Hello everyone :-)
Just joined the forum and I'm hoping to find out some information or stories from Non-EU citizens finding teaching positions in Europe. I'm Australian and have recently graduated from my Bachelor of Education (Primary). I'm moving to the UK in August under a working holiday Visa. I'm going to really try and put the hard yards in for the duration of the Visa (two years) to gain that experience under a British curriculum, which I think will look excellent on my resume.
According to the teaching agencies in the UK I've been communicating with, finding work in the UK doing supply teaching is quite frequent and the possibility of a school keeping you on is likely (if they like you!) However after the two years I cannot renew the Visa unless I end up getting hitched with a UK girl! Or a school is willing to sponsor your Visa which I hear is unlikely because I am a Non-EU citizen.
My goal is to be a Physical Education teacher to the primary years. I have years of experience doing before/after school care. I have experience also visiting childcare centres and primary schools here in Australia as an instructor of fitness and self defence, as well as experience as being a coach for numerous sporting programs for after school care. I have trained in Martial Arts which still continues on to this day. Would two years teaching in the UK and my previous experience on the P.E side give me a good chance of landing a job within Europe?
I would love to hear some stories from non-eu citizens who have successfully been taken on by a school through visa sponsorship. I travelled throughout Europe a couple of years back and I am quite determined to set up shop there. I'm not really fussed where the location would be (I'm very resilient :-) as long as the school is reputable.
Cheers.
Non-EU citizens
I recommend skipping the supply teaching and finding a school that will take you on as a full-time teacher.
If your goal were simply to do two years in UK and go home, supply would be fine. But if you want long-term prospects, supply won't help. International schools won't consider it as official teaching experience - for that, you need to be on full time, with your own classroom and full responsibilities for planning, teaching, assessing, parent conferences, the whole gamut.
Why the British curriculum? Your Australian training is closer to alignment with the PYP. If you don't like the Aussie way, the UK system might be better for you. But if you do like it, what you really want is to find a PYP school. It'll be different, but not apples and turtles. And with a PYP background, you could find tons of jobs in Europe and around the world.
So, how to get a job without experience? Put yourself out there as a candidate, even an intern. Focus on less popular countries. Forget UK, France, Spain. Think Estonia, Ukraine, Romania. Accept that you'll be starting out, probably, in a lesser school, but that is the price to be paid, and many lesser schools are still good places to learn your trade.
But don't do it yet, unless you are ready to tackle all the responsibilities of learning to teach, without any of the support your school would give you back home. PD? Mentor teacher? Large cohort of colleagues willing to take you under your wing? Don't expect it. Unless you are ruggedly independent and adept at learning things on your own and the hard way, stay home and get a couple years experience before you come. For almost every teacher I know, the right answer is to get experience first. Only for maybe 5% would it make any sense to try to learn to teach abroad without support.
If your goal were simply to do two years in UK and go home, supply would be fine. But if you want long-term prospects, supply won't help. International schools won't consider it as official teaching experience - for that, you need to be on full time, with your own classroom and full responsibilities for planning, teaching, assessing, parent conferences, the whole gamut.
Why the British curriculum? Your Australian training is closer to alignment with the PYP. If you don't like the Aussie way, the UK system might be better for you. But if you do like it, what you really want is to find a PYP school. It'll be different, but not apples and turtles. And with a PYP background, you could find tons of jobs in Europe and around the world.
So, how to get a job without experience? Put yourself out there as a candidate, even an intern. Focus on less popular countries. Forget UK, France, Spain. Think Estonia, Ukraine, Romania. Accept that you'll be starting out, probably, in a lesser school, but that is the price to be paid, and many lesser schools are still good places to learn your trade.
But don't do it yet, unless you are ready to tackle all the responsibilities of learning to teach, without any of the support your school would give you back home. PD? Mentor teacher? Large cohort of colleagues willing to take you under your wing? Don't expect it. Unless you are ruggedly independent and adept at learning things on your own and the hard way, stay home and get a couple years experience before you come. For almost every teacher I know, the right answer is to get experience first. Only for maybe 5% would it make any sense to try to learn to teach abroad without support.
Reply
While UK experience in 6th form (A levels) or IGCSE is valuable it is not nearly as valuable as IB experience especially in regards to global mobility.
Your martial arts experience would be a nice bonus to a school as far as an XC (Extra Curricular) option for the school, but as far as coaching goes: football (european) is the most sought after followed by swimming, volleyball, and rugby.
None of your after school experience or visitations count at an IS. Again, they might be a bonus to a solid resume, but they arent going to move you to the top of the pile. Most EU schools look for 5 years and IB experience, unless your going to stay in the UK. 2 years is the minimum bar for an IS and for such entry level teachers they usually start in Asia or the ME for their first couple of postings. Even then a PE teacher isnt in very high demand.
Your martial arts experience would be a nice bonus to a school as far as an XC (Extra Curricular) option for the school, but as far as coaching goes: football (european) is the most sought after followed by swimming, volleyball, and rugby.
None of your after school experience or visitations count at an IS. Again, they might be a bonus to a solid resume, but they arent going to move you to the top of the pile. Most EU schools look for 5 years and IB experience, unless your going to stay in the UK. 2 years is the minimum bar for an IS and for such entry level teachers they usually start in Asia or the ME for their first couple of postings. Even then a PE teacher isnt in very high demand.
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A Resilient Lion
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:12 pm
Thank-you for your replies.
I'm not familiar with the acronyms. Do you mind telling me what PYP & IB means?
Sid - The working/holiday visa for Australian's is only available to you if you are under 30. I'm 30 now so I just scraped through. If I didn't take the chance to go over to the UK now then I wouldn't have gone anywhere and stayed home. I'm fairly confident I would land a position in the UK after doing some supply teaching for a couple of months. Assuming I find a full time position in the UK for two years, what would my opportunities be to find work in Europe?
I'm not familiar with the acronyms. Do you mind telling me what PYP & IB means?
Sid - The working/holiday visa for Australian's is only available to you if you are under 30. I'm 30 now so I just scraped through. If I didn't take the chance to go over to the UK now then I wouldn't have gone anywhere and stayed home. I'm fairly confident I would land a position in the UK after doing some supply teaching for a couple of months. Assuming I find a full time position in the UK for two years, what would my opportunities be to find work in Europe?
With 2 years of full time experience, you'd have a decent shot of finding a position. It could be tricky as you wouldn't really have 2 years, you'd have something less than that if you started as supply. But the schools that would take you with 0 years, would still consider you with 1.y years. Again, think of the less popular countries for getting started.
The IB is the International Baccalaureate Organization. They offer 4 programs, starting with the Primary Years Program up to grade 5/year 6. Then the Middle Years Program up to grade 10/year 11, and the Diploma Program or Career Related Certificate for the last 2 years before university. The CRC is new, so it's really only the PYP, MYP and DP that are widely known. They're not aligned with any national system per se, but the PYP is closest in nature to the NZ curriculum with its focus on inquiry.
The IB is the International Baccalaureate Organization. They offer 4 programs, starting with the Primary Years Program up to grade 5/year 6. Then the Middle Years Program up to grade 10/year 11, and the Diploma Program or Career Related Certificate for the last 2 years before university. The CRC is new, so it's really only the PYP, MYP and DP that are widely known. They're not aligned with any national system per se, but the PYP is closest in nature to the NZ curriculum with its focus on inquiry.
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Yantantether
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:41 am
Sid has provided you with some very sound advice.
What I would add is that what I hear by the soundings coming out of the UK right now is that many teachers are even finding it difficult to find supply work. I'm really not sure this is your best option given your current circumstances. The agencies will tell you what is best for them , not you!
Also, you probably would be better advised posting this on the TES website (for UK Teachers) not this one.
Good luck whatever you decide.
P.S. PYP=Primary Years Programme IB= Int. Baccalaureate
What I would add is that what I hear by the soundings coming out of the UK right now is that many teachers are even finding it difficult to find supply work. I'm really not sure this is your best option given your current circumstances. The agencies will tell you what is best for them , not you!
Also, you probably would be better advised posting this on the TES website (for UK Teachers) not this one.
Good luck whatever you decide.
P.S. PYP=Primary Years Programme IB= Int. Baccalaureate
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A Resilient Lion
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:12 pm
Thanks Sid and Yan - much is appreciated.
Hopefully all will go well after doing a stint in the UK. From what I've read having at least 2+ years experience is a must. When I was studying I was constantly looking at websites of numerous international schools and noticed each school would have an after school care program of some sort. I got into after school care and coaching throughout my days of study so I had that experience on the resume. Basically, I thought having that experience and international experience, I could sign up for a job fair or a program and find opportunities there. Also with reaching out to schools independently.
Hopefully all will go well after doing a stint in the UK. From what I've read having at least 2+ years experience is a must. When I was studying I was constantly looking at websites of numerous international schools and noticed each school would have an after school care program of some sort. I got into after school care and coaching throughout my days of study so I had that experience on the resume. Basically, I thought having that experience and international experience, I could sign up for a job fair or a program and find opportunities there. Also with reaching out to schools independently.