Hi Everyone,

Like most newbies I am a little nervous and have several questions, so please bear with me. As the title says I am almost 50 (49) and am thinking about pursuing a TEFL career. Perhaps this is my mid-life crisis. Anyway, I never finished my degree, but have many years of management and training experience under my belt. I also did some volunteer work teaching English to immigrants several years ago. I am concentrating my efforts on Indonesia, as that seems the best place to teach without a degree.

Have any of you found it particularly difficult to transition into teaching at our age? Was there one type of classroom environment that seemed to be better (easier) to begin with? 

Does anybody have any experience with i to i's 120 hour or 140 hour online course with the 20 hours of weekend practical experience?

Has anyone used i to i to secure a position in Indonesia?

What is it like living in Indonesia as a non-muslim "Westerner"?

Thank you, in advance, for all your help.

Regards,

Mark

Thanks for the reply Steve. I spoke to Bobby in the i to i Boston office and he said that there is no problem with the lack of degree. From what I gathered they (i to i) act as an agency and submit my resume to several schools and then the schools will contact me with offers. He basically said that i to i would help me make sure that I get the placement i want, as long as it is available. The impression I got was that it is in everyone's best interest to make the instructor is is reasonably happy.

I definitely want to take the weekend course. The idea of getting up in front of a classroom without any kind of practice and critique seem like career suicide to me. Bobby also said that if I enrolled via the phone that I could have all 5 modules for the price of 4.

What exactly did you mean in your reference to your side earner with 10 year olds? Also, if you don;t mind my asking, do you have a university degree, or just the 120 hour course and teaching experience? From what I have gathered you have been at this for a while.

Thanks again for the advice.