French teacher in the US?

[Passe-Partout]

Hello people.

I was wondering if someone out here could help me out about something I've been thinking about for a little while now.

To put you in context, I'm from Québec, Canada. I just finished my first year in CEGEP. My program is a pre-university program. I still have one year to go before graduating.

My dream job would be teaching French in high school. Somehow, I think it would be even more challenging to teach French in the US.

So my question here is : what do I need to do, what studies do I have to do to be able to move to the US and teach my first language ?

Thank you !

[unknownuser]

Do you have guidance counselors at your school or the university / college that you'll be attending to discuss this with? I'm sure they'd be able to give you much more helpful info then us on here and could probably advise you on which kind of courses to take and which path to follow so you can achieve your dream. :)

[CharlieHorse]

teaching in the US is dictated by the schoolboard, so you might not be able to teach the way you want to. but schools definitely need good language teachers, so I think you should pursue it :)

[Passe-Partout]

I think it would be a nice experience to have. Maybe not for all my life, but more for a couple of years.

Thank you :)

[Jean Poutine]

My big French post got deleted! Grr.

If you want to teach FSL you are going to have to get at least a bachelor's degree. Here are some examples :

http://www2.ulaval.ca/les-etudes/programmes/repertoire/details/baccalaureat-en-enseignement-du-francais-langue-seconde-b-ens.html
http://admission.umontreal.ca/programmes/baccalaureat-en-enseignement-du-francais-langue-seconde/

There's a quota but the cote R cutoff is like 24, so if you weren't a complete dummy in CÉGEP it's really easy to get in.

Since you want to teach in the US you'll also probably need a certification from a standardized English test like TOEIC so they know you can actually communicate with the students. If you decide to come back here then you can always apply the diploma to francisation and get a job teaching French to immigrants (that's what my girlfriend's mother does).

If you want to check if you'd like that career first, inquire at your CÉGEP as there are tutorship programs available where you are sent to another country to help the students there practice their French. I almost went myself.

High school teachers in the United States are very poorly paid, though. 25,000$ to 30,000$ in the first year is not uncommon. I'd aim to teach at a college or a university at least, or in another country altogether. The farther south you go, the better your chances, because there are already a lot of Quebecers in New England that had the same idea and are doing the same thing, especially in the border states like Maine or Vermont.

Good luck!