Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mikejelai]

Any of you know of any non-US citizens teaching in the US public schools? ESL or non-ESL. Every state seems to have different rules and I am just curious if anyone is actually being allowed to do it.

Reason I ask is that my wife (I am American) is a certified/credentialed public school English teacher back in the Philippines, and I am curious to know if she can teach in the US without getting the green card (permanent residency), as it takes several years to obtain.

[CentralCali]

If you are a US citizen and your wife intends to enter the US for any appreciable period of time, she has one and only one option for a visa: Immigrant.

[Steve_Rogers2008]

From what I heard 'round the campfire, the easiest path to take for that sort of thing is to get into "special education." that's where most openings are.

[AsiaESLbound]

Yes they can. It used to be anyone with a bachelors could teach math or science, but now the teacher market is in a crunch due to federal government education budget issues causing severe cut backs, it's difficult to get a teaching job even if you have the proper credentials like EDU degree, certification, and experience. I know a South African who taught math in the US for a while a few years ago who said conditions were awful. It was $2000 a month, but he had to pay for his apartment, flights, car, food, and everything. He could not save anything yet was living modestly in the poor house in a low income high crime neighborhood of a large city.

In college I had several instructors and lecturers who were foreigners, but didn't have foreign teachers before college. Before college, I went to school with foreign exchange student classmates mostly from Latin America. My university was like 52% foreign students and 25% foreign teachers. There are cultural exchange programs for both teachers and students.

[ttompatz]

[Mikejelai]

Thanks, all. We are looking at something 10-12 years down the road (for when I retire from teaching). Maybe things will improve in the US education job market by then. Guess it is a good idea for her to get started on a master's degree in the mean time (and maybe some Spanish/math/science/special ed qualification).

[warmachinenkorea]

[curiousaboutkorea]

Um, I'm thinking people here are forgetting one very important thing about working in the US. As long as she is legal to work there (as it sounds she will be), an employer cannot discriminate on the basis of national origin.

[Mikejelai]

cannot discriminate openly

[Mikejelai]

It takes several years to get a green (resident alien) card, which entitles one to work legally in the US. And even more time to get US citizenship (if the resident alien desires citizenship, that is).

It is my understanding that, as my wife (I am an American citizen), she could enter the US on a spouse/dependent visa and then apply for a "work permit" (temporary) while waiting for the green card. But the kicker is that she must already have a job offer in order to qualify for the temporary work permit.

And, as someone said earlier, she must get certified/credentialed in a state first, though some states have emergency/temporary measures in place which allow a teacher (in a high demand field) to begin working and then get certified/credentailed within the next 1-2 years.

[warmachinenkorea]

The only non-US citizens I've ever heard of working in a US public school do a Foreign Language. I had a teacehr from Mexico teach my Spanish I class in HS. I think your wife would need to offer something that a US citizen cannot to be considered for a job.

But you said 10-12 yrs down the road. Many things can and will change by then.

[CentralCali]

[hellofaniceguy]

Immigration has a list of jobs that non U.S. citizens can't work at.....ask them.
As for answering your question....that depends entirely on the person hiring! The school is going to consider the pros/cons of hiring a non citizen.
Some parents will complain once they find out while others could care less.....and I for one would voice my concern....why fill the position with a non citizen when there are plenty of citizens available with experience, certified, etc...who should be hired instead.
I do know this....teachers are required to have passed the praxis...

[SeoulNate]

First of all, every state has their own standards for teachers to meet.

Under the new education laws in the states all states are supposed to require their teachers to pass the various PRAXIS tests in their subject area. HOWEVER, many states are not able to find enough qualified teachers and will thusly hire people who do not meet those standards.

Most of the states now do require teachers to pass the PRAXIS tests (there are different scores that you need in different states, Ohio and Oregon are the two with the highest number to pass iirc)

After she has a work visa, then she needs to take the PRAXIS tests. almost every university that offers an education degree will offer the tests a few times a year.

Because she did not graduate from an accredited US college she needs to pass PRAXIS I, which is more or less just a basic college knowledge test, and quite simple if one studied in the US.

Second, she will need to pass PRAXIS II, which consists of two tests. The first is a teaching methodology course. It will give sample scenarios and you write a response about what you would do and so on. The second part is a content area test. For example, if you are teaching math, you take a math test that would test your command over the normal high school curriculum.

After that she will be able to get a teaching licence in most states and be able to work in the public school system for two years on a temp license.

Finally, if she gets hired she will need to pass the final area of PRAXIS which is classroom observation, where someone basically comes into your classroom and grades your teaching.

Hope that helps.

[Mikejelai]

Great info, please keep it coming!!!!