Job Discussion Forums

ava77 · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 100

I am currently teaching at the American School as an assistant teacher for the kindergarten class. I was wondering if it is possible to get a Kindergarten teaching position in Dubai without a BA. Everyone said I couldn't get a job in Tokyo without a BA etc but I have been here for three years and make a decent salary. I have a diploma in Early Childhood Education from Canada as well as a lot of experience with foreign students. Please Help!!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

The Middle East is very 'academic paper' oriented. They want degrees.

I suspect that there are schools that would hire you without a BA for that level, but the question is whether you would want to work for them. The places that hire people with no educational credentials are notoriously the places with the worst pay and situation. ... many nightmare stories about some of these international K-12 schools...

In relative terms, Dubai is probably cheaper than Tokyo, but how the pay to living cost relationship works out, I can't know. It depends on what you 'consider' a decent salary.

VS

The_Hanged_Man · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 224 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia

I think it is possible as TAs generally do not need BAs in American schools worldwide. However, a position may be difficult to come by as most TAs are either spouses of teachers working at that particular school or host country nationals. Pay and benefits are often pretty thin compared to full teachers as well, so it might be in your benefit to go back to school for a year or two to get your BA. Your options, pay, and benefits would vastly improve.

stoth1972 · Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:14 pm Post subject: Yes and no

There are always places that will take you without the papers (though they are getting few and far between these days) but these aren't always desireable places to work. Some schools trade experience (particularly Gulf experience), and then hire you under different kind of visa. I think I was listed as a librarian on one contract, and an academic advisor on another. I recall my employer placing all the unqualified teachers in KG, because they would still slip that one past the ministry. I was a class teacher in grade 2 and they worried that they wouldn't be able to get me a visa without the cert. Apparently, there was a point where it was enforced. Saying that, Veiled Sentiments is right: the paper carries a lot of weight. If you want to be happy in the UAE long-term, get the qualification. I do know of teaching cert programmes in the UAE for unqualified teachers to complete part-time, though only for the British PGCE-not sure if you want to go that route or not.