Job Discussion Forums

[adalo]

Hello all!

I just got back from teaching in an eikaiwa in Japan for a year and I am ready to move up the ladder.

I greatly enjoy living and working abroad and thru diligent research have decided that Thailand is the place I want to be. However, I would feel much more financialy and socially secure working in an international school than hacking it with a CELTA.

So, I need to get my teaching certification here in the States. I majored in Psychology, so I may have to take some extra classes in order to teach social studies, we shall see.

Anyway, I am looking for your advice. Does my plan to get my certification then start a career in international schools seem wise?

I enjoy teaching and feel I would enjoy teaching social studies quite a bit. It will probably take me three or so years to get to Thailand after I start my certification. I hope it will be worth the trouble...

[massivegeoff]

i think most good international schools out here would only take you with a fair amount of experience on top of your teaching qualification. as a for example, i was told that if i went back to get my teaching certificate in the uk now, not only would i need to do an induction year to make it valid, i would need to do a further 2 or 3 years before the better schools out here would even look at me.

HOWEVER, if you're willing to live with a slightly lower salary you could get a job in a bilingual school, or at an imersion programme at a thai school with a lot less experience. or you could get a job with the people i work with...bell international. we accept people to teach efl/esl without a CELTA, as long as they have a teaching certificate (like the english BEd or PGCE).

the international schools are usually better paid, but some of them are better than others. check out thaischoolwatch.com for info on specific schools. also have a look at ajarn.com for more job ads.

good luck.

[adalo]

Thanks for the info. You are right, it will probably be at least four years until I could get into a good international school. That's not so bad. I am willing to put the time into my education in order to have job security.