Job Discussion Forums

[FloridaTEFL]

Hi Everyone!!!
I am considering the possibility of working somewhere in the ME this fall.

Positives: I have 2 years teaching experience and will have a master of education with a concentration in TESOL.
Negative: The teaching experience was in a Korean kindergarten and the degree is "online", although its from a real, accredited university.

What are my chances of finding good-to-great employment in the ME, and where?? I definitely do not mind starting out lower on the ladder if it will give me experience to eventually move up. Also, if it would help me, I may try to get certified in my home state here in the U.S. before going over, just as an extra thing on my resume.
Thank you for any help/advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jdl]

Chances are excellent. Try Oman.

[veiledsentiments]

Definitely get your state certification and keep it current. You never know when you might be able to use it.

A big question is what level you want to teach. Then it would help if you had some experience at that level.

VS

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Well, VS, s/he did say that s/he has KG experience, didn't s/he?

Sorry, I jes' couldn't pass that'n up!

NCTBA

[Stephen Jones]

Both your degrees online?

[15yearsinQ8]

state certification requires student teaching in the state under a mentorship program 3 -6 months full time (you pay)
in NO state can you turn an online degree into state certification
there will be many other courses (not online) you will have to take

online degrees even from 'real and accreditated colleges' are beginning to get a strong thumbs down in the gulf

[veiledsentiments]

I would read her post that her MA was online. Not many first degrees online... especially in education as they require student teaching.

VS

[Sheikh N Bake]

Everyone is correct. As a matter of minor interest, there is at least one completely distance-through-exams-and/or-course accredited undergraduate college out of upstate NY--Excelsior College (formerly the state-owned Regents College). My wife got her BS in business studies from Excelsior by studying independently from Abu Dhabi and taking a lot of exams. That credential has opened SO many doors for her. In this coming depression, should she be laid off and unable to find anything else, she could even become a commissioned Navy officer because she has certain civilian marine management experience...and, of course, an accredited degree. OK, I'm preaching to the choir and putting everyone to sleep.

But education degree? I don't know. As previous posters note, you can't do student teaching via distance.

[15yearsinQ8]

one of my 3 degrees is from excelsior - the kuwait ministry of higher educ will not authenticate it

[FloridaTEFL]

[FloridaTEFL]

[helenl]

Tertiary institutions not only require the MA but also at least 3 years post grad experience (usually). There's a lot of competition for the desirable places. Language schools rarely (in my experience) offer the benefits of housing, tickets, medical etc. and the pay is much lower.

[15yearsinQ8]

OP, i think you're SOL

kuwait ministry of higher educ looks at all transcripts and all degrees

if you even earned credit via CLEP or by any other nontraditional degree credit and had it transferred to a brick and mortar university where you lived and earned in person the rest of the credit, the MOHE will disqualify the whole degree

take the first degree to a US university which can help you earn state teaching certification.....

[veiledsentiments]

One point of information is that 15yearsinQ8's information is only relevant for Kuwait and not the rest of the Gulf. Thus far there have been few problems with distance degrees in the other countries. It just gives you a good reason to avoid Kuwait... which is fine... you won't have missed anything.

They are accepted in Oman, Qatar and in the UAE - according to the last report - the Ministry of Education (K-12) does not accept them, but the Ministry of Education (tertiary) does.

I'm not sure about Saudi...

VS

[FloridaTEFL]