From my understanding, IT is quite pendantic. Even with the 20-25 credits per subject, principals do not seem to see it as equivalent to the degree in the subject matter. How can one overcome this issue and when would it not be an issue save getting the degree? MOst schools demand fifty percent of the credits at their institution.

thank you for the responses. I graduated from a Masters of Ed program four years ago, but worked in my Health/STEM field since then, so I just need to fill out the paper work and take a couple of subject tests, the school will sponsor me for the rest--again, in my US state, the cert requirements are quite high.

At what point is classroom experience negating lack of subject degree? (To reiterate, my doctorate has loads of biology and chemistry in it--does this mean anything?) As far as research, I did some in graduate school. What are schools expecting for skills--know the statistical calculations and community college type equipment, or just general design and execution of highschool level science?

What is more competitive in the world of international education--a degree in the subject matter or a certification? Though I have about 25 credits for each of three subjects, including NY certification, I do not have a direct degree in two of the certifications. Additionally, I have a health care doctorate that has STEM applications, but is not a direct high school subject. Thank you.

I'm still not sure why the decrease in remuneration?

It is easier to liveoverseas, but most teachers I know what to live with their family and are provincial,loving their home towns. There is the internet, but it is still hard to acclimatize oneself to a new place. From my ESL days, I don't remember women sticking around long, preferring to go home. As far as the people who were laid-off in 2008, aren't they pushed out of the IT system or decided to return home?

There are more schools now, even if lower quality; however wouldn't this draw down supply from domestic teachers looking for an adventure? It doesn't add up.

newbies2 wrote:
> Hi there!
>
> I think I'm in a similar situation: graduated from Ontario in 2015 and told
> it would be 9 years of supply/LTO work before landing full time. I wanted
> to start teaching as soon as possible and gaining experience in order to
> work in an international school but that wasn't going to happen at home. I
> started looking overseas half way through my BEd and realized that 2 years
> experience seemed to be the minimum unless I was wiling to go to some very
> undesirable locations (personally, maybe you would be open to the middle
> east?). I ended up applying to bilingual schools where having a BEd was
> basically a guaranteed job. I was hired within a month of looking and I was
> being picky, I started teaching full time in Thailand less than a week
> after finishing my last exam.

> My school is a privately owned English Programme school with 95% local
> students, so not considered international, but I get to teach full time and
> am loving the entire experience (Just signed on for a second year). I see
> it as a great transition, a chance to gain tons of experience in a less
> serious and intimidating environment. Although many jobs at ESL schools is
> Asia hire backpackers with no experience who are expected to follow pre
> written lessons for a few hours a week, I was very careful about avoiding
> these. Most of the teachers at my school have teaching degrees but either
> prefer this environment, teaching esl or are also using it as a stepping
> stone. Just like back home I write my own lesson plans based off their
> provided curriculum, I teach math, english (reading, writing, speaking) and
> science, I write reports, have parent teacher interviews, work
> collaboratively with staff, coordinate shows and field trips, manage my own
> classroom, etc.
>
> I have been told by many people that this experience counts for nothing
> internationally and when I begin to apply to international schools, but
> past co-workers from the same school have moved onto international schools
> so never say never. Regardless of the future I don't regret making the
> decision to move over here, I've been able to travel to over 5 countries
> already this year, made tons of great friends, feel way more comfortable in
> the classroom and have a chance to visit other schools in person to plan
> for the future.
>
> We are going to start applying to international schools in the fall/winter
> for the 2017/18 school year so we'll see what will happen.. let me know if
> you have any questions!

I'm not an expert, but Maple Leaf seemed like a decent operation for a newbie Canadian. I interviewed with them, and was impressed, albeit from a low expectation perspective. For emergency sake, could you give some hints on finding these low-end schools, if need be?

PsyGuy wrote:
> @lindsmarie017
>
> An Ichiro is named after a long lost member of the forum, who was a very
> valuable contributor, much like the Reisgio effect.
> An Ichiro is essentially an alternative resume to describe marketing any
> type of flashy/gimmicky/creative method of introducing yourself to
> recruiters. It would generally involve color photos of you teaching,
> amazing students projects, etc and a more limited amount of text. Some
> people go all out and mimic advertising flyers, brochures, wanted posters
> etc (kind of a high risk/high reward approach).
> During signup your only going to have about 10-30 seconds to make contact
> with a recruiter and get an interview slot. A resume doesnt convey the
> highlights of you as a candidate. You want to convey the top three bullet
> points of what makes you special or at least worthy of consideration. Enter
> the Ichiro, which in its basic form is a flyer (in color) with basic
> contact information, some visual representations of your work, and a few
> bullet points of what makes you special. Ichiros are also good for slipping
> under doors and in school folders. A three fold brochure or business cards
> allow you to carry your resume everywhere without being cumbersome.
> Ive seen a number of Ichiros from business card resumes with a photo,
> contact info and a few stared bullet points with a QR code leading to a
> digital portfolio, to printed CDS, coupons (Good for one amazing teacher,
> time limited must be redeemed at [web address] and currency bills for a
> "1,000,000 teacher", 3 fold "sales" brochures, a couple
> teachers have done commercials and one did a full 22minute
> "info-mercial" that included a staged interview answering 5
> pretty common questions, that was distributed on flash drives (you get a
> couple of flash drives from schools in your invite folder). The best one I
> ever got was a full, professionally bound magazine on slick paper stock it
> was 62 pages long and had articles discussing their teaching philosophy, a
> center fold with their bio and resume, articles about differentiation,
> their approach to the whole student, special needs, learning support, a
> couple stories about past schools and what they learned, and what they wish
> theyd known. It was extremely well done. The most recent unusual one were
> bottles of wine the candidate had created custom labels for that had a
> photo superimposed over a vineyard, a mock review to one side and a short
> list of bullet points describing their strengths in a “Quality Profile”.

This "Ichiro" sounds like a teaching portfolio. My impression was that one had both a resume and a portfolio?

Rhysboy wrote:
> Wow, PsyGuy really has lots of useful information - apart from the bit
> about thigh high boots?!? Or perhaps that's just his imagination running
> wild?
>
> 'The woman are truly amazing they are consistently rated one of the hottest
> in the world, and every woman owns thigh high boots. and they dont leave
> their room without being done up (or they wear the mask).'

Psyguy, like myself, hasn't been living in Japan for some time. I can vouch for the knee boots back in the day. These days Korean women, per capita, have the most fashion. Japan is more of a Yoko Ono autumn brown type of fashion. (Not sure what drove that...)

steve416 wrote:
> I have worked in Russia but not WE (I've never really applied to WE so I
> can't provide much comparison).
>
> There are a growing number of schools in and around Moscow and depending on
> what you teach you may be able to get employed at an okay school. I was
> hired as a new grad at a school in Moscow, it was far from perfect but in
> the greater scheme of things it was a good experience.
>
> Please do keep in mind the current economic situation when looking at
> contracts. Even contracts with amounts stated in foreign currencies will
> be payed in rubles if paid into a local bank account (they will marked
> against the central bank exchange rate). Some schools apparently pay into
> foreign bank accounts, I don't understand the legality of all this. The
> details of this sort of contract are important so read carefully. Also do
> some research into the tax situation. New foreign employees in Russia face
> a steep tax rate though many schools will pay taxes on your behalf.
>
> Lastly as alluded to by previous posters living on the economy in Russia
> would be no fun. When it comes to eating cheaply it is not Asia.
>
> Hope that was helpful!

What schools were you successful at as a newbie?

PsyGuy wrote:
> The Bauble head is going along and getting along. ISs have almost absolute
> power, even if something doesnt make sense or seems and IS a bad idea just
> do it, because getting into a power conflict with admins never ends well
> for the IT. Even if it turns out bad, long after your dismissed and gone
> they will just re-frame it as an exploration event or some other label. You
> fight waht you think is the good fight and all youll get for your troubles
> is dismissal and a bad reference. So just nod your head (the bauble head),
> agree, do what they direct you to do and "go along and get
> along".

Is there a way to diplomatically change/influence their demands/advice? What if their way creates much more work, is counter productive to class achievement?

PsyGuy wrote:
> @Demulon
>
> The big admin boards are AISH (Academy of International School Heads) and
> HEADnet. Its not a black list. Its a forum like this thats open to HOS and
> a handful of about 4-6 times a year you will get a message that says if
> anyone is recruiting/working/contracted with "Jane Smith" then
> please email/contact them. That message then gets dated, fades and everyone
> moves on. There are a LOT of ISs and nowhere near all of them are members
> of AISH, etc. Some HOSs and ISs also have a negative reputation in the
> leadership community. They know who and the third tier bottom of the bucket
> ISs are.
>
> If your not going to ghost the experience, based on your narrative, I would
> spin the story as you worked as a tutor in the city, and being highly
> accomplished your referrals among students grew amongst a certain group of
> students at your current IS and you had many opportunities to discuss
> curriculum and development with the ISs principal in an effort to provide
> the best resources and instruction for your students. You were even allowed
> to conduct your instructional sessions on the ISs premises. You have a
> rational for your relationship with this principal, and it doesnt entangle
> you directly with the IS or its director.
>
> Get a written reference and a non school email address that you can keep in
> touch with the principal over time. Also understand if someone wants to
> they can contact the IS and ask whatever they want, in which case you may
> not be able to avoid the director.
>
> It appears you have a number of professional contacts and potential
> opportunities in the city, and that these individuals know what happened
> and are helping you in which case whatever the past director says shouldnt
> really matter. Once youve buried this IS under another positive reference
> and experience, with a principals referral the directors opinion isnt going
> to matter anymore on your resume, making the subterfuge moot.
>
> I sympathize with you, but you have a long ways to go (about 5 years),
> before you start finding ISs and HOS that dont have a warped definition of
> IE. You would be well advised to learn how to do the bauble head and the IE
> system of political currency and status. Never become adversarial with
> senior leadership and when asked for comments and reviews by leadership
> tell them what they want to hear. leave the truth for this site.


Can you elaborate on this portion of your post:

You would be well advised to learn how to do the bauble head and the IE system of political currency and status. Never become adversarial with senior leadership and when asked for comments and reviews by leadership tell them what they want to hear. leave the truth for this site.

I could improve on the political currency and status game, lol.

edit

Is the TORF (the organization linked to the Queens ON fair) job placement service worth the 100 dollars? It's not a placement service but a directory schools can choose from. Has anyone used this?

I teach science and I am a new grad. I'm already signed up for the Queens Fair. I heard the Atlanta Fair is mostly S. America. Anyone comment on the Iowa or Boston fair? How can one tell what schools are in need of science and are more open to new grads?

What job fairs in N. America, particularly the N. East, Mid-West are still available, haven't had deadlines pass? Which are better for new grads? Thanks a bunch!

That BOCES sounds like a great idea. I looked about a year ago and there didn't seem to be much on the BOCES site. How does one look for work in NY?
Also, how much bias will there be against me if I try looking for work after 3-5 years at my old non-education job?

I'm thinking about doing tutoring on the side, maybe try to teach a course at one of those online colleges, God forbid, to keep current, maybe sub once per week. Will this be helpful?