cunning inguist
- 2012-04-26
Hi Emily. If you have been in the caring profession as a doctor or nurse,then you will be used to dealing with people in a variety of situations, and this could be a good background for teaching at any level. People who are good with people, show empathy, and can develop rapport, often make very good teachers.
Full time postgrad studies take one year (in the UK) and longer in other countries, so is it possible to attend grad school first and perhaps you and your boyfriend can finish your education at the same time? Or is your prime motivation to be together now?
Kindergarten teaching is not for everybody, I know I couldn't do it. The kids will have a short attention span, get tired easily and your entertainment skills will have to be first-class. Depending on where you find a job, it could be nothing more than glorified baby-sitting. But don't let this dissuade you if you feel some pre-grad school experience is essential.
You also need to ask yourself where you want to be after grad school - location and type of work. The term 'early years' can also cover primary so don't limit your options. Is seeing some of the world by country-hopping and working also part of your plan? It's always good to get some experience beforehand, but let's say you didn't take to the work. How would your plan change, particularly the idea of a dual-masters degree?
What are your boyfriend's plans after graduation? Stay in Bolivia, travel, get married?
I don't expect you to answer any of my questions on an open forum, merely to consider your options by asking yourself some further questions.
Further education is never wasted, and it is possible that you could gain some practical experience during your studies by way of placements, depending on the type of course.
A decision to go, and take a gamble on the work and your aptitude, may seem "crazy" at the moment, but you would not be the first to take the plunge. And it is often a good thing to move outside our comfort zone and try new things. How do we know if we will be good at something unless we try? Just ensure that you do lots of research first so you are not in a poor working environment where you learn and earn very little.
Best of luck.
Regards
CL
Hello everybody,
I am working towards the goal to be an early childhood teacher, probably kindergarten. I am 32 years old and had a change of heart from the medical field to move into teaching. I think being a kindergarten teacher is a GREAT job for me and I need some experience to validate this before jumping into grad school! I don't have formal teaching experience but back when I was in college I was a teachers assistant. It's been difficult to volunteer in my town and I have a friend who recommended the experience of teaching English in a foreign country for a year. I hadn't thought of that before but I was excited by the idea because my boyfriend is studying in Cochabamba Bolivia and I could live with him. And I'm delighted by the idea just to be close to him! He is Bolivian and is getting his degree there to save a boatload of money.
However, I have to think about my career and I'm not getting any younger so I can't afford to waste time. Should I bite the bullet and go straight into grad school or do you think it would be a worthwhile experience to teach English overseas? Or does it make more sense to volunteer locally in a kindergarten?
My view is that I should start getting my masters degree to teach ASAP but I also think that doing something crazy like teaching overseas in South America might help me decide once and for all if teaching is for me. ESPECIALLY if it'd be possible to teach CHILDREN English. Who knows down the road I could get a dual masters early childhood AND ESL.
What are your thoughts and suggestions about this? THANK YOU!