Do something different this summer by volunteering as a teacher in Mexico on one of the Suenos Compartidos (Shared Dreams) summer camp programs. Suenos Compartidos was set up by Director Tomas Davis who initially responded to a need for English tuition to children and communities by volunteering his teaching skills while travelling in Colombia. The organisation now runs teaching programs in Colombia and Mexico.

This summer, they are looking for 20 volunteer teachers for their Ninos program for children grades 1-6, which is a summer day camp providing English together with sports, music, science and culture. They also require volunteer teachers for their Angeles program which is a similar format for special education students. The camps will be situated in Michoacan and Guanajuato, with the possibility of additional programs in Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Oaxaca and Guerrero.The locations are small communities in tranquil rural areas, rich in culture, and where the people are very friendly.  Both programs will run from Saturday 10 July - Saturday 7 August 2010 and classes are from Monday to Friday, leaving weekends free for volunteers to relax, travel and discover Mexico.

After a busy year, it can be tough to transport oneself into another unknown 'tefl world' for the summer. To give you a taste of what it could be like, we spoke to one teacher who had worked on a summer school contract in Cambridge for two years running. This is what she had to say:

The northern hemisphere may still be in the depths of winter, but savvy teachers are already planning their summer 2010 short-term teaching jobs. While many of us opt  for relaxation and enjoyment during the summer period, there are lucrative teaching  opportunities for those who choose to have their annual break a little earlier or later. It could be just the thing if you're coming to the end of a contract; want some mixed nationality teaching experience; or simply, want to top up your income.

Many of us associate the new year with a time for making resolutions. As part of that exercise and with particular emphasis on your professional future, it can be useful to consider making an educated plan.

Body Language and your Job Interview
It is said that approximately 55 per cent of our total communication is sent through our body language with 22 per cent via the tone of voice we use and only 7 per cent through our words. Therefore, like it or not, our body will do a lot of talking when we make that first impression at the job interview and so it is worth paying some attention to what it says.

Vital tips for securing that job!

If you have been invited to interview, you are probably more than 50% of the way towards being appointed. Therefore, it is important to be as well prepared as possible. But, before we look at interview techniques, remember one golden rule:- Always approach an interview with more than an ounce of humility! This, you may say, flies in the face of popular belief that first and foremost you must sell yourself. However, there is no contradiction here. It is perfectly possible, indeed imperative, to project yourself as a warm, friendly, confident and competent candidate without appearing dogmatic, self-opinionated, arrogant or aloof. 

Weary of doing the 1/2 year contract rounds, packing up one temporary home to move to another? Considering semi-retirement or a change of activity but not quite sure what? Or do private circumstances simply dictate the necessity of a stint at home? Whatever your personal situation, you may wish to consider the option of providing one-to-one language tuition homestay programmes in your own home.

There are two ways to do this. One, to be employed as a host teacher by one of the organisations which provide this service to a variety of clients in a variety of locations.

Recessions can be self-fulfilling if we let them. You recognise the scenario. Cut back on everything, take a deep breath and hope it all blows over as soon as possible. If we all take this approach we simply add to the confirmation of what the media is forewarning and politicians grapple to avoid. Alternatively, we can take stock and embrace the opportunities that a recession can present.

 Is it fair to say that, by and large, ELT is a disgruntled profession? There is certainly plenty of evidence of disgruntled teachers complaining about low pay, poor conditions and little or no staff development opportunities. There is also evidence of disgruntled employers who complain that their teaching staff are not committed, are in the job just to see the world and are more interested in seeing the sights and enjoying the local nightlife than preparing and delivering effective classes. There is no doubt that there are the cowboys and also that some teachers match the latter description but I believe that most teachers care about their learners and want to do the best for them, as do employers. However, so long as there is a degree of truth in either disgruntled scenario, an element of unprofessionalism will permanate within the profession as this vicious circle feeds itself.

Nowadays more and more professions are increasingly recognising the need for staff portfolios and ELT is no exception. Traditionally, education has not been a field where its practitioners were expected to produce more than qualifications and testimonials as evidence of their competence. However, today there is a growing trend towards building and maintaining professional portfolios.