Job Discussion Forums

[markholmes]

I have not been able to get the search function to work for weeks, so apologies if this question has come up in the past.

Ok, I taught in Japan for 2 years, Taiwan for two as an ESL teacher (no Celta TESOL type thing).

I have been living in Canada for four years running my own business, but I'm starting to get itchy feet. I don't want to move back to Asia as an ESL teacher, so I'm thinking about going back to school to do my teaching certificate in geography and or social sciences.

I'm fromn the UK, so I want to be qualified so I can work in Canada (BC), the UK and international schools.

My questions are;

!) Is there much call for geography teachers (or is it mostly physics, math and english)? I notice there seems to be a lot of elementary / primary school positions.

2) Are there any good international school teacher forums like Dave's?

3) How many years experience do they usually require post certification?

4) Does ESL experience count?

5) I have a wife and child (wife was an ESL teacher also, but isn't really interested in teaching). How are international schools about bringing family and how about schooling for my daughter?

6) By the time I get qualified I will be 40. Does that matter so much in international schools?

Thanks in advance

[Jetgirly]

BC (K-12) has a HUGE teacher surplus. A lot of teachers are spending upwards of five years on sub lists before getting a full-time probationary position (especially in urban locations). If you're willing to go very far north or onto an isolated Aboriginal reserve you may find work immediately. If you are hired, ESL experience will not move you up the pay scale or the experience scale. You will still be considered a new teacher and will only be eligible for jobs open to new teachers (in other words, the jobs left over after everyone with experience has been placed). However, ESL experience may be beneficial when you are competing with other new teachers for entry-level work (like covering for maternity leaves and subbing positions).

[markholmes]

Thanks for the reply. Actually I was more interested in demand internationally for geography and social science teachers. I am not seeing that many postings, but perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place.

Any comments are useful though. Any UK teachers know what the Uk situation is like?

[Jetgirly]

[markholmes]

Quite right, I was being a dick (or ass - you choose).

I am living in Vancouver, so that is where I have to do my training, but actually I want to do the training so i can either go home to the UK or teach in internationally. My preference has been Penang for many years and I think I could stay there for a long time (I'm British, Georgetown looks vaguely familiar). I was an ESL teacher for several years and I want to be back in Asia, but at an international school, not a ESL school.

[markholmes]

Deleted

[TravellingAround]

You need to bear in mind that International Schools usually demand two years post-certification teaching experience in an accredited school. Some might take on NQTs if desperate but the locations you mention might have lots of applicants and particularly Thailand and Malaysia. The best schools can demand as much as five years experience in the subject.

The rule of thumb for getting international school jobs is not to restrict yourself to only a few countries but to apply as widely as you can. To be honest without any International School experience or QTS you can't really afford to be too picky. Personally I'd advise you to think about broadening your search if you can and have a think which other countries would be acceptable as well as having some backup plans.

Being able and willing to teach ESL as well as the other subjects could work in your favour.

Some useful sites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_international_schools

http://joyjobs.com/ (costs to join but useful in that it has a big guide to how to approach finding international school employment and has a list of schools around the world)

http://www.tieonline.com/ (another pay site but has job listings - however they probably stock the paper edition in your local library in Canada. Mainly American International School jobs)

http://jobs.tes.co.uk (plenty of jobs in the international section)

http://www.shambles.net/allschools/index.htm (list of International Schools in S.E.Asia)

Main thing is to get on the course to qualification first and while on there check out the jobs.

[markholmes]

What is NQT and QTS?

Anywhere, thanks for the info. I want to do this properly, so I intend to get qualified, do my two years in Canada or UK and then start looking around for international jobs. I'm hoping, once I've started studying, that my wife will think about retraining as an elementary school teacher, thus making us a teaching couple with one dependent.

What kind if salary range / conditions can international teachers expect or does it vary widely from country to country?

Will a UK or US school employ a Canadian certified teacher?

[naturegirl321]

[markholmes]

US$25,000? I earned more than that as an unqualified ESL teacher in Japan and Taiwan. Are international school salaries really that low?

[Jetgirly]

Mark, remember that you won't get a permanent teaching certificate until you've taught full-time for two years in Canada (or subbed three days per week for three years).

[markholmes]

Another question, does international school experience count towards year teaching years when you return to your home country or do they consider only experience in you home country to count (I am refering to the UK and Canada).

[naturegirl321]

[markholmes]

Is US$25,000 usually tax free (net) and are flights, accommodation and medical usually included?

[TravellingAround]