Thanks, guys. Great info. I've always leaned toward tech at school and been known as the one person who might have the answer when all else fails, although I've never had an official position. My interest level went up when I attended a Google App Event in September and exploded when I signed up for Twitter (which I had avoided like the plague for years). Twitter is such an amazing resource. In four months I followed 600 people and 200 are followed me. They are all edtech, Maker and STEAM people. I've purposely kept the focus narrow. The amount of information coming at me right now is immense. There's no way I can keep up with it.

So, I already have the first Google Cert. I'm planning on doing Cert 2 in the next three months. After that, I'm not sure what to do. The Microsoft cert might be a good option, although I have tried to wean myself off Microsoft as much as possible (I do realise they are very good at some things). ISTE is doing some kind of certification conference in Hong Kong every February, starting this year. Then I've got to get on the code thing, which I've never really gotten into and the kids are always way ahead of me in code.org and Scratch.

The Michigan masters looks good as does the MET at the University of British Columbia, but as we are heading to the fairs in Jan 2020, that'll have to wait. I'm really looking at micro-credentials, things I can pick up to put on my resume.

I've bought a bunch of books; Hyperdoc Handbook, Bold School, Ditch the Textbook, Disruptive Classroom Technologies, the Google Infused Classroom and more. I'm slowly nibbling through them.

I teach geometry and gardening as clubs, I'm the Year 5/6 STEM leader and, as a result of comments here and other places, I am now doing a woodwork club with another teacher.

Also thinking about doing the Making the PYP Happen course, but not sure if its worth it.

Anything else I can do? Thanks again.

Hmm, interesting. I can do a fair amount of that already. Thanks.

I don't have a tech degree, but would be interested in getting into a more tech heavy role. I'm primary, but also interested in middle school.

What exactly is the role of a tech integrator and what qualifications could take me in that direction? Thanks

Hi all, Thanks for all the info and the entertainment (I was the original poster).

At the time I posted I had only seen the ISS 2019 school list, not the Search one. Having now seen both, Search looks much more attractive, although the more coverage we can get, the better.

We have both previously been signed up for Schrole and Search, so these profiles just need a bit of updating for 2020. We don't live in Bangkok, but close enough that we could get there fairly easily and cheaply.

So, how would this be for a plan, we re-sign with Schrole and Search and apply to go to the Search fair. We add a note to our Schrole applications to say that although we won't be at the ISS fair, we would be happy to meet on the weekend of the fair. This happens to still be our winter holiday, so, easy for us to arrange.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Not good enough. The salary is on the low side and if you get nothing for your dependents forget it. You can do better. What city? It wouldn't change my comment, just interested.

We live in Thailand, so these are the obvious choices. We have varied curriculum experience, Canadian trained, a fair amount of quality inquiry based PD and 9 years international experience each. But.......no IB experience. We're both elementary. I'm also involved in STEAM projects and am ICT coordinator.

We could probably do both fairs, but wondering if we should. We'd like to move to IB if possible, although, as long as a school is inquiry leaning that's not that important. We're not interested in British schools.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Not going to happen.

I asked about it purely because I feel like studying something. I'm not in an IB school. If it helps me get into an IB school all well and good, but it's not my primary motivation. If I had to pay $10,000 plus for a masters I probably wouldn't bother. Primary motivation is self fullfilment and perhaps a small pay raise.

https://www.uopeople.edu/programs/ed/de ... ation-med/

Has anybody looked into this? I'm quite intrigued. It looks solid, but how would schools look at it?

Just to clarify, I have a BA and B.Ed.

I already have insurance and a car. I live be in Thailand, just not in Bangkok. I am not aware of friends and colleagues having the issues you describe.

At my school singles/couples stay between two and three years. Families stay way longer. Some have been here 10 years plus. We seem to have a policy of hiring people with kids. It works at our school and turnover is low.

Planning to go to a conference at the International School Bangkok. Thinking of dragging the family along, so I'm trying to figure out if there's anywhere we can stay (prefer AirBNB - need two bedrooms) where my wife and kids have access to MRT/BTS and a pool, and I can reasonably drive to ISB in the morning and back in the evening.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

We have three Singaporeans at our school and they are all in humanities and arts.

I have a friend from the US who has been overseas for 10 years plus and hasn't filed taxes for about seven of those. He is a teacher at a mid-level school and his salary has never come close to exceeding the overseas tax exemption threshold (what is is, about $105,000 or so). The possible sticking point is, he spends six weeks in the US every summer. From what I've read, to qualify for the tax exemption he has to have been out of the country for more than 330 days a year, which he has not (generally he's there for six weeks.

He would like to get his taxes straightened out and I believe there is some kind of IRS forgiveness program. I realise this is a case for an accountant, but I was wondering if anyone has personal experience of this, particularly those who have spent more 35 days in the US in the summer.

Thanks in advance.

You don't need a prescription for SSRIs. They are readily available in pretty much all pharmacies. Drugs that need a prescription are generally those that have the possibility of addiction issues.