As 2020 draws to a close (what a year that has been), you may be reflecting on your life and what you want to do differently in 2021. Here at i-to-i, we believe that life should be an exciting adventure. If you feel stuck a rut, perhaps you aren’t enjoying your job, or you don’t currently feel fulfilled, then taking a TEFL Course could be the answer you are searching for. Traveling the world, earning money, living in exotic countries, changing the lives of many… Sign us up! Keep on reading for our top 5 reasons why you should become a TEFL teacher in 2021!
1. Escape reality
Dreaming of freedom? Want to explore new cultures? Excited by the prospect of meeting new people?… There are so many reasons why you may want to move abroad. Getting qualified to TEFL opens up the world to you. Whether you want to settle down in China. Or, maybe you just want to do some travelling for a few years and earn some extra money at the same time. With your TEFL certificate to hand, anything is a possibility. The world is your oyster. China, Vietnam, Italy… wherever takes your fancy – there are tons of TEFL jobs out there for you.
2. Change the lives of others
If you have to work, then you might as well enjoy it, right? Many people train to become a TEFL teacher because of the satisfaction the job role brings. You will literally be changing the lives of students all around the world. Inspiring, right?
Whether you are teaching English online, or abroad in a classroom, you set the rules. You can decide how to teach your students, so you have the freedom to inject as much fun into the lessons as you would like. Of course, you need to remain professional and patient. But learning is supposed to be fun!
3. Make money
Although many TEFL teachers pursue this career because they feel full of satisfaction by helping and teaching others, we can’t ignore the fact that teaching English online or abroad can bring in a healthy amount of money each month!
If you choose to teach English online, you have a few options. You could choose to freelance, where you will be setting your own rates (anything from $15 an hour and up!). Or, you could choose to work for an online company, where you can still earn a decent wage. Check out our blog post to find out what salaries different online companies pay. You could also take our quick 2 minute quiz to find out how much you could earn teaching English online!
If you are looking to travel the world and teach abroad, your salary will vary depending on the country you decide to teach in. Our World TEFL Guide is full to the brim of information, including how much you could expect to earn.
4. Learn your own language
It probably seems a while ago since you were at school learning your own language. Hands up if you can actually remember the difference between a pronoun, conjunctions and interjections?! Don’t panic if you don’t know what these are. When you are studying for your TEFL certification, you will be taught everything you need to know about teaching the English language. So, when the time comes around that you are teaching your own class, you will be a complete whizz!
5. Realise who you are and what’s important
When we speak to our TEFL graduates, the feedback we often get is that becoming a TEFL teacher will help you realise who you are and what’s important. One of our TEFL graduates, Baz, who has been a TEFL teacher for several years, shares his story.
“I wanted to escape England, travel the world, and live the dream. But it was during this adventure that I realised what is really important in life: I’ve always been close to family, but it’s not until you have to live alone, especially through tough times and family occasions like Christmas, that you realise what you have. One of the best moments of my trip was when my parents and sister came out to visit me in Thailand – it was a proud moment seeing them in my class with my students! There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about them all back in England. It’s hard being away, but it makes the times when we’re together more special, ahh!
When I first set out on the TEFL adventure I never would have guessed that becoming a TEFL teacher would lead me to my wife. I’m settled here in Seville now and happily married. I often miss those crazy days I had on the road, but that was just a small part of the TEFL journey that I’m on.”
Feeling inspired? Chat to one of our TEFL experts who can give you all of the information you need to kick-start your TEFL journey and make 2021 the best year yet.
