Just to Reiterate...

While surfing the Delaying the Real World Book site, I came across some great Tips and Advice from others who have taken some time off to find adventure. They’re pretty helpful and inspiring so I thought I’d post some for all to see!

“I went into the Peace Corps and one thing I was worried about was missing out on all of the cool stuff family and friends would be doing while I was away. But even after two years, I didn’t miss a beat. To sum up what happened, I was away having an amazing experience while my friends who entered the "real world" were hating their jobs and wishing they had done something more exciting.”

—Rob Marek, 28, did the Peace Corps in Namibia

“Think about where you want to be in ten years or twenty years and the types of stories you want to be able to tell about your life. Life is just too short to do anything other than create your own path. You may not know how all the pieces will ultimately fit together. That is part of the fun. Just focus on following your gut and pursuing your dreams.”

—David Schacht, 30, quit an investment banking job to go work in France and Chile

My advice is that if you have a passion for something, whether it is athletics, the arts, academics, or something totally unique, follow that passion and don’t wait. I believe that every day you postpone a dream you weaken it a little bit. The longer you wait, the less likely you will ever chase it.”

—Andy Liverman, 24, Olympic Rower

“I have hitchhiked in Ireland, joined and quit the Peace Corps, volunteered in Croatia, and most recently moved to Las Vegas for graduate school. If you are willing to risk failing and make a fool of yourself a few times, I think you can learn how to succeed and flourish in any culture or situation.”

—Andrea Gregovich, 28, bartended at a fishing lodge in Alaska

“Moving away from home at a time when I was most vulnerable was also the time I was most willing to learn about new things.”

—Kate Ward, 24, did a volunteer program in San Franciso

here is the rest of it.

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Delaying the real word? Read this!

“Congratulations—you’ve finished school. But if you’re not sure you’re ready to settle down into an office environment, Delaying the Real World is chock-full of creative ideas and practical information that will help you craft your own life-changing adventure!”

~ This quote is from the travel book Delaying the Real World: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to Seeking Adventure. And it is the perfect book to have when trying to “satisfy your free spirit but also pay the bills”. It’s written by Colleen Kinder, a Yale grad who also delayed the real world for a couple of years in order to work in Cuba and volunteer through out Latin America. Her book is a compilation of young college grads experiences exploring the great unknown before hitting the books again or getting that desk job. Take a gander!

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Teach for America!

If teaching in a foreign country doesn’t strike the fancy, perhaps teaching somewhere in the U.S. will?! Teach for America is one of the most reputable and intense teaching programs while also being one of the most fulfilling experiences a young college grad could ever have. And here is the rest of itThe Teach for America program takes bright and ambitious college grads and places them in classrooms set in high poverty school districts. Though the job can be challenging at times, there can be no greater reward than inspiring and motivating students who are not awarded the advantages many other children are in America. The screening process to be accepted into the Teach for America program is intense, but it’s only like that in order to pick reputable college grads. The program lasts for two years and teachers have the option of going to one of the 26 cities featured in the program. Just to give you an idea of what a young teach will endure while participating in the program, here is a layout of weekly expected work:

Institute programmatic structures:
Teaching
Corps members teach summer school students for approximately two hours each day, under the supervision of experienced teachers. For the first hour, most corps members work directly with four to five students to build skills in math and literacy, which also builds the teacher's skills for facilitating student group work. For the second hour, corps members lead a full class lesson, which also builds the teacher's skills in delivering lessons and managing the classroom.

Observations and feedback
Teach For America instructors observe every corps member several times each week, provide them with written feedback, and engage in debrief conversations to help them refine their teaching practice.

Rehearsal sessions
Corps members get together in small groups to rehearse the delivery of upcoming lessons and to respond to management challenges. Rehearsal sessions provide safe space to practice new skills and to receive feedback from Teach For America instructors and other corps members.

Lesson planning clinics
Corps members receive extensive support in lesson planning from Teach For America instructors. They work to internalize the upcoming week's objectives, determine the assessments that will be used to evaluate student progress, select the appropriate instructional methods to meet their objectives, and flesh out their plans in greater detail.

Curriculum sessions
Teach For America instructors present essential material that all new teachers need to know to be effective.

Reflection sessions
Corps members get together in small groups to engage in structured reflection on student achievement data, student work, and the feedback and observations of Teach For America instructors, veteran district teachers, and other corps members. Reflection sessions lead to clear steps for corps members to take to improve their effectiveness.

Interested?! : Check out the website. They have informative videos, tips about joining the program, and their history info.

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TESL, TEFL, TEOSL, CELTA...what does it all mean?!!

Before going to teach English abroad it's probably a good idea to take what is commonly known as a TEFL course. (Esp. if you don't have an education background. But even so, it is still pretty helpful to have!). Basically, TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is a term used to describe any course that helps thoes about to go abroad learn how to formulate effective lesson plans when teaching Enlgish as a second language. They are available on line and though most schools don't require a TEFL certificate, it probably is a good idea to aquire one! When looking for a TEFL course things can get kind of confusing considering there are somany different accronims used when describing TEFL courses. They are also, reffered as TEOSL, CELTA, TESL, ESL, and they are all pretty much the same thing! (or atleast they advertise the same idea). If you are considering taking a TEFL course, here's a handy site that has a guide for choosing an online course. They usually last for 4-5 weeks and usually start at about 100 bucks! Also, here's the TEFL website incase you may want furthur info and they also provide a handy job posting page full of teaching English abroad opportunities :)

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