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Teaching in Bogota with PGCE and Masters

Hi!
Just joined the site because I'm just back from Bogota and wanting to head back out there.
I'm a qualified teacher in the UK (with a PGCE) just completed my first full year of teaching English Literature and Language having trained to teach Spanish and Italian (My other two languages). Currently I'm undertaking a Masters in Education whilst teaching which should be finished by March 2010. I'm therefore looking to make a return to Bogota and get a teaching job then. Anyone got any ideas if my qualifications will help me there? and how I should go about getting the best job possible? Thanks!!!!!!!

By rpardoroques on Aug 25, 2008, 21:51 in Friendly Talkzone.

annieb says on Aug 26, 2008, 03:57:

Look into the international schools. There are organizations like ISS that can help you. Good luck.

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Bill Turley (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 26, 2008, 05:59:

I found that my MEd really opened doors and qualified me for upper level jobs. I worked under contract to the Ministery of Education and Departmental Secretaries of Education. I also worked as Coordinator of Discipline and Bilingual Coordinator. I was hiring and firing teachers in those positions and then as a rector ir a top bilingual school in Cali. Working for the government I taught about 2,500 English Teachers. I NEVER studied and more English than the minimum for a pre-med. Here I am considered an authority of the language and language instruction.

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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cedritos says on Aug 27, 2008, 02:00:

I taught in the Colegio Anglo Colombiano (www.anglocolombiano.edu.co), had friends at the English School (www.englishschool.edu.co) and knew the Head of Secondary at Gran Bretana (http://www.cgb.edu.co/). All were good schools. Your PGCE is required to teach in all schools mentioned and you'll probably get a pay increase with the Masters.

Not sure if this is still the case but they recruited teachers from the ECIS conferences - when I got my job the conference was in the Docklands in London (handily the February Half Term) - looks like the main one is now in Portugal. There was a proviso at the Colegio Anglo Colombiano that if you were recruited from abroad (ie at a conference) then you got paid more than an ex pat already living in Colombia.

Have a look at the ECIS website (www.ecis.org) to find out how they are recruiting now. They used to have a list of schools attending a month or so before the conference.

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Bill Turley (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 27, 2008, 07:01:

The pay differencial is significant when it applys. I started at Nuevo Granada and actually received 2 pay checks. One a reasonable pay in COP $1,600,000 COP and the equavalent amount in USD. Great if you can get it!

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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gamm2 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 28, 2008, 18:44:

Bill, how much did you get paid working for the Ministry of Education - I assume thats for Colombian public schools, if you dont mind my asking.... And how did you find out about those jobs... I heard that a non Colombian couldnt get a teaching job in Colombian public schools, not that I would necessarily want to because Im sure the pay is abysmally low. I would really be interested in working with the public school system somehow, but always thought that would be impossible. (I Have an MED in elementary education and certification in Teaching English Language Learners).

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Bill Turley (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Aug 29, 2008, 07:24:

Hi Gamm
I saw an ad in the newspaper for a computer literate English Teacher. I answered the ad and found it was placed by an company from Israel who was selling a computer based English Instructional Program to the government of Colombia. I was hired. They hired 7 others at the same time but none were experienced teachers nor were native speakers. I lucked out, really. They then moved the training program, starting in Tunja spending 2 weeks in Tunja in a newly constructed Bilingual Lab filled with computers. The first week was to train the trainers, the second week one of the trainees was asked to lead the second week's session, that was me. Then the Israeles (sp) mpoved on to the next site. So I was named the Director of the National Bilingual Laboratory which was not in Bogota but was in Tunja. Due ti the highly political nature of this site ( many political visitors expected) and my Spanish was not really adequate I aske for and got my wife appointed as my assistant. Pay at this time was pretty good 1,000,000 plus living expenses at a nice hotel ( Hunza) for the 2 of us. Gloria was not really getting paid money just living costs.
This was a short term position, only 6 months. After that I negotiated with the secretaries of Education to repeat the course as needed. In Tunja I taught more than 50 courses (7 days) and in Bogotas I taugh at the Red P on 62 (?) near 30, another 12 courses. Because I was selling an exclusive service that was in demand I was paid $ 1,500,000COP plus living expenses out of Bogota for each week ling course. So I have taught about 2,000 English Teachers in Boyaca and about 500 in Cundinamarca. This continued for about 5 years.
Currently the teachers with your level of Education should make about $1,500,000 working in either Public or private schools. You could contact the Departmental Ministries of Education and maybe get lucky. If you want to communicate with me directly if I can help you please do so.

Mr. Bill Somondoco

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