Thanks for the advice so far, it's really helpful.

@PsyGuy- Does ESL experience not count if I am looking for ESL positions? I understand it may not be as highly regarded as international school experience, but it ought to count for something. Also, I've seen a good handful of internship opportunities advertised, hence the reason for me asking about internships.

Ichiro- Great to hear about ISB. You mentioned that interns get teacher housing and return airfare- but what about pay? Do they have a stipend or a salary on the lower end of the scale? My biggest concern about internships is that I might go into an interview with one expectation (stipend) and the school might have another idea altogether (benefits, but no stipend). Unfortunately, I really can't afford to work with no stipend or salary.

Does anyone have more information about DoD schools? Or about international schools with good internship programs?

Thanks again!

Hello. I am curious to know if anyone here has worked as an intern at an international school.

I am in the process of completing my teaching certification (hybrid program- now in the distance portion). I realize that without a certification in hand my prospects will be severely limited.

That being said, I have been accepted by Search and am hoping my other qualifications will help me out (B.A., M.A., 4+ years experience teaching abroad).

Because I will be facing slim pickings, I am also interested in intern opportunities. Here are a few questions that come to mind:
-What are interns typically responsible for? Do they teach their own classes? Do they mostly function as a teaching assistant (preparing materials and what not)?
-What is the salary like? Could I expect to receive something at the lower end of the pay scale, or are interns usually on their own pay scale? (I really have no clue- and most schools don't make it clear)

Any of you that have experience as an intern, or working with an intern, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks!

Hello. My name is D and I am just embarking on the crazy pursuit of an international school job. I realize that a lot of newbies post on this forum, all with a million questions and their own unique situation, but I am hoping that one of you "veterans" will take a minute to read my posting.

Still with me? Awesome. Basically, I am wondering if I stand a chance to get an offer with an international school. In lieu of writing my personal history here, I'll just do a little pro/con listing. Here goes:

Pros:
1. I have my B.A. and M.A. (in politics) from a U.S. university
2. I am young (26- not sure if that is a "pro" or not) and unmarried. No dependents.
3. I have been working in South Korea for the past 4 years teaching ESL (2 years elementary, 2 years university)
4. I am currently pursuing an Idaho teaching certification (endorsement in secondary English language arts)
5. I have a CELTA certificate
6. I am well-travelled and have lived in 5 different countries (U.S., Palestine/Israel, India, South Korea, and Poland)
7. I speak advanced-level Spanish and Korean (I was hoping that my Korean might help me, as there tend to be a lot of Korean students in international schools in Asia)
8. I graduated college early (M.A. in hand at 20), and then started working. As a result, I have a diverse work history prior to my entrance into the teaching profession. I worked for a year in journalism in the West Bank, and for a year in the nonprofit industry in Utah.
9. I am willing to go anywhere. Really, anywhere. Bangladesh? Cameroon? Mindanao? Nebraska? (Does Nebraska have an international school? haha) Bring it on!
10. I don't mind starting out at a "tier 2" school.

Cons:
1. I have no international school teaching experience.
2. I don't expect to have my teaching certification in hand until spring 2013 :(
3. Although I have 4 years of teaching experience, little of it is in the grade range I would ideally like to teach: middle/high school.
4. I am not Christian, and don't have much of a desire to work at a Christian school (although I would consider it if they were not conservative and had a diverse student population . . . I mention this because I've seen a lot of Christian schools lately that seem to have disconcerning recruiting policies. ie. "Reaffirming your faith in Jesus Christ") Yeah.

Well, what do you think? Am I doomed? There are many more "Pros" than "Cons," but admittedly, the "Cons" carry a little more weight.

To sum up, I'm open to going anywhere, but I'm primarily looking in Asia and the Middle East. I would like to teach secondary English language arts, but am also open to teaching social studies or ESL.

I'm considering attending the Search fair in January 2012 (Bangkok and/or Hong Kong). I'm concerned about going to such an early fair, knowing that probably the most competitive schools will be there, but it's unlikely that I will be able to go to a later fair (I'm beginning a volunteer teaching opportunity in late Jan. and won't be able to leave until May).

Right now, I'm just browsing schools and designing my plan of attack.

Can any of you give advice? Do I stand a chance? Will my lack of certification make it impossible for me to find a job?

Thanks in advance,
D