ESL Teaching Guide - Chile
Monique Ditesheim Acevedo - May 2004
I come from Switzerland (the French part). I am teaching in Santiago.
The positive aspects are, as far as I am concerned, I do enjoy teaching, the Chilean are really nice people.
The negative aspects; I am afraid these are various. First of all the levels of English knowledge in general is very low. It's really hard to find a stable job.The system is with "honorarios", I get paid for the hours I teach, less 10% taxes. These 10% can be recuperated the following year. I must also say that the distances are big and the transport fares not really attractive, so many people prefer not to work and stay home, because all you can earn will be spent on transportation!
In order to give you a range of salary : I get between 5000 to 6500 pesos per hour which is about $8-10. It is not much considering the high level of daily life. Everything is so expensive, that most teachers work, if they have the possibility, in various schools, universities, etc.
Chile is an expensive country in comparison to Brazil, Argentina. Unfortunately education is not really a priority in this country and you have to put with it or just go back from where you come!!!
Furthermore in function of your political views, you may not get a job, it's not good to speak about politics, and less about what happened during Pinochet's government. Despite of all these problems, I don't plan to go back to Switzerland!
Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island (Chile and Easter Island, 6th Ed)
Frommer's Argentina and Chile, Second Edition
Culture Shock! Chile
Desert Memories : Journeys Through the Chilean North
The Rough Guide to Chile (ROUGH GUIDE CHILE)
Jason Blean - July 2002
I arrived here in Chile to teach English and Maths, carrying British and Irish passports. At Santiago airport there were large queues to pass customs and everyone is stopped individually however it seemed to be mostly an anti-drugs measure. I had written on the form you get handed on the 'plane that I was coming here to work as a teacher and they took this but never asked me for a work visa (I didn't have one, having been advised previously I should get one after I arrived)!
I didn't need a visa to enter the country - just a valid passport. I got my work visa in Santiago at the "Departamiento de Extranjeros" (across from El Palacio, nearest Plaza des Armas(new) Metro station, on the blue line (5)) after I arrived, with the help of another teacher at the school I work in. You have to (like most things in Chile)queue with a queue number ticket in your hand to get "Visa en tramite" papers here first then pay for it at the bank (roughly $100) and bring it back, stamped, to get your proper work permit. This lasts for 3 months and you keep updating it.
It is best not to wait more than a few days between getting your papers and paying for them. Another thing - don't expect people in government offices to speak English. I strongly advise anyone thinking of working here to know plenty of Spanish beforehand or go with someone who does!
It can be a problem trying to get pupils to do tasks & the real work of a teacher in this situation is to "win the confidences and hearts" of pupils first. To an extent you have to enter their mentality. Be aware also - everything you've heard about Latino people being very emotional - its all true! No such thing as a stiff upper lip here! This applies to school kids as much as anyone. The behaviour problems are similar to the comparable situations in the UK (spoilt, cheeky, smart brats vs. violent kids who know little else...). If your Spanish is not so good, there are a number of British and American schools (mostly however in smoggy Santiago) but for the most part they take the same exams. They can have an unorthodox recruiting method! British and American schools cover the IGCSE curriculum however there seems often little heart for the kids to take these when they're of no use to them outside their home country.
If you do manage to strike up a good rapport with the kids teaching here can be very enjoyable and rewarding. Certainly the kids can be very eager to learn and teaching such people I have found a real pleasure, in contrast to many of my experiences in the UK.
The school I work in has roughly 30 teachers & some 500+ pupils, from pre-basicó (kindergarten) to segundo medio (5th form, secondary). It is a private school so the teachers receive better than average pay (schoolteachers are low in the pay structure in Chile and as such are not, sadly, a respected social class in society). These schools are harder to get into (although most schools love to say they have a "nativo" English teacher) than the state schools. The system is very different from UK. Not anywhere near as structured or sticking rigidly to timetables. There is a good relationship between pupils and teachers in general and teachers are highly respected yet if you have been trained in classroom management in the UK (as I was) you may find you have a shock if you try to apply those techniques here!
