Review of Tax Uncomplicated / U.S. Expat Taxes in Korea

I've written reviews about tax accountants before. First in 2012, I wrote about Greenback Tax Services and then in 2013 I wrote about Taxes for Expats. I never used Taxes for Expats for my tax returns due to the dodgy feeling I got from them. I used Greenback Tax Services from 2011-2014. In 2015, I decided to try a different accountant. The two people who ran this service were Americans who had lived in Korea for years. They're called Tax Uncomplicated and their Facebook group is called U.S. Expat Taxes in Korea. I figured they would have a different prospective on things.Tax Uncomplicated is the American headquarters and Klemsen Consulting is the Korean branch.

I exchanged messaged with Wayne Allen Pfeister over Facebook. They put their prices on their website. However, as I mentioned before I don't just have one income from one country, so that complicates things. I knew I wasn't going to be paying the basic fee, but that's fine with me. I was quoted 235,000 KRW, which is about $200. That's about half of what I was paying with Greenback Tax Services and I liked the fact that they had lived in Korea, so were familiar with that aspect of it.

Speed: 4
Wayne was pretty good at answering my questions very quickly, often within the same day. There were some lags, but I think that was because we were in different time zones.

Communication: 5
Absolutely fantastic. He answered all my questions and gave me all the information I needed. Their Facebook group is called U.S. Expat Taxes in Korea, is also great for getting information.

Price: 5
Looking at what other accountants charge for expat taxes, Tax Uncomplicated is very, very affordable. I paid less than I had before and got more back. However, getting more back could be due to re-marrying. Nonetheless, it's a fantastic deal. I also like the fact that since I live in Korea and make money in Korea, I could pay in Korean currency into a Korean bank account. No need to worry about exchange rates.

Quality: 5
Wonderful. He asked for my past returns and looked them over to see what Greenback Tax Services had done. Tax laws are always changing and he's on top of it and knows how to get the most money back. Their website is very simple and easy to navigate. There's something to be said about the fact that it's not confusing to find out what you need.

Professionalism: 5
Great. I was always treated with respect and in a professional manner. I never felt like any of the questions I asked were stupid.

Overall Review: 4.8
Tax Uncomplicated is great, especially for expats living in Korea. Working with accountants who know about Korea and can allow you to pay via Korean bank transfer makes everything so convenient. The one issue that people might have is that information is sent using email or Facebook. I know with Greenback Tax Services, they had a special encrypted client area. That might be something that they could look at for the future. However, I think Tax Uncomplicated targets a different niche: teachers in Korea. And unfortunately, let's face it, we're certainly not rolling in it.

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Getting Married While Living in Korea

Below are some options you have for getting married while living in Korea.

• At the gucheon (district office)
• Leaving and eloping
• Proxy marriages

If you or your future spouse are USFK and plan on getting married at the gucheon (district office) in Korea there are some more steps that you will have to do ahead of time. If you are eloping or doing  a proxy marriage you will not have to do this. There are different steps to be taken depending on if both of you are American or if one of you is not American.

Before you get married, there are certain things that you should discuss. Here are some questions that although they are aimed at military couples, they still pertain to many couples. There are also many books with questions you should discuss before you get married.

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Getting Married in Korea: Proxy Marriages

This is part of the series, Getting Married While Living in Korea. Proxy marriages have been around for a long, long time (dating back to the Medieval Ages) A proxy marriage takes place when one person is not able to physically attend the ceremony and another person is given power of attorney to stand in for that person. If both people are unable to attend then it's called a double proxy marriage.

Before you get married, there are certain things that you should discuss. Here are some questions that although they are aimed at military couples, they still pertain to many couples. There are also many books with questions you should discuss before you get married. 

Is this legal?
It depends on where you do it. In the US, for example, Alabama, California, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, and Texas all allow single proxy marriages. This means that one person doesn't have to be there. Montana allows double proxy marriages if one of the people getting married is active duty military.

Is it recognized elsewhere?
Do your research. Many countries honor other countries' marriage certificates, however, some countries might not accept marriage certificates if the marriage was a proxy marriage. You can tell by simply looking at the marriage certificate since the people you gave power of attorney to will sign on your behalf.

What the US Military Says
They recognise them and give more information here.

Gay Marriages
Gay marriage is now legal in the USA and the US military offers benefits to gay couples, so you can get married by proxy.

Double Proxy Marriages in Montana
"Marriage by proxy is when one or both parties to a marriage cannot be present at the ceremony. Section 40-1-301(2), MCA If a party to a marriage is unable to be present at the solemnization, the party may authorize in writing a third person to act as proxy. If the person solemnizing the marriage is satisfied that the absent party is unable to be present and has consented to the marriage, the person may solemnize the marriage by proxy. If the person solemnizing the marriage is not satisfied, the parties may petition the district court for an order permitting the marriage to be solemnized by proxy." (Taken from Flathead County's website).

Double proxy marriages in Montana (Flathead County to be exact) are big business. One person must be active duty military or a resident of Montana and it can be done even if the other person is a foreigner. While some people might say it's not romantic, if you live in Korea you have to jump through hoops to get married anyways. If you're both American or if you plan on living in the USA, this would allow you to get an American marriage certificate. It's also fast: usually less than two weeks.

Documents Needed
You'll need to fill out a few forms. They're pretty straight forward: application, power of attorney, bride's name change, Rubella waiver, and credit card info. Some need to be notarised and those can be done for free at Legal on base or at your embassy for a fee. You'll also need a copy of your ID which could be your birth certificate, military ID, driver's license, or passport. Some places may require your divorce papers, and/or a copy of your Social Security Card. Fees vary, but most places are around $600-$700 and all offer military discounts. Some may offer payment plans.

Warnings about Double Proxy Marriages
First of all, it's not uncommon for people to get married for the benefits, so make sure you know what you're getting into. Second, Montana doesn't ask for divorce decrees, so it's entirely possible for the person you're marrying to already be married and therefore voiding your marriage. If they're in the military, there are two documents that show a person's civil status: their LES (leave and earnings statement) and their ERB (enlisted record brief). Ask to see one of them. Their most recent LES would be your best bet. They can blacken out all the other info just as long as you can see their name and civil status. After all they're going to marry you so they should be able to trust you with at least that info.

Companies that Perform Double Proxy Marriages
Here are some of the most popular companies.

• Armed Forces Proxy Marriages
• Fayetteville Proxy Marriage
• Marriage by Proxy
• Proxy Marriage which is the same as A Big Sky Event
• Proxy-Marriage

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Getting Married in Korea: Leaving and Eloping

This is part of the series, Getting Married While Living in Korea. Ok, so technically you wouldn't be in Korea when you got married. However, for many people living in Korea, eloping is one of the easiest things to do. You won't have to jump through the hoops required by the Korean government, your marriage certificate won't be Korean, and friends and family might be able to come. For example, if both of you are from England it might make more sense for you to elope to England and get a marriage certificate from there and also give friends and family the chance to see you right after you got married.

There are tons of options when it comes to eloping. Do your research. Make sure you have all the necessary documents and ask if there's a waiting period before marriage. Pick your country wisely. While it might be great to elope to a foreign country, if you ever need more copies of your marriage certificate it might be really hard to get.

Before you get married, there are certain things that you should discuss. Here are some questions that although they are aimed at military couples, they still pertain to many couples. There are also many books with questions you should discuss before you get married. 

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Getting Married in Korea: At the Gucheon (District Office)

This is part of the series, Getting Married While Living in Korea. Contrary to fact the embassies don't marry you: they just provide you with the paperwork so that you can get married in Korea. You will get married at the gucheon. Here's what Yongsan Gucheon requires.

• Documents proving that you're able to get married (proof that you are either single, divorced, or widowed). You'll get this from your embassy. They will have to be translated into Korean. (If one of you is Korean then you'll get the necessary family registry documents.
• A copy of your passport (or Korean ID if one of you is Korean)
• Marriage application
• Two witnesses (Ask if they need to be Korean. Some people have said that their gucheon requires the witnesses to be Korean)

Check with your embassy for more information about marriage in Korea. It's a civil ceremony. Religious ceremonies aren't legal in Korea. You will get a Korean marriage certificate and will probably need to have it translated, notarized, and apostillized if the country where you want to use it is in the Hague Agreement. If it's not, you'll also have to get it authenticated at the country's embassy in Korea. Lots of fun paperwork. Before you decide to get married in Korea, consider you and your future spouse's nationality and where you plan on living.

Before you get married, there are certain things that you should discuss. Here are some questions that although they are aimed at military couples, they still pertain to many couples. There are also many books with questions you should discuss before you get married. 

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USFK Personnel: Getting Married in Korea to an American

This is part of the series, Getting Married While Living in Korea. If you or your future spouse is a service member, DoD civilian employee, or contractor AND both of you are Americans, there are some steps that you must take before you can get married. You can see what you have to do in the photo below. If one of you is not an American, there are tons of hoops that you will have to jump through and you can find them here.

Before you get married, there are certain things that you should discuss. Here are some questions that although they are aimed at military couples, they still pertain to many couples. There are also many books with questions you should discuss before you get married.

It's a bit of a pain to do all the paperwork and because of this, you might want to look into other options, such as getting married back home, eloping, or a proxy marriage. I have information about the latter two: eloping and proxy marriages.

The US Embassy has more information about marriage in Korea. You won't be getting married at the embassy or on base. Most people get married at the gucheon (district office). It's a civil ceremony. Religious ceremonies aren't legal in Korea.

You will get a Korean marriage certificate and will probably need to have it translated, notarized, and apostillized if you want to use it outside of Korea. Check with your state back home to see if you can record (not register, it's semantics) your foreign marriage there. Some states no longer do this. Since my husband and I are both Americans, we decided against getting married in Korea specifically because we wanted an American marriage certificate.

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USFK Personnel: Getting Married in Korea to a non-American

This is part of the series, Getting Married While Living in Korea. If you or your future spouse is a service member, DoD civilian employee, or contractor AND one of you is not an American, there are some steps that you must take before you can get married. You can find all these steps here. If you're both American, you can find the information here.

After looking at all the hoops that you have to jump through to get married in Korea when one of you works for the US government, you might want to look into other options, such as getting married back home, eloping, or a proxy marriage. I have information about the latter two: eloping and proxy marriages.

The US Embassy has more information about marriage in Korea. You won't be getting married at the embassy or on base. Most people get married at the gucheon (district office). It's a civil ceremony. Religious ceremonies aren't legal in Korea.

You will get a Korean marriage certificate and will probably need to have it translated, notarized, and apostillized if you want to use it outside of Korea. Check with your state back home to see if you can record (not register, it's semantics) your foreign marriage there. Some states no longer do this. Since my husband and I are both Americans, we decided against getting married in Korea specifically because we wanted an American marriage certificate.

Before you get married, there are certain things that you should discuss. Here are some questions that although they are aimed at military couples, they still pertain to many couples. There are also many books with questions you should discuss before you get married. 

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Poll Results: How Did You Get Your Job?

I asked people how they got their job. Here are the results:

From rmsbunderblog.wordpress.com

• Friends/Networking: 14.29% with 2 votes.
• Online: on the school's website: 35.71% with 5 votes.
• Online: from a job website: 42.86% with 6 votes.
• Print: such as a journal or newspaper. 0% with 0 votes.
• Cold call: 7.14% with 1 vote.

It looks like more and more people are going online to find jobs. Here's a list of great TEFL job sites that you should check out.

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Is Getting a Masters in TEFL Worth It?

From New Republic

Many people ask me if I think getting a Masters in TEFL or Applied Linguistics is worth it.

For me it has been. I have two masters, one in TEFL and one in Educational Administration. Without these I wouldn't have the job I have now. However, you have to choose what's right for you.

A Masters in TEFL may not be worth it if . . .

• You're only planning on teaching for a gap year or two.
• It wouldn't make sense financially.
• TEFL isn't your main job.
• You hate TEFLing and have a definite exit plan.

A Masters in TEFL may not be worth it if . . .

• You've decided to make a career out of TEFLing.
• It's becoming a requirement to get a good TEFL job.
• You've found an affordable programme.
• You enjoy TEFLing.

There are a number of masters that can be done online. Here is a list of hundreds of programmes around the world. You'll have to decide if TEFLing is right for you. If it is, I recommend getting a masters sooner rather than later.

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Are Schools Just Churning Out Grads?

From alfordmedia.com

Many people would say yes. The Independent and The Times Higher Education think that schools and universities aren't doing their job. Thanks to grade curves and students being treated as customers, teachers are being forced to pass students that don't deserve to pass. Business Insider has an article about how As aren't what they used to be.

Teachers that try to stand up for what they believe in are quickly shot down due to student evaluations and not renewed. It's up to the admin to change this. Their goal should be to create better teachers who can in turn teach their students the best they can. They need to realise that quality is more important than quantity and graduates are products that reflect the quality of teaching.

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The Golden Ticket: Teaching English Abroad

The following post is from a guest blogger, Patrick Wolf. He's hoping to start a debate on the need for writing instruction and would welcome feedback. You can reach him at ptrckwolf@yahoo.com

The Golden Ticket: Teaching English Abroad

Whether you’re fresh out of college or experiencing a mid-life crisis a passport from a major English speaking country, such as the United States, enables one to cash in a “Golden Ticket”. That “Golden Ticket” enables an individual to teach English almost anywhere in the world! I was suffering a mild mid-life crisis myself and was looking for a way to combine my love of travel and helping others.

My name is Patrick and I’m from Green Bay, Wisconsin and in 2008 I decided to come to South Korea at the age of 45 to teach English. I teach children from the ages of 8 to 18 at an English Academy called a “hogwon”. I teach English 30 hours a week and receive great benefits such as; good pay, two week vacation, free flight, free apartment, cheap utilities, affordable health-care and a great life style! That is why one year teaching quickly turned into four years and after a quick year in America to deal with some personal tragedy I came back to South Korea to a life I have grown to love.

 I recently just decided to stay another year. I will be here at least until May, 2016. Over the years I have met many people from all ages and different countries and the one thing we all have in common was wishing we would have cashed in that “Golden Ticket” sooner! So, whether you’re looking to pay off some college loans or fill in a gap year why not seriously think about teaching English overseas. I will post again soon and if you have any questions feel free to contact me by e-mail.

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Top 5 Tax Tips for Self-Employed US Expats

The following post is from a guest blogger from Greenback Tax Services.

Self-employment can be tricky as a US expat. It’s difficult to know who the IRS actually considers self-employed and if you are classified as such, how will you be taxed? Expats often have slightly unique situations—such as working a full-time job and earning additional money ‘on the side’. So let’s take a closer look at the top 5 things you need to know if you are (or may be!) a self-employed American living overseas.

1. What is a self-employed individual? 
As a general rule, you are not treated as self-employed for US tax purposes if you are categorized as an employee. So this means that if you work for a foreign or US employer and are considered an employee, you are not self-employed and you do not need to pay self-employment tax. If you are self-employed, you must file a US tax return if your income exceeds $400 (yes, you read that right—only $400!).

2. What is self-employment tax? 
Essentially, self-employment tax is your Social Security and Medicare payments to the US. The current rate is 15.3% and you can pay these taxes at the time taxes are due or pay estimated quarterly payments throughout the year. Remember that if you are paying at the end of the tax year, you must pay any taxes owed by April 15th, (not the expat tax deadline of June 15th), as this is when penalties and interest begin to accrue.

3. Where do I make my Social Security payments? 
No matter how you earn your income, Social Security payments must always be paid to someone! You may actually be subjected to the dreaded dual taxation—meaning, you pay Social Security taxes to both the US and your host country.

To prevent this, the US has entered into agreements with 24 countries that determine which country you pay Social Security to—so it is important to know if your host country has such an agreement and t also check the fine print!

For example, the US-UK agreement says that if you’re self-employed and you only want to pay into the UK national insurance system, you actually have to volunteer or opt out of the US Social Security system. If you don’t do that, you’re still required to pay into both systems.

However, in general, if you’re self-employed and working overseas you’ll pay into the US Social Security system. If you work primarily for a foreign employer, you’ll most likely pay into the system of your country of residence.

4. What if I earn money on the side? 
As noted above, if you are a regular employee overseas, you will not be taxed as self-employed. But that doesn’t mean your additional earnings are tax-free! While additional income doesn’t automatically classify you self-employed in the eyes of the US, you will still need to be report it on your Form 1040. And as you may have guessed, it is taxable in the US!

5. Can I exclude my additional income from taxation? 
The good news here is that your additional income will be included in your foreign sourced income, which may be excluded from US tax liability. Using the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you can exclude up to $100,800 from US taxes (in 2015). So as long as your total income doesn’t exceed the $100,800 threshold, you will not owe any taxes on the additional income you earn. Remember that in order to be eligible to use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you must qualify as a US expat by passing one of two residency tests: the Physical Presence test or the Bona Fide Residence test.

Any additional money earned in the US or from a US source is not ‘foreign earned’ and therefore cannot be excluded with the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.

If you have any questions about your income, how to report it or what taxes you will be required to pay, we highly recommend that you speak to an expat tax professional.

Failure to pay US taxes can result in steep penalties and excessive interest!

This post was written by David McKeegan, co-founder of Greenback Expat Tax Services. Greenback specializes in the preparation of US expat taxes for Americans living abroad. Greenback offers straightforward pricing, a simple, hassle-free process, and CPAs and IRS Enrolled Agents who have extensive experience in the field of expat tax preparation. 

For more information about Greenback Expat Tax Services or your US expat tax obligations, please contact us or visit www.greenbacktaxservices.com.

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Quick Tip: Do Student Evals During Mid-Terms

From WISC

At many schools whether or not a teacher gets renewed often depends entirely on student evals. While there are other issues at stake, they aren't that transparent. Although many people don't like student evals and say that students aren't customers, it looks like they're here to stay.

It's necessary to get student feedback if you want to become a better teacher. Student evals are often done at the end of the course. However, if you can get your hands on the evaluation sheet ahead of time and give them out during mid-terms you'll be able to nip any problems in the bud. It may also change your teaching style and help your students out even more.

If you have high student evals, you have a better chance of getting renewed. There are a number of things you can do to help boost your student evals, but I've found the best thing to do is to ask students.

I create an open-ended questionnaire that I give out to students during mid-term week. They fill it out in class either in groups or individually. It's anonymous and I explain I want their feedback in order to make the class better.

I've found it to help out immensely. I'm glad I ask students for feedback and I know that changing my lessons will help make me a better teacher. It has also helped my student eval score so it's a win-win for everyone involved.

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Online EdDs and PhDs

Updated 20 March 2017

If you're looking for an online masters degree program, please read this post.

Here are a few programs that offer doctorate degrees that can be earned completely online or only require a few on-campus sessions that are usually held for a couple days during breaks. Some of these universities are B and M (brick and mortar) and others are online schools. Do your research thoroughly before choosing a school. 

Don't just choose a programme based on price! You can get grants for doing a doctorate. Check out profellows for more info. If you're looking for encouragement while drudging through your programme, PhinisheD is a great website with like-minded people. More info can be found at ISR: distance degree programmes. 

Doctoral degrees aren't the end all. Here are some articles against them.

• 100 reason not to go to graduate school
• ABD company 
• Doctoral degrees: the disposable academic

Australia

• Deakin University: PhD, Doctorate of Philosophy in Education and Teaching. It will take longer if you study online. 
• Macquarie University: D App Ling, Doctor of Applied Linguistics
• University of Southern Queensland: EdD, Doctor of Education
• University of Tasmania: EdD, Doctor of Education

Canada

• Athabasca University: EdD, Doctor of Education in Distance Education
• Nova Southeastern University: PhD, Doctor of Philosophy, EdD and Doctor of Education
• University of Calgary: EdD, Doctor of Education

Korea

• Korea Education Institute: EdDs and PhDs

New Zealand

• University of Auckland: PhD in Education or Doctor of Education
• University of Otago: EdD, Doctor of Education  

South Africa

• Rhodes University: PhD, Doctorate of Philosophy
• Stellenbosch University (SUN): PhD in Curriculum Studies
• University of Capetown: PhD, Doctorate in Education (might be able to waive the time on campus req)
• University of the Free State: PhD, Doctorate in Education
• University of Kwazulu-Natal: PhD and EdD programmes
• University of South Africa (UNISA): PhD and EdD programmes
• University of Witwatersrand: PhD, Doctorate of Education

United Kingdom

• Birmingham University: PhD, Doctor of Education
• Glasgow University: Doctorate in Education
• Kent University: PhD, Doctor of Philosophy by published works
• King's College London: EdD, Doctorate in Education and Professional Studies
• Middlesex University: PhD, EdD, and many other doctorates.
• Open University: PhD in Educational Technology and EdD, Doctorate in Education 
• Swansea University: PhD in Humanities
• University of Exeter: PhD in Education and more info. They also have a EdD, Doctor of Education
• University of Liverpool: EdD, Doctorate in Education
• University of London: EdD, Doctor of Education
• University of Sunderland: PhD, Doctor of Philosophy by Existing Published or Creative Work

 United States

• Anaheim University: EdD, Doctor of Education in TESOL
• Argosy University: EdDs, Doctor of Education in Organisational Leadership, Higher and Postsecondary Education, Counseling Psychology, Pastoral Community Counseling, and Curriculum and Instruction
• Arizona State University Online: Doctor of Education (EdD) in Leadership and Innovation
• Aspen University: They offer EdDs in Doctorates in Education Leadership and Learning General, Education Administration, Faculty Leadership, and Instructional Design
• Atlantic International University (AIU): PhD and EdD in Education
• Ball State - EdDs, Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision and Adult, Higher, and Community Education
• Benedictine University: EdD, Doctor of Education and Organisational Change
• Boise State: EdDs, Doctor of Education in Educational Technology and Curriculum and Instruction with emphasis in literacy, bilingual education, ENL/TESOL
• Boston University: EdDs, Doctor of Education in Counseling Psychology, Curriculum and Teaching, Developmental Studies, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Special Education
• California Coast: EdD, Doctor of Education in Educational Administration, Educational Psychology, and Organisational Leadership
• Capella University: EdDs, Doctor of Education in Reading and Literacy, Adult Education, Curriculum and Instruction, and Educational Leadership. They also have PhDs, Doctor of Philosophy in Training and Performance Improvement, Curriculum and Instruction,  Educational Psychology, Instructional Design for Online Learning, K-12 Studies, Higher Education, Education Administration, Postsecondary and Adult Education, Professional Studies in Education, and Special Education Leadership
• City University: EdD, Doctor of Education in Leadership
• Colorado State: PhD in Education and Human Resource Studies-Higher Education Leadership Specialization 
• Colorado Tech: DM, Doctor of Management in Higher Education Teaching and Learning and Organizational Development and Change
• Concordia University Chicago: EdDs and PhDs in Community Colleges, Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, Higher Education, Organizational Leadership, Reading, Language, and Literacy, and Teacher Leadership
• Concordia University Irvine: EdD, Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
• Concordia University Portland: EdD, Doctor of Education
• Creighton University: EdD, Doctorate of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership
• East Tennessee University: EdD, Doctorate of Education with concentrations in Postsecondary and Private Sector Leadership, School Leadership, Administrative Endorsement, and Classroom Leadership
• Grand Canyon University: EdD, Doctorate in Education with emphasis in K-12 Education, Special Education, Higher Education, Organisational Management, Behavioral Health, and Christian Ministry.
• Indiana University Bloomington: EdD, Doctorate in Educational Leadership in Educational Leadership
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP): PhD, Doctorate of Education in Composition and TESOL
• Keiser University: PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Instructional Design and Technology and PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership
• Lehigh University: EdD, Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership
• Liberty University: EdD, Doctor of Education with emphasis in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction
• Maryville University: EdD, Doctor in Education
• Minnesota State University Mankato (MSUM): EdD, Doctor in Counselor Education and Supervision and EdD, Doctor in Educational Leadership
• Mississippi University: PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Community College Leadership
• Morehead State: EdD, Doctorate in Education with emphasis in Adult and Higher Education Leadership, P-12 Administrative Leadership, and Educational Technology Leadership
• Northeastern University: EdD, Doctorate of Education
• Northcentral University (NCU): PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Education and EdD, Doctor of Education
• Regent University: PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Organisational Leadership and DSL, Doctor of Strategic Leadership
• Robert Morris University (RMU): PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Instructional Management
St Leo University

• Texas A and M University: Executive EdD in Curriculum and Instruction
• Texas Tech: EdD, Doctor of Education in Higher Education
• Trident University International (TUI): EdD in Educational Leadership and PhD in Educational Leadership
• University of the Cumberlands: EdD, Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership (They also have a PhD. It requires an additional 6 hours of coursework and a differently orientated dissertation. Contact them for more information.)
• University of Maryland University College: DM, Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: EdD, Doctor of Educational Studies in Educational Leadership and Higher Education and PhD, Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Higher Education
• University of New England (UNE): EdD, Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
• University of Northern Colorado (UNCO): EdD, Doctor in Educational Studies and EdD, Doctor in Educational Leadership
• University of Tennessee Chattanooga: EdD, Doctor of Education in Learning and Leadership
• University of Southern California Rossier: EdD, Doctor of Education in Organisational Change and Leadership  
• University of West Georgia: EdD, Doctor of Education in School Improvement
• University of Wyoming: EdDs in Ed Administration-Adult and Post Secondary Education, Educational Administration Educational Leadership, Instructional Technology. PhDs in Curriculum and Instruction, Literacy, Math, and Science.
• Valdosta State University (VSU): EdD, Doctor of Education in Adult and Career Education and EdD, Doctor of Education in Leadership 
• William Howard Taft University: EdD, Doctor of Education 

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How to Advance Your TEFL Career

The following post is from a guest blogger. Jackie Bolen has got some great info on her blog, Wealthy English Teacher. This is an excerpt from the book, The Wealthy English Teacher: Teach, Travel, and Secure Your Financial Future, which is available on Amazon in both digital and print formats.

You Can Exceed Low Expectations 
Once you’ve been teaching abroad for a year or two, it is time to start focusing more on your career and how to improve your employment prospects so you can move up in the world into bigger and better things. Teaching English as Second Language is not exactly rocket science and you will most often be teaching pretty basic things to students who often do not have high expectations for their native English speaking teachers. The administration at your place of employment is also likely to have low expectations of you as well. Nevertheless, this should not be an excuse to be lazy or fail to upgrade your qualifications; you should be constantly trying to improve yourself.

Career Behaviors to Avoid 
I will give you examples of some career behaviors to avoid. I have numerous acquaintances here in Korea who have been working at universities for the past six, eight or ten years. They got their jobs back in the old days when anyone with a bachelor's degree in anything could get the job just by luck, or knowing someone on the inside. During their tenure, they have spent plenty of time at the expat bars, hanging out, or traveling around Asia--basically doing anything besides professional development training to improve their job prospects such as obtaining a CELTA or DELTA certification, or TEFL cert, getting a related master's degree, learning a second language, getting academic papers published, presenting at conferences, or getting a teaching license from their home country.

Over this long period of rest and relaxation, qualifications for university teachers in Korea have risen, such that it is now almost impossible to get the job without a master's degree and a few years of experience teaching at a university, or at the very least adults or high school students. Now, those people who were just enjoying life, sliding on by with only doing the minimum have started to lose their jobs and are finding it extremely difficult to get another job with similar benefits. Do not find yourself in that situation!

Do You Want to Make Teaching English your Career? 
How do you go about improving your skills and qualifications? The first piece of advice that I could give you is to decide whether or not you want to make teaching a longer-term career option. Like many people, perhaps you just came overseas to teach for a bit of adventure and the chance to pay off some debts and save money. If this is the case, do not worry so much about improving your teaching qualifications and instead focus on making a plan for life after teaching. Perhaps you could do some online courses to improve your career prospects once you return home, maybe there is some sort of certification test you could take or you could work on applications to graduate school. Definitely be thinking about your post-teaching life because going home without a plan is the surest way to burn through massive amounts of money and find yourself teaching abroad again when you do not have any options left and are broke and desperate.

Get Qualified If You Want to Make TEFL Your Career 
If you decide that you like teaching and want to make it a career, then get qualified by doing any of the following:

• complete a master's degree in education, TESOL, or English 
• get a CELTA or DELTA certificate 
• get certified to administer and grade popular exams such as TOIEC speaking or IELTs 
• get a teaching certification and license from your home country, which opens up the option of teaching at international schools 
• get published, formally or informally 
• make a name for yourself through blogging, social media or other online ventures 
• present at conferences and make sure you get certificates proving that you did so 
• volunteer with an English teaching organization (for example, KOTESOL) and accept positions with increasing responsibility 

You can find Jackie Bolen at the popular, long-running blog, My Life! Teaching in a Korean University.

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Teachers Should Do Self-Evaluations

From Bottle Surf

There are a couple of types of teacher evaluations. I think it's very important to do all four of these when a teacher is being evaluated for renewal. It helps keep a balanced view.

• those done by admin
• self-evaluations
• peer evaluations
• those done by students

Self-evaluations are necessary because they allow a teacher to set and met goals. They also allow teachers to see what they need to work on. Admin should sit down together and decide what should go on a self-eval. Here are some ideas.

• Publishing
• Presenting
• Doing research
• Attending national conferences
• Attending international conferences
• Attending workshops
• Being observed by another teacher
• Observing another teacher
• Taking a short course
• Studying towards a masters or PhD

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How to Choose an ESL Teaching Job Wisely

The following post is from a guest blogger. Jackie Bolen has got some great info on her blog, Wealthy English Teacher. This is an excerpt from the book, The Wealthy English Teacher: Teach, Travel, and Secure Your Financial Future, which is available on Amazon in both digital and print formats.

The Salary per Hour Worked Model
Salary will (and should) be a major factor when deciding on a job offer, especially if you have significant amounts of debt to pay off or want to kick-start your journey to financial success. However, I would like to suggest a more helpful way of examining it than just simply going for the highest number possible. A better variable to consider is salary per hour worked. By having a job with the highest salary per hour worked possible, you will have one of two things: a lot of money coming in each month or plenty of free time on your hands to pursue other things such as overtime opportunities, building passive income streams or advancing your career in some way.  

3 Examples from South Korea
I will give you three examples from South Korea, which is the context that I am most familiar with. Let's assume for the sake of simplicity that housing or adequate housing allowance is included in all cases (as is usually the case in South Korea). Also, to keep things from getting overly complicated, I will not factor in health care or taxes, which are the same for all jobs. As a quick reference, 1,000 South Korean Won is generally equivalent to around $1 USD, so 2.4 million Korean Won is around $2,400 USD.  

The Average Hagwon (Private Institute) Job

• Monthly salary: 2.4 million Korean Won
• Weekly teaching hours: 30
• Vacation: 2 weeks/year
• Airfare: included (2 million Won)
• Bonus money at end of contract: 2.4 million Won
• Total yearly salary: 33.2 million Won
• Total hours worked/year: 1500 Salary/hour = 22,000 Won  

The Average University Job

• Monthly salary: 2.2 million Korean Won
• Weekly teaching hours: 15
• Vacation: 20 weeks/year
• Airfare: not included
• Bonus money at end of contract: not included
• Total yearly salary: 26.4 million Won
• Total hours worked/ year: 480 Salary/hour = 55,000 Won

The Average Public School Job

• Monthly salary: 2.0 million Korean won
• Weekly teaching hours: 22
• Vacation: 14 days (officially), but there are many “desk-warming” days where you have to be at school but have no classes or work that you need to do. I will include some of these, so vacation is around 6 weeks (unofficially), which is what I will use for my calculations.
• Airfare: included (2 million Won)
• Bonus money at end of contract: 2.0 million Won
• Total yearly salary: 28 million Won
• Total hours worked: 1012 Salary/hour = 28,000 Won  

The Job with the Highest Salary is Not Always the One You Should Choose
As you can see from these three examples, the hagwon job which at first glance seems like the best one due to the high monthly salary, free airfare and contract completion bonus is the worst one in terms of salary per hour due to the high number of teaching hours and low vacation time. The public school job that initially seems to be the worst due to the low monthly salary turns out to be better than the hagwon job because it pays 6000 Won more per teaching hour. And of course, the university job is by far the best, but these jobs are not that easy to come by in South Korea and require some serious qualifications and networking skills (for tips on how to get one of these coveted jobs, check out this book, available on Amazon in both Kindle and print editions: How to Get a University Job in South Korea).  

Legal Overtime Opportunities Another closely related factor to consider when deciding on a job offer is the availability of legal overtime opportunities. There is always plenty of illegal work you could do on the side but I do not recommend this, especially if you are someone like me who likes to stay on the right side of the law. The best way to do legal overtime work is through your main place of employment. For example, some universities in Korea have a low number of teaching hours per week and large amounts of vacation. If you can combine this with lots of opportunities for work during those off times, you can make a significant amount of money and in some cases even double your monthly salary. Another way to work legal overtime is by working at a place that gives you permission for outside work and will sign whatever paperwork necessary to make it possible for you to do this, assuming it is permissible with immigration. Overtime opportunities should be something that you inquire about during the interview process.  

It’s Not an Easy Decision
As you can see, the decision about which ESL teaching job to take is a difficult one and the decision should not be made without careful consideration. For lots more information related to Teaching ESL, check out the author’s popular site, My Life! Teaching in a Korean University and for more ideas about how to build a successful financial future, go to The Wealthy English Teacher.

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Business 101: Teachers, Don't Compete on Price

I double majored in Art and Business Management. Polar opposites, I know, but they both really suited me and helped me as a teacher. One of the topics that I'm passionate about is teachers' pay. When asked if teachers are paid fairly, they all unanimously said no. Salaries are going down, benefits are decreasing while responsibilities are increasing and so is the cost of living. But what can you do? It's you against them.

While that is true, there are still issues that you have control over, private lessons are one of them. Teachers who teach private students quickly learn what the going rate is and most of the time start at the lower end or in the middle. What they're trying to do is make their lessons as cheap as or cheaper than other teachers. There are a number of reasons why this is a bad choice and I'm going to discuss them below.

From http://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/dont-compete-on-price-compete-on-value-0157016

Why You Should Not Compete on Price

1. Someone will always beat you. They will. Just watch and see. Before you know it you'll have a pricewar on your hands. You'll lose. It'll become a consumers' market and as a teacher you'll have to accept a lower and lower price per hour.
2. You'll feel undervalued and underappreciated. There's more than just teaching that goes into private lessons. You may have to travel to get to them. You'll have to prep your lesson plans. Before you know it your one hour private lesson has expanded to three hours, however, you're only getting paid for one.
3. People associate cost with worth. You get what you pay for. So if you charge less per hour than other teachers, students may think you're a worse teacher.
4. Price is only one thing. There are other things out there, such as value, customer satisfaction, student test results, and innovative teaching methods, just to name a few. 

Why You Should Charge More

1. People like status symbols. Diamonds, Ferraris, Mansions. They're all very expensive. There are much cheaper options out there, but people choose to get expensive items. They're status symbols that people like to show off. Similarly, there are people who will brag about being able to afford $100 an hour private lessons. Don't be followed into thinking that everyone wants the cheapest option out there.
2. You'll make more money. If you increase your prices by 20% then that means you can make 20% more than before.
3. You can work less. If you increase your prices by 20%, then you can work 20% less and still make what you made before. The more you charge, the more you make.
4. You'll deal with higher quality people. If you don't want to deal with people who will nickle and dime you and always fight over price, you need to charge more. By doing this you will end up dealing people of a higher caliber. People who believe that money isn't the end all and are willing to pay for a good lesson.

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The Best TEFL Jobs in Morocco

Here's the information for Morocco for The Best TEFL Jobs in the World. You might also want to look at The Best TEFL Jobs With Worldwide Employers. If you're looking at going to Morocco, here's some more information about what it's like to live and work there.

I only know of 1 job and it was advertised on Dave's ESL Cafe. If you know of any more, please contact me at naturegirl321@yahoo.com

1. Lalla Khadija College of Health Sciences: They recruit through Chase Resourcing International and require ESL Instructors for a new faculty in Rabat, The Administrative capital of Morocco. They are looking for senior ESL Instructors who will work at the new faculty. You must have a BA in English, TESOL or Education. Or an MA in English, Education or TESOL. You also must have a CELTA or DELTA. Only citizens who have received their degrees from the following countries can apply: the USA, the UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland will only be considered. You must have at least 8 years ESL/EFL experience. You will get free medical insurance, free flights, extensive holidays, and a salary / housing allowance package of $65,500 US Dollars, €51,300 Euro, £41,000 Sterling. Please email your CV, degrees, passport, CELTA/DELTA certificate and photo to aking@chase.ie.  Adrien King Global Education Recruitment Manager Chase Towers, Daly’s Lane, The Square, Killorglin, Co. Kerry, Ireland. Skype: chase.resourcing. Office: +353 (0) 66 9762 007. Linkedin. Chase is a legit recruiter, you can find more info here.

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The Best Teaching Jobs Are When You’re a Big Fish in a Small Pond

From rosstheology.wordpress.com

Time after time again I hear teachers wanting to get a job at XYZ school because it’s well-known and will look good on their CV. While I understand this point of view, there are lots of downsides to working at well-known schools.

• They often pay less due to supply and demand 
• There’s lots of competition 
• There may be few perks and benefits 
• You may have to teach a lot of hours 
• There are often caps on renewal so you’ll have to leave after 2, 4, or 5 years
• They require a lot more work (committees, publications, create materials) and you're not compensated for it. 

Of course, some prestigious schools pay well, but it’s hard to stand out. More likely than not you’ll be a small fish in a big pond. While that’s still better than being a small fish in a small pond, there are better options out there. It would be great to be a big fish in a big pond, but not many of us will ever achieve that status.

Look for well-kept secrets and undiscovered gems. You don’t have to work at the creme de la cream school to have a good job. In fact, some of the best jobs are at schools that no one has heard of. They have low turnover, happy teachers, hands-off management, and a great salary package.

People are more likely to talk about schools that they are unhappy with and have a bad reputation than good schools. If someone mentions a school you’ve never heard of, don’t automatically presume it’s a not a good place to work at, on the contrary, it’s likely to be a good school.

Many of the small, less-known schools often have less competition and due to that have to offer teachers more to work there. They may do this by offering a higher salary, less teaching hours, and longer vacations.

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