15 Reasons Why TEFL is Still an Amazing Career
More than teaching: a life well-lived.
It’s easy to forget why we chose TEFL as a career.
When times are busy, and we’re swamped with lesson planning, marking, and admin, we forget about the joys of teaching. Then, I spent this week at the IATEFL 2024 conference, and it reminded me why I love TEFL. It inspired me to write a list of everything I love about TEFL and all the opportunities it’s given me.
If you haven’t started your TEFL journey, read on. If you have, remind yourself why you started.
Travel really does broaden the mind. Working in different countries allows you to immerse yourself in new cultures. You learn about local customs, traditions, and ways of life, which can significantly broaden your perspective and understanding of the world.
You learn endlessly. Both personal and professional development. aching English abroad can help you develop a wide range of skills, including communication, public speaking, problem-solving, and adaptability. These skills are valuable in any career path.
You develop superpowers. I’ve written about this here.
You can make a difference. You really can help people, and make an impact on your students’ lives. You help them improve their English proficiency, which can open up better educational and career opportunities for them.
You have wild adventures. Most TEFL teachers have at least a handful of unbelievable (yet true) crazy stories of their time overseas. I personally have been lost in the Gobi desert, discovered I only had one kidney, and hiked up a mountain by torchlight to watch the sunrise from the east peak.
Language skills. You can learn a new language (or two). Yes, it’s challenging, but there’s no better opportunity than living in a country where its spoken. Plus, it’s good to understand what your students are going through.
The food is epic. If you’re a foodie, you’ll be able to discover amazing new dishes and recipes that you’ll remember forever.
Flexibility: TEFL jobs vary widely, from short-term contracts to longer commitments, and from full-time to part-time hours. There’s something for everyone.
Friends worldwide. You’ll meet people from the countries you teach in, as well as other TEFL teachers. You’ll build amazing friendships and relationships with people that you’ll stay in touch with for a lifetime.
Personal growth: The challenges and experiences of living and working in a new country can make you grow. You’ll become more independent, confident, and resilient. You’ll learn more about yourself.
Career opportunities: Experience as a TEFL teacher can be a stepping stone to other career opportunities such as educational administration, curriculum development, or teacher training. It can also enhance your qualifications if you decide to pursue teaching in your home country.
Work-life balance: Many TEFL positions, especially in certain countries, offer a work schedule that allows for a healthy balance between job responsibilities and personal time. This can mean more opportunities to explore your surroundings, pursue hobbies, or relax and enjoy life abroad.
Creative freedom: Planning and delivering classes can be fun. You can design lessons that are not only educational but also fun, and on topics that you and your students find engaging.
You can now work from home. The rise of online education has opened up new avenues for TEFL teachers. You can teach students from around the world from the comfort of your home, offering flexibility in terms of both location and schedule.
Live like a local. Living in another country is very different from visiting it on holiday. You’ll have opportunities to experience aspects of the culture that tourists never see.
Life is never boring. You might have a great day, or a bad day, but you’ll rarely (if ever) have a boring day.
Any more?
Did I miss any?
Leave a comment or send me an email to let me know your reasons for starting and/or staying in TEFL.
If you liked this article, you’ll love my books:
📝 Lesson Planning for Language Teachers - Plan better, faster, and stress-free (4.5⭐, 178 ratings).
👩🎓 Essential Classroom Management - Develop calm students and a classroom full of learning (4.5⭐, 33 ratings).
🏰 Storytelling for Language Teachers - Use the power of storytelling to transform your lessons (4.5⭐, 11 ratings).
🤖 ChatGPT for Language Teachers - A collection of AI prompts and techniques to work better, faster (4.5⭐, 10 ratings).
💭 Reflective Teaching Practice Journal - Improve your teaching in five minutes daily (4.5⭐, 16 ratings).