Search found 101 matches

by chiliverde
Thu Apr 16, 2020 11:08 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Anyone from Teach Now in Hong Kong
Replies: 4
Views: 10823

Re: Anyone from Teach Now in Hong Kong

Thanks world,

That's reassuring to know it wasn't a barrier to you once. I know things are always changing. I've since done some more research and gotten the more correct terms for Hong Kong (apologies). It comes down to two things, one called Registered Teacher status (RT) and Permitted Teacher status (PT) We are reading things about phasing out PTs and only wanting to hire RTs, and that the Teach Now path potentially isn't accepted as RT. We are also hearing things that there might be a stricter change coming in 2019/2020.

I am an eternal optimist. I always think there is a way to teach somewhere, somehow. Especially if one is on a dependent visa and already legal to work. Picking up things here and there (adult courses, school clubs) to add to your resume. But my husband is worried. Ideally, we'd love to hear from anyone in admin in HK who knows anything about hiring requirements these days, particularly for their foreign language teaching specialists.

It's looking very possible I might have two job offers by the end of the week.

1. Top Tier in HK
2. 2nd Tier in Shanghai, but IB and might offer a student teaching placement for husband.

Much prefer HK to Shanghai, and the school is my dream opportunity. Air quality is a big concern for ourselves and our kids. We would be able to support ourselves without husband needing to work, but of course he wants to launch his career.

Ack!!
by chiliverde
Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:23 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: possible futures for an unusual teaching couple
Replies: 16
Views: 24857

Re: possible futures for an unusual teaching couple

Shad,

Thank you so much - we'd be grateful to hear of any opportunities! I have some interviews lined up this week that I'm really excited about, but we'll see. If there is a PM on this thing (I've never figured out how that works) are you able to contact me that way?

And yes to French, good point on the A vs B. He has a decade long career in journalism and video filming/editing, so lots of potential skills he can bring to clubs or one-off classes. His English is excellent.

I've taught all across the EY and Elementary board - next year it seems like there are lots of jobs going in Asia in EY (no surprise there), so I might be making a turn back to that. Would love to get more experience in upper levels eventually though.
by chiliverde
Tue Apr 14, 2020 9:03 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Anyone from Teach Now in Hong Kong
Replies: 4
Views: 10823

Anyone from Teach Now in Hong Kong

Hello all,

Has anyone been successfully hired in HK with the DC license the acquired after Teach Now? Anyone who might have been following my posts (so boring I know, but quarantine does crazy things to people) might know that my husband is turning to teaching (French language) using this cert. path. I have quite a bit of experience, so we are trying to chart a path ahead together.

This week I have an interview with my dream school in HK. One of those career changing, once in a lifetime schools. Should this work out, we want to at least know that we can try to get him a teaching placement and that he can apply for jobs in HK. A quick search on the TN cohorts forum shows that some people have faced problems with this, in order to get something called QTS. All my friends in international schools in HK have never heard of QTS - maybe that's just because the school did all the paperwork for them?

Would anything be made easier by the fact that my spouse would be on a dependent visa? A quick search seems to show that dependents in HK are able to work, although perhaps HK makes it so there would be a block on them being hired in a school...

Grateful for any information
by chiliverde
Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:19 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: possible futures for an unusual teaching couple
Replies: 16
Views: 24857

Re: possible futures for an unusual teaching couple

So my husband has decided to go for it, and is about halfway through Teach Now. We are unexpectedly on the job hunt for next year and are open to a a wide swath of countries, given our unusual situation and that it's so late. We have two kids though, so it needs to be fairly safe and family friendly.

Are there any countries with visa restrictions for NQTs? As in, countries where a school would not be able to hire him even if they wanted to, because he has so little teaching experience? We worry about me accepting a job and him a student teaching placement, but then being unable to find work after due to restrictions.
by chiliverde
Fri Mar 27, 2020 9:34 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Not finishing the year
Replies: 8
Views: 12353

Re: Not finishing the year

I don't know. I will broach it later with them when things have calmed down a little. In any case, it's a risk I was willing to take. I already had my references up on Search, and have alerted my associate to what happened. I'll definitely have to figure out how to tackle this in an interview if it comes up. "These were exceptional circumstances and I did it for the basic well-being of my kids" is the truth, and I'll have to hope a school will understand. First time I've "broken contract" in 15 years of IS teaching, although it seems more like a mutual decision not to try to bring me back.
by chiliverde
Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:34 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Not finishing the year
Replies: 8
Views: 12353

Re: Not finishing the year

Thanks everyone, for weighing in. In the meantime I've heard back from the school. Head was friendly and brief, but the contract seems effectively closed. Telecommuting was not possible with the time difference. I suppose there's a possibility of going back if they end up having a last minute opening for next year, but we are are on the job hunt. Hopefully I got out of this with my professionalism somewhat intact... we'll see. I will get in touch later to see if there is the possibility of getting any contractual flight assistance or shipping, but I'm not optimistic.

Thanks also for the advice on staying in the US until the fall - will look into it!
by chiliverde
Thu Mar 19, 2020 11:17 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Not finishing the year
Replies: 8
Views: 12353

Not finishing the year

Hoping for some advice on a nuanced situation - I am finishing a 2 year contract with a school in a major urban center in Southeast Asia. I discussed signing on for an additional year with the director, but no contract has been sent and nothing signed. I have been on maternity leave for the last 4 months, but the plan was for me to return and complete the year with my class. I traveled to the States several weeks ago with my husband and two small children for a family event. Since then, world events have kicked off as they have and I feel my family is much more secure here in the semi-countryside than risking traveling back (if that's even possible at this point) and suffering through social distancing and lockdown in a small apartment in a major urban center. Classes at my school have moved online and I suspect will be as such until the end of the year. We have pretty much already decided that we are staying put here at least for the next few months, come whatever negative consequences may. The one (not insignificant) wrinkle is that my husband is not a US citizen (he's from the EU) so we are looking into how to extend his stay here. Then hope, when this all blows over, to pick up a new position someplace else.

I'd welcome any advice on how to word the email to my school explaining our decision. It is really primarily about the well-being of our children, who are currently benefiting from their grandparents and lots of space and time outdoors during this undetermined period of chaos and closure. I'm hoping the school won't view me as too unprofessional due to these extraordinary circumstances, and that this wouldn't be considered a typical "breaking contract," but I do accept that as a possibility. I am happy to explore teaching remotely to finish out the year. I am not so happy at my current school that it would be any great heartbreak to leave it, and I'm guessing with the chaos that if we wanted to go back out and find something new in the fall, there would be a lot of opportunities available.

Welcome any advice.
by chiliverde
Mon Nov 04, 2019 6:31 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Halloween as an Indicator
Replies: 34
Views: 70038

Re: Halloween as an Indicator

I imagine the results would have to be biased against US curriculum schools then, since those are the ones more likely to celebrate? Wonder how to calibrate this into the data.. a school I just looked at, widely regarded as one of the top, if not the top, IS in Asia, has trick-or treating on their yearly calendar, just saying
by chiliverde
Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:11 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Halloween as an Indicator
Replies: 34
Views: 70038

Re: Halloween as an Indicator

This is hilarious, glad someone resurrected it so I could enjoy. Feel like my world has definitely shifted a few degrees..
by chiliverde
Mon Oct 28, 2019 6:30 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teach Now not accepted in Thailand?
Replies: 4
Views: 7326

Re: Teach Now not accepted in Thailand?

Yes, thank you - of course this is true. I can't make any sense of their answer, unless the problem is that he won't have an education degree from any institution. But how can this possibly be a problem in Thailand of all places, with a million schools and where you just need a BA to work in a government school?
by chiliverde
Mon Oct 28, 2019 5:47 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Teach Now not accepted in Thailand?
Replies: 4
Views: 7326

Teach Now not accepted in Thailand?

Plan has been for husband, French citizen, two masters (neither in education) to become certified via Teach Now. An international school just told us today that Thailand does not recognize Teach Now because it is not issued by a university. Has anyone heard of this and can help?
by chiliverde
Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:24 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: practicalities of Search from recruiters POV
Replies: 8
Views: 11897

Re: practicalities of Search from recruiters POV

Just wanted to clarify in case anyone returns to this post - meant to write in my initial post that I was curious about the roles of bios and cover letters - not CVs.
by chiliverde
Sat Oct 19, 2019 10:16 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Paris
Replies: 14
Views: 20037

Re: Paris

@shawanda

Having worked and lived in Europe for years, and being in an international marriage myself, I am guessing that many of those are tied to France for family/spousal reasons.
by chiliverde
Thu Oct 17, 2019 6:43 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: practicalities of Search from recruiters POV
Replies: 8
Views: 11897

practicalities of Search from recruiters POV

I know there was a thread/debate somewhere about the validity of CVs in the hiring process, that I've tried but am unable to find. That said, I'm hoping someone on the hiring side can help me understand the process of Search applications.

Since the CV is a download document, I would have presumed that the bio (similar to a generic cover letter) is what's looked at first when a candidate applies, and potentially even used to filter whose CV gets a look?

Still trying to wrap my head around cover letters since I'm getting conflicting advice on how to approach it. One piece of advice I've heard is share achievements and data from your classroom, including what sets you apart (always challenging), and another says present yourself as warm and show how you build community. I also understand these aren't mutually exclusive.

Sorry if this topic has been beaten into the ground; unfortunately we all know the shortcomings of the search option on this forum.