Korean Job Discussion Forums

McQwaid · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

I was wondering if I could try to a tap into Dave's knowledge pool on what it's like teaching in the States.

I know I could do the inner city jobs in places like NY and Fresno California...ect. Does anyone know what this would be like? Any experiences? I heard the pay was good in NY, but what about Cali or even the Carolinas or Florida. I would really like to give one of these a try? I don't really want to stay in Asia anymore and I don't think I'm gonna wanna stay in Canada either.

I don't mind working with the "bad kids" in the hood and

I don't mind dangerous places, in fact I find it invigorating.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

While trying to decide if that was meant to be Fresno or Frisco or another place altogether, I decided to say something about the actual question.

There's a good deal of paperwork involved in an American school. These days there is a lot of nonsense as a result of the No Child Left Behind thingie. Policies have taken on a definite political flavor that they didn't use to have.

Good luck if you really decide to do it.

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

You would have to pass a series of tests and become qualified by getting your certification. This would require a BA or an MA in Teaching. The previous poster is right when he/she mentions you would need to become "highly qualified" and meet the standards for No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

For the tests, you're looking at about 300-450 USD and the MA (since I assume you already have a BA teaching in Korea) will run you from 17,000-25,000 USD. I haven't found any program under $17,000. Some of the programs are 2-year, a few are 1-year intensive, but tend to run over $20,000. I know I'm paying 23K for mine, and my husband is paying $27K. We're both in the 1-year intensive program.

If you are teaching at the middle school/high school level, you would have to have a degree in the field you are teaching (at least 30 credit hours). You would also be required to pass a content area test in this subject. The test is an additional $250.

There are some school districts who will hire people on temporary licences, as they are in desperate need of teachers, but I would doubt they would hire a foreigner. You could always e-mail a school district and ask them about their policy on hiring non-US citizens.

justagirl

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

The specifics of certification vary from state to state. You need to choose the state you want to teach in and check that state's teacher education website to find out what you would need to certify.

McQwaid · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

Thanks for the advice on the certification .... but as I said " I can teach in the US" meaning I have a teaching certificate already and I am certified in the State of MAine which is compatible with many other States.

The Questions I am asking are what would it be like to work in NY, California, The Carolinas, or Florida. I'm a 30 yr old male with no dependants. I'm assuming I'd have to take an inner city/troubled youth kinda position.

Any info on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Roch · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

Are you a graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island?

Roch

Class of '90

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

Duck and cover....don't leave them an easy target Razz

No one and I mean even the people living there want to live in the inner city. Find a nice quiet small town where you can live in a comfortable rut.

wrago · Joined: 31 Mar 2004

check out.. www.philadelphiateachingfellows.com

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

Are you specifically asking if anyone has taught in the 3 states you are interested in moving to? Your posts are just a bit confusing, as you say you mentioned you could teach in the US, but your original post had nothing that mentioned that.

So you are certified in Maine and you want to teach in California, Florida or one of the Carolinas? Maybe try posting on a US teacher forum, or going and looking at their state education websites.

I think it would be difficult to "know" what any of these states would be like, as every school district is so different, and even individual schools differ. You'd have to know what school you were applying at and ask teachers who already worked there to really get an idea of what it was like.

Or are you looking for general information like, "Yeah, the weather's great in California and the jobs are plentiful and the money's awesome," kind of stuff?

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

i taught in the Bronx, NYC with a program called nycteachingfellows.org, but i believe they only accept non-certified teachers. i bailed after 6 months because of all the paperwork and zero autonomy on the job. the kids weren't so bad, but the administration was very intrusive, demanding and anal retentive. they paid $43,000 with a masters degree but after city, state and federal tax, union fees and an educational deduction, i rarely had any pay left over (and i was sharing a cheap apartment in harlem with some of the cheapest rents in manhattan). so ... if you want to live in one of the most expensive cities in the world but be unable to afford things like cigarettes, museums and the ocassional taxi ride, be my guest.

with that said, most american states have reciprocity agreements. for example, if you are certified in maine you can go to new york or california and work. they will require you to complete their seperate certification requirements (praxis or other tests, fingerprinting, etc) within a year or two. i'm not sure if there are seperate requirements for canadian citizens.

good luck in the great american ghetto. you'll be dreaming about those 6- hour hogwan days and cheap taxi rides in no time.

sarahsarah · Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Location: Bundang

I believe Florida and the Carolinas are some of the worst paid states. I haven't taught there but I've lived in those places and in the schools it's what you always hear.

sundubuman · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: seoul

If you want to teach in a big city but without slumming it like in NYC, consider Chicago or Philadelphia.

just a thought.....

McQwaid · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

Thanks for the info guys...

Maybe I don't want to slum it. So will check out Phili and Chicago.

Anyone here from Detroit? I wouldn't mind checking that city out. It's really close to my family in London, Ontario too.

Yeah, I heard those southern states pay crap money as well.

Any other experiences out there?

McQwaid · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

Thanks for the info guys...

Maybe I don't want to slum it. So I will check out Phili and Chicago.

Anyone here from Detroit? I wouldn't mind checking that city out. It's really close to my family in London, Ontario too.

Yeah, I heard those southern states pay crap money as well.

Any other experiences out there?