Search found 10 matches

by MaryAnne
Thu Feb 02, 2017 7:51 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Canada - foreign teacher
Replies: 39
Views: 58541

Re: Canada - foreign teacher

I am licensed in Ontario, and taught in public and independent schools there for 30 years, seeing many incarnations of curriculum. Also served as major HoD in both systems, with responsibility for assessing students coming in from other jurisdictions.
"Standard curriculum" unambiguously refers to the Provincial standard curriculum. Students entering secondary school in Ontario, from outside Ontario (students from other provinces are treated exactly the same as those coming from US, Asia, Caribbean, etc. I assessed many such in the independent school), are assessed in individual subjects, and placed accordingly. This means, for example, that a kid coming in from Alberta at 16 years old, might be placed in a G11 advanced math class, but Grade 10 Science, and grade 12 Art. Or not. This is because the curricula are different. (This was a loose example, I am making no assertions on the different qualities of course). One of the beauties of the Ontario system, is that subjects are taught by credit, (120 hours), and so it is both possible and common for kids to be in different Year groups for different subjects. Some Provinces have standardized external exams. Others, like Ontario, do not. There is no National Curriculum, no matter how it is defined.

However, it is certainly true, that in my experience, in Math, by the time students have completed four years of high school, those in comparable levels of study have covered much the same material, though often in vastly different orders. Current buzzwords and educational magic bullets differ vastly from province to province, and country to country but in Math at least, content is reassuringly similar. But as math teachers so often claim, "math is different".
As someone else said, a rather pointless argument as the actual verifiable facts are clear and easily accessible. But it is holiday time
by MaryAnne
Mon Jan 30, 2017 5:42 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: School in another country that insists on an in-person visit
Replies: 12
Views: 22124

Re: School in another country that insists on an in-person v

I have a different view. Three years ago, with no international experience, I applied directly to a British school in Korea, more or less on a sudden impulse. I was invited to a typical (I did not then know it was typical) British selection day at the parent school in London. For me, this meant a transatlantic flight, plus three days in London. I requested a Skype interview, but as a teaching "audition" was required, I was instead offered reimbursement of 25% of my expenses. Against my better judgment, I went. At the least, I had an expensive adventure. To my undying amazement I was hired at a pretty good school, with a better than average package to teach IB math in spite of being over 55, and having a dependent spouse. ((I did switch schools at the end of initial two year contract, to an even better, in some ways, position)

The adventure has been, and continues to be, incredible. An impulse, and a willingness to spend some money I could not really afford, has led to a lifestyle for the final several years of a long career that I would never have dreamed of.

Just my two cent's worth.
by MaryAnne
Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:52 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Shanghai Work Permits, new regs and Age limits.
Replies: 1
Views: 3902

Shanghai Work Permits, new regs and Age limits.

I am currently in Shanghai with a Foreign Expert Certificate. I understand that these are changing or have changed to a unified permit with 3 bands A,B,C. I am pretty sure, that as a classroom teacher, I would be in Band B? My HR dept does not seem to know that or is not willing to talk about it. I have heard on grapevine, not directly from anyone, that several major international schools in Shanghai have pre-emptively released or let go teachers who will turn 60 soon, because the rule that permits will not be issued for those over 60 (unless in Band A) is going to be enforced. Or might be enforced. And Work permits cannot be guaranteed. HR says that is only "rumour" and "there is nothing in those rumours".

I will turn 60 before my current contract expires. It is vital for me that I continue working after 60, and I was hired on that understanding. I have a short window when I might be able do something about this, legally, but it would be at significant cost to me and besides, I rather like my present job, lack of communication from HR notwithstanding.

I have been trying to get some more concrete information, including reading the full text of the Entry-Exit rule, but everything still seems to be "maybe" or 'maybe not".

I would appreciate input from anyone who has more information, or is directly affected. Thanks
by MaryAnne
Fri Feb 26, 2016 1:27 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: So long and thanks for all the fish!
Replies: 8
Views: 12177

So long and thanks for all the fish!

I have not posted much here - I have become discouraged. I did write a review, and I did respond under a different tag to some issues on the member's forum. In the 18 months or so that I have been learning from this forum, I learned some and I am appreciative.

But I am done, and I won't be back.

I have found forums like this unbelievably helpful in the past for different things. When my partner was desperately ill for a long time, a forum of other caregivers, for example, was the best thing in the world for me.

The value, as I see it, is that people with direct experience of that whereof they speak, give their personal opinions, based on their OWN personal experience and there is little or no judgement.

When almost every thread is responded to, almost every day by the same user, it becomes clear that there can be no personal experience involved.

When that person speaks as if he/she did indeed have personal experience, it becomes impossible to judge the value of the input - if (as is my case), it is the personal direct experience that is valued. No-one can be as expert in everything as at least one contributor appears to be. I could choose not to read that person's responses, and just skip them, and indeed I try to, but so many threads are literally hi-jacked, it becomes an exercise in futility.

When others insist on engaging that person, and then there isa back and forth, I just find that futile and juvenile.

It is a pity.
Bye, and thank you.
by MaryAnne
Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:34 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Bantleman
Replies: 26
Views: 32047

Bantleman

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/bantleman- ... -1.3463266
Just appalling! There will be some - maybe one- who will insist that justice is being done here. But ALL the evidence indicates that nothing close to due process, even by Indonesian standards, was followed. In my opinion, no-one should even think about Indonesia as a destination now.
by MaryAnne
Mon Feb 22, 2016 3:37 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Ireland
Replies: 4
Views: 6210

Re: Ireland

Thanks, everyone. Pretty much as I expected, but good to have it confirmed.
by MaryAnne
Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:27 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Ireland
Replies: 4
Views: 6210

Ireland

Ireland is rarely mentioned as a destination for ITs. A quick search reveals only one IBDP school, and one that advertises as an IS. Is there any chance of working in any division, state or independent? Or is supply of domestic teachers more than enough? I am fully certified from an English speaking country, with a "good" degree from Trinity College Dublin, an Irish passport, (dual citizen) and much experience in HL math in international schools, currently in China. I have not lived in Ireland for a very long time, and I never worked there. Is there point in looking towards Ireland? Has anyone gone that route?
by MaryAnne
Thu Jan 14, 2016 5:59 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: UK curriculum/schools for non-UK teachers
Replies: 9
Views: 9661

Re: UK curriculum/schools for non-UK teachers

Others have discussed differences in curriculum, jargon, and reporting, and my experience reflects those. I would say emphasis on exam results is all-encompassing. These differences are all manageable - content very much the same, though perhaps generally taught at different stages or in different order. However, I have found the culture and teaching environment to be very different, almost indescribably so. The management structure in the British School in which I teach is both strange, and counter-productive, in my view. Very top-heavy in administrative staff. "Line-Management" very important and cumbersome - means there is virtually no communication between regular classroom teachers and senior management. Generally teachers are not trusted to do their job without constant scrutiny and checks. Very rigid in demands and expectations. Huge amount of paperwork, "data" collection, checklists - far more than I ever saw in America, and I thought it was bad there. Enormous number of forms generated, lots of paper seems to have more to do with "scrutiny" of teachers rather than anything to do with actual real students. This, coupled with an almost funny belief among senior management and several colleagues that the only possible way to do things is the way it has always been done in Britain. Words like "accountability" and "insubordination" have taken on a whole new meaning for me. I am assured that it is much worse in the UK, where OFSTED rules supreme, but the top-down, "one size fits all" approach is disheartening nevertheless. There is collegiality and support in abundance among people of the same "rank" but not between ranks - very military, I think. After a number of years here, I believe the culture to be a factor of the "Britishness" rather than the school itself - though several individuals seem to be trying a bit too hard to be frightfully British. It seems from what I have heard from colleagues that schools where there is a policy of hiring only British people into senior management positions, (like mine) are very different from those British schools where there is a good mix of nationalities, and experience among the management staff. And, for the record, this is not "sour grapes". I have been deemed "outstanding" in my many appraisals, and I have generally not been micro-managed to death, though I have seen many colleagues who are. BTW, Salary and package generally excellent.
by MaryAnne
Sat Oct 31, 2015 3:45 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: female teacher with trailing spouse and 2 kids - possible?
Replies: 6
Views: 14451

Re: female teacher with trailing spouse and 2 kids - possibl

NLCS Jeju on Jeju Island, Korea loves people with British independent school experience, and Oxbridge. Very family friendly and don,t mind dependants. Package is excellent with reasonable accommodation close to school. FANTASTIC holidays. Downside: Jeju is lovely if you like outdoorsy stuff, otherwise very isolated. And you really do earn that package and holidays! Big-time. Your husband will find work only with school, or the other international schools in vicinity, and only if he has a degree.
by MaryAnne
Tue Oct 27, 2015 5:53 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Medical coverage pre existing conditions
Replies: 2
Views: 4321

Re: Medical coverage pre existing conditions

Depends. This was a concern for us, as my partner is a 5year cancer survivor. However, TIE care, which is a major provider at least in Asia, does not take pre-existing conditions into account at all, although the contract I had with the school did stipulate that all conditions has to be disclosed (weird that, I think it might have been school's way of getting otherwise private information). I changed jobs this year, different country, different provider. Pre-existing conditions also not an issue. I disclosed fully at interview, and followed up, asking for written assurance, making it clear lack of coverage would be a deal breaker. Your situation is different in that it was your own health, and the school might balk at taking a chance. On the other hand, most know a partner's health will also have serious implications. One other thing, when my partner discussed impending move to Korea with doctors, they said - if you get sick there, stay there! The health care generally is fantastic. Still think we would head for home though, if the unthinkable happened. Good luck.