Thank you so much everyone, it is very much appreciated to hear your experiences and feedback! It is a major career/life decision and I want to be as prepared as possible, as I’m leaving the comfort and stability of home.

Experience:
From past experience, I feel that I am good at learning on the spot, but I need proper training in order to be more confident in my role. I do want to be proactive and learn as much as I can before getting there. From what I’ve seen with other alternative teacher cert programs like TFA, there’s a lot of negative feedback regarding lack of training and support/mentors. While this is a different environment, I still want to make sure I can be a good and confident teacher, since I would have some effect on childrens’ futures.

CELTA:
I wanted to start as a English teacher as I feel it’s a good transition into a new country and lifestyle, and I want the flexibility and freedom to start with. I know you can do it with just a Bachelor’s, but again, it’s about that confidence and peace of mind for me :) Plus, I've already paid to reserve my seat in the CELTA program, so I will have to go against everyone’s advice here (still appreciated though!). It’s also good for personal growth since I’m a spelling/grammar nerd and want to be an even more annoying one.

Where:
I am a bit undecided on the country I want to settle in, but I do want to start in Korea and then maybe Japan. Although it seems to be paradise for many expats, I am not interested in Thailand at the moment; I’ve vacationed in nearby Vietnam and am just not into tropical weather.

Master's/Certification:
As for the Master’s, I’ve looked into TeacherReady some more and see that you can transfer credits into UWF’s graduate online program. It’s a contender now, as the price is similar to the MAT program I’m applying to now, but with less prereqs. I do prefer the on-campus experience, but the student teaching should make up for that. I also feel there’s some stigma with online courses, but not so much with UWF since Florida’s pretty edtech-savvy and there’s a real-life campus attached to it, plus it’s more convenient and flexible. Plus, the accelerated MAT program I’m interested in is in limbo right now, so I’m waiting to hear news if it’ll exist or not for next semester. Is it possible to do TeacherReady courses first, and then save the student teaching for the next year? I would really like to start in a public school rather than a late-night hagwon.

I feel like I’ve written an application essay. Let me stop rambling to say thank you again. It’s a change I’m nervous about, but one I’m excited to make.

MedellinHeel, thanks for your input!

To clarify I'm not getting another TESOL cert, I was referring to doing TESOL work in general. I'm going for the CELTA because I may start on the English teacher route or at least do tutoring on the side. I feel it's always a good qualification to have since English teaching jobs are quite plentiful, and I don't mind paying for the training and peace of mind (as opposed to that 'omg, I'm in a new country and I have no idea what I'm doing' feeling).

I'd rather do public schools than hagwons due to the benefits and overall experience though. How has your hagwon experience been?

TeacherReady is quite attractive since I could do it sooner, but I feel that the Master's would be better for me in the long run. I'm a 'better safe than sorry' kind of person, and going for my Master's now is more affordable and I can do it full time without worrying about insurance coverage. With TeacherReady, there may be difficulty transfering credits to a future Master's program. The second path is the most attractive one to me, but the first one is my backup.

I’m an aspiring teacher and researching my options on which path to take towards teaching abroad. I’ve read through many resources and forum posts but since requirements change with the times, I am concerned some of what I’ve read may now be outdated or there may be new opportunities. I wanted to get some feedback on three paths I am considering.

Background info:
- I have a bachelor's in graphic arts (serves its purpose but not exactly useful for teaching).
- I am starting a CELTA course in the next few months.
- I am in the process of applying for a MAT in Elementary Education program. If I am not accepted, I'm going to start on the TESOL path. If I do get accepted, I need to start thinking about which option to choose.

Path one: Teach English abroad, do alternative teaching certification (like TeacherReady), possibly do an online Master’s, and work my way into an international school.
- Practical experience: CELTA, English teaching, teaching fieldwork/internship
- Time: Can start TESOL this year; time to int'l school unknown
- Notes: Lacking a Master's and experience, getting into an int'l school requires a great resume, connections and luck.

Path two: Stay where I am for the next 1.5 years, get my Master's in Teaching and an initial teaching cert. Aim to go abroad either as an English teacher or start applying to (lower tier) international schools.
- Practical experience: CELTA, student teaching
- Time: At least 2 years
- Notes: Difficult to get a position as a newly-certified teacher, but not impossible.

Path three: Stay where I am for the next 1.5 years, get my Master's in Teaching and an initial teaching cert, then get another two years of experience (maybe while getting an additional cert like SPED) before attempting to go abroad.
- Practical experience: CELTA, student teaching, full-time teaching
- Time: Minimum 4 years
- Notes: Best teaching experience and qualifications, but takes the longest.

Of course I would love to go abroad sooner than later, but I know I shouldn't be too hasty and need to consider the long term. English teaching is decent money now, but eventually I'd want to move up. I don't want to be stuck with low qualifications that will make me scramble home for my Master's.

I also don't want to be a bad teacher and would really benefit from the real-life classroom experience and on-campus teacher prep program. From what I see, online programs are looked down on in the Middle East, and I want to have the option of teaching there.

Sorry that my first post is quite lengthy; I only know a few SPED teachers in real life and a couple of acquaintances teaching English abroad, so I’d like to see if I can get some input from international school teachers.