Expat career change?
Discussion
Hi everyone. I'm posting in this section as i've yet to get any response in the 'Pie and Piston' ( jobs section), so here goes:
I'm at a crossroads in my life and weighing up all my options so some outside objective opinions could help me to decide.
Born in The New Forest, went to Exeter university ( BA History/English), then several years working in car sales, tele sales, admin before doing a PGCE at Reading Uni. I've always loved history and i'm great explaining things to people, communication etc, and generally feel comfortable with 'people contact', and i found i had a natural gift for teaching.
I worked 5 years in a really rough secondary school in Portsmouth, put up with endless verbal abuse, physical violence, aggressive parents, and was the only one of my group of teachers who started out together to survive the 5 years! I'm extremely patient, have a long fuse, and have a 'sixth sense' to understand young people's feelings/motivations. I love the teaching but hate the endless paperwork/mind games meant to get teachers to jump through one hoop into the next!
I ended up marrying the French assistance who was working in the same school and decided to emigrate to France in 1997, as i'd had enough of lack of support from heads of year, disruptive kids getting 15 final warnings etc!
We got married in 1997 in Clermont Ferrand, and i emigrated in the summer of that year. My ( now ex) wife passed her CAPES and got her posting to Melun. New life, new horizons.
I spent the next 5 years temping, teaching adults EFL, doing replacement teaching ( maitre auxiliare etc), and i even got a position as a PRAG in a French university. Things were looking up when unfortunately,in 2004 i got knocked down outside a local school (on the pedestrian crossing) by a speeding motorist! I survived ( only just, 20 fractures, 12 months re education etc), but had to look for another job! That was followed one year later by a horrific mountain bike crash ( another 6 fractures!!!!)
Since 2004 i've been working in a private international school in an international section teaching baccalaureate English and history, EFL Cambridge exams, preparing students for foreign study, organizing school trips etc.
However, despite my wealth of experience i never passed the CAPES/CAPREF so haven't had the same financial security. I've done endless vacataire jobs to supplement my main income, e learning etc, but unfortunately my standard of living has gone down a lot in the past 2 years. Why? Divorce! In the past 2 years i've lost the wife, the family home, all the in laws, and the majority of the shared friends. It doesn't help that the past 10 years i've been doing a daily round trip of 140 km ( the ex teaches 5 mins from home),to and from my place of work with my children ( my 2 children are 13 and 18), both have received an excellent quality of education, passed numerous EFL qualifications, and in the case of my son he speaks fluent French, English, German and Italian. I've made huge sacrifices for them both, but feel that i've got to now start thinking about my future.
Single dad, fit and healthy,2 wonderful children loves teaching, excellent students, but completely fed up with lack of career progression, lack of financial reward etc, and i'm wondering if i shouldn't re train or pass further qualifications to ensure my future.
I've thought of loads of possibilities with anything from doing an online masters in history/English/creative writing, to media studies, e commerce, web design etc. I was offered a post of maitre auxiliaire by my school head with the chance to sit the CAPES internal exam in 2 years time. Only problem, she offered 1300 euros net for 21h/week teaching. As a divorced, single dad that's too big a pay cut for me !
I never received any support from the in laws over the years ( the legend of the French 'belle mere from hell' is true), and the constant daily commute plus juggling 2-3 part time jobs with my full time one meant 60 h weeks left nothing for free time learning. I'm not getting any younger (49), but on the other hand i've a positive outlook on life despite the numerous ups and downs in my life so far.
I apologise for rambling on a bit, but with no friends or family now to chat to, i'm looking for some honest feedback.
Any ideas?
I'm at a crossroads in my life and weighing up all my options so some outside objective opinions could help me to decide.
Born in The New Forest, went to Exeter university ( BA History/English), then several years working in car sales, tele sales, admin before doing a PGCE at Reading Uni. I've always loved history and i'm great explaining things to people, communication etc, and generally feel comfortable with 'people contact', and i found i had a natural gift for teaching.
I worked 5 years in a really rough secondary school in Portsmouth, put up with endless verbal abuse, physical violence, aggressive parents, and was the only one of my group of teachers who started out together to survive the 5 years! I'm extremely patient, have a long fuse, and have a 'sixth sense' to understand young people's feelings/motivations. I love the teaching but hate the endless paperwork/mind games meant to get teachers to jump through one hoop into the next!
I ended up marrying the French assistance who was working in the same school and decided to emigrate to France in 1997, as i'd had enough of lack of support from heads of year, disruptive kids getting 15 final warnings etc!
We got married in 1997 in Clermont Ferrand, and i emigrated in the summer of that year. My ( now ex) wife passed her CAPES and got her posting to Melun. New life, new horizons.
I spent the next 5 years temping, teaching adults EFL, doing replacement teaching ( maitre auxiliare etc), and i even got a position as a PRAG in a French university. Things were looking up when unfortunately,in 2004 i got knocked down outside a local school (on the pedestrian crossing) by a speeding motorist! I survived ( only just, 20 fractures, 12 months re education etc), but had to look for another job! That was followed one year later by a horrific mountain bike crash ( another 6 fractures!!!!)
Since 2004 i've been working in a private international school in an international section teaching baccalaureate English and history, EFL Cambridge exams, preparing students for foreign study, organizing school trips etc.
However, despite my wealth of experience i never passed the CAPES/CAPREF so haven't had the same financial security. I've done endless vacataire jobs to supplement my main income, e learning etc, but unfortunately my standard of living has gone down a lot in the past 2 years. Why? Divorce! In the past 2 years i've lost the wife, the family home, all the in laws, and the majority of the shared friends. It doesn't help that the past 10 years i've been doing a daily round trip of 140 km ( the ex teaches 5 mins from home),to and from my place of work with my children ( my 2 children are 13 and 18), both have received an excellent quality of education, passed numerous EFL qualifications, and in the case of my son he speaks fluent French, English, German and Italian. I've made huge sacrifices for them both, but feel that i've got to now start thinking about my future.
Single dad, fit and healthy,2 wonderful children loves teaching, excellent students, but completely fed up with lack of career progression, lack of financial reward etc, and i'm wondering if i shouldn't re train or pass further qualifications to ensure my future.
I've thought of loads of possibilities with anything from doing an online masters in history/English/creative writing, to media studies, e commerce, web design etc. I was offered a post of maitre auxiliaire by my school head with the chance to sit the CAPES internal exam in 2 years time. Only problem, she offered 1300 euros net for 21h/week teaching. As a divorced, single dad that's too big a pay cut for me !
I never received any support from the in laws over the years ( the legend of the French 'belle mere from hell' is true), and the constant daily commute plus juggling 2-3 part time jobs with my full time one meant 60 h weeks left nothing for free time learning. I'm not getting any younger (49), but on the other hand i've a positive outlook on life despite the numerous ups and downs in my life so far.
I apologise for rambling on a bit, but with no friends or family now to chat to, i'm looking for some honest feedback.
Any ideas?
Edited by rosbif77 on Wednesday 30th March 18:35
Edited by rosbif77 on Wednesday 30th March 20:06
Hi everyone. I'm posting in this section as i've yet to get any response in the 'Pie and Piston' ( jobs section), so here goes:
I'm at a crossroads in my life and weighing up all my options so some outside objective opinions could help me to decide.
Born in The New Forest, went to Exeter university ( BA History/English), then several years working in car sales, tele sales, admin before doing a PGCE at Reading Uni. I've always loved history and i'm great explaining things to people, communication etc, and generally feel comfortable with 'people contact', and i found i had a natural gift for teaching.
I worked 5 years in a really rough secondary school in Portsmouth, put up with endless verbal abuse, physical violence, aggressive parents, and was the only one of my group of teachers who started out together to survive the 5 years! I'm extremely patient, have a long fuse, and have a 'sixth sense' to understand young people's feelings/motivations. I love the teaching but hate the endless paperwork/mind games meant to get teachers to jump through one hoop into the next!
I ended up marrying the French assistance who was working in the same school and decided to emigrate to France in 1997, as i'd had enough of lack of support from heads of year, disruptive kids getting 15 final warnings etc!
We got married in 1997 in Clermont Ferrand, and i emigrated in the summer of that year. My ( now ex) wife passed her CAPES and got her posting to Melun. New life, new horizons.
I spent the next 5 years temping, teaching adults EFL, doing replacement teaching ( maitre auxiliare etc), and i even got a position as a PRAG in a French university. Things were looking up when unfortunately,in 2004 i got knocked down outside a local school (on the pedestrian crossing) by a speeding motorist! I survived ( only just, 20 fractures, 12 months re education etc), but had to look for another job! That was followed one year later by a horrific mountain bike crash ( another 6 fractures!!!!)
Since 2004 i've been working in a private international school in an international section teaching baccalaureate English and history, EFL Cambridge exams, preparing students for foreign study, organizing school trips etc.
However, despite my wealth of experience i never passed the CAPES/CAPREF so haven't had the same financial security. I've done endless vacataire jobs to supplement my main income, e learning etc, but unfortunately my standard of living has gone down a lot in the past 2 years. Why? Divorce! In the past 2 years i've lost the wife, the family home, all the in laws, and the majority of the shared friends. It doesn't help that the past 10 years i've been doing a daily round trip of 140 km ( the ex teaches 5 mins from home),to and from my place of work with my children ( my 2 children are 13 and 18), both have received an excellent quality of education, passed numerous EFL qualifications, and in the case of my son he speaks fluent French, English, German and Italian. I've made huge sacrifices for them both, but feel that i've got to now start thinking about my future.
Single dad, fit and healthy,2 wonderful children loves teaching, excellent students, but completely fed up with lack of career progression, lack of financial reward etc, and i'm wondering if i shouldn't re train or pass further qualifications to ensure my future.
I've thought of loads of possibilities with anything from doing an online masters in history/English/creative writing, to media studies, e commerce, web design etc. I was offered a post of maitre auxiliaire by my school head with the chance to sit the CAPES internal exam in 2 years time. Only problem, she offered 1300 euros net for 21h/week teaching. As a divorced, single dad that's too big a pay cut for me !
I never received any support from the in laws over the years ( the legend of the French 'belle mere from hell' is true), and the constant daily commute plus juggling 2-3 part time jobs with my full time one meant 60 h weeks left nothing for free time learning. I'm not getting any younger (49), but on the other hand i've a positive outlook on life despite the numerous ups and downs in my life so far.
I apologise for rambling on a bit, but with no friends or family now to chat to, i'm looking for some honest feedback.
Any ideas?
I'm at a crossroads in my life and weighing up all my options so some outside objective opinions could help me to decide.
Born in The New Forest, went to Exeter university ( BA History/English), then several years working in car sales, tele sales, admin before doing a PGCE at Reading Uni. I've always loved history and i'm great explaining things to people, communication etc, and generally feel comfortable with 'people contact', and i found i had a natural gift for teaching.
I worked 5 years in a really rough secondary school in Portsmouth, put up with endless verbal abuse, physical violence, aggressive parents, and was the only one of my group of teachers who started out together to survive the 5 years! I'm extremely patient, have a long fuse, and have a 'sixth sense' to understand young people's feelings/motivations. I love the teaching but hate the endless paperwork/mind games meant to get teachers to jump through one hoop into the next!
I ended up marrying the French assistance who was working in the same school and decided to emigrate to France in 1997, as i'd had enough of lack of support from heads of year, disruptive kids getting 15 final warnings etc!
We got married in 1997 in Clermont Ferrand, and i emigrated in the summer of that year. My ( now ex) wife passed her CAPES and got her posting to Melun. New life, new horizons.
I spent the next 5 years temping, teaching adults EFL, doing replacement teaching ( maitre auxiliare etc), and i even got a position as a PRAG in a French university. Things were looking up when unfortunately,in 2004 i got knocked down outside a local school (on the pedestrian crossing) by a speeding motorist! I survived ( only just, 20 fractures, 12 months re education etc), but had to look for another job! That was followed one year later by a horrific mountain bike crash ( another 6 fractures!!!!)
Since 2004 i've been working in a private international school in an international section teaching baccalaureate English and history, EFL Cambridge exams, preparing students for foreign study, organizing school trips etc.
However, despite my wealth of experience i never passed the CAPES/CAPREF so haven't had the same financial security. I've done endless vacataire jobs to supplement my main income, e learning etc, but unfortunately my standard of living has gone down a lot in the past 2 years. Why? Divorce! In the past 2 years i've lost the wife, the family home, all the in laws, and the majority of the shared friends. It doesn't help that the past 10 years i've been doing a daily round trip of 140 km ( the ex teaches 5 mins from home),to and from my place of work with my children ( my 2 children are 13 and 18), both have received an excellent quality of education, passed numerous EFL qualifications, and in the case of my son he speaks fluent French, English, German and Italian. I've made huge sacrifices for them both, but feel that i've got to now start thinking about my future.
Single dad, fit and healthy,2 wonderful children loves teaching, excellent students, but completely fed up with lack of career progression, lack of financial reward etc, and i'm wondering if i shouldn't re train or pass further qualifications to ensure my future.
I've thought of loads of possibilities with anything from doing an online masters in history/English/creative writing, to media studies, e commerce, web design etc. I was offered a post of maitre auxiliaire by my school head with the chance to sit the CAPES internal exam in 2 years time. Only problem, she offered 1300 euros net for 21h/week teaching. As a divorced, single dad that's too big a pay cut for me !
I never received any support from the in laws over the years ( the legend of the French 'belle mere from hell' is true), and the constant daily commute plus juggling 2-3 part time jobs with my full time one meant 60 h weeks left nothing for free time learning. I'm not getting any younger (49), but on the other hand i've a positive outlook on life despite the numerous ups and downs in my life so far.
I apologise for rambling on a bit, but with no friends or family now to chat to, i'm looking for some honest feedback.
Any ideas?
Edited by rosbif77 on Wednesday 30th March 18:35
Edited by rosbif77 on Wednesday 30th March 20:06
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