Hi Shay,

IB is actually IBO - International Baccalaureate Organization. An IB school offers the curriculum set by the IBO and can be a partial or full IB school, depending on which of PYP, MYP and IB DP it offers.

IB training usually is given to teachers who are joining an IB school. Some schools won't hire teachers without IB experience (2 to 4 years), other schools will hire and train teachers. I interviewed with 3 schools which offered IB and all 3 had no problems with training me.

Most people usually don't seek out IB training on their own, because it is not so much the training that schools require, but the top schools require experience in teaching it. The mid-rank will train.

Not having any teaching experience at all, but having IB training will not be much of an advantage, simply because almost all schools which would look at hiring you want 2 years teaching experience (although this is different at different schools and there are always exceptions).

Hope that helps

Redvaldo,

if they have offered you a job, you would be foolish not to take it. One of the top 3 schools in China. I have a friend working there who loves it.

It is demanding (all the tier 1 schools are) but very rewarding and you get treated well.

Keep us posted!

Are you at the London Fair?

Why not contact the American International School of Kuwait (AISK).

Website www.aiskuwait.org

They are a full World IB school and they do send people for training.

I can't load their website now - but it is Friday in Kuwait, which is like Sunday in the rest of the world, so it might be down until Sunday (which is like Monday in the rest of the world).

Good hunting!

Looking forward to your take on the Toronto Fair JB!

Livefree - no experience whatsoever other than practicum?

If so, try schools in the Middle East - don't expect PYP, but expect to get experience - and then make a move to a PYP school...

BlueJay - you are lucky to have that option. Some schools require you to let them know in October what your plans are - and if you are recruiting, you are gone gone gone baby!

My thoughts would be that

(a) you are in the system, have seniority, and the system is downsizing (according to PsyGuy and others), so you have a SECURE job.

(b) It pays better

(c) you get better benefits, especially RETIREMENT benefits


So what to do? Do your time. Take your retirement as early as possible, while maximizing your pension. Then get out on the international circuit, which, BTW, loves experienced teachers.

Sounds like you have started off well! I used to teach in Alberta too, up in the Peace country, when I first started out.

Just looking at the schedule - WOW! They pack the fair events into a shorter time period than in Bangkok! The first day in Bangkok was registration, indications of interest via slips in school folders, and presentations. The sign up for interviews was on the second day of the fair.

This is all packed into ONE day for the London Fair! Whew! I think, looking at this, I am glad I went to Bangkok instead of London...

It is still the same number of days, but one more day is allocated to official interviews.

I suspect that London sees more hiring done than Bangkok, given a look at this schedule.

Anyways, Pippa, GREAT posting - keep it up and good luck on your job hunt!

Is this IB Physics and IB Chem? If it is IB Chem, then you will only have one year of the two year cycle, unless you are taking on a Y1 and a Y2 class.

Also, consider whether you have SL and HL experience or only SL?

These will all be things that the better schools will consider.

If you are not in the IB system already, then do the chem. It will allow you to offer more to a smaller IB school.

Just my thoughts.

shad

The internships I saw on offer in Bangkok were definitely NOT on the regular pay scale. Just giving my 2 cents, as Mrs. S was recruiting as an intern...

That is very valid experience and it would count for any school I can think of.

Good luck!

Well, I learned another new thing. I need to go and check my email, but I don't believe I got a list of recruiters and emails. That would have been very handy!

I love how you have got yourself organized - much better than I did!

Good luck at the fair and keep us posted!

I was at a school where it went from nice shirt and trousers to mandatory tie around the neck too.

That said, I usually wear a suit and tie, but I am a bit old school!

Still early days yet! Search London starts today, Search Toronto and Queens fairs start in a day and a half, Cambridge in two weeks, San Francisco in three weeks, plus there is the UNI fair in between Toronto/Queens and Cambridge, so lots of hiring still to go. Don't despair :-)

Pippa, this is awesome! I think you have just raised the bar again! Now I will be tuning in each evening to see how London is doing through your eyes :-)

Good luck - BTW where in Canada are you coming from? BC/AB/NWT here...