*** My LasT eNtRy oF 20o8 ***
Hello everyone,
It has been a long long long time since my last entry. So, I decided to give you all an update in regards to how life has been WITH the CELTA =)
CELTA and ESL Jobs in Istanbul:
I must say… I am so happy I took the CELTA rather than other TEFL certificates. It’s time to be honest…. Before I applied for the CELTA, I had applied to a few jobs and told my never to be employers that I have an ABC (for example) TEFL Certificate. The pay per hour that was offered was 10$ (for example). A few days later I applied to the same jobs and told my never to be employers that I have the CELTA. The pay per hour offered was 30$ (for example). I am not telling you this so you can become a materialistic, teach-get paid-go home kind of teacher, but I am telling you this because there is a huge difference in the way employers take up the CELTA and other TEFL certificates. Is it fair? No. Why is it like that? Remember in one of my old entries I had mentioned something about “Prestige and the CELTA” well there you go… Now, this may not be the case about the entire world, but in Istanbul CELTA makes you bling.
P.S. Turns out that the CELTA is really worth paying for.
CELTA and ESL Teachers:
You have the CELTA. You are working in a good Language School. Your pay is treating you well. Are you a good teacher? Let’s ask the students… When you are teaching, there is something the CELTA can’t give you, which is “energy”. I have observed a few teachers with the CELTA and yes they did make me think “Oh My God!??!!”. No matter how qualified you are in “paper”, your true qualification is given to you by your students. Your connection with students should be like the connection between perfomers on stage with their audience. Imagine how happy you would be if your favorite singer came on stage, yelled out your name to the crowd and dedicated his/her next song to you. That would be a special moment for you. That moment should be given to each and every one of your students daily. Your attention, energy and stage entertainment makes you a qualified teacher on “paper” approved by your “students”.
CELTA and a ESL Career:
Most of the people that take the CELTA are young. Something between 18-35 I guess. They teach for years and years… and at the end they become a “experienced” teacher. However, some of us don’t want to end up with JUST a 40 year experience in teaching in the same language school to different generations of students. Some of us want to take a step further on the ESL bridge. I want to cross to the other side. So what do I do next? I am thinking of the DELTA but I am not sure if I am ready yet, besides the DELTA is not offered in Istanbul till October 2009. I need to take a step towards something. However, at the moment I’m just thinking of what foot to take a step with….. The right foot? oR The left foot? Later I will let you all know of the direction I choose.
P.S. Career planning in ESL is not like career planning in a bank. Trust me when I say this…
NOTE: Alex Case, thanks for the comment =)
