Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Seul]

I'm thinking of becoming a teacher when I go back to California. Will my experience with SMOE count toward a higher placement pay on the California public schools pay scale?

Thanks.

(I don't have any teaching credentials in the States yet.)

[climber159]

Highly, highly unlikely. Public schools in the US look for years of teaching as a certified teacher and level of education to determine your place on the salary scale.

[eskeemo]

In fall 2008 I met a man who claimed that his school district in the greater Atlanta area accepted his teaching experience, perhaps not in full I don't remember his details, in Korea. Nevertheless, they did acknowledge some form of it. He had to provide a 교육청 stamped document showing the contract period.

[thegadfly]

Two different public schools/school districts in Michigan accepted my three years of teaching experience in Korea (at that time), counting it toward my starting salary on the step system -- and one of those years was at a Wonderland.

It will depend on the school and school district, and many schools will have a maximum starting step for new teachers (the two schools I worked at in MI were MA+6 and MA+8, and Detroit Public Schools would have gone up to MA+10, but I decided against taking that job).

You won't know unless you ask, but I would bet oh-ship-won that they would accept your time teaching in Korean public schools.

Of course, until you get your teaching credentials, I do not think you will get a job as a full time teacher -- though subbing perhaps...

[Son Deureo!]

You'd have to check with the district that's hiring you, but it's quite possible. I had job offers with public schools in two different districts in the US after teaching in Korea for 5 years (4 years hogwon, 1 year unigwon). One was willing to give me credit on their pay scale for all five years as long as i could document it. The other was willing to give me credit for 2 years because, in the words of their superintendent, they "wanted to give me something."