Search found 13 matches

by jdurey
Tue Feb 16, 2021 8:37 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Is it too late to begin?
Replies: 11
Views: 10975

Re: Is it too late to begin?

As someone who transitioned from hagwon teaching to IS in Korea I empathize with you. My suggestion would be for you to get licensed in MS or HS PE as those teachers aren’t always easy to come by and perhaps your wife could get hers in World Languages as most if not all IS in Korea offer Korean as a first/ second language. If you aim for secondary school and she for primary you may have a better shot.
by jdurey
Sun Apr 07, 2019 2:24 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Partner to get into teaching as a foreign language teacher
Replies: 3
Views: 4944

Re: Partner to get into teaching as a foreign language teach

Just my two cents, but given his background, why wouldn't he be interested in teaching Business at a secondary level? He may have more options if he were certified in Business as well as French Language. If he did the Teach-Now program he would be able to earn a US certification within a year, regardless of his citizenship.
by jdurey
Sun Apr 07, 2019 1:58 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Is Teach-now or Teacher Ready worth the time or money?
Replies: 27
Views: 69911

Re: Is Teach-now or Teacher Ready worth the time or money?

Teach-Now, for me, served its purpose. I got introduced to the world of international education while doing my practicum ("clinical") which, despite what I had thought, is very different to TEFL. Shortly after earning my license, I went to work at a bottom-tier intl school (it was awful, but you've gotta pay your dues!). I then moved to a tier-3, and now (4 years after I completed the program) I am headed to a tier-2 next year. So is TN worth it? Hmm... In the short time since I've completed the program, which cost $6,000 for tuition + costs of testing, paperwork, etc (+$1,500?), I've received nearly a $200,000 return on investment considering salary, benefits, and tuition for my kids. Yeah, it's worth it!
by jdurey
Thu Mar 07, 2019 2:49 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Harvard Certificate in School Management and Leadership?
Replies: 5
Views: 9623

Re: Harvard Certificate in School Management and Leadership?

Thanks PsyGuy for the very helpful and well thought-out response. I will attempt to use the certificate to provide a foundation on which to build (perhaps landing an admin role at a lower-tiered school), and eventually hope to pursue an EdD, which will hopefully allow me to move into something more sustainable.
by jdurey
Wed Mar 06, 2019 7:35 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Harvard Certificate in School Management and Leadership?
Replies: 5
Views: 9623

Harvard Certificate in School Management and Leadership?

As a teacher who one day aspires to become principal or HoS, would this certificate on its own be a sufficient qualification (years of experience, etc aside)? Or would I be better off getting a full-on MEdL from any other university? Link here: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/program ... ing-change
by jdurey
Tue May 30, 2017 8:12 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Yearly pay stated in different currency than monthly salary?
Replies: 4
Views: 8193

Re: Yearly pay stated in different currency than monthly sal

Thank you. I guess for me, the Korean Won is more "stable" because I'm a permanent resident of Korea.
by jdurey
Tue May 30, 2017 8:03 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Yearly pay stated in different currency than monthly salary?
Replies: 4
Views: 8193

Yearly pay stated in different currency than monthly salary?

I'm looking at a contract which states the yearly salary in Canadian Dollars. However, the contract says "The salary will be paid in monthly installments in Korean Won." When I asked the school to either change the yearly salary to Korean Won, or pay me in CAD, they said "We have pay scale for teachers and I can not change it." Is this a red flag?
by jdurey
Sun May 14, 2017 6:29 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Help~I'm US-Certified but Working as an EA
Replies: 5
Views: 9760

Re: Help~I'm US-Certified but Working as an EA

Thank you PsyGuy. Some very good and relevant points. I'm getting certified in elementary ed because I don't want to coach (in the US) and I don't want to limit my search to just high schools at Korean IS's. I'm also comfortable with the idea of becoming a HR teacher.

From what I've seen, many states have a reciprocity agreement with DC and I would be able to get a provisional license if needed [for example, on the condition that I take (state name) history]. For me, the big question is, if I stay on as an EA in Korea for the next year or two (and assuming I become certified in Elementary Ed), with my experience as an EA, would I be a viable candidate for even the lowest-tier schools in Korea? If there's a chance then I would much rather go that route. If it sounds like a pipe dream then I may have to bite the bullet and move to the US on my own to work at an elementary school there, continuing to apply to IS's in Korea.
by jdurey
Mon May 08, 2017 1:16 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Help~I'm US-Certified but Working as an EA
Replies: 5
Views: 9760

Help~I'm US-Certified but Working as an EA

I went through Teach-Now a year and a half ago and got my certification in K-12 ESOL and 7-12 Social Studies (the latter I though would make me more marketable). I have a MA TEFL and years of "experience" in ESL (university, high school, businesses). I live in Korea and I am only looking at jobs here. I worked for a while as an intern at one IS and now I am working at a different school as an EA ("Educational Assistant"), where I pull elementary (1-6) students and work 1:1 on math, reading, etc. I am in the process of taking the PRAXIS tests to become certified in Elementary Education (K-6) through Washington DC.

My question is, will I ever be able to work at an IS here in Korea if I continue working as an EA? I know I need 2 years of post-cert experience, but I don't have a lot of options as I have a family in Korea (Korean wife and kids). My plan now is to continue working in my current role, get certified in Elementary Ed and keep applying to schools here until something opens up. I'm 40 years old though, so time is not on my side. Would it be better to leave my family for 2 years and go back to the US and teach there? Any honest advice is certainly welcomed. I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall.
by jdurey
Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:01 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: New Teacher - Advice Needed Please
Replies: 7
Views: 9360

Re: New Teacher - Advice Needed Please

Thanks so much for your responses and for offering your perspective on this difficult decision. Sorry PsyGuy, but what is General Education "IT"? Just to clarify, there would be no benefits to the SFS sub role outside of a small stipend, being able to work in the classroom, and making connections.

You've both given me more to think about which is good. I would be prepared to sub at SFS for the foreseeable future (2-3 years) if they allowed. In all honesty I'm not sure I could even complete a 2-year contract at ISD because being away from my kids would be hard enough to do for one year, let alone two.
by jdurey
Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:50 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: New Teacher - Advice Needed Please
Replies: 7
Views: 9360

New Teacher - Advice Needed Please

My background: I've been teaching ESL for 13 years. I recently got my US certification in K-12 ESOL and 7-12 Social Studies. I did my student teaching at Chadwick International in Songdo in MS Social Studies, and have worked in the Elementary school at Chadwick since January as an intern.

I have been offered a full-time substitute position at Seoul Foreign School. My goal is to get in to an international school as my wife is Korean and we plan to reside in Korea indefinitely with our two children. However, I have also been offered a position as an EAL Specialist at International School of Dongguan. It looks like a good school, is IB, and will give me some experience. My choice then is: Take the sub position at SFS, try to make a good impression and hope that something opens up in my subject areas next year; or Go to Dongguan, get some experience that would make me more marketable to intl schools in Korea, but I would have to leave my family behind in Korea, visiting about once a month.

My hope with SFS is that after subbing there for a year or so I would be able to possibly get hired on full-time if I make a good impression. I'm not crazy about the idea of leaving my family in Korea for the next 2 years while I work at IS Dongguan in China.

Which way would, objectively speaking, be best for my career as a relatively new teacher? Am I right in assuming that working as a sub would be a gamble, and would not count as real experience should I apply to international schools next year? What would you do in my situation?
by jdurey
Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:34 am
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Alternative Licensure to Teaching in Korea?
Replies: 3
Views: 11911

Alternative Licensure to Teaching in Korea?

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum!

I live in South Korea with my family (Korean wife and two kids) and we plan to stay here long-term. I have been teaching ESL/EFL for the past 12 years and have a Masters in TESL. I have been looking into Alternative Licensure Programs like "TEACH NOW" and "teacher ready," in which I can take coursework online while doing a student teaching practicum. The Teach Now program would require that I work as a student teacher for the last 3 months of the program. The teacher ready program requires its students to work with a mentor at a school for 2 - 3 hours per week for 9 months. Both programs would accept student teaching at an international school.

How likely am I to find an international school in Korea that would allow me to do student teaching there with a mentor? I heard that Big Heart Christian School in Jukjeon may accept student teachers, and am still awaiting a reply from them.

I plan to test into teaching History or Social Studies. It seems that most schools hire their ESL teachers as contract labor.

Any advice you could give me about teaching in International Schools in Korea, or finding a "sponsor" for my teaching certificate program would be much appreciated.