{"id":6772,"date":"2013-01-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-01-14T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teachingnomad.com\/teaching-abroad\/choosing-your-efl-teaching-job-the-webmd-effect\/"},"modified":"2024-12-11T12:13:19","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T19:13:19","slug":"choosing-your-efl-teaching-job-the-webmd-effect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/blog\/teaching-abroad\/choosing-your-efl-teaching-job-the-webmd-effect\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing Your EFL Teaching Job \u2013 The WebMD Effect"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you are contemplating an EFL teaching job or even better, have been offered one! \u00a0For many of us 21st century people, the next step is to research your school and where better to look than online forums. \u00a0Unfortunately, there\u2019s a lot of negativity out there! \u00a0So, here\u2019s where I want to caution you on what I call the Web MD effect: diagnosing an illness based on apparent symptoms. \u00a0What could I possibly know about any of this? \u00a0Well, I have been a teacher for many years including U.S. public school, and so my \u2026 gibberish \u2026 detector is pretty strong. \u00a0So read on, to see the true, the false, and the meaning of it all.<\/p>\n

Many negative posts are written by fired teachers<\/strong><\/p>\n

While researching a school, I came across an EFL teacher who had only hateful things to say about his former school. \u00a0After a bit of inquiry into this former teacher, I found out that he was fired from the job for showing up for class after having been drinking. \u00a0Seriously? \u00a0Any teacher, anywhere, should be fired for that transgression. \u00a0Reasons include that you will not be able to give good quality lessons, and you are being a bad influence on your students. \u00a0But in my opinion, the main reason is you are responsible for the students you are teaching. \u00a0If you were impaired even the slightest, what would happen in an emergency? \u00a0As a teacher, your job is to protect your students, and there is no way you could ever do that. Another reason for negative posts from a teacher is because they got in trouble for showing up late. \u00a0It\u2019s a big deal. \u00a0You are responsible for your students. \u00a0If you aren\u2019t there, who is in charge? Reading the review for what it says vs. what it means. Of the biggest complaints I see on the forums about teaching abroad are salary, student behavior, and treatment of teachers by the school. \u00a0Let\u2019s individually address:<\/p>\n

Money<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure you will realize that the amount of money earned at some schools seems less than what you could make working, or even teaching, elsewhere. \u00a0Fact is, you can live very well in China with EFL teaching<\/a>. \u00a0Think about where your money will go, and how your salary matches cost of living. \u00a0Trust me when I say you can stretch your hard-earned money here much farther than you can in other places. \u00a0Many EFL positions will offer either housing or stipend to put towards an apartment. \u00a0Even if they don\u2019t, however, housing is inexpensive enough that you can find a place that is clean, safe, spacious and worth your money. \u00a0Need transportation? \u00a0Many jobs offer a service, and let\u2019s not forget about the superb subway and bus systems that crisscross the cities. \u00a0None of these options are expensive. \u00a0All of them are worth it. \u00a0Additionally, I cannot begin to go on about how you can eat well for very little money. \u00a0In fact, just today a friend was raving to me about the delicious, filling breakfast she ate for 3 RMB (about USD $0.50!!!) While saving a bundle, your salary can ensure a fantastic lifestyle, complete with travel.<\/p>\n

Poor Student Behavior<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whenever I see this complaint on forums, I laugh. \u00a0There is a behavioral standard that EFL teachers expect their students to have, especially over here in China. \u00a0Newsflash: kids are kids everywhere. \u00a0What I mean by this is, some days, your students will be angelic. \u00a0Other days? \u00a0Absolute terrors. \u00a0Often there will be no perceivable reason for this. \u00a0But it\u2019s a fact of life. \u00a0Kids can be affected by something you don\u2019t realize: from not having enough breakfast, to having an issue with a friend, to their sneakers being too tight! \u00a0Kids may have negative reactions to other parts of their day during your class. \u00a0It happens.<\/p>\n

Treatment of Teachers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier, I mentioned behaviors of teachers that can get them fired. \u00a0I want to go back to these a little bit, just to, again, reiterate that no matter where you work, if your boss were to catch you drinking alcohol while working or showing up late habitually, they will not be pleased. \u00a0They may yell. \u00a0They may not be as respectful. \u00a0They may let you go. \u00a0Just because you are providing a service abroad does not mean you have the right to act unprofessionally.<\/p>\n

Another complaint I see has to do with your employer being considered rude. \u00a0This is a common issue in EFL teaching<\/a> when working in a Chinese-run school. \u00a0I think the main way not to feel insulted is just to keep in mind that communication and mannerisms are different here. \u00a0Also, don\u2019t forget that your employer is speaking to you in English, which is not his\/her first language, and therefore, may come across as abrupt, brusque, or impolite. \u00a0Try to listen more to what is being said than the inflection, and gather the message. If you are unsure, speak up to confirm.<\/p>\n

I also observed EFL teachers feeling frustrated for being denied the allowance to teach from their own materials. \u00a0Some did anyway, and faced consequences. \u00a0Getting in trouble for this is not your boss being unjust. \u00a0Schools often have set curriculum that is expected to be followed. \u00a0This is true in schools the world over. \u00a0If this is how yours works, then you have to deal with it. \u00a0However, when you complete your contract and if you feel your top priority is an ability to utilize your own materials, then look for a school that allows it. \u00a0Don\u2019t forget, when speaking with a school about an EFL job, you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. \u00a0It\u2019s okay to ask a question like that!<\/p>\n

In closing, I think it is important to be careful what you read. \u00a0So often, people will post negative reviews. \u00a0They are looking for a place to vent, and you just happened to read it. \u00a0Instead, ask the school if you can speak to other EFL teachers who are currently employed there. \u00a0Use your intuition when speaking to them. \u00a0In all honesty, what you hear will differ from the negative comments you read.<\/p>\n

Written by: \u00a0Eileen Belluscio<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So you are contemplating an EFL teaching job or even better, have been offered one!  For many of us 21st century people, the next step is to research your school and where better to look than online forums.  Unfortunately, there\u2019s a lot of negativity out there!  So, here\u2019s where I want to caution you on what I call the Web MD effect: diagnosing an illness based on apparent symptoms.  What could I possibly know about any of this?  Well, I have been a teacher for many years including U.S. public school, and so my \u2026 gibberish \u2026 detector is pretty strong.  So read on, to see the true, the false, and the meaning of it all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6773,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nChoosing Your EFL Teaching Job \u2013 The WebMD Effect - Teaching Nomad<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/blog\/teaching-abroad\/choosing-your-efl-teaching-job-the-webmd-effect\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Choosing Your EFL Teaching Job \u2013 The WebMD Effect - Teaching Nomad\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"So you are contemplating an EFL teaching job or even better, have been offered one!  For many of us 21st century people, the next step is to research your school and where better to look than online forums.  Unfortunately, there\u2019s a lot of negativity out there!  So, here\u2019s where I want to caution you on what I call the Web MD effect: diagnosing an illness based on apparent symptoms.  What could I possibly know about any of this?  Well, I have been a teacher for many years including U.S. public school, and so my \u2026 gibberish \u2026 detector is pretty strong.  So read on, to see the true, the false, and the meaning of it all.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/blog\/teaching-abroad\/choosing-your-efl-teaching-job-the-webmd-effect\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Teaching Nomad\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-01-14T07:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-11T19:13:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/88f135a483ef01fac8d7b920488085e4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"602\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.teachingnomad.com\/\",\"name\":\"Teaching Nomad\",\"description\":\"Jobs and programs for teaching English abroad, International school employment and teaching job vacancies in Asia. 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