Single Parent Teaching English Abroad
Single Parents Teaching English Abroad
This is not an uncommon situation these days – so we will make it a regular post here.
A reader wrote:
I’ve spent only 30 minutes browsing your site and it seems like a great resource – thanks!
I’ve just graduated from university and I am a single parent. I’d love to teach English overseas and I think it would be a fantastic experience for my young son as well. I am a little concerned about his education and childcare in a foreign country though. Do you have any information on how difficult it would be to enrol him in school and find reputable childcare? I don’t have a very strong preference as to which country to teach in – my priority is making this big change as easy as possible for the kiddo.
This is one of the few situations that I have not seen work out well. IF you have the qualifications to work for a real first-tier international school (certified teacher in your home country with several years experience) then this is a great option for you as the education for your child will be provided free by your employer – in the great majority of cases.
If you are not a qualified teacher for a first tier international school . . . then I can’t recommend teaching English abroad as an option. I’ve just not seen it work well for anyone. International schools often charge at least what an English teacher earns per month for tuition for EACH child and sometimes much more. Such schools are used to major corporations paying handsomely for the children of their executives to be educated in a first-class environment.
Another option many people suggest is home schooling their children. After all, their child/ren will get a great education from their exposure to a foreign culture. No? Well . . . yes, but . . . But what happens is that after a long day at school the single parent is often a bit fried and still needs to take care of things like meals, laundry, house cleaning and other parental duties. What happens usually is that “home schooling” falls by the wayside while their child/ren hang out on the internet and play video games all day. Not the best of educations for anyone.
YOU might be the one exception who makes it work, but I’ve not seen it work yet – in 20+ years of living and working overseas.
I am not one to say that your dream can’t work – maybe it can. But be aware of your responsibility to your children, please.
TED’s Tips™ #1: Single parents usually have a really difficult time making “home schooling” work. Be aware of the limitations of your energy and ability to provide everything to everybody – employer and family alike.
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Tags: single parent teach english abroad, single parent work abroad
Uncategorized | Ted | 
August 11, 2010 8:38 AM
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