Job Discussion Forums

marblez · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 248 Location: Canada

I'm just wondering, what sort of opportunities are available for those who have their BA and teacher qualifications (or BEd combination), along with a university 1-year TESL certificate? Are they better than for those with just a standard BA and TEFL certificate? How so? I don't have any specific location in mind, but I'd just like to gauge a bit of info. Thanks.

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

Of course they are better. Qualified teachers versus unqualified 4 weekers.

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

International schools usually require teachers licenses, and they often pay more than entry level conversation school jobs.

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

You're qualified for a whole arena of schooling that us TEFL schlubs aren't -- you should Google for the terms "international school."

Basically, there are jobs in American (or Canadian if you're a Canner) schools that happen to be located overseas. These schools are certified by whatever country's board they want their kids to be able to transition into college in without the usual other-country tests and other admission headaches. These schools often pay nearly as much as the schools back home, so in poorer countries they offer fantastic salary packages compared to TEFL work and in richer countries it's just as good as working at home.

Do a search on this board for "international schools" as well, as the topic has come up a lot now that international school qualified folks are sitting on their hands back home.

To have a good shot at a real international school you need a couple of years of home-country experience, and it really helps if you have a husband to teach with you ("teaching team") as this saves the school money on provided accomodation, or are single, or can teach more than one subject (especially in-demand subjects like math and social studies).

You can do TEFL and will be preferred over a non-BEd holder, but why bother with that crap when you can do so much better?

Zero Hero · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 944

I would suggest something like the NET scheme here in HK, or the (sort of) similar schemes in Brunei and Singapore. If you are qualified to teach in your home state (which is an English-speaking state) then you would be quite highly sought after in many locations around the globe, especially by international schools.