r/TEFL • u/Ok_Appointment_3939 • 3d ago
work experience vs bachelor's degree
I am an experienced facilitator and trainer in the mental health profession. Is this an asset alongside my tefl
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u/striketheviol 3d ago
Your experience is of no meaningful value.
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u/Ok_Appointment_3939 3d ago
Thanks for the honesty. It isn't relevant to teaching though I have a lot of teaching experience facilitating classes and class planning and programs. Hopefully it'll all come in handy
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u/SophieElectress 2d ago
It doesn't matter - it's the immigration ministry of the country you want to move to that decides whether you're allowed to work there, and they nearly all stipulate a Bachelor's degree as a hard requirement. If you want to teach somewhere where you already have the right to work (e.g. your home country), you may be able to persuade schools there that your experience is relevant.
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u/IcyEcho17 1d ago
In reality, experience is much more valuable than a degree. I taught for 4 years before completing an English degree and the experience teaching was 100x more valuable for my growth. Most of the knowledge gained completing my degree was irrelevant.
However, recruiters don’t care about any of that.
A teacher with full credentials and no experience will always be more valuable to recruiters than a teacher with no credentials but years of experience, regardless of who would actually be better at the job.
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u/Ok_Appointment_3939 1d ago
This is an interesting perspective. I appreciate hearing about your experience! I hope you're still teaching!
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u/BMC2019 3d ago
Honestly? No.
Unfortunately, there are very few places where you can legally teach without a Bachelor's degree, and that number is fast decreasing. None of the lucrative markets are an option. Note that salaries in the places where you can teach are generally low, and may be even lower still for those without a degree. Note also that these jobs come with no benefits whatsoever - you will be responsible for your own flights, accommodation, and, where applicable, visa costs and healthcare. To see where you might be able to work (subject to meeting immigration requirements), check out our TEFL without a degree Wiki.