Moving to SoCal

[JClemy]

I'm trying to decide whether I should teach somewhere overseas or move to the U.S. from up here in Canada. I've applied to get my B.ed but I'm not sure I'll be getting in. If not I figure I should do something interesting. I know a lot of you live in SoCal area so I was just wondering what the job prospects are like. I have my English Degree so I'm not totally uneducated. YAY

[whynotsmile99]

jobs here suck. go teach over seas man, seriously. I've lived here my whole life and look forward to living somewhere for a while.

Teach in Europe/Asia. You see see new places of the world, meet fascinating people, probably spend a lot less money (if you go to asia that is).

I live in LA and its a pretty shitty time in LA right now, probably all over the US. Work is beyond tight in all markets, the economy here sucks, gas prices are ridiculous, it's packed with people and traffic is the worst its ever been and will only get worse.

Go teach in Bangkok or somewhere in China or Japan.

i've always wanted to do that. they dont pay much, but many supply you with boarding and other things

[chairmenmeow47]

overseas. if you're worried about money, go earn some euros. if you want experience, do it NOW! they'll always be reasons to keep you from going overseas, and the longer you wait, the more reasons will pile up. i'd recommend doing that. if i didn't have a good job that paid for my education , i'd look abroad myself, even if it was just for a short period of time. the experience will be priceless.

[picks up chair]

Agreed for jobs in most everything EXCEPT teaching in the US. There's (still) a huge need for more teachers. Gov Blunt (MO) just changed the reqs for teaching high school so that any working professional can teach (without a teaching degree). Of course, that's not soCal, but it kinda sums up how in need of teachers we are.

Software jobs too; I haven't had trouble moving myself around the US every couple years.

[PassiveTheory]

I'd say for teaching in So Cal try doing ESL, that's what my mom taught for a while.

But I think the general consensus is to go abroad when you can.

[JustSteve]

i was told it was hard for americans to find work in some european countries, they want the jobs to go to other europeans/locals.

[slurpee]

Look into TEFL or the JET program.

TEFL is good for teaching English over seas in countries all over the world. I believe S Korea will get you the most money these days.

JET is only for teaching English in Japan.

When I studied abroad in Japan I was offered a JET position but I declined. I work in the tech industry and figured it would be a waste in my career to teach English. Although I did get to teach English at an all girls Catholic University for a week in Nagasaki Japan. That was so much fun.


Travel the world and teach English. Such a great opportunity to travel, see the world, and make some money.

[JClemy]

Yea thats generally the idea of what everyone is saying. It's not so much for teaching just to get away from here for a while. Somewhere warmer. I wouldn't be looking for an awesome job just something to pay bills. I can move to Florida and live rent free if I wanted in a place just outside of Tampa so I'm trying to decide about that too.

[chairmenmeow47]

i would also mention that you will probably hope to make more money as you get older, right? keep in mind that some of these jobs overseas might pay less and it's a lot easier to take a paycut now than in 20 years when you're making a lot more money and have more bills to pay and such. just another thing to consider

[JClemy]

Yea I know. I will have to grow up eventually. This is really only a backup plan too. Hopefully I'll get accepted into an Education program for my B.ed. I'm just thinking of things to do just in case.

[kitt kat]

Wait, so are you trying to find somewhere to TEACH or to earn your B.ed? That changes everything completely.

If you're looking at SoCal to TEACH, please DON'T. I work at an LAUSD elementary school, and it's seriously the most heartbreaking thing in the entire universe. LAUSD suxx more than a vaccuum cleaner. They really don't care about the schools and the students themselves---only those fucking test scores. If the district cared about the schools, then the facilities wouldn't be covered in graffitti, the classrooms would be cleaned daily by paid maintenance crews and not weekly by teachers, the kids would have art, music, PE, science and history classes instead of only math and language arts...Honstly the list goes on and on. The students at my school underperform so horribly, it breaks my heart. The teachers really can't do anything about it because they're required to teach by the BOOK of the California State Standards Test. So, when a student isn't taught how to form contractions or what an exclamation point is, they underperform later in their studies. Plus, many of the students are ESL or come from Spanish-only homes, so their vocabulary, grammar, and basic knowledge of English is lacking. I worked with a 12 year old 4th grader this year who could barely read and write.

But if you're coming to LA to get a degree, there's so many good Education schools out here, and you'd also get a student teaching position which would definately wake you up to the real worlds of inner-city teaching. USC and LMU both have great education programs. (I am quite familiar with Rossier, the USC education program, because I work with many Ed. degree candidates at the elementary school.)

[marooko]

I worked with a 12 year old 4th grader this year who could barely read and write.

HOW THE FUCK DID HE/SHE GET TO 4th GRADE!?!?!? I'm not asking you specifically. I've seen situations like that and I don't fucking get it. This has been going on waaaaay before no child left behind, or Bush. What's the fucking deal with that? I say it started around the time when people stopped "FAILING" a grade and were being "HELD BACK". Fuck that!! You failed, try again.

[chairmenmeow47]

HOW THE FUCK DID HE/SHE GET TO 4th GRADE!?!?!? I'm not asking you specifically. I've seen situations like that and I don't fucking get it. This has been going on waaaaay before no child left behind, or Bush. What's the fucking deal with that? I say it started around the time when people stopped "FAILING" a grade and were being "HELD BACK". Fuck that!! You failed, try again.

probably because public schools are not treated as institutions for learning, but instead for training on how to get a job and function in society. this kid that is 12 in the 4th grade... i was 12 in 7th grade. obviously someone has tried to hold them back at some point, but they can only hold them back so long before you've got a 20 year old 4th grader. at that point they aren't getting the necessary job/social skills so someone has to pass them ahead. it's sad, but that's how it works.

people talk about "teaching to the test" today. it used to be that you "taught to the job". teach them to respond to bells, produce X number of widgets in an hour and learn to speak only when spoken to. i'm not a teacher, but i imagine it must be damn tough these days if you actually care about your job. because teaching to the job today requires a lot more critical thinking than industrial society did, and yet here we are using the same industrial era tests. it's a sad state of affairs indeed....

*/end rant*

[jimmycrackcorn]

Although I did get to teach English at an all girls Catholic University for a week in Nagasaki Japan. That was so much fun.

you F@#$ING pervert...



oops thats a UNIVERSITY!
you stallion you...

[tessalasset]

Kitt Katt - i have a friend who works at a public high school in whittier and his sentiments are exactly the same. he's from PA, and he convinced his entire high school class he taught that everyone speaks french as the main language there. it bummed him out so much that no one even thought to call him on it. he loves the kids and it just breaks his heart.

[marooko]

Kitt Katt - i have a friend who works at a public high school in whittier and his sentiments are exactly the same. he's from PA, and he convinced his entire high school class he taught that everyone speaks french as the main language there. it bummed him out so much that no one even thought to call him on it. he loves the kids and it just breaks his heart.

i dont know if that makes me wanna laugh, or cry.

[gaypalmsprings]

The Governator hates education, so jobs are getting worse. No harm in sending out resumes/applications & going to job fairs. I love SoCal & I would recommend it if you can stand it.

[JClemy]

I wasn't actually thinking I would do teaching at all in SoCal. I'm planning on taking my schooling here. I'm just not sure if my last mark that went in will count towards my GPA to get into education. I might be rejected because of when I finished my degree(which is stupid and there's more to it but it's all based on marks).

I was more thinking of just a job in SoCal and just being in the warm weather for a while. It's more just to get away for about a year and then go back and finish my schooling. Nothing permanent.

Thank you so much though to all of you for all this info. It's pretty awesome considering I only started the thread a few hours ago. So thanks.

Also that teaching to kids just to get them through does sound terrible. I tutor right now and we kinda do that here but not as badly. Teaching is awesome. I had a kid yesterday fill out a form to say how they are doing at the tutoring center and his favorite thing about going was his teacher(me). He also is improving so I don't just let him play.

[tessalasset]

And JClem, I am all for you moving here. I love LA so much. If you are able to afford living on the west side, it is entirely worth it.