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Reach to Teach

About

As any ESL Teacher can tell you, finding a good teaching job abroad can be difficult. Similarly, a lot of ESL schools feel that finding a good teacher is equally difficult. This is where we at Reach To Teach come in. Our motto is matching great teachers with great schools.

There are a lot of ESL jobs available abroad, however it can be difficult to find one which matches your wants and needs. Reach To Teach is here to help. We carefully screen all our schools to ensure our teachers know as much as possible about their school and the contract they will be signing. You can feel comfortable and confident moving overseas knowing what your job will be like. Best of all, our services are 100% free!

Reviews

Sam
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Incredible! Fantastic!

Reach to Teach has helped me enormously - not only in finding a great job, but making sure that I had numerous schools to pick from and that the one I ended up at was the best possible match. Moreover, they kept in touch with me to truly ensure I had all the help I could get with housing, my work permit, and all my government documents/requirements. Carrie helped me with countless questions via email and over the phone and walked me through everything. The transition from America to Taiwan has been ideal. I love working at Yu Tsai Bilingual as a 6th grade teacher in Taipei, where I teach Math, PE, Art, English, Music & more! It’s an incredible job at a phenomenal school. I owe so much to Reach to Teach. My gratitude is enormous.

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Michelle
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Great Help!

I was worried about applying to EPIK as I had no idea what I was doing, but Reach to Teach really helped me out with the whole process! I worked with Jason Cruzan throughout the whole process and he was there to assuage any worries that I had. Applying through them made it easier and I felt prepared for the application, the interview, and for the experience in general. I actually already recommended them to a friend who is also applying for the program. I would work with them again and would recommend to anyone hoping to apply for EPIK or any other teaching programs that they help with!

What would you improve about this program?
I think the one thing I was looking for was a forum or page where past and future teachers could talk and ask questions.
Lindsay
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

EPIK Program through Reach to Teach

I decided to apply to the EPIK program in South Korea with the help of Reach to Teach. For months, I personally worked with Recruiter Jason Cruzan. Applying to EPIK can be confusing, frustrating, and extremely meticulous. Jason answered every question I had, no matter how small. EPIK is very specific about the application, interview, and official documents that must be sent. Jason has worked with them for years and knows exactly what is expected from EPIK applicants. Without the help of Reach to Teach, I would not have been able to complete the application process to receive a placement from EPIK. I highly recommend them for anyone who is interested in teaching in Asia. Reach to Teach is the best!

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Ismari
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

100% for Reach to teach!

When I made the decision to teach abroad, I contacted a few recruitment agencies. Reach to teach responded within one day and I had an interview with them they day thereafter. Since then, through the whole process of packing up my life in one country to move to the next, Reach to Teach had been a constant support.
Reach to Teach has been there through every single obstacle I've faced in Taiwan (and I had my fair share) and Carrie Kellenberger is honestly the greatest! I would recommend this agency to anyone at any given time!

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Abby
1/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Not a reputable agency

The school Reach to Teach placed me at was atrocious. I felt that it was a horrible working environment.

If you're unfamiliar with the area, reputable schools in Taipei create healthy learning environments that allow their students to thrive. It's a travesty that not all students are experiencing this type of education, but luckily this is not the case at many schools.

The fact that Reach to Teach aligns themselves with a school like this clearly demonstrates their lack of integrity, professionalism, and dedication to the teachers that join their agency.

Response from Reach to Teach

Dear Abby,

I’m sorry to say that we have no record of ever having placed a teacher in Taiwan by the name of Abby or Abigail, nor do we have any records of a person named Abby or Abigail being placed in any of our programs from the University of British Columbia.

As you didn’t list any reason as to why you thought the school was bad or what your problem was with your school, we are assuming that you have us confused with one of our competitors.

For any potential teachers reading this review, please have a look at the reviews below or the 120+ reviews on our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ReachToTeach/reviews. We do our best to take good care of all of our teachers.

For anyone who would like to speak to one of our current teachers to find out what our services are like, please email Carrie at [email protected] or John at [email protected]

We welcome anyone to get in touch with us about any of our programs.

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Tyson Bruner

Tyson is a 26 year old college graduate from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He will begin teaching in South Korea for the February 2014 spring session in Ulsan. He has held numerous positions dealing with children in several different capacities and is really looking forward to the adventure, experiences and teaching to come with the placement.
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Why did you decide use Reach to Teach to get a teaching placement in South Korea?

Wanting to teach abroad is something I wanted to do for ages, ever since high school really, so after obtaining my TEFL certification I researched and found myself overwhelmed by concerns and questions about whether or not I could do it on my own.

Using Reach to Teach as my recruiter was a decision reached after months of research on numerous websites (including gooverseas.com) and a desire to end up in the best situation possible for moving thousands of miles from home and culture of the only kind that I knew. I had decided that I wanted to teach in EPIK South Korea and anywhere I looked I saw questionable things about recruiters or the general comment on how complicated the application for EPIK could be.

Fortunately, most of the message boards that discussed recruiters at the time always seemed to have positive remarks about Reach to Teach and its main South Korea recruiter, John Kellenberger. After steeling myself for the process and reading what Reach to Teach offered as a service prior to, during, and after applying and getting to where I was going I felt far more at ease going into it than anywhere else after seeing what was offered. Reach to Teach has definitely lived up to the hype in my mind thus far.

What made working with Reach to Teach unique and special?

Working with Reach to Teach was so unique simply for the fact I had never approached a recruiter before but also because they are a small one that make you feel easily a part of something they care deeply about and have so much experience in.

For working with so many people at once they were always quick to return my emails of questions during the process (a little slower around the holidays but still always seemed to find time) and even set up a mock interview to prepare for the real thing with EPIK. Most importantly however, they gave me the support and confidence in being able to succeed in a process where I was already a bit behind in the application work. The whole thing is stressful enough without Reach to Teach being there to help you sort out everything in a professional and experienced manner, so really my gratitude toward them is incalculable.

How has this experience impacted your future? (Personally, professionally, academically, etc.)

Personally, working with Reach to Teach has given me a comfort going into what is, so far, the biggest change in my life. This isn’t just moving across the US, which is massive in its own right, it's moving and starting a career in a culture and country foreign to my norms.

Reach to Teach, I’m sure of it, has prepared me to the best of their abilities and left me confident that I can handle it from here on out. In a professional sense I believe this is just the start as I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and this is a great way to get my feet wet so to speak. None of it would have been as simple, maybe even possible without Reach to Teach to guide me. Everyone knows, even in the academic world, when you want to do something or become further accredited to do so nothing screams “Pick me!” like practical experience in the field and that’s how I feel about this. I can’t wait.

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering teaching abroad in South Korea?

If there was a single piece of advice I could give someone wanting to teach abroad in South Korea especially with EPIK… it would probably have to be to remain calm.

It sounds silly and simple but I feel that the toughest thing with the whole process is maintaining the mental clarity required to make sound decisions when making the move. Not just doing the interviews but with gathering things for the documents on a time constraint, reading up on material of the country you’re going to, getting items essential to living in Korea, finding people with the same mindset as you that are heading over there and so on.

All of it plays a part in a huge undertaking in your life and it is important to understand that not everything in this is going to be under your control and panicking won’t fix things or get you there in any better a state than someone who didn’t and you’ll already be the worse for the wear. South Korea is a beautiful country and their government wants to welcome you there with open arms if you’re going through the EPIK program and I can’t think of a better way to repay that kindness than showing up not just anxious but ready to go and be a part of a culture, country and children’s lives.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Carrie Kellenberger

Carrie Kellenberger, co-owner of Reach To Teach Recruiting, is a Canadian expat. She moved to Asia in 2003. Carrie lived in Northern China for her first three years abroad before relocating to Taipei, Taiwan with her husband in 2006. Carrie still works with Reach To Teach teachers in China and Taiwan, but her primary duties at Reach To Teach are now focused on client development, marketing and advertising, and overseeing the day-to-day operations at Reach To Teach.
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What position do you hold at Reach to Teach? What has been your career path?

I’m a Canadian expat, living abroad in Asia since 2003. I lived in Northern China for my first three years abroad. My husband and I moved to Taipei, Taiwan through the Reach To Teach Program in 2006. We became the new owners of Reach To Teach in June 2012. My role offers many responsibilities and brings me into contact with many different people and countries. As a company, all our goals are centered on a very simple and important phrase: “To match great teachers with great schools”. My job is to make sure this happens. We are definitely not your average recruiting company. We take our responsibilities to both our teachers and the schools that we work with very seriously. Our service is completely free for teachers.

Did YOU teach abroad? If so, where did you go and what inspired you to go?!

My husband and I both came to Taiwan as Reach To Teach teachers, so let me start by saying that it is a company we have believed in and supported 100% right from the start. We joined the program when it had just started, and throughout the years we have received nothing but amazing support from the staff at Reach To Teach. We have also met dozens of new teachers and made friends that will last us a lifetime.

How have you seen the ESL industry change since you've started teaching English?

We’ve seen a sharp increase in the number of applicants in recent years. More and more people are realizing that teaching abroad is not only a viable career option, but also a means to travel, pay off student loans, and ride out an unstable job market in their home countries. Consequently, we are seeing many applicants who are very well-qualified to teach overseas. Schools are now demanding that teachers have more qualifications, and the competition for those jobs can get quite fierce.

The emergence of new markets, such as China, also plays an important role in the ESL industry. China was once known for taking almost anyone on as a teacher, but those days are pretty much gone. Just recently, the Chinese government changed the requirements to teach English in China. For many teaching jobs you need to have graduated at least two years ago and ideally have some teaching or education experience. Places like South Korea continue to mature in terms of reliability and excellent remuneration packages, while Taiwan continues to attract teachers that are looking for a competitive salary offset by a low cost of living and tropical lifestyle!

What about the future of the ESL industry? How do you think teaching abroad will change over the next 10 years?

The days of arriving in a country with a backpack and the expectation of finding a job are pretty much gone. You simply can’t land in a country like South Korea or China and expect to find a job by knocking on doors. Taiwan has been known in the past for having plenty of jobs for everyone, but the truth is that the job market in Taiwan is dwindling. We get phone calls and applications every day from teachers who are in Taiwan and are unable to find work. It’s getting harder and harder to find a good teaching job without arranging for a job in advance. Today, it’s all about planning ahead and beating out the competition. That’s why Reach To Teach works with the best teachers. All of our teachers are well prepared and ready to go with their teaching adventures abroad.

Furthermore, teaching requirements are becoming stricter, especially in terms of TEFL qualifications. In the last few years we have seen a big shift in schools preferring applicants that hold a TEFL qualification. Schools are becoming much more selective about who they hire and a TEFL qualification is one of the best ways to be selected. In many schools, a 100+ hour TEFL course will allow you to qualify for a higher salary.

Do you have any tips for teachers applying through a recruiter, such as Reach to Teach?

Be sure this is something that feels right for you. Are you excited about working overseas? Are you committed to working abroad for a year? Before you apply, ask yourself what your reasons are for teaching abroad. Are you ready for the highs and lows of the challenge that lies ahead?

- Complete the application form as thoroughly as you possibly can. The more information you give us, the better we’ll be able to assist you.
- Read our FAQ page and contact us if you have any questions or concerns. Make sure you read up on TEFL and CELTA qualifications.
- In your interview, be upbeat and personable. Give us an idea of what you’re going to be like in the classroom. Show us your ideas and charisma. Be yourself.