Job Discussion Forums

Katemarsh · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 20 Location: USA

Hi All,
My husband and I have just decided that we want to teach abroad. I have a Masters degree and would really like to work in a University setting or an International School. He is a web designer and he is thinking that he will get his ESL training prior to going and work on his Masters on line while we are there. We also have a 1 year old son and we are receiving a huge negative reaction from all that we tell about our plan. I guess we would like some general feedback. How do you begin even searching for international school and in general are there such an abundance of jobs in certain cities that if I was hired for in an international school would he most likely find an ESL position in the vicinity? Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated-this is something we are considering pursuing as a career and want to know the best way to begin, our options, etc. Additionally, do many international schools provide the same perks as ESL-accomodation, flights etcThanks!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

For Japan international schools, you might want to look here for a list of web sites (some in Japanese).
www.tokyowithkids.com
The list is not limited to Tokyo, by the way, and please read what I wrote in your other thread in the General Forum about qualifications.

Think VERY seriously about this, because how you take care of your son is your business, but Japan has very limited daycare facilities, and they don't usually have people who speak English. Not cheap, either.

Katemarsh · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 20 Location: USA

Is that just Japan or most Asian countries in general/ What is the common practice for child care with such a limited availability?

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

In many Asian countries, the grandparents of one of the parents (usually the father) lives with the family (or to be more accurate, the woman marries the man and then moves into his parents' house with him). Often, the grandparents look after the kids if they are sick after the mother goes back to work.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Just to answer the question directed at me, Kate, I don't know about any country other than Japan.

Katemarsh · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 20 Location: USA

My plan is to be a guidance counselor at an International School-I may be wrong but most of the schools I looked at seem to want an advanced degree with certification and a few years of experience (if I misinformed please let me know) but it was at the University that I was interested in teaching-would I be qualified to teach at a University and if so where do you find those jobs. Thanks for the Hong Kong tip-that will help us focus our search-any ideas if the same would be true for Taiwan?

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

Katemarsh · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 20 Location: USA

I have spent a great deal of time abroad-working, living and traveling and our son has already come with us on a few overseas trip-your right it can be difficult but in our minds it is worth it in the end. I never had any intentions of TEACHING in an international school-my degree is in Counseling, an area that I have over 5 years of experience in and I am working on my certification currently. I want to work as a guidance counselor. My husband grew up attending international schools and preferred them to the American schools he attended and thought they were very good schools. I was obviously not clear with my original question-what I was asking as far as teaching was if I could get a job in a University teaching-I had a friend who had a business degree and has been teaching at a University-I was simply curious to know if this was a common practice. We dont have plans to leave tomorrow-we are trying to collect information in order to become more qualified and informed.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Katemarsh · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 20 Location: USA

Precisely why I apologized and made myself more clear-I was asking very general questions b/c I had many. There is no site that I know of for counselors and yes my initial post would have been misleading-I was simply trying to get some initial information from like-minded people-again apologies.

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

Katemarsh · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 20 Location: USA

My assumption was that those people reading that did have experience in schools would probably have had some contact with their school counselor and by like-minded I made the assumption that most people on this site appreciate the value of living overseas, experiencing other cultures etc-not simply occupation-again I stand corrected and will refrain from any non-teacher questions from here on out.
At this point my questions regarding international schools have been answered through research however, a major question that seems to have been lost in all of my faulty assumptions is would I be eligible to work in a university with a Masters degree if it is not in education?

MamaOaxaca · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Mixteca, Oaxaca

So people have generally answered about Asia, but in your original post I don't see anything about Asia in particular. Are you interested in Mexico? Has your husband ever thought of about continuing as a web designer via distance? Would he be interested in staying home with your son if you could make enough to support the family? What is your MA in anyways?