Teaching English in Finland

Benjohn · Post by **Benjohn** » Fri May 09, 2014 8:09 pm

Hello,

I've read quite a bit around here about working in Finland, but some of the most useful topics are old. I am an American with two years of ESL teaching experience and was wondering just how difficult it is to start teaching in Finland.

I've read that not being an EU citizen makes it hard, is this still the case? Thank you for any and all help.

Ben

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betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Fri May 09, 2014 9:53 pm

Benjohn wrote: I've read that not being an EU citizen makes it hard, is this still the case? Thank you for any and all help.

It is harder because you need a residence permit:

http://www.migri.fi/working_in_finland/ ... e_and_work

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Sat May 10, 2014 6:59 am

Without a Finnish degree it will be very difficult to find a regular job as an English teacher. You'll have to look for business trainings and so on. And that are free lance jobs.
You need a regular job for a residence permit.

Benjohn · Post by **Benjohn** » Mon May 12, 2014 2:13 am

Thank you all for your replies. By 'regular job' do you mean I could say work as a bartender or something, and obtain the residency permit that way? Or do regular jobs also usually require EU citizenship?

snorlonikins · Post by **snorlonikins** » Sun May 18, 2014 3:30 am

Maybe these sites will be of interest to you.

The English School (Helsinki) - http://www.eschool.edu.hel.fi/index.html
International School of Helsinki - http://www.ish.edu.hel.fi/

As another person has said, the Finnish English language teachers are very good and you would probably need to be able to speak Finnish, at least with the lower Grades.

Good luck.

GermanInHelsinki · Post by **GermanInHelsinki** » Sun May 18, 2014 8:57 am

A teaching position at a school of course requires a relevant university degree that gets accepted by the Finnish National Board of Education.

snorlonikins · Post by **snorlonikins** » Mon May 19, 2014 1:17 am

GermanInHelsinki wrote:A teaching position at a school of course requires a relevant university degree that gets accepted by the Finnish National Board of Education.

There are situations where you might have to think outside the box. As tummansininen has said, if Benjohn is willing to do unusual things....

In his case I suggested the school sites as there may be teaching assistant positions, they are obviously not as well paid as teachers, but it is a way in. Even though there is a qualification for Teaching Assistants it is possible for someone like Benjohn, who at least has some type of training and experience, to be taken on and 'train on the job' for the Finnish qualification.

Earlier this year I completed 6 weeks work experience at a school, doing just that. I have no formal qualifications, but have 11 years experience in literacy problems and methods of teaching (I have one dyspraxic/dyslexic son and the other son is ADHD). I worked with students from Grade 5 to Grade 9, in groups, in class. I also worked with students with learning difficulties. At the end of that time I was asked I would consider a permanent position at the school in the next school year.

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