$19 Certificate

[burbuja0512]

Ok.. this is honestly a little absurd at this point... I mean comparing it to unprotected sex?

How is it dishonest when your employer is happy to accept the certificate?   When you apply at online children's English schools, they ask you to upload your certificate.    They have the option of denying your application or lowering your salary due to your education.    Just like an employer can choose to accept a degree from an unaccredited college.   Owners of the $19 TESOL aren't being deceptive, they're being smart.    If your employer chooses to accept a degree from an unaccredited school, how are you to blame if you're being open and honest about your studies?  The employer knows what you studied because they're in the market and see hundreds of these.  

The employer also understands that even a high school student with no training could teach these children's classes - any education you have on top of that is a bonus.      If the employer understands this AND my son's only goal is to please these employers, what's the issue?   The employers can always ask him to get more education.   They don't care because the job is a couple steps above babysitting.  

Overall, I think that confusing this with a full ESL education is completely off base.   The same discussions go on at the "other" forum about accreditation and they don't seem to lead anywhere good.  

However, I think we all need to agree that one of our purposes here at this forum is to make things quicker and cheaper.   I have had people fight me tooth and nail about whether CLEP tests are worthless.   But my CLEP/DSST tests helped me get from point A to point B.   I had NO NEED to take butt-in-seat classes for most of my credits.   My employer and the market just don't demand it for my career path.    I've had a very successful career in international business even with the "shortcut" taken with testing.

My daughter, on the other hand, is currently enrolled at a B&M university.   She wants to go into medicine and CLEP or Straighterline won't cut it for medical school.  She is listening to the needs of her future employer and taking the path that makes most sense.   

So... I'm proud of my son for finding a $20/hour job that will happily accept him because he speaks fluent American English.  I should note that the online English schools appreciate his TESOL certificate because he will have more knowledge than all of the other teachers they hire that didn't bother to study about teaching/learning at all.    If he studied anything more than he has, it would just be for fun or because he wants a future in ESL.  But it sure as hell wouldn't be because the online English teaching market demands it..... because it doesn't.    I'm glad he's being smart and efficient.  And open and honest by not lying to ANYONE and trying to pretend his certificate is something other than it is.


SO if you have something more than his certificate - GREAT!   That's wonderful.   But if you can honestly suggest that he pay additional money and spend additional time on something that he absolutely doesn't need,  I would love to hear a reason.   Not a fun, curiosity-based reason, but based on a legit business reason.