In another year and a half, I'll be applying for elementary administrator positions in Asia..preferably China. I'm just beginning my research and I notice many schools offer their students IB PYP. Coming from the public school sector in the US, I do not have experience with the IB Primary Years Programme. I do have extensive teaching and administrative experience including elementary principalships and am currently serving as Executive Director for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in a good sized district.
How necessary is IB experience in landing a job? I see there are many opportunities for IB training?? Would training (albeit not a substitue for experience) open more doors? Your suggestions and comments are appreciated.
Thanks.
IB experience
Well
First, IB training isnt the same as IB experience, one doesnt equal the other, and schools are really looking for IB experience. Second, the "training" workshops/seminars even at the level 2 (assessment) and level 3 (leadership) levels really arent all that helpful or even in depth. I cant see a school giving an admin who only had IB training serious credit for it.
To answer your question, while IB schools reallyw ant a principal who has IB experience (because your the one that usually does the training, mentoring and IB paperwork) there are 2nd and 3rd tier schools in China that will probably take you and give you a shot. You spend 2-3 years doing that, and then youd be ready for a tier 1 school. They wont be the better schools though, and will most likely be "for profit" which might sour you on the whole experience.
To answer your question, while IB schools reallyw ant a principal who has IB experience (because your the one that usually does the training, mentoring and IB paperwork) there are 2nd and 3rd tier schools in China that will probably take you and give you a shot. You spend 2-3 years doing that, and then youd be ready for a tier 1 school. They wont be the better schools though, and will most likely be "for profit" which might sour you on the whole experience.