Comments on: 4 Reasons Why Travelers Make Great English Teachers (and Vice Versa)

By: napoletanadicore

napoletanadicore — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 09:47:52 +0000

Great article! I especially appreciate numbers 3 and 4, sometimes you really have to make a complete fool out of yourself!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:00:51 +0000

@Jody, thanks for the kind words. Hope you get some volunteers over there in Ecuador … if only my bank would allow me to pay my mortgage in good deeds instead of dollars I’d be on the next plane myself

By: Jody Broyles

Jody Broyles — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:58:12 +0000

Hola Amanda,

I have always enjoyed your articles, but this one in particular. I am an English teacher for a non–profit Arts, Education, Language and Literature Project Fundacion Arte del Mundo in Banos, Tungurahua, Ecuador. We recently opened a Children Interactive Library in order to promote literacy and a love of books. We are seeking volunteers (and slightly paid … enough to survive on) English teachers, librarians, etc. No ESL certification is necessary. Experience is welcome!

Email us: artedelmundo21@gmail.com for more info

[Edited]

By: Amanda Kendle

Amanda Kendle — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:39:47 +0000

Thanks for the comments, Kelly. Actually, I probably should admit that I really *did* become an ESL teacher just so I could travel. I wanted to live abroad and that was the easiest way! Worse than that, I didn’t even particularly mind where I lived, as long as it wasn’t my home country, and Japan was the easiest place for me to get a job without any experience, at the time. By chance (or not?) it turned out that I loved both Japan and teaching, so I continued and ended up teaching in other countries. So I’m one of those who randomly picked up the job to survive abroad … sorry!

However, I definitely agree that being an ESL teacher is not an economically wise choice

By: Kelly Xu

Kelly Xu — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:33:31 +0000

I can see the points that Ms. Kendle is trying to make here, and I also respect her experience as a good English teacher when traveling in different countries. However, in my opinion, it is not a rule that applies to everybody.

To afford travel should not ever be the reason for anybody to become an ESL teacher. That is also what makes Ms. Kendle successful in handling both of them. Ms. Kendle is an English teacher at first and then she finds the way to be immersed into different cultures by practicing her professional. If someone just wants to make a living by teaching when traveling around, it would be a disaster to the ESL industry as its reputation would be destroyed by those who randomly pick up the job to survive abroad.

Economically, it is not a wise choice as well. People devotes considerable time to acquire the ESL certificates. Out of the same amount of time, they could make more money from their original jobs which are most relevant and helpful to their personal careers as a whole. Even after they obtain the necessary certificates, it may not be that easy to land a job in the destination country, especially if they are not there already.

Lastly, fun and leisure are the essence of travel to me. I really don’t want to bear any responsibilities of a serious job after I finally manage to flee away from my own for a while.

By: Amanda Kendle

Amanda Kendle — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:43:39 +0000

@Shaula, that’s true, language teaching is a bit of a performance – but I think you’d be surprised at how the spark and energy appear when you try it, even if you don’t think you have it.

@Alex, I hadn’t really thought about that – but I guess down here in Oz the economic situation is so strong that if you go abroad to teach it’s usually because you want to – you can earn more in practically any job by staying here instead.

@Debo – you don’t need a whole teaching degree to teach ESL. Depending on the country you might need basically nothing!- but the ideal combination is any kind of degree (required in some countries) plus something like a CELTA certification.

By: LaurenK

LaurenK — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:09:34 +0000

Fabulous post and great topic. I couldn’t agree more. Especially number 2. One of my favorite things about traveling is being immersed in area outside my language-comfort zone. It’s incredible to be surrounded by people and words you know nothing of, learning to get by on body language and expressions until hopefully picking up on some of the basics.

By: Debo Hobo

Debo Hobo — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:36:08 +0000

I would love to travel to teach English but I am not degreed in teaching. Is that a requirement?

By: Alex Case

Alex Case — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:25:19 +0000

And not all ESL teachers like travelling. And most surprising of all, not all ESL teachers who live abroad actually want to be there, some would rather be at home given the right job prospects and family situation!

By: Shaula

Shaula — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:16:19 +0000

I have a great respect for people who can teach English or other languages well, especially in a group setting.

I consider language teaching to be something of a performance art: good teachers are so animated and so much larger than life in order to overcome communication (and attention) barriers and get their messages across to allophone students. Especially in immersion teaching!

I have never taught ESL and recognize that I don’t have the energy or…the spark…to do it well. But I really admire the people who do.