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by Orangedeer
Sat Jan 01, 2022 7:36 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: What do my chances look like as a new teacher?
Replies: 3
Views: 5016

What do my chances look like as a new teacher?

Some of you may already know my situation from other places, but I wanted to ask here too since I’m still in a stage where I can decide whether or not searching for an IS is a viable route for me or if I’m wasting time that I could be using to search for teaching opportunities back in the USA.

I am a newly certified teacher living in South Korea. I’ve been here for about 4 and a half years, but three and a half of those were at an academy and don’t count for any experience. The last year, I’ve been teaching at a small (very poorly run) international school teaching middle school ELA with a US Common Core curriculum. No IB or AP. I have homeroom duties and run two extracurricular club activities.

Class sizes are extremely small and dwindling, and I need to move on because the future of this place is not looking bright after this school year, through no fault of my own. I have put so much time and energy into making my little corner of the school better, but the problems are deep issues in the school’s history and there is no turning around for them it seems. I used my time here to finishing my teaching license classes and the practicum portion of the program (through Teach Now, now Moreland University). I’m now certified through Washington DC as a MS ELA teacher and I’ve finished my PRAXIS exams for the high school level as well, so I’ll soon be certified for the whole secondary range of ELA. I also picked up a ton of valuable experience at my school, despite the issues it has. By the end of my time here, I’ll have 1 1/2 years that I can truly count as a form of IS experience, albeit only 6 months of that being after attaining my license. I considered staying another year, but I really don’t like the way it’s looking so I’ve decided on a hard exit no matter what.

I’m in the process of applying for Search Associates and Teacher Horizons, Schrole, and I’m looking at others. I’ve been using TES to apply for some schools, but most seem out of my qualification range or aimed more toward teachers from the UK (I did recently put in a request to gain QTS based on reciprocity with my USA license though).

What do you think my chances are at landing a decent entry level position? I am based in South Korea but I’m looking globally, and I’m pretty much open to moving to any country in the world as long as it’s safe enough. My goal would be a school that will let me get my foot in the door in terms of IB or AP experience. My other option is to return home and try teaching in the USA, but it’s not something I’m really interested in and I’m not at all sure I’d be happy with that decision.

So what do you all think? Do I have a chance?