I’ve dealt with co-teachers for most of my experience because I was teaching in Asia. I’ve dealt with co-teachers who offloaded work to me. They put just a bunch of work on me without lifting a finger to help. They can end up stressing you out if you take it all too seriously. 

I’ve also been publicly corrected by co-teachers and I’ve had a co-teacher stand in front of the room and tell the students that what I was doing was wrong. Now this could be really humiliating to people, but I didn’t find it that humiliating at all because I guess I didn’t really take myself seriously. Funny how that works. You can’t shame a clown. 

I have also been told by co-teachers that no one attends my classes these days and I’ve also been pressured to make students attend despite systems in place that would prevent them from coming to my class, such as being graded by other teachers, having statewide exams, you name it, it all was a dis-incentive. I’m innocent I tell ya! They made me do it! I’m a pawn.

So, the rift between the institutional imperative of the school itself versus the foreign teachers is really an odd one in many programs, especially in Asia and South Korea in particular. However, I will not say it’s wrong or that it’s terrible but I will say that you might encounter these kinds of businesses in Asia. 

Bad businesses

You might encounter them somewhere else as well, but the point is that there are some businesses that are just inherently flawed (at least for your purposes). Sometimes, certain businesses are designed for a certain type of person (e.g. the backpacker, the tourist, the aspiring career teacher, the flunky, the criminal) but not for you. Kind of like your high school crush, she was meant for the quarterback, sorry bud. 

Hindsight is 20-20 but there are ways you can research these programs to find out if they are ideal for you. There’s really nothing you can’t find on the internet. Why, I’m usually pretty shocked at what I find about myself as I’m searching for new opportunities to teach English! I’m telling you, it is all on Google! But don’t believe EVERY thing about me on Google. Especially, the bad stuff. 

But actually, all businesses are inherently flawed. You’re never going to get a business that’s got it all perfectly correct so you’re going to have to take the good with the bad.

There are some businesses you’ll get into in Asia as a teacher where the best you can hope for is a good one year and then you leave either because the environment is just so toxic or because you are going to get burned out or maybe you’ll just get sick of living in a rural area. Maybe it becomes too monotonous. Maybe there’s no room for growth. There are many reasons. It’s like any other job, sometimes you need a fresh start, so go west young man!

Planning your life

But I will say that it’s also helpful to identify your career plan. Have mini goals and steps that will help you reach certain milestones. In life, a plan is always a good thing to have so you can kind of keep your eye on where you want to go and how you foresee your future. I’m not saying manifestation because I can’t really vouch for that, but it certainly helps to know what you’re getting into and having a clear sense of what your goal is. Kind of like planning a road trip but with more bathroom breaks. 

These are all things for you to consider and ponder as you move forward in the world. And for those of you who are just graduating from college, you have my sympathies because I recognize how difficult that could be because you’re probably going from one area in life to a completely new area. Welcome to the real world, sadly it does not get easier, unless you are rich.

Where you go will most likely be the complete reverse of everything that university life has ever told you. So, my sympathies to you and it will be difficult. But heck that’s why they made booze to drown your worries away for a few hours!

 I’m not going to lie and sugar coat it. The work force is a challenging one and it’s not called work for nothing, but I will say this, you can learn it, you can get the hang of it, you can get the rhythm of it and in the end you’ll be fine because all the problems that you will ever have are totally solvable with you and you alone. Cheers!

Todd Persaud holds a BFA from New School University and an MA in Applied Sociology from William Paterson University. He has taught in over five countries, and currently resides in Da Nang, Vietnam where he is writing a book about his experiences. He may be reached on his website  

The TEFL (re) Education Program

Todd takes you on a trip down to a fiery inferno populated by wild children and angry businessmen where he describes in lurid detail the ins-and-outs of the English (EFL) teaching profession as conceived overseas.

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