Search found 55 matches

by inmortus
Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:27 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: HTSB is no longer the "easy" route for internationally-trained teachers
Replies: 16
Views: 18541

Re: HTSB is no longer the "easy" route for internationally-trained teachers

Hello. OP here.

I think both PsyGuy and chemteacher101 are right.

PsyGuy is correct: less convenient does not necessarily mean less desirable. English is not my first language, and I kind of equated those two in my mind. Thank you PsyGuy for pointing out the difference between convenient and desirable.

So, in regards to my original post: the HI license is no longer as convenient as before for a foreign-trained teacher.

Chemteacher101 is also right: PsyGuy's message does have a clear racist connotation. "They get demanding" with "they" being previously established as "some DT from Africa, etc", in the context of stating that it is irresponsible to equate a qualification from "them" to one from the US, while later claiming it was an "alphabetical" example is just a bit too obvious. Was it intentional? Who knows? Does it have a racist connotation" Absolutely.
by inmortus
Wed Sep 29, 2021 10:51 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: HTSB is no longer the "easy" route for internationally-trained teachers
Replies: 16
Views: 18541

HTSB is no longer the "easy" route for internationally-trained teachers

Well, HTSB has changed its rules. Previously, a non-US qualified teacher could get their teacher training and degree recognized through a NACES evaluation and subsequently apply for a provisional or standard license (if they had enough experience). This was a relatively easy process, with no exams, background checks, etc, and for a non-US qualified teacher it was probably the easiest way to get a US teaching license.

HTSB has changed its rules. Out-of-state applicants who don't currently hold a US teaching license from another state (i.e. foreign-trained teachers, or out of state applicants who for whatever reason did not get a license on the state where they trained) now require a series of tests. I mean, it's not like it's impossible, but it definitely makes it much less desirable. Also, the way "experience" is referred to now, seems like they will only take US-teaching-experience into account to determine whether an applicant gets a provisional or standard license...

I just hope they don't change it towards making it harder for current license holders to renew based on out-of-state or out-of-the-country experience...
by inmortus
Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:23 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Your top 3/5/10 of favorite cities/countries to live
Replies: 15
Views: 15455

Re: Your top 3/5/10 of favorite cities/countries to live

That's a trick question. Do we get to choose the school? Are we taking into account how much a teacher gets paid in these cities? Or simply how interesting life could be there? For me (in no particular order):

Tokyo
Madrid (unrealistic due to pay, but would love to live in that city)
Singapore

I have to say it is a very tough question for me. I am not old, but the more I have travelled and lived in other places, the less willing I am to live in many places... Mexico would be great, were it not for crime at an all time high and an incompetent president which would make me nervous. Buenos Aires is not much better in that regard (based on many friends living there). Vienna is awesome, but if you don't speak German you will notice many unwelcoming attitudes very quickly. Buapest is fantastic, but it can also be rough and xenophobic... Just my view, of course, to each his own!
by inmortus
Fri Sep 04, 2020 2:56 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: What are my chances?
Replies: 18
Views: 26603

Re: What are my chances?

Since you asked for an opinion, I'll give you mine: it's all about how committed you are to the idea of teaching internationally Vs potentially returning home... You can do Teach Now, get a US teaching license, and with these qualifications you would be able to find an initial job that allows you to live well (not great) probably at a less desirable location. You could probably even get a job right now at a 3rd tier school while you do Teach Now, and if it is an IB school, get some IB experience while doing that.

The main downside with this route Vs getting a PGCE is that it would not allow you to (later in life) move back home and work as a teacher in South Africa. If that is a deal breaker, then you really don't have any other options other than the PGCE.

I would say, that the PGCE's only benefit really is being able to work back home. There really is no other additional benefit (when compared to Teach Now) that I can think of. Either of those will allow you to say you are a qualified teacher. Teach Now will allow you to do it right now, even while you work either as an ESL teacher in Korea or at some 3rd tier school.

Whether you need prior experience to get a job (or not) really is more up to individual country's immigration system, and how much "pull" (or not) the school has. Some countries allow schools to hire whomever they want. In this case, it really depends on whether the school wants you. Other countries require experience but may allow schools that have pull to hire whomever they want. And in other cases some countries will actually study each case individually and you may not get a work permit without a license and experience. China is a bit (in my experience) in the second category. You're supposed to need a license and experience, but it really varies a bit by province, and in some provinces, the schools manage to hire whomever they want. It's the same for India, for example.

That's my 2 cents.
by inmortus
Thu Aug 27, 2020 11:31 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Thoughts on Search Online Fairs
Replies: 28
Views: 30230

Re: Thoughts on Search Online Fairs

Confidential references are one of the reasons I always end up going back to Search Associates. They have a complete collection which would be hard to recreate.

Sometimes I've thought about creating an online service to store confidential references and offer it for free (or a really low price), but I'm not sure if that really would get anyone's attention.
by inmortus
Wed Aug 26, 2020 4:16 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Dataset for average international school salaries
Replies: 11
Views: 10304

Re: Dataset for average international school salaries

As a non-native English speaker, I always find it a bit contradictory to believe that "true" international schools run in English and not in other languages... Would a multilingual school not be more international than a monolingual English-speaking school? Is a French lycee running French curriculum with almost no host nationals somewhere in Asia less international than the American school next door to it running A levels and common core with a similar student population? What about the local bilingual school next to those, running both IGCSE and DP programs that is accredited by CIS but has mostly local students and a few expat teachers?

Definitions of what makes a school international seem to diverge, with some thinking it's the curriculum, diversity of students (but not teachers), diversity of teachers (but not students), main language used in the school (with some clearly thinking English is the only acceptable language for a school to be international) , location or a mix of all these things.

Off topic, apologies.
by inmortus
Thu Aug 20, 2020 5:01 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Principal Contract Dates
Replies: 7
Views: 7439

Re: Principal Contract Dates

I have to agree with PsyGuy on this one.

Even if PMs were allowed in this forum. Would your "supporting data" be anonymous messages from an online forum? (i.e. "As you can clearly see, dragon555 says she got her contract in May..."). If you were willing to simply state that you asked around and were told that, you might as well say that independently of whether you have anonymous messages supporting those claims... It would be an equally poor argument...
by inmortus
Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:52 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: The path to get QTS after iPGCE
Replies: 9
Views: 12392

Re: The path to get QTS after iPGCE

I am no expert, but maybe this information can help you:

Is your "Theatre Pedagogy and Pedagogy for teachers without pedagogical background" considered teacher training in Poland? Do you have experience teaching that after having finished those studies? If so, you can try to register through GTCNI and/or GTCS (which unlike HTC do accept applications from qualifications from non English speaking countries). If you manage to get a full registration in either, you can then use this to apply for QTS.

If GTCS gives you a limited registration, it's still better than nothing as you can use this as a teaching qualification (which it basically is, just that it is only for Scotland).

Hope this helps.
by inmortus
Fri Jul 10, 2020 5:28 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: and it continues
Replies: 27
Views: 39292

Re: and it continues

It would be great if you can post all the information, including school name, on the relevant discuss board post (which allows you to do that anonymously) https://internationalschoolsreviewdiscu ... -informed/

Actually, it would be great if more people posted updates, now that more schools have taken more decisions...
by inmortus
Mon May 18, 2020 7:52 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: University of the People - Master in Education Leadership
Replies: 21
Views: 23423

Re: University of the People - Master in Education Leadership

The Harvard one is interesting. It's cheap, at about 400USD per course, so 1600USD total. No credits, but it's a bit the opposite to University of the People (this one says Harvard, and that might be good even if it is a non credit certificate).

That being said it is so cheap, that if too many people do it, it might lose some credibility. Still, it says Harvard, and some schools/parents might were value in that.

About having a European degree: I think that should not be an issue in most schools, and schools that genuinely value diversity might actually see it as a benefit...
by inmortus
Mon May 18, 2020 2:29 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: University of the People - Master in Education Leadership
Replies: 21
Views: 23423

Re: University of the People - Master in Education Leadership

Smoko wrote:
> My main gripe is with the name. I really don't want to put "University
> of the People" on my resume...

The name is certainly horrible and I really don't know what their marketing team was thinking when they came up with it.

Even with regional accreditation it still sounds horrible. Personally, having already a master's degree in education I might consider it just to add an extra thing while still having a proper name on my resume. That being said, I'm not sure I would consider this as my sole graduate degree simply because even if the quality was acceptable and even if it was regionally accredited, I know that many recruiters would still look down on it simply because of the name (and although this may sound superficial the fact is that is how the world works). However, as a second graduate degree, it might actually serve as an interesting conversation maker during interviews...
by inmortus
Mon May 18, 2020 2:23 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: University of the People - Master in Education Leadership
Replies: 21
Views: 23423

Re: University of the People - Master in Education Leadership

The reason for not finding information is probably because University of the People does not have a Master in Educational Leadership degree. The only Masters in education that they offer is a Master's of Education in Advanced Teaching. They don't have any degree that is specifically tailored towards educational leadership. The validity and recognition of their master's degree has been discussed before in this forum. The short version is that it is nationally accredited but not regionally accredited which means that some countries may take it and some may not. Because it is not regionally accredited it also means that you may not use these studies for things like applying for a license in the US and such. Most education departments in the US simply do not accept nationally accredited degrees.

Some people have also questioned the name of the institution as it will surely ring some alarm bells for some recruiters who will question the quality just based on the name.

Given you were inquiring about a master's in educational leadership I would venture to say that getting this degree would not really help in any way or form in obtaining a leadership position; at least not at any reputable school.
by inmortus
Thu May 14, 2020 12:51 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: So, if the border isn't open...
Replies: 29
Views: 34167

Re: So, if the border isn't open...

Having a plan B sounds good. However, what exactly does that mean? Look for another position, apply, accept and then, if borders do open or whatever, breach one out of two signed contracts?

I'm just asking.... What would plan B look like? I don't think it would be ethical to sign a second contract without having backed out from the first, and I don't think any school would be happy to hear in an interview that you are looking for a position "just in case" your new contract falls through. The other option would of course be to look for a new position without backing out from the first one and without telling schools you interview with about this, but then...well...I would question the ethics of such an approach...

It's a horrible situation. The only thing that keeps me going is to think that I am just one out of many other teachers in exactly the same situation. If, I hope not, most borders to remain closed and such, I suspect many schools will do late hiring (seeking teachers who are already in the same country/region) and I might be able to find another job then...
by inmortus
Tue Jan 28, 2020 5:00 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Online degree (WGU) can I be an international teacher?
Replies: 3
Views: 9604

Re: Online degree (WGU) can I be an international teacher?

I essentially agree with PsyGuy. If you just have a B. (earned online) with a teaching license, there will be some limitations.

That being said, I would stress that term (limitations, not an entire deal-breaker). It would be a problem with some countries (in terms of getting a work visa) or some schools (policies) but certainly not all. The fact is that with an American Bachelor degree and teaching license (online or not) you can still find a job, and once you get some experience, then you would still have options (even if places like Qatar won't take you because your degree was completed online).

In short: limitations? Yes, but if the price and/or time involved means this particular degree is what you can get, go for it and try to improve your marketability at a later point in time (M.Ed. through onsite summer sessions or whatever).
by inmortus
Thu Dec 26, 2019 5:47 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Have you ever stopped an interview right on the spot?
Replies: 15
Views: 29985

Re: Have you ever stopped an interview right on the spot?

Good to know I'm not the only one. Let's put it this way: when I finished the interview and I was talking to my spouse about it, I couldn't actually recall more than 2 questions I was asked by this person, as the interview really was just hearing him/her talk nonstop.... This is not an exaggeration: I was asked two very general questions that were not related to the job, and the rest of the interview was just centered on what the interviewer had to say...