Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brento1138]

So, I have a degree in Communications. But that's not a "teachable" major. I really want to become a certified teacher, but my university, SFU, would require me to go back and do a bunch of English/History courses and make them my 'minors' where communications is my major. Only then, will I be able to apply for the PDP program (Professional Development Program) for teachers...

But I've heard of other schools where u can get your PDP without doing all that credit stuff, and that a major in anything is applicable. Should I do that? What did you guys do? Anyone here certified?

What university did you go to? I'd like to be certified to work in either the UK or Canada (specifically BC).

[the ireland]

I think if you wanna become a certified teacher in the u.k you just have to apply to do a h.dip, as far as i know.

In ireland, once you have an honours degree you can apply to do your h.dip, this is a one year add on at the end of your degree (kind of a post grad). there are only a few universities that offer them NUIG (galway) NUIM (maynooth) and possibly UCC (cork) and some universities in dublin. This h.dip will allow you to teach in secondary level schools (ages 12-1 and you usually teach 2 subjects, depending what your major was in, some people will teach business and economics, others will do science subjects, all depends on the person.

However that degree doesn't allow you to teach Primary school kids (4-12 years old) because you must have a high level of the irish language as you will be required to teach it.

I think the h.dip allows teachers to teach in the u.k and I know some friends of mine who have done their honours degree in Ireland and just went over to london and a few other places to do a one year course that qualifies them to teach secondary level kids in both the u.k and ireland.

bit long winded but i hope this helps

[Yu_Bum_suk]

My cousin was in a similar position. She got a teaching certificate in Australia that allowed her to teach in Ontario public schools.

BC's really picky about some things. My brother-in-law had taught in Alberta for six years but had to fight not to have to re-do his practicum before getting certified for BC.

[mld]

First question: what do you want to teach? Elementary, middle or high school? There is a big difference between the three. I was once told that it doesn't matter what you go to school for that you can teach any of them, but my degree said elementary.... but I'm teaching in Korea now, so I don't know if they'd let me teach middle or high school in BC.

My guess is that you want High School or Middle School. I'm not sure of the requirements (of the BC College of Teachers) to teach in BC for Middle or High School, but they are ridiculously tedious and numerous for Elementary. Some people have to go and redo classes to get their BC certification if they didn't do their teacher training there. You might want to check what their requirements are (http://www.bcct.ca/). Look under the title Becoming a Teacher for information regarding what you need, though they say not all teaching programs will get you in and that some will require coursework.

I did mine at UVic (and got my certification in BC), but like I said, the requirements (for elementary) were a bit over the top (when I went through my courses before I applied with the academic advisor she looked at my transcript and told me I could us my third year organic chemistry as a teachable for elementary).

My suggestion would be to look overseas (Australia, NZ, etc) to get your certification. You may have to make up some courses though.

Another option to make up the courses would be through BC Open University (or whatever it is called now, I forget) or Athabasca. Both are correspondence courses which you may be able to breeze through.

Hope that some of this helped.

[ESL Milk "Everyday]

I looked into UBC and forgot about it immediately. You need something like 6 university courses in English, a couple maths, something involving the use of a lab, sciences, Canadian Studies, etc. etc... basically, you needed to have had your heart set on being a teacher from when you finished high school, or you need to have a boatload of money ready to spend on all these courses. The requirements were similar for elementary and middle school.

Other unis didn't seem to require so much.

[Big Mac]

I am facing a similar problem to yours. My major was in Journalism, and my minor was in Political Science.

I wanted to teach either middle school or high school, but the courses on my transcript caused big problems for me. Teaching high school was out of the question for me. I was told I could get into the middle school program with sociology as my teachable subject (using my History and Political Science courses). But it was suggested to me that I would have a very tough time finding a job as a sociology teacher.

The recruiter who got me into teachers' college in Australia suggested that I do the primary program. You don't need a teachable subject to do primary. I will be more marketable, and I will also be able to upgrade to middle school or high school in Canada by taking professional development courses while I am teaching.

So that might be the best option for you too.

Go to this website if you're interested in studying in Australia, New Zealand, England or Ireland: http://www.canteach.net . The application process is very easy and you are almost guaranteed a spot because they hold a certain number of spots for international students. Canadians are at the top of the list and apparently the spaces are never filled.

[D.D.]

I also went to SFU but finished my degree in Australia. I have not checked into the SFU programs but I can get my teaching DIP ED in Aus in a one year program. I think you could do it if you had probably about 20000 bucks saved up for everything.

You could also do it by distance ed, but you must be there for certain times of the year. You could travel Aus for a year and do it through distance Ed. and just make sure you were at university for the required weeks.

It would be fun to live in a place like Byron bay while studying.

SFU has a new Surrey campus in th heart of scummy Whalley, maybe it would be easier to get in there.

[brento1138]

So! Lots has happened since I started this thread, and thought why not continue it?

I still haven't gone to school. Actually, I went back to Canada, and was all signed up for going to SFU, completing a ton of English & History courses (it would take approx 2-3 years) and THEN I would do my teaching certification. But guess what? I canceled my courses, withdrew from SFU, and bailed out. No, I wasn't ready for all that money and commitment. Just to become a high school sub? Nah.

But now, alas, I'm thinking of what to do in life. I figure if I want to get certified now, I'll do it overseas (better option for sure, esp. since I may have the money needed... and it only takes a year, opposed to three/four).

But I have been wondering if teaching in Canada is really the way to go. I taught ESL in Canada in 2009, but... I dunno... pays low, bad hours. Everyone who worked with me was out of work school teachers (certified). So, I dunno, I dunno, I dunno!

Maybe I'll just continue on in communications (not a bad degree really) and get a masters or something. Or anything related to communications... Just wanna make enough money to live well, have a nice job... own an apartment, etc. (But don't we all!)

Ahhh, Korea. You were so good to be, but now you leave me in this predicament!

[loose_ends]

[nathanrutledge]

wow, op, bringing back an oldie. Good job.

I can speak with SOME knowledge on this topic. My mother did her undergrad in speech communication at the University of Nebraska in the US. She then got her teaching certificate at Iowa State University. She never used it however and it expired. About 12 years later, she had to go back and take some theater classes at the university to renew/redo her certification in Nebraska.

My point is - you CAN do a teachers program with just a communications degree, IF that's the direction you want to go, at least at some places in the US.

As you're a Canadian, you might want to look at some of the US schools along the border, in the Dakotas or Montana/Idaho area. A friend of mine (Canadian) is working on a graduate program through a school in the Dakotas and they have a tuition exchange program - you can go there for instate tuition (which is really, REALLY inexpensive there).

So, you've got some options - you just have to do a LOT of research to find the right one. The beauty of it is, you get a certificate in one state, you can usually get a certificate somewhere else with minimal fuss.

[oldtrafford]

Unless you are 100% passionate about teaching, I would suggest finding another profession because it's super tough right now to be a teacher in BC. With that said, the UK is crying for teachers right now. BC graduates can get positions all over the UK straight out of school.

I've had this debate before with my old Canuck friend and I don't see how it's possible to be teaching in jock land, it's a different ed. system. Also in England I would say subject shortages would be maths and science. I taught in my motherland before heading to the land of the calm, pretty it aint!!!!!!!!

[jrwhite82]

[Abacus]

I know of an intensive program in WA state that I plan on enrolling in a couple of years. One intensive summer of classes followed by one school year of teaching and then you're certified. The cost is 13-16K but you get an 8K loan that doesn't need to be repaid if you teach for 2 years in the WA state public school system. So it looks like there can be a lot of options out there that won't require you to take a lot of classes or destroy your bank account.

[silkhighway]

Someone I know went back and did an intensive year picking up math and computers courses and they are now certified to teach secondary math and computer studies. I don't know how they're faring in the job market though. Declining enrollments, budget cutbacks, and oversupply in the market place and it's just not a great time to be a teacher in Canada.

[Adventurer]