02 Jun 5 Reasons not to be a TEFL teacher

So I stumbled on this gem of an article by JimmyESL and he got me thinking. There are so many articles around on why you should be a TEFL teacher teaching English abroad (most of them from TEFL providers trying to sell you a course) and I have been guilty of doing the same (not trying to sell you a TEFL course but trying to persuade you to become a TEFL teacher) because I’m a big fan of the job, but the fact is, teaching English as a foreign language is not for everyone.

I spent my first few TEFL years in Thailand  and those years are filled with enough teachers who napped under the desk in the classroom, took regular hangover-sick days or ridiculed the culture to have enough proof of that.

So here is my take on the topic.

Don’t be offended if you see yourself here, but maybe it’ll help you realise that you may be a traveller or a tourist, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an English teacher.

5 Reasons not to be a TEFL teacher

1. You’re doing it for the money

Myth #1: Being a TEFL teacher will earn you loads of money. It can (in certain countries or if you work hard) but that shouldn’t be the reason you are taking the job.

Being a TEFL teacher for the money will make you depressed and a very grumpy teacher. The money you earn as a TEFL teacher should be spent on enjoying the best life in the country that you are in – hanging out, travelling, having a good time – not paying off some bank back home.

2. You think you can teach English because you can speak English

One of my pet hates. Teaching is not the same as speaking. And yes I know the joke:

People who can, do. People who can’t, teach.

…and it’s bullshit. Teaching is a skill that the vast majority of people can’t do and many who can, don’t have the patience for.

3. You’re bored

Being a TEFL teacher is definitely an adventure but it’s not a solution to all your problems at home. If you’re unhappy at home, you’ll probably end up unhappy in Thailand/Spain/Dubai.

By all means become a TEFL teacher because you want to travel the world, experience new cultures and meet awesome people (because we do a lot of that) but don’t underestimate the importance of the teaching English bit.

4. You’re a whiner

Being a TEFL teacher in a foreign country can be hard. When I started out in Thailand I shared a bed with two friends in a teeny tiny little room box which was infested with ants, until we found jobs and money to afford our own apartments. 

When I was in China the school insisted on outdoor exercise every morning, even in the snow. When I was in Qatar I had to live according to the dress codes and social customs of the country, which, as an outspoken woman in 50 degree heat, was sometimes unbearable.

The thing is, it’s not going to be all cocktails on the beach. You may need to work long hours or teach crappy difficult students or deal with unbelievable mismanagement of your school. That’s just a part of the deal.

5. You think you’re a great teacher

Don’t get me wrong here. Confidence is good and if you are a good teacher, I hope you realise you are an asset to whoever you work for, but theories of language learning are always developing and teaching methodologies are always changing.

Being a great teacher is one who knows they need to keep up-to-date on the research and makes the time to do that, not someone who maintains that their DELTA they did in 1972 is still current.

In a nutshell: if you love English, enjoy teaching and are a generally rad person, be a TEFL teacher. If you fall under any of the categories above, rather go on a Contiki tour.