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enchoo
Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Location: Heading to a reality show near you
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 Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:33 pm Post subject: Yes spin the experience well then climb the ladder |
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| Be ready to explain the experience in terms of how it will benefit your next opportunity (graduate school/job). |
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Mr. Pink
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China
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| Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| loose_ends wrote: |
Speaking from experience:
I taught in Korea for 5 years (2003-2008). When I returned from Canada this experience helped me get into a good B.Ed. program. 5 years of classroom experience also put me ahead of my peers in the program. Nothing can build a good teacher's presence except experience. I did well in the program and especially well on my practicum. I landed a teaching job when I graduated and my 5 years experience definitely helped.
On the flipside, those who went in the B.Ed program in 2003 (when I could have) now make 10 000 bucks more than me and have cushy continuing contracts. |
I found my experience in Korea made my practicums worse. I was used to having my own classroom and being the boss for years (9 years to be exact), and having people criticize me or force me to do things their way...it sucked. Also, I was used to Korean kids who don't tell you to f-off, or show respect. I had a school where I got zero respect...glad I was there for my first practicum. Those practicum evaluations...if I knew how useless they would be for me, I wouldn't have kissed so much arse.
No way I could get a job when I graduated, which was the same time I guess you did...so I went abroad again and into international schools. Glad to be the boss again.
I guess my experience abroad helped me get into my program, but I would also like to think my GPA and the fact I was one of 3 guys with an English teachable in a class of 20 had more to do with it. |
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olsanairbase
Joined: 30 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Mr. Pink wrote: |
| loose_ends wrote: |
Speaking from experience:
I taught in Korea for 5 years (2003-2008). When I returned from Canada this experience helped me get into a good B.Ed. program. 5 years of classroom experience also put me ahead of my peers in the program. Nothing can build a good teacher's presence except experience. I did well in the program and especially well on my practicum. I landed a teaching job when I graduated and my 5 years experience definitely helped.
On the flipside, those who went in the B.Ed program in 2003 (when I could have) now make 10 000 bucks more than me and have cushy continuing contracts. |
I found my experience in Korea made my practicums worse. I was used to having my own classroom and being the boss for years (9 years to be exact), and having people criticize me or force me to do things their way...it sucked. Also, I was used to Korean kids who don't tell you to f-off, or show respect . I had a school where I got zero respect...glad I was there for my first practicum. Those practicum evaluations...if I knew how useless they would be for me, I wouldn't have kissed so much arse.
No way I could get a job when I graduated , which was the same time I guess you did...so I went abroad again and into international schools. Glad to be the boss again.
I guess my experience abroad helped me get into my program , but I would also like to think my GPA and the fact I was one of 3 guys with an English teachable in a class of 20 had more to do with it. |
Being your own boss:
This is definitely a benefit. You don't have to "teach to the standardized test" and not enough can be said about academic freedom.
Respect of students:
In schools in the states too many students have completely lost respect for teachers and the teacher profession. This is also a great benefit.
International Schools:
Most of these true international schools are driven by the standards back in the states so the same academic freedom is not necessarily there. So I wouldn't group them in the same category as Korean public schools or hogwans.
Experience helping you get into a program back home:
This really doesn't do much for you as an applicant into most programs. Its more about taking and passing the various teacher tests (MSAT, CBEST, RICO, etc.) and/or subject matter equivalency to qualify into these programs. If you don't have the minimum GPA, passage on the specified teacher tests, and/or the subject matter equivalency it doesn't matter if you have taught in Korea for 10 years- you won't qualify. |
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silkhighway
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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| olsanairbase wrote: |
Experience helping you get into a program back home:
This really doesn't do much for you as an applicant into most programs. Its more about taking and passing the various teacher tests (MSAT, CBEST, RICO, etc.) and/or subject matter equivalency to qualify into these programs. If you don't have the minimum GPA, passage on the specified teacher tests, and/or the subject matter equivalency it doesn't matter if you have taught in Korea for 10 years- you won't qualify. |
This is probably different among states and provinces let alone countries, but I can attest that it is not completely true in Canada. Experience in Korea *will* help you get into a B.Ed. program if your GPA is too low, to a certain extent of course. |
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olsanairbase
Joined: 30 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| silkhighway wrote: |
| olsanairbase wrote: |
Experience helping you get into a program back home:
This really doesn't do much for you as an applicant into most programs. Its more about taking and passing the various teacher tests (MSAT, CBEST, RICO, etc.) and/or subject matter equivalency to qualify into these programs. If you don't have the minimum GPA, passage on the specified teacher tests, and/or the subject matter equivalency it doesn't matter if you have taught in Korea for 10 years- you won't qualify. |
This is probably different among states and provinces let alone countries, but I can attest that it is not completely true in Canada. Experience in Korea *will* help you get into a B.Ed. program if your GPA is too low, to a certain extent of course. |
Agreed. I think this is regional. Also, unlike a law degree or MBA degree Education is much more regional so if you want to work in particular area of the country (particularly an area where there is an overabundance of qualified teachers) than it makes more sense to go through a regional program that has connections to that region than a school outside of that area of the region that is higher ranked. Even then, this doesn't guarantee you a position as is the case in the North Coast of California where teachers will substitute for a few years and just wait for a position to open up rather than go to a different area of the country because so many people want to live up there and teach.
If you get a special education authorization added to your qualifications then you can pretty much go wherever you want this the demand for these teachers is so high. |
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lonestarteacher
Joined: 09 Jan 2011
Location: Suncheon
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| Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| olsanairbase wrote: |
Being your own boss:
This is definitely a benefit. You don't have to "teach to the standardized test" and not enough can be said about academic freedom.
Respect of students:
In schools in the states too many students have completely lost respect for teachers and the teacher profession. This is also a great benefit.
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I totally agree with enjoying not having a TAKS test or other standardized test to deal with or constantly have in the back of your mind.
Students in American schools have gotten out of control. Students in American households have gotten out of control.  |
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smurfetta
Joined: 03 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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| silkhighway wrote: |
| olsanairbase wrote: |
Experience helping you get into a program back home:
This really doesn't do much for you as an applicant into most programs. Its more about taking and passing the various teacher tests (MSAT, CBEST, RICO, etc.) and/or subject matter equivalency to qualify into these programs. If you don't have the minimum GPA, passage on the specified teacher tests, and/or the subject matter equivalency it doesn't matter if you have taught in Korea for 10 years- you won't qualify. |
This is probably different among states and provinces let alone countries, but I can attest that it is not completely true in Canada. Experience in Korea *will* help you get into a B.Ed. program if your GPA is too low, to a certain extent of course. |
I agree with you. You don't need a high gpa to get into a B.Ed program in Canada with Korean teaching experience. I was accepted to both of the teacher colleges that I applied to because of my Korean teaching experience.
Btw- Op, another poster on this forum said last year in a post that in New Brunswick they do count teaching experience from Korea towards where you are on the pay scale. |
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dyc
Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Location: Vancouver
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| Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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| smurfetta wrote: |
I agree with you. You don't need a high gpa to get into a B.Ed program in Canada with Korean teaching experience. I was accepted to both of the teacher colleges that I applied to because of my Korean teaching experience.
Btw- Op, another poster on this forum said last year in a post that in New Brunswick they do count teaching experience from Korea towards where you are on the pay scale. |
This is very promising information! although I'm not too keen on living in NB
If you don't mind me asking, which colleges did you apply to/where are they
Thanks for the replies everyone! This thread is getting interesting |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Home sweet home
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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| sirius black wrote: |
If you don't mind the low pay, teaching english in a country that speaks spanish so you can get fluent may be a way to go.
If your intention is to work back home it may be good prepare as much by getting certifications like TEFL while you're abroad to increase your ability to get hired. |
The pay IS pretty low in Spanish speaking countries, I paid my dues that way. ON the other hand, dating a Spanish speaker was the thing that got my Spanish to what it is  |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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| I know a guy making 40,000 euros a year managing a young learner centre in Madrid |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Home sweet home
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| I know a guy making 40,000 euros a year managing a young learner centre in Madrid |
Managing, not teaching. HOw did he get the job? I'm sure experience, quals, and networking had a lot to do with it. It's not like the average person is going to walk into that type of job.
PLUS, unemployment in Spain is STILL around 25%, which is the same as it was when I lived there back in 2002.
AND, it's hard for non-EUers to work in Europe,
Another thing: taxes are pretty high in Europe, he's probably paying a big chunk of change. And to boot, housing is expensive.
just my two won I'm happy in Korea, for now. |
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smurfetta
Joined: 03 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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| Op- I've just checked out websites of two school districts, one in NB and the other in BC. It looks like you may be able to get partial credit for teaching in Korea. You need to have documented proof though. Check out the website of the school district that you would like to work for. Look for their collective agreement and there should be a section about placement on salary grid. |
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