Job Discussion Forums

[Noelle]

I am a U.S. citizen with 5 years of ESL/EFL teaching experience between China, Korea and the USA. I also hold an M.A. in Education with an emphasis on TESOL which I obtained in California on-sight in San Diego (not online or distance).

I am not however, certified to teach public school in my state (Virginia) and am looking to go the alternative certification route in either New Mexico or Arizona.

Has anyone else ever done this and could you share your experience. From what I understand, NM and AZ both have a rather high demand for ESL teachers in the public school sector.

I am hoping that this will still be the case when I return to the U.S. in Feb. of next year as I know jobs are becoming more and more scarce and teachers are being laid off right and left.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Chancellor]

I haven't done it but here's some information on New Mexico's alternative teacher certification program: http://teachnm.org/new-teachers/alternative-licensure-options.html

[ramble right]

With TeachNM, you should be approved for your certificate after your first year of teaching via the portfolio route, in which you provide massive amounts of documentation illustrating the teaching you've already done.

I suggest Texas, because the requirements are less stringent, the commitment is lower (1 year as opposed to NM's 3 years), and the pay can be higher. However, if you're looking for southwestern terrain (as I was), you might have to settle for a school in some far-flung place like Marfa, TX. After a year, you could move on over to NM or AZ and get a job right away, while working to then fulfill that state's requirements.

States bordering Mexico really like their ESL teachers to also be bilingual. Non-Spanish speaking teachers have slightly slimmer pickings as a result.

Feel free to PM me for gory details, or read the "Alternative Certification" thread which discusses this.