take with you when you leave.
Before making a decision, talk to teachers or ex-teachers
(ask the school/company for e-mail addresses), but be aware
that they may be biased.
Don't give your passport to your employer for 'safekeeping'.
Things I wish I'd asked:
Is accommodation, health insurance, return flight covered?
Who pays for teaching supplies (markers, paper, books, etc.)?
How long is the contract term? What textbooks are used?
(try to buy a copy before you go)
Are you paid for preparation time, teachers' meetings,
professional development, overtime (and when does o/t kick
in)?
How often are you going to be paid and in what currency?
What administrative duties will you be expected to perform?
How far do you have to travel to get to work?
How many days per week do you work?
Are there work commitments outside of school hours (activities,
excursions, sports, etc.)?
Things I wish I'd taken with me
My music
Books to read
Teaching Resources (e.g. Communication Games - by Hadfield;
Keep Talking - Klippel; Grammar Practice Activities - Penny
Ur; Grammar Games - Rinvolucri; Teaching Tenses - Aitkin;
video tapes; magazines)
Reference books (e.g. Practical English Usage - Michael
Swan; Learner English - Swan and Smith)
Copies of the school's preferred textbooks, if you can
find out what they are.
Pearls of wisdom
"Never underestimate the impact of culture on what happens
in the classroom," says Dianne Tyres of Advance
Consulting for Education. "If you ask a question to a
class in Japan, all the students probably know the answer,
but they all look down and remain silent. If you ask a question
to a class in Turkey, not everyone knows the answer, but everyone
will shout SOMETHING out".
Sean Carney started teaching English in Japan in 1998 and
continues to work as a recruiter for the same company. "The
one thing I wish I had known then is that it's ok to ask questions
at work in Japan. Actually, it's expected. They don't want
to insult your intelligence by telling you something you already
know, so they're waiting for you to ask. Had I known this
from the start, it would have saved many frustrating moments
of wondering to myself "why doesn't anyone tell me anything?!"
David Hughes and his collegues at LSI say " Don't worry!
The unknown is not automatically a threat. They suggest learning
a bit of the language before you go, finding out about the
town you are going to be living in, and being curious and
open to the new culture and people. While you're there, don't
get so wrapped up in work that you forget to take the time
to explore the country.
Here's another pearl of wisdom from a teacher who's been
around the big block: Your students are not just paying to
learn English from you. They are also paying to interact with
someone from a different culture. Your life is therefore essentially
an open book. Your students want to know everything about
you. Forget about privacy and just enjoy the exchange. Ask
the same questions back!
Be prepared for anything to happen, both in the classroom
and outside. Be prepared to have no teaching materials and
lots of teaching materials, no teaching colleagues and lots
of teaching colleagues, lots of students and few students.
On any given day, any of the above could happen. So, just
go with the flow and have fun.
The number one rule is don't leave your sense of humour at
home. Take it with you everywhere. If you don't have one,
get one, FAST. You have to laugh, otherwise you will cry or
go crazy.
