Teaching jobs in Berlin (college composition)
July 11, 2020 4:38 AM Subscribe
I'm a multiracial, queer, cisgender, single, female American with a tenure-track teaching position in English composition at a community college. While I love my job, I need to leave the U.S. as it has become a shithole country under Drump.
Besides Higher Ed jobs, what websites and resources for teaching composition, creative writing and rhetoric in college or (highschool possibly) in Berlin do you recommend?
(Note: I wish to teach in English about writing. I am not certified nor do I wish to teach English as a foreign language. Most everything I Google assumes I want to teach English to non-native speakers; I do not. I have taught ESL before, and I'm not good at it.)
I plan on learning German but prefer to teach in English. Are there specific colleges or schools in Berlin that you would recommend I look into for teaching positions?
I enjoy the autonomy of my job mostly because of a teacher's union. What are working conditions like in colleges and schools in Germany? Are there unions?
Also would like to hear any general tips, advice, and experience from anyone who has or is living in Berlin.
I have a German-American friend who lives in Germany who is also helping me, but I don't want to ask her everything.
Besides Higher Ed jobs, what websites and resources for teaching composition, creative writing and rhetoric in college or (highschool possibly) in Berlin do you recommend?
(Note: I wish to teach in English about writing. I am not certified nor do I wish to teach English as a foreign language. Most everything I Google assumes I want to teach English to non-native speakers; I do not. I have taught ESL before, and I'm not good at it.)
I plan on learning German but prefer to teach in English. Are there specific colleges or schools in Berlin that you would recommend I look into for teaching positions?
I enjoy the autonomy of my job mostly because of a teacher's union. What are working conditions like in colleges and schools in Germany? Are there unions?
Also would like to hear any general tips, advice, and experience from anyone who has or is living in Berlin.
I have a German-American friend who lives in Germany who is also helping me, but I don't want to ask her everything.
Hi, as this has been up for several hours with no response I just wanted to suggest a couple of reasons why that might be the case. With apologies for being 'helpy', but: I don't think what you're asking for exists as a job in the way that you're thinking of it, and you've massively reduced your options not just by specifying one country but a specific city within a country.
From what I understand of Composition in the USA, there isn't really a similar role found frequently in European universities, and this topic is generally taught in whatever the local language is. As you've ruled out TEFL, I'm struggling to understand what sort of role in a University (or a school) you're aiming at.
I've had a quick skim of the academic jobs wiki and Academic Positions (Europe-focused academic job ads)and I can't find a thing that looks like what you're asking for, anywhere in Germany (I'm not sure I can find one anywhere in Europe, other than the UK as part of degrees in English). Do you have academic contacts in Germany who you could ask for help? It may be that the job exists but in some format that's non-obvious, and that may be why you can't find it on the usual job sites. I am not an expert in language teaching in Germany, so I may be completely wrong, but I wanted to flag this up so the question you've asked doesn't just go into the ether with no answers.
FWIW, the academic job market in Europe is just as competitive as the USA, and not being able to speak a local language is a huge disadvantage. For visa purposes a university has to prove that they could not source your skill set anywhere in Europe, given the free movement rules, and I'm not really getting from your post what it is that is your unique skill set. Sorry if that's harsh or unhelpful, I do understand the desire to get out (and the pain of not being able to turn to Europe as a host).
posted by AFII at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2020 [12 favorites]
From what I understand of Composition in the USA, there isn't really a similar role found frequently in European universities, and this topic is generally taught in whatever the local language is. As you've ruled out TEFL, I'm struggling to understand what sort of role in a University (or a school) you're aiming at.
I've had a quick skim of the academic jobs wiki and Academic Positions (Europe-focused academic job ads)and I can't find a thing that looks like what you're asking for, anywhere in Germany (I'm not sure I can find one anywhere in Europe, other than the UK as part of degrees in English). Do you have academic contacts in Germany who you could ask for help? It may be that the job exists but in some format that's non-obvious, and that may be why you can't find it on the usual job sites. I am not an expert in language teaching in Germany, so I may be completely wrong, but I wanted to flag this up so the question you've asked doesn't just go into the ether with no answers.
FWIW, the academic job market in Europe is just as competitive as the USA, and not being able to speak a local language is a huge disadvantage. For visa purposes a university has to prove that they could not source your skill set anywhere in Europe, given the free movement rules, and I'm not really getting from your post what it is that is your unique skill set. Sorry if that's harsh or unhelpful, I do understand the desire to get out (and the pain of not being able to turn to Europe as a host).
posted by AFII at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2020 [12 favorites]
Several friends have made this move by taking advantage of the freelance visa program in Germany. However, only one has successfully settled in Berlin. Germany is a gigantic country and there are many great places to live that are less competitive than Berlin.
You should look at what kinds of editing work exist in Germany now for editors of German-English translation, particularly business documents. You will be competing with Germans. The passport to teaching writing worldwide (last I checked) is to write a book. Perhaps you have and that is the reason this is anonymous.
A potential avenue you could explore is to make contact with German university English departments and start a dialogue. I think grant writing skills will be very handy.
posted by parmanparman at 10:18 AM on July 11, 2020
You should look at what kinds of editing work exist in Germany now for editors of German-English translation, particularly business documents. You will be competing with Germans. The passport to teaching writing worldwide (last I checked) is to write a book. Perhaps you have and that is the reason this is anonymous.
A potential avenue you could explore is to make contact with German university English departments and start a dialogue. I think grant writing skills will be very handy.
posted by parmanparman at 10:18 AM on July 11, 2020
You mention teaching at a high school. In Germany the curriculum for state schools is defined by the state and composition as I understand it is not a separate part of the curriculum. If at all aspects of it may be touched on as part of German literature or various advanced levels of foreign languages. As such you’d have to teach these subjects which requires you to go through the formal path of becoming a secondary education teacher in Germany. Teachers at state schools are civil servants. At the end of that process you’d teach at least two subjects like English language and geography and then you may offer composition as part of that school’s extracurricular offerings.
The sort of place where you may find creative writing type stuff as a subject is the Volkshochschule. Not withstanding the appalling translation of the title the English version of the article seems to provide a decent summary of what it is all about. The gist here is adult education in the loosest sense. The aim is not qualifications but learning about things at a hobby level. Courses cover assorted foreign languages, photography, history, cooking and probably things like creative writing but also various kinds of physical exercise. They normally take place in school premises, after school hrs, and it seems unlikely you could stitch enough of that together to make a living. Also, this would have to be in German to get enough people to sign up for it.
So yes, perhaps reconsider that stance on ESL and broaden your search to all the things parmanparman recommends.
posted by koahiatamadl at 10:35 AM on July 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
The sort of place where you may find creative writing type stuff as a subject is the Volkshochschule. Not withstanding the appalling translation of the title the English version of the article seems to provide a decent summary of what it is all about. The gist here is adult education in the loosest sense. The aim is not qualifications but learning about things at a hobby level. Courses cover assorted foreign languages, photography, history, cooking and probably things like creative writing but also various kinds of physical exercise. They normally take place in school premises, after school hrs, and it seems unlikely you could stitch enough of that together to make a living. Also, this would have to be in German to get enough people to sign up for it.
So yes, perhaps reconsider that stance on ESL and broaden your search to all the things parmanparman recommends.
posted by koahiatamadl at 10:35 AM on July 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you are exploring various options, you may wish to look at the scholarship opportunities for faculty from abroad offered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The DAAD also has broader scholarship opportunities.
posted by sueinnyc at 11:18 AM on July 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by sueinnyc at 11:18 AM on July 11, 2020 [3 favorites]
Check out The Reader Berlin - an international writing platform and community which hosts English-language creative writing workshops in the city. A lot of their tutors appear to be international academics, who I'm sure you could reach out to for more specific advice.
posted by guessthis at 8:58 AM on July 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by guessthis at 8:58 AM on July 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Full disclosure - the co-founder is a friend who immigrated from the US over a decade ago.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 6:55 AM on July 11, 2020