I'm getting ready for the Cambridge fair and to be honest, almost all of the schools I was seriously considering are gone at this point. I count 8 schools that are left that hold any real interest for me in my certification area (middle school math). My question is this...Is it worth it for me to apply for high school math jobs or middle school math/science jobs. I'm not certified in math beyond 9th grade, but don't see any reason it would be a problem for me to teach. For math/science positions, again I'm certified in math, but don't have any certification or experience in science. Again, I think I'd be fine teaching it, especially with 6 months to study up and refresh myself on what I need to know. Do you think it would be worth my effort to pursue these jobs? It opens up a lot more desirable schools, but don't want to waste my time (and the recruiters' time) if I won't be seriously considered.

I think there are some things you can generally infer about any reviews. First, any teacher who has been at a school for a decade and loves it doesn't even think about this site or anything similar because they are happy and not interested in leaving. Second, people don't generally run to the Internet to praise something...they run to trash it. Make your own statements about human nature here. Third, hardly any schools have that many reviews to be something you would consider a representative sample. I joined the site to get information about the schools, but after seeing the reviews, I don't take them very seriously. The most useful tool for me is maybe giving me ideas of questions to ask faculty at a school before I sign a contract. Unless there is a very large sample of recent reviews all saying the same thing, I don't take it very seriously anymore.

I would be careful on dismissing the difficulty of teaching there. I've read some pretty terrifying things about classroom environment in those schools. As somebody who's spending this year in a totally irrational situation at work in the states, I've learned how it can take over your life. I won't pretend to know your situation, but for me personally I'd rather take less money and be confident of the classroom situation I'm going in to. To be fair, some people seem to have decent situations in Abu Dhabi and wouldn't change it for the world, but you have no way of knowing where you will end up. I agree with dover. 500 pounds is a relatively small amount considering it's at least 2 years of your life.

Really appreciate all the info, shadowjack. Gives me a good idea of what to expect. Best of luck on finding what you're looking for!

@lolaj

I did the EPI program through TeacherReady and got my AA from Valencia when it was a community college. When I finished the program, I had multiple offers in Florida. I didn't try to make a direct leap overseas and don't know anybody who did so I may not be much help, but getting hired was relatively easy in Florida.

I agree. I've been doing all this research and picturing myself in a million different places. In some ways, I'm expecting a bit of a letdown once I know where I'm going because right now I can picture myself anywhere in the world and that point, it will be only one. That said, ready to know where I'm going.

<Grabs popcorn and prepares for the show>

[quote="IAMBOG"]I always write both. I don't know whether it's right or not, but I figure I should acknowledge and address both the key figures in my possble employment.[/quote]

Do you address both of them in the header or do you write separate letters?

@ hallier

The one mistake I've made from your list is heading a cover letter with "To Whom It May Concern:". I guess I need to fix that one. It wasn't out of laziness as much as not knowing who to put that I'm writing to. Should you put the head of the school as the name or the principal of your particular school (middle school for example)? This is something that differs from international schools to US schools as there are no school heads. There's just a principal. Thanks in advance for any help on this one and thanks for the very useful tips.

[quote="BookshelfAmy"]Sevarem, if it makes you feel any better, my husband is an experienced chemistry teacher and I'm a librarian in addition to teaching English and Elementary. I think antitravolta teaches math. DCGirl said shes been talking with a teacher in a high-need field. None of us has gotten much interest. If there's something wrong with you, it must be a plague because we're right there with you.

Having said that, I have noticed more activity since December began. Someone in Europe actually looked at our website. (They haven't contacted us; I just saw the stats.) There seem to be more definite vacancies popping up. I COMPLETELY understand how you are feeling, but I think we all just have to be patient right now. Even though it sucks.[/quote]

Yep, I'm math. If anything, this thread is making me feel better. If I leave the job fair without an offer, I'll start stressing (yes, I know a lot of offers come a few weeks after). Until then, I'm busy enough with my current school and getting out applications for next year that I don't have much time to stress. I am forming a strong hatred for the schools that make you fill out their application instead of the one on Search Associates.

Same. Only interview I've had wasn't technically with an international school. It was a school system in another country. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.

[quote="higgsboson"]What do you mean you "don't know what to do?" Its obvious: do a runner!

Or even better just do nothing. Go to class, hand out a worksheet and kick back: read a book, search the web or my favorite jerk-off in the bathroom.[/quote]

Yawn...if obvious troll wasn't obvious enough before...

[quote="spruxy"]This post makes me wonder how we can ever hope to eradicate bullying from schools if the teachers are also doing it.[/quote]

Totally agree...this thread is a new low for these forums.

I believe they have 3 schools that are hiring under that 1 parent company so it looks worse than it is. The reviews are extremely bipolar and I'm not sure I trust any of them. Here's a previous thread on them: http://internationalschoolsreview.com/v ... t=shanghai

My approach would probably be to write in the style of somebody who had crossed me :-) For example, I had a particularly awful coworker who would say "in reference to" every other sentence. I would write something along the lines of, "The administration is terrible in reference to their mind-boggling incompetence." Even if you're not sinister like me, if you plan to post the review, I would put in some common grammatical or spelling errors that you don't ever make. Use your creativity. It can be done.