Honesty on your CV is the best policy. In the quest for that perfect English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching position, job seekers can feel under an immense amount of pressure to stand out. In a competitive job market, the temptation to embellish one’s CV can be strong, but as we’ll explore, the legal… Continue reading Navigating legalities in your ESL job hunt
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For Love, not Money? What makes a great employer?
Guy’s For Love not Money piece of today, got me thinking about what makes a great employer, what drives us to want to work for a great employer? Over the course of the weekend, in between tennis and enjoying the warmth that has finally engulfed this land, in my true workaholic nature, I took some… Continue reading For Love, not Money? What makes a great employer?
Teaching English in South Korea
Teaching English in South Korea is an amazing experience. There is definitely a reason why thousands of university graduates flock to teach English in South Korea year after year. Korea has become one of the number one destinations for being the best country to teach English in and there are many reasons why. Korea has… Continue reading Teaching English in South Korea
Motivating ESL students to speak out
Teacher Joe’s Principle 1: Positive Reinforcement As a teacher, you should focus on your students successful attempts to use English. At first, reward ANY success however small. If students speak out loudly and clearly, but make a mistake, praise them just for speaking out or for pronouncing it well. As students improve, you can focus… Continue reading Motivating ESL students to speak out
Tidbits of Anecdotes from a Former English Teacher in Korea
I was in Korea for two straight years. Although I lived in Pusan, the second largest city, I did a lot of roaming around the country. Here is a collection of experiences that are not hard to come by, many of which are not usually found in the typical guide book: While exploring a beach… Continue reading Tidbits of Anecdotes from a Former English Teacher in Korea
The other side of the coin
Here’s a nice, long, Halloween horror story for teachers, directors, and schools. I won’t divulge a full name because it would be professionally and morally unconscionable for me to sabotage any person’s potential for future repentance, which is ironic, for this individual posted a libellous web page in order to suck the blood from both… Continue reading The other side of the coin
Schools in Hungary
Children in Hungary start school at the age of six and everybody must go to school until the age of sixteen. The first type of school is primary school, where children may stay until they are fourteen, that is for eight years. But a lot of children choose to leave primary school earlier and go… Continue reading Schools in Hungary
Teaching in China
National week in China is a big deal. We have a week off from teaching and I was invited to join a group of teachers for a trip to Chengde. The bus trip there took about 15 hours. We left Luoyang before 6am and arrived around 9pm. One of the disadvantages of being tall is… Continue reading Teaching in China
Living and working in Taiwan
A patchwork of lights shimmered along the night sky’s horizon. I looked out over the wing of the China Airlines 747 down at the Taiwan’s approaching radiance. I was excited, and I tried to discern signs of what lay ahead of me. I had twenty minutes left on my one-way ticket to Taiwan and $2000… Continue reading Living and working in Taiwan
Living and teaching in Moscow
I’ve been living in Moscow since August 2003 and I thought I’d write about my experience in case you’re thinking of coming here to teach at some time in the future. To begin with, I’m pleased to say that my overall experience has been a positive one. My job is interesting, the school is supportive,… Continue reading Living and teaching in Moscow