If you’re a qualified teacher and have been considering relocating to Spain then there really is no time like the present. Recently released statistics have revealed that private teachers are being increasingly sought after in the country: and both remuneration, and quality of life levels, are high!
Here’s everything you need to know about working as a teacher in Spain, and why the private teaching market is considered to be so appealing:
Salaries for Teachers in Spain
No matter where you are in the world, teachers aren’t considered high earners, and this is also true in Spain. Whilst teacher salaries differ wildly depending on where you are based in the county, the average gross monthly wage for a Spanish secondary school teacher is €2,300 (or 1,800 euros take home wage). If you are a primary school teacher then you can expect to earn less than this with primary school teachers earning an average of €2,000 gross per month. Much like with secondary school teachers, some primary school teachers earn much less than this, thanks to regional salary differences.
It’s important to note that your earnings will vary slightly depending on whether you are working in a public or private school, with private school salaries being slightly higher. Regardless of whether you are a primary or secondary school teacher, or whether you work in a public or private school, the working day is demanding and long for teachers in Spain. Public teachers in Spain are also required to sit a state oposición exam before they can begin the job application process.
The Rise of Private Teaching
If working as a public or private school teacher in Spain doesn’t sound appealing then working as a private teacher in the country has become an increasingly attractive alternative. According to the country’s latest Family Budget Survey (EPF) a whopping 24% of students in Spain are now receiving private tutoring outside of the classroom, paid for by their parents, with the demand for teachers to provide this tutoring rising considerably in the last twelve months.
The survey shows that private teaching is no longer viewed as a luxury by Spanish households, but as a necessity. And whilst wealthy households are spending five times more than poorer ones on these private tutoring services, mid and lower income families are still finding the money needed to secure private teaching for their children.
In the ten years since the financial crisis of 2008, Spanish spending on private tutoring has increased to a total amount of €732 million. This huge figure has spiked even further as a result of the pandemic, with demand of private teachers during 2020 increasing by 550%.
What Subjects Are Most Popular?
If you’re a maths or science teacher then you’re in luck, because these are the most in-demand subjects for private tutors in Spain. This is likely to be because a 2019 study by the International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement showed that Spanish students are lagging behind in both of these subjects when compared to students from other European and Asian nations.
In order to counterbalance this, parents are choosing to invest more in their children’s education, in order to help them succeed and give them a competitive edge over their classmates.
There’s good news for ex-pats too, as English teachers are also in high demand: a trend which started during the pandemic. According to Spanish private teaching website tusclasesparticulares.com, the most in-demand private classes in 2020 were English, followed by maths and then French. Spaniards are keen to have high levels of English language skills and whilst this desire starts in childhood, it continues into adulthood too. English classes for adults are incredibly popular in Spain, with many believing that improving their English skills will ultimately enhance their careers.
The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic
So why is now such a good time to consider working as a private teacher in Spain? The answer is surprisingly simple: the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on face-to-face teaching that led to a seismic shift in attitudes to working with private teachers across Spain. More and more parents accept the importance of private teachers, and are prepared to pay for their services.
What’s more, by teaching online rather than travelling to and from a classroom, many teachers had more time to offer private tutoring after their regular working day was complete. This shift in attitudes, from both a parent and teacher point of view, is likely to continue long after the pandemic has waned.
For this reason, teaching privately in Spain, no matter what subject you teach, is a more attractive proposition than it has ever been before. It’s a great way to live and work in Spain, enjoying everything the country has to offer, without the bind of having a full-time job.
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