Recently (in May), my principal informed me in a one-on-one meeting that my contract would not be renewed. It was very devastating. I'm unsure if this decision was based on my performance or if my principal knew in advance that I was not interested in continuing at the school, so she decided to let me go. During the meeting, she provided few details, only mentioning classroom management issues. In March, she had mentioned in an all-staff meeting that she was keeping every teacher in the building.

In hindsight, I now think it was just a political statement to gain support from the staff.

The next day, I called a teacher union representative, and the rep told me that the non-renewal notice from my principal was likely coming, although we hadn't received any official recommendation yet. The union representative advised me to resign from the school district as soon as possible before the non-renewal takes effect and becomes a permanent record. Thus, I submitted my resignation paperwork one week later, and the non-renewal will not appear in my records.

I didn't tell my co-workers about it. I felt betrayed by the principal after working there for two school years. During my time at the school, I was not under any investigation nor had major complaints from parents. Now, going to work feels very odd since no one knows that I was let go. Before receiving the news, I hadn't informed my principal that I was looking for another job. Right now, I don't have anything lined up.

The day after the principal received my resignation notice from HR, I requested to meet with her to discuss a "Reference Letter." In the meeting, she said she was willing to send me a draft, which we could then revise together.

My concerns are:

1) Should I use my principal's contact information as a reference? I had a meeting with her about being a reference, and she said she would say things that are "fair."
2) Is the principal just looking out for herself? Is my principal trustworthy?
3) How should I go about finding references for future teaching jobs?

I live in WA, US, but I am not too sure about Illinois. Special Education endorsement in the US is more strict than other general education subject endorsements. Most likely they don't accept coursework from foreign countries. SPED is a complex field that requires the teacher to understand many state and federal laws that only apply to SPED. SPED teachers must know how to write IEPs that follow state and federal guidelines.

At least in WA, they require both coursework from *Approved* programs AND passing the SPED PAXIS.

Hello,

This post is a bit different.

I am currently teaching secondary Math in Washington, USA. This year marks my second at a Title 1 school and my third year of teaching in the U.S. My first year was at a high school in an affluent neighborhood. The school where I work now boasts a highly diverse demographic. However, my principal has assessed my performance as "basic" and is considering placing me on a "Plan of Improvement," citing issues with classroom management. In my classes, students are often loud, and some are struggling to learn. The principal has repeatedly suggested that I might be better suited to teaching at a high school rather than a middle school, hinting that I should consider a different school for the 2023-2024 academic year. Although my performance evaluation isn't finalized, I'm feeling that this school may not be the right fit for me.

There's a notable high turnover of teachers and administrators at our school; a third of our teachers are new this year.

Regarding my background:
I hold U.S. teaching endorsements for Grades 5-12 in Math and Special Education. From my observations and discussions with colleagues, I understand that working in Special Education can be highly stressful due to the extensive paperwork involved. While SPED teacher positions are frequently available, my preference is to continue as a general education Math teacher, although high school math opportunities seem less common. My academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master's in Education. My current annual salary is $82,000 USD, but after taxes, my take-home pay is around $60,000 USD per year. I live with my parents. If I rent a studio, the average monthly rent in my area is about $1,600.

As a Chinese individual holding U.S. citizenship, I've observed that there are relatively few Asian teachers in Washington. Most of my friends are employed as software engineers. I am currently in my late-30s. I always feel lonely working in the US, and I could not find a forum similar to this website to express my thoughts.

I have a few questions regarding the teaching profession in the U.S.:

Competitiveness of High School Math Teacher Positions: I'm curious about the level of competitiveness in securing a high school math teacher job. Given my background, how challenging might this be?

Hiring Trends: Are the months of August and September less competitive for finding such positions, considering schools might have fewer qualified applicants for each math opening? Additionally, what is the hiring landscape like for mid-year positions, such as in December?

Perceptions of Age and Experience: In the context of American schools, how is age viewed, particularly for someone in their late-30s like myself? Also, how might my limited teaching experience impact my job prospects or how I'm perceived in the educational community?

Thanks for your reply.
Also, I have questions about renewing QTS. Is QTS good for life or it needs to be renewed every once in a while?
If it does need to be renewed, what is the renewal process?

Hi,

I finished my M.Edu from Moreland along with my DC teaching credentials. I passed all the state exams. Also, transfer it to WA and started teaching there since 2022.

Currently, I have been teaching secondary Math at a US public school since August 2022. I have read some posts here about QTS and NQT. If I have less than 2 years of teaching experience, I may receive a NQT status, and I will need to go through an "induction period".

If I waited and accumulated 2 years of teaching experience, then I can get QTS (professional grade) one?

My question is about the 2 years of teaching experience. Does that mean more than 20 months or just 2 school years?
My first year of teaching is 0.8 Full-time. It is not 1.0 Full-time. Do they still consider it as 1 year of experience?

I should apply for QTS after August 2024? The reason is that I will accumulate 2 years of teaching experience by then.

Hello,

Recently, I just received my DC license with an endorsement in Middle School Math. I passed all of my Praxis tests. I did student teaching online, and I have a Master's degree from Moreland University.
I want to apply for QTS. I read some comments in other posts saying that it will be more difficult to apply for QTS for overseas candidates in the future.

Currently, I live in Washingtons State, USA. I hold both US and UK citizenship. I don't have any full-time teaching experience in the US yet. I am still looking for a teaching position in the US.

My questions are:
1) How can I get a QTS?
2) Should I apply for QTS as soon as possible?
3) Should I use my US or UK citizenship to apply? Should I apply as a non-UK citizen?
4) Is QTS a lifetime qualification? Does QTS state the endorsement?

About license renewal, I have a DC Standard License. Do you guys know does it require PD or teaching experience to renew DC License?

Bears123 wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Recently, I am about to finish my Teach-Now teacher certification program.
> I will do the add-on Masters as well.
> Does anyone know can I get WA residency teacher license there after I
> finish the TN teacher certification program. Or it would be better for me
> to finish the add-on Masters first.
> My concern is that without a Masters degree, WA state may not view the TN
> program as a legitimate teacher training program.
> Is WA state strict when it comes to teacher license?

More information about myself, I currently live in WA, and I want to teach in WA.

Hello,

Recently, I am about to finish my Teach-Now teacher certification program. I will do the add-on Masters as well.
Does anyone know can I get WA residency teacher license there after I finish the TN teacher certification program. Or it would be better for me to finish the add-on Masters first.
My concern is that without a Masters degree, WA state may not view the TN program as a legitimate teacher training program.
Is WA state strict when it comes to teacher license?

@expatscot
I know what you mean. It is difficult for Asians to teach at International schools, regardless of whatever passport one has. I am not looking for the best international schools, and I plan to teach Math. Secondly, I don't have a Chinese passport. I have Hong Kong and US passports.

So what is the best way for me to present myself to ISs?

Why is getting a US teacher license is the best bet?

I cannot attend in-person classes. Many M.A.T. programs include in-person classes. Some M.Ed can be earned totally online. I have multiple citizenships, so I can work in China without a visa. I want to know is getting a US teacher license useful? I want to save time. Should I skip Teach-now, and pursuit my M.Edu?

Hi,
I only have substitute teaching experience in Hong Kong. I have a Bachelor in Finance from Uni-of-Oregon. I want to work for an international school in Shenzhen.
Currently, I am living in the US, and I am working full-time in an unrelated field.
I am deciding whether to get a Teach-Now certificate or pursuit an M.Edu from Southern Oregon University. I have to choose either one because I have limited resources and time.
When it comes to teaching in China, does have a US teacher license matter?
Which one is more useful? A US teacher license or M.Edu?