Comments on: TEFL Teachers – Caledonian School and Broken Promises

By: Ricky Yates » Blog Archive » Farewell to Karen (hopefully only temporarily)

Fri, 28 May 2010 14:22:42 +0000

[...] Unfortunately, along with another American young lady called Anna, Karen was forced to leave the Czech Republic at the end of April 2009 because of the total incompetence of the Caledonian School in helping both young ladies obtain work permits and residence visas. A second visa application, via the Czech consulate in Chicago, was also unsuccessful. Full details of what happened can be found in my earlier post entitled TEFL Teachers – Caledonian School and Broken Promises. [...]

By: Ricky Yates » Blog Archive » Farewell to Turkey

Ricky Yates » Blog Archive » Farewell to Turkey — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:16:10 +0000

[...] we also met up with Anna, a former member of my Prague Chaplaincy congregation about whom I’ve blogged previously. She is now teaching in Istanbul and we were able to reunite her with a suitcase and another bag [...]

By: College Grants

College Grants — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:59:14 +0000

I’m shocked and surprised because of what I read. I don’t know how will I survive if I am in their situation. For months now, a friend of mine has been planning to go to Prague to teach English. I guess, it will be better if I’ll let her read about this.

By: Ricky

Ricky — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:23:14 +0000

Minnie – I endorse every thing you say. In particular, if you are going to another country to work, you need a work permit and visa not just a tourist visa. This is where I believe Caledonian let Karen & Anna down by telling them to come as tourists and ‘we’ll sort out work permits etc later’.

Bev – Thanks for your comment. Ironically, we’ve just heard from Anna that she is flying into Prague this weekend to collect her belonging that are still here. I just hope she is allowed in as a ‘tourist’. We’re planning to meet up. I think her trip has been quite an eyeopener for her, coming as she does, from a fairly sheltered background in middle America. I’ll know more after we’ve met up again.

By: Romancing Italy

Romancing Italy — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:55:13 +0000

I am sorry to see this side of TEFL because it should have been a great way for an average person to make a living in a foreign country. Working as a secretary or a mother in the States doesn’t help when living overseas and learning a new language. I’m impressed with Anna’s trip through the eastern countries and I hope the experience was incredible for her. If nothing else, they found a good friend in YOU.

By: Minnie

Minnie — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:37:31 +0000

Yes, Ricky, what you say in your conclusion is right – and Mike’s views also. The international TEFL scene is famously exploitative, by and large. It’s important to remember at all times that these schools are businesses, as opposed to strictly educational establishments. And would-be teachers must get an internationally-recognised post-grad qualification (eg CELTA or Trinity) before applying. A decent, reputable school will organise the necessary paperwork for the newly-recruited teacher – and some will even help with accommodation, flights, etc (after all, it’s good business practice to keep the teachers happy).
Finally, tourist visas are just that – they’re not flexible arrangements, allowing people to trawl for prospects. If you want/need a work/permanent visa or work permit, then that’s what you are supposed to apply for in the first place. Them’s the rules; I don’t make ‘em!

By: Ricky

Ricky — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:10:34 +0000

Mike – Thank you for your comment and the sane advice it contains.

Karen – I knew about the one American who got her visa from the first round. She also badgered about her work permit and visa right from the start & didn’t rely on the School’s promises. As for the one from the second round, I’ll let the information you give speak for itself!

As for your last comment, all I can say is “Thank you – you’re very kind!”

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:52:49 +0000

Ricky, you have given very good advice and reached a great conclusion from this whole episode. I agree that it is not in the teacher’s interest to come to C.R. on a tourist visa with an assurance by a school that a work visa will be forthcoming. It turned out to be in the school’s interest to bring people in for the certificate but not to have too many of them stay once they have it. My school handled that by promising everyone a guaranteed job after they took the course, but gee, oops, visa denied. The only American who got it on the first round was the one who intended to go home in six months. The only American who got it on the second round was the one dating a staff member. Lastly, far from being a fool, to have someone stand up for Anna and I as ably as you did makes you a hero in our book. Thank you.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:32:23 +0000

Ricky I cannot say for one minute that I am surprised (sad as that is). Many so called language schools promise the earth then fail to deliver. Visa regulations for various “developing” countries are also frequently changing.

Your advice towards the end of the post is sound. Home country qualifications perhaps obtained at a main stream college or university are much better than SOME of the so called TEFL certificates offered by third party organisations.

In the UK (where I have experience) I would recommend anyone thinking of teaching who has no previous experience i.e. no actual teaching qualifications, studying for PGCE ( a two year part time course) then taking a TEFL course.

Taking short cuts can leave a person sadly ending up like the example you give. Incidentally a lot of so called teachers are partly to blame for this since TEFL is often seen by them as a passport to a paid holiday -it is not, teaching is a vocation.

Here in Thailand for example, a university degree + TEFL is required although many providers of TEFL courses and indeed job providers in the gray sector do not mention this. Result- many illegally employed teachers who risk deportation.

You are quite right to bring this to the attention of your readers some of whom may well be somewhat naive when it comes to the dark world of TEFL teaching/courses.