5 Reasons to Teach in Spain - Bilingually Yours

I was nervous to tell my friends and family that I planned to teach in Spain. I imagined they would persuade me from going, warn me against traveling alone, or just rain judgement on my teach in Spain parade. Thankfully, the reactions I got ranged from excited to enthusiastic – and even a smidge of jealousy (I wish I could go). And truly, there are plenty of reasons to teach in Spain.

For anyone interested, there are several programs to choose from. All typically lasting from October to either May or June. So it is a commitment, but one that comes with a host of advantages.

5 Reasons to Teach in Spain — If you or your family need convincing, here are 5 reasons to teach English in Spain.

Teaching in Spain gives you the chance to:

1. Hone your Spanish

Oddly enough, this can be difficult to accomplish.

You will be teaching English, and because of that, schools will generally encourage you to speak English only. AKA, you won’t be speaking Spanish during the school day.

There’s also the crutch of hanging out with other English speakers in your downtime. Making it incredibly easy to spend all day and therefore, all year, speaking English.

So this is something you have to want to do.

But for those that put the effort in, there is no better place to practice Spanish than immersing yourself in it. Whether you make Spanish friends, take Spanish lessons, or get involved in intercambios (where Spanish and English speakers come together for conversation), you really can’t go wrong.

Put the time in, work at it, and your Spanish will improve substantially.

2. Explore a New Culture

The beauty of teaching in Spain is how little you actually have to work. Though it differs by region and program, it could be as little as 12 hours per week to as high as 25. Either way, it offers a lot of downtime to absorb Spanish culture.

Watch movies, TV shows, go to bars, go sightseeing, people watch, make Spanish friends … literally, anything you do after stepping out of your door is smacking yourself in the face with some facet of Spanish culture. And it’s an interesting one too.

Learning about a culture other than your own opens you up to being more open-minded, tolerant, and curious about the world around you. All things we could use a little more of.

3. Travel

Um, you will already be in Europe, so take advantage.

Flights are cheap. Trains are well-serviced and abundant. Even buses are better than what we’re used to in the states. See as many countries and cities as you can. There is no better “happy” than traveling the world happy.

4. See a Different Educational Model in Action

I know, I know, none of the above reasons to teach in Spain have anything to do with teaching. Though, I would argue that they are all highly educational for you as a person.

The other side of teaching in Spain is actually seeing the inner workings of the Spanish educational system, which – spoiler, is more lax and not everyone’s cup of tea. Regardless, take it for what it is, for all its advantages and disadvantages there is still much to be learned about how other countries educate their youth.

I do have my quarrels with some aspects of Spanish schools, but I also deeply respect some things they do that we could certainly take note of in the US. Be a fly on the wall and observe. You won’t get the chance again.

5. See if Teaching Is For You

To add to the last point, this is the time to really determine if teaching is a career that might interest you.

Now, keep in mind that teaching in Spain is really in an assistant capacity. But it allows you to do all the fun parts of teaching (games, fun lessons, playing with kids) without the responsibilities (grading, disciplining, parent meetings).

Use those 9 months to truly decide if it’s something you could see yourself doing back home.

Bonus: Learn More About Yourself

Every one of the aforementioned reasons to teach in Spain force you to get out of your comfort zone.

What are your likes and dislikes? What can’t you live without? What can you live without? It’s interesting to see who you thought you were, as well as, what you thought you needed.

So, why teach in Spain?

Well, it’s certainly an adventure. Plenty of people do it each year for their own unique reasons, and we all, come out of it with something.

I was lucky to have an army of positive voices around me before I left, but that’s not always the case. Use this list to show negative Nancies some compelling reasons to teach in Spain, or use it as an excuse, or a push, to just … go for it. You won’t regret it.