PsyGuy wrote:
> @shadylane
> it is ALL about predicted marks once a student get out of KS1/KS2 (and
> some DSs in the UK start at KS2).

One of the major reasons why so many British teachers flee the UK. It is something that is imposed on teachers by government, not something that comes from the teachers themselves.

The other points I raise though, I do think are extremely unfair - and often based on a British stereotype that died out in the 60s, if it ever existed at all.

PS - 'might have a point' is British English for 'ok, I'll give you that one'.

ck1 wrote:
> I have always taught in British style schools but always with the IB DP. I
> have applied to a few American schools when I have moved but never received
> an interview.

Many American educators I've met have had a very unique perspective on British teachers and British education - generally it's about as close to reality as Dick van Dyke's cockney accent is to the real London accent. We're often seen as old fashioned, traditional, not student centred, too concerned with terminal exam results (might have a point there), and - bizarrely - lazy and unwilling to be flexible and go the extra mile. This last view has often been picked up in schools located in European countries with strong union representation.

To be fair, I've known non US admin that won't touch US teachers for different, but equally inaccurate, views.

Reu wrote:

> When, pray tell, did you do your education qualification? Because I can tell you that
> mine (taken at a red-brick university in the UK last decade), was hard work. And
> Induction may be "just another year", but it can be immensely difficult to
> get a job straight-out of a PGCE in order to get your Induction, when there's so many
> other teachers who already have it. No indeed, it is an investment in time, coin,
> confidence, and emotional stability.


Reu - you are assuming that people have done the genuine PGCE + QTS route. There are a lot of PGCEs/iPGCEs - even from reputable universities, that are barely worth the paper they are written on. The Nottingham iPGCE is one fine example. There are some 'certification' routes in the US that are even worse.

Did you mean that the school would be family oriented both in and out of school? (not that you could nip in and out of school?)

If so, I don't live in Malaysia, but I work at a school that would definitely meet your requirements.

Lastname_Z wrote:
> I'm not sure having an EU passport is really that much of a benefit
> (speaking as an EU passport holder and getting my EU passport before I did
> my research). There are a lot of top schools in the EU countries that only
> accept non-EU passport holders (Best example is the American School of
> Warsaw).

Which is interesting, as although they say no EU passport holders on Search, they also claim to have 3 UK teachers and 30 host country teachers on staff. That makes at least 33 EU passport holders . .

There are quite a few schools on Search (175 / 670) that say they will hire teachers without certification, many of them which are referred to as "Tier 1" on this forum. One must assume that they would equally accept an iPGCE or similar.

PsyGuy wrote:
> @shadylane
>
> I dont know which credentials you are referring too? A DT who holds QTLS and is a member of the SfE is licensed to provide instructional services in maintained DSs in England including BSOs and further, is exempt from induction. Do I agree with that from a professional standpoint, no.

I wasn't really talking about the values of these streams. Just that many of those that do the hiring prefer a PGCE or B. Ed with QTS + NQT year. Many of those that don't care either don't have much choice or would happily hire unqualified staff anyway.

PsyGuy wrote:
> Many of the ITs with a PGCEi arent looking or focusing on "good" ISs. A PGCEi is a working qualification for a lot of third tier ISs.

Fair enough. Although that can equally be said about many of the other alternative quals listed above.

Out of interest, is it the same with US certification? Are they all considered equal, or are some considered more valid than others?

joe30 wrote:
> Oh yeah, and the Nottingham PGCEi I'd just a bunch of easy academic writing, nothing like the grind of teaching in UK domestic schools. I wish I'd chosen that route every day.

PsyGuy wrote:
> Yes, there is no field work component, assessment is academic writing. However, it does not award QTS directly.

and employers know that. It's why many good schools either won't hire people with iPGCEs, or will prioritise teachers who have gone the proper route.

jake290788 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am currently working at an international school in China and looking to gain a
> recognised teaching qualification. However, I don't wish to return to the UK to study
> a PGCE.

The point is moot. Either you go home and do the PGCE + QTS + NQT year properly, or you stay overseas and you do some kind of workaround qualification. It will never quite measure up, but depending on the school and/or your subject, it might not matter much. Which actual qualification is largely irrelevant. iPGCE / QTLS / Level 5 whatever, or even QTS through something else other than a PGCE or B. Ed route.

@PsyGuy

The OP asks for our personal opinions. I gave mine. I'm aware that others will disagree.

Munich

The school is IB all through, and not linked to any one particular nationality.

senator wrote:

> One of the main reasons I got out of IE was that as I got older, I just started to
> despise having to "play the game" with administrators.

How do you find this compares to schools at home? Is it not the same?

> Job fairs are archaic and unnecessary now and are held solely to make money for Search,
> Iss, etc. and to give school heads and admin a paid vacation and, when in Bangkok,
> a yearly chance to get their bells rung.

Personally I think that recruiting face to face is a good thing. I'm not sure how much of a real feel you get for a person on Skype.

Is being a career teacher supposed to be an insult?

beanie wrote:
> While it might be easy to accuse the school of being sketchy, it might just really be a case of inaccurate/non-update on the >Search side of things. Who knows when the last time your school bothered to update those figures or its listing, probably not >high on their priorities list.

Then it should be. Or maybe we could just use inaccurate resumés?

"Yep - sorry. I forgot that I didn't finish off that Phd at Harvard Graduate School five years ago. Oh - and I ended up not taking those PYP coordinator positions at NIST and the UN School in New York mentioned on my CV either, and went backpacking round South America for 4 years instead. Oh - have I wasted your time?"