I'm a college student in the US double majoring in math and secondary education. I've just recently learned about international teaching and have been trying to find some information, but it seems to be quite a bit harder to find info on than other career options I've looked into. So I still have quite a few questions, and if anyone could help me out, I'd really appreciate it!
I'd really like to start teaching abroad right after I graduate college. I've heard that most schools require at least two years of experience and ESL experience doesn't really count. What are the chances of a recent graduate finding a job right off the bat? While I have my preferences, I would be willing to work pretty much anywhere around the world (barring health/safety issues) and am okay with working at a lower-tiered school for a few years to get experience. I'm also okay with a low salary as long as it's enough for me to live on.
I'm only a sophomore right now, so I'm also wondering what I can do to make myself seem more competitive while I'm still in school. Should I take online workshops on IB/AP stuff? (At this point I only have a very vague idea on what it is, but I'm definitely willing to put the time in to learn more about it.) Should I spend my summers getting "higher-quality" experience by being a paid teaching assistant at a camp/program in the US or pay to volunteer as a teacher/teaching assistant abroad where I'll get some experience living abroad but probably won't get as much feedback on teaching practices? (This would probably be in a third world country with local students, so not quite the same as what I want to get into, but I'm thinking it still may be relevant to future employers.) Are there any other things that I should do?
Also, while location/school prestige/salary isn't a big deal to me for my first few years, I would very much like to live on my own. I found a school in Honduras that looks like they might accept someone like me after I graduate, but two teachers share an apartment. I would have no problem living in a small efficiency apartment or somewhere similar, however. Is it normal for schools who offer housing to require single teachers to live together, or do most offer singles their own apartment?
US college student thinking of teaching abroad
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
I would caution anyone from walking into a full time teaching position straight out of college with no real teacher training. Even though I worked in teaching assistantship type positions all through college, my preparation was nowhere close to where I realized it needed to be once I enrolled in an actual teaching and certification program. There are definitely enough resources online that you could fill up your hours in the classroom with no problem, but I would be concerned about not getting a solid pedagogical foundation to inform your instruction. For most teachers, the habits and routines you form in those first years really stick, and it will serve you so much better down the road if those habits are based in best practice.
I know it's not what you want to hear, but I would either a. have some fun and teach English for a year, then reevaluate whether you want to get certified or b. bite the bullet and do a 1-2 year teacher preparation program through a university. I would dabble with assistant type jobs that will get you into the classroom first just to make sure it's what you want to do before investing in a program.
I know it's not what you want to hear, but I would either a. have some fun and teach English for a year, then reevaluate whether you want to get certified or b. bite the bullet and do a 1-2 year teacher preparation program through a university. I would dabble with assistant type jobs that will get you into the classroom first just to make sure it's what you want to do before investing in a program.
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
@muguet -
I actually am in a teacher training program. I'll be getting a bachelor's degree in secondary education (intended to train teachers for upper middle and high school) plus I'm also majoring in math. I volunteered as an elementary school tutor once a week last semester and will be working as both an elementary school tutor and a Calculus I tutor this year. I'm also planning on either working at an academic summer camp as a teacher assistant or volunteering overseas (if I can afford it) as a teacher/teacher assistant during the next two summers.
Basically, I'm sure I want to be a teacher. It's the teaching overseas that's a new idea to me (though the idea is rapidly growing on me). I'm hoping that what I stated above would be sufficient to start teaching abroad at a lower-tier school, but I totally get that all this still isn't the same as being an actual teacher for a few years.
I actually am in a teacher training program. I'll be getting a bachelor's degree in secondary education (intended to train teachers for upper middle and high school) plus I'm also majoring in math. I volunteered as an elementary school tutor once a week last semester and will be working as both an elementary school tutor and a Calculus I tutor this year. I'm also planning on either working at an academic summer camp as a teacher assistant or volunteering overseas (if I can afford it) as a teacher/teacher assistant during the next two summers.
Basically, I'm sure I want to be a teacher. It's the teaching overseas that's a new idea to me (though the idea is rapidly growing on me). I'm hoping that what I stated above would be sufficient to start teaching abroad at a lower-tier school, but I totally get that all this still isn't the same as being an actual teacher for a few years.
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
Sorry stormageddon, I missed the first part of your original post that said you were also getting a degree in secondary ed. That should mean you will come out certified right? I think if you have a certification somewhere, your chances of getting hired overseas right away out of college are higher, even if you don't have the typical two years in the classroom. I would give it a try, apply to some places, and see if you get any bites. The good thing is that hiring season is going to be in the winter of your last year of undergrad, so if nothing comes out of it, you can still apply domestically with no problem. With the summer jobs-- try to find a way to have some stake in designing and/or teaching a unit on your own. If your title is "teaching assistant," many teachers will be glad to let you take over the class for a couple days or so. It will give you something more substantial to talk about in your interviews if you have some curricular design under your belt. Good luck!
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
You have to get full time experience, so why not do it abroad? Know that you will be overwhelmed initially, but you are most likely young. You also seem organized, ambitious, and mindful, so you will be fine (as long as you are not also a perfectionist). Put on your BS coping hat and get your experience abroad. And have fun with it!
I like what muguet said about getting experience (more important than the name of the internship, IMO). A few other things that would be helpful would be that if you have ANY say in your student teaching placement, see if you can get an IB placement. Also, go ahead and get the stupid online certification if you can (particularly financially)--it demonstrates initiative and an interest in IB, and it will put you ahead of other candidates who don't have it. Make sure you get endorsed in higher level math since that is a GOLDEN subject area.
If you do those things and interview well, I see no reason you couldn't get a pretty decent offer right out of the gate--perhaps not top tier, but not the really crummy schools where many people have to "pay their dues". Also, don't hesitate to apply to schools that say they require experience because a) that isn't always true, and b) you teach a golden subject. Same with placement agencies--go ahead and get in with Search if only for a place to store your CV, etc. if you can.
Welcome to the club!
I like what muguet said about getting experience (more important than the name of the internship, IMO). A few other things that would be helpful would be that if you have ANY say in your student teaching placement, see if you can get an IB placement. Also, go ahead and get the stupid online certification if you can (particularly financially)--it demonstrates initiative and an interest in IB, and it will put you ahead of other candidates who don't have it. Make sure you get endorsed in higher level math since that is a GOLDEN subject area.
If you do those things and interview well, I see no reason you couldn't get a pretty decent offer right out of the gate--perhaps not top tier, but not the really crummy schools where many people have to "pay their dues". Also, don't hesitate to apply to schools that say they require experience because a) that isn't always true, and b) you teach a golden subject. Same with placement agencies--go ahead and get in with Search if only for a place to store your CV, etc. if you can.
Welcome to the club!
Reponse
IE is still one of those fields that is still kept purposefully as somewhat of a mystery, there arent any books you can get that explain the whole system and spell it out for you, and regardless of the region ITT/EPP programs are almost entirely focused on the regional domestic, regulated education system. If you studied accounting you would at least spend a day on different regional accounting regulations, in business you can do a whole degree in international business, etc., but in EPP/ITT programs you wont hear a sentence about A levels in a US program and you wont hear a sentence about common core in a UK program. The profession just doesnt train DTs to be global participators.
The question your asking is how marketable are you as a Uni grad in IE. In general the bar to entry in IE is 2 years experience post certification. Very few ISs are resourced to provide an IT the mentoring and the time to learn how to teach. Your EPP/ITT program is a lot of theory that doesnt work in the application of a classroom. You are a sophomore/year 2 student so you probably havent taken many education courses, probably a history of education course, you did general psychology before you can take your pre-reqs in developmental psychology and your speech course, as well as your maths track courses. You havent gotten to the trinity of the professional education core (Meds/Peds, C&I, Assessment) then you have student teaching, and your exams. There is a big difference between creating a lesson plan that your professor/tutor wants and one you will actually use. Creating a behavior management system that works for your students is much different than making one on paper that isnt tested against a roomful of students. ISs are fee generating institutions and those parents arent paying good coin for their children to be lab rats for an inexperienced IT to make their bones. That two years post certification gives you time and room to make mistakes and figure out what works. Those two years in DE will give you exposure and practice in the entire range of what educators do, from SPED to at risk students, etc.. You wont really see that in IE, and will as a result be unprepared if you ever enter DE at a later time. You really need to worst of education to prepare you for and build appreciation for the "lite" side of IE that doesnt have a lot of those problems and issues.
Assuming your single or you get married to another IT (primary IT preferably) the rule is there is a job for anyone if you will take anything, being a maths IT with an academic degree you can probably find something somewhere without the two years experience. These ISs however are not likely to be the upper tier ISs, they are going to be third tier ISs (not always a bad thing), but you have a much higher potential of having a train wreck experience. You could likely find somewhere in the ME if you wanted to save some coin, CSA if you wanted more a beach experience, and China if you just wanted Asia.
1) I would first start off by considering yet a third major or even a minor or just a collection of lower division courses in science. You dont need a lot of depth but a year each of first year Bio, Chem, Phys and then passing the state exam in science allowing you to teach chemistry and more so physics would make you much more marketable. You have the time and you have to do electives in something.
2) I would start studying and researching the IB, I assume your Uni isnt one of the IBO T&L certificate Unis, but that doesnt matter the more you can start integrating inquiry based and IB meds/peds into your program the better. It will at the very least allow you to talk the talk of IB, and if you can put some IB based portfolio work together you could find yourself in an early IB DS/IS.
3) You need to start looking and saving for some overseas study I would advise doing a semester abroad or a year and if possible make it somewhere that isnt the typical UK trip your Uni probably arranges, make it somewhere off the grid. You want to first, build some foreign language experience of your own, but more so second, you want to show that you can hack living in a foreign country that wasnt the most accommodating. Showing that you struggled through the experience and made it is worth something. If you could find an exchange program that would allow you to spend some significant amount of time as part of the program in a local classroom, instead of just being a tourist that would be all the better, especially if that classroom was or had a UKNC.
4) Look at opportunities for your field work:
A) If possible and your Uni allows it consider a full year internship instead of student teaching. This would allow you to put that year on your resume as teaching experience.
B) Doing your field work in an IB DS
C) Doing your field work in an independent (Private) DS (preferably one with IB).
D) If possible doing your field work (student teaching) at a DoDDS DS, this could really help you move into DoDDS much earlier in your career than normally would be available.
E) If possible doing your field experience overseas at an elite tier AS. If you do a great job, you may get an offer for next year out of it.
5) Mentioned it before but learning a language (and not just taking some foreign language classes) but really studying with the intent of becoming fluent. There are a lot of opportunities in IE that are in the shadows because access to them is restricted by language. You will open up at least some part of the overseas DE market if you are fluent in the language, yes it would take years of dedicated study and practice, but you have years.
6) I dont know where you will ultimately get certified, but you want to think of where to park your certificate. To begin with you want a state that will allow you to add certificates by completing an exam. As a math IT you have a lot of value you can add by branching out, science is the most common but design technology and ICT are close seconds, you dont want to have to do 30 course/credit hours to add those fields, you want to show up one morning, do an exam and add the endorsement area. A state that accepts PRAXIS is better than one that has its own exam format.
Within a few years of teaching you will want to add QTS (takes 15 minutes online) and consider where to go. Most states require PD to renew a certificate and it can be very problematic to get acceptable PD overseas inexpensively. Ultimately you have two options CA or NJ. The CA CLEAR certificate will require a masters or, since your planing it if you were to do 150 hours (essentially an extra year) as an undergrad you could apply for the CLEAR credential without a Masters, its then just an issue of adding an ESOL credential and waiting until you have two years of experience (only one if you do an internship). CA is the gold standard in American education, and the CLEAR credential requires no PD to renew. The other option is NJ they have a true lifetime credential, but its New Jersey, and you need three as opposed to two years of experience.
7) Join clubs, not just Greek life, but build a repertoire of unusual skills and experience. Sometimes the difference between you and the next candidate getting an appointment is that you have some special skill or experience. Activities that have real marketability such as robotics (STEM competition), MUN or esoteric activities such as equestrian, etc..
8) Study theater, audition and perform in one of your Unis productions. Teaching is performance. I know many maths DTs who are brilliant but they cant connect with students and they are boring and thats what many students mean when they say they have bad maths DTs.
9) If you can and you have work study or any type of on campus employment find a job in the admissions office or secondly enrollment management.
10) Start looking at reference opportunities now, of course your main one will be the principal you do your field work with, but you will want more and better than professors completing your other references.
The question your asking is how marketable are you as a Uni grad in IE. In general the bar to entry in IE is 2 years experience post certification. Very few ISs are resourced to provide an IT the mentoring and the time to learn how to teach. Your EPP/ITT program is a lot of theory that doesnt work in the application of a classroom. You are a sophomore/year 2 student so you probably havent taken many education courses, probably a history of education course, you did general psychology before you can take your pre-reqs in developmental psychology and your speech course, as well as your maths track courses. You havent gotten to the trinity of the professional education core (Meds/Peds, C&I, Assessment) then you have student teaching, and your exams. There is a big difference between creating a lesson plan that your professor/tutor wants and one you will actually use. Creating a behavior management system that works for your students is much different than making one on paper that isnt tested against a roomful of students. ISs are fee generating institutions and those parents arent paying good coin for their children to be lab rats for an inexperienced IT to make their bones. That two years post certification gives you time and room to make mistakes and figure out what works. Those two years in DE will give you exposure and practice in the entire range of what educators do, from SPED to at risk students, etc.. You wont really see that in IE, and will as a result be unprepared if you ever enter DE at a later time. You really need to worst of education to prepare you for and build appreciation for the "lite" side of IE that doesnt have a lot of those problems and issues.
Assuming your single or you get married to another IT (primary IT preferably) the rule is there is a job for anyone if you will take anything, being a maths IT with an academic degree you can probably find something somewhere without the two years experience. These ISs however are not likely to be the upper tier ISs, they are going to be third tier ISs (not always a bad thing), but you have a much higher potential of having a train wreck experience. You could likely find somewhere in the ME if you wanted to save some coin, CSA if you wanted more a beach experience, and China if you just wanted Asia.
1) I would first start off by considering yet a third major or even a minor or just a collection of lower division courses in science. You dont need a lot of depth but a year each of first year Bio, Chem, Phys and then passing the state exam in science allowing you to teach chemistry and more so physics would make you much more marketable. You have the time and you have to do electives in something.
2) I would start studying and researching the IB, I assume your Uni isnt one of the IBO T&L certificate Unis, but that doesnt matter the more you can start integrating inquiry based and IB meds/peds into your program the better. It will at the very least allow you to talk the talk of IB, and if you can put some IB based portfolio work together you could find yourself in an early IB DS/IS.
3) You need to start looking and saving for some overseas study I would advise doing a semester abroad or a year and if possible make it somewhere that isnt the typical UK trip your Uni probably arranges, make it somewhere off the grid. You want to first, build some foreign language experience of your own, but more so second, you want to show that you can hack living in a foreign country that wasnt the most accommodating. Showing that you struggled through the experience and made it is worth something. If you could find an exchange program that would allow you to spend some significant amount of time as part of the program in a local classroom, instead of just being a tourist that would be all the better, especially if that classroom was or had a UKNC.
4) Look at opportunities for your field work:
A) If possible and your Uni allows it consider a full year internship instead of student teaching. This would allow you to put that year on your resume as teaching experience.
B) Doing your field work in an IB DS
C) Doing your field work in an independent (Private) DS (preferably one with IB).
D) If possible doing your field work (student teaching) at a DoDDS DS, this could really help you move into DoDDS much earlier in your career than normally would be available.
E) If possible doing your field experience overseas at an elite tier AS. If you do a great job, you may get an offer for next year out of it.
5) Mentioned it before but learning a language (and not just taking some foreign language classes) but really studying with the intent of becoming fluent. There are a lot of opportunities in IE that are in the shadows because access to them is restricted by language. You will open up at least some part of the overseas DE market if you are fluent in the language, yes it would take years of dedicated study and practice, but you have years.
6) I dont know where you will ultimately get certified, but you want to think of where to park your certificate. To begin with you want a state that will allow you to add certificates by completing an exam. As a math IT you have a lot of value you can add by branching out, science is the most common but design technology and ICT are close seconds, you dont want to have to do 30 course/credit hours to add those fields, you want to show up one morning, do an exam and add the endorsement area. A state that accepts PRAXIS is better than one that has its own exam format.
Within a few years of teaching you will want to add QTS (takes 15 minutes online) and consider where to go. Most states require PD to renew a certificate and it can be very problematic to get acceptable PD overseas inexpensively. Ultimately you have two options CA or NJ. The CA CLEAR certificate will require a masters or, since your planing it if you were to do 150 hours (essentially an extra year) as an undergrad you could apply for the CLEAR credential without a Masters, its then just an issue of adding an ESOL credential and waiting until you have two years of experience (only one if you do an internship). CA is the gold standard in American education, and the CLEAR credential requires no PD to renew. The other option is NJ they have a true lifetime credential, but its New Jersey, and you need three as opposed to two years of experience.
7) Join clubs, not just Greek life, but build a repertoire of unusual skills and experience. Sometimes the difference between you and the next candidate getting an appointment is that you have some special skill or experience. Activities that have real marketability such as robotics (STEM competition), MUN or esoteric activities such as equestrian, etc..
8) Study theater, audition and perform in one of your Unis productions. Teaching is performance. I know many maths DTs who are brilliant but they cant connect with students and they are boring and thats what many students mean when they say they have bad maths DTs.
9) If you can and you have work study or any type of on campus employment find a job in the admissions office or secondly enrollment management.
10) Start looking at reference opportunities now, of course your main one will be the principal you do your field work with, but you will want more and better than professors completing your other references.
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
Between the paid side of this site and ISC (International School Community), you will find that there is tons of information available about this career path. Especially if you're only a sophomore, you have time to read reviews and posts and form your own opinions about schools, locations, etc. that might work for you. If you're trying to go in with no full-time teaching experience, your options will be limited. You might check out the UNI Job Fair (University of Northern Iowa). According to their statistics, 31% of the candidates hired at the fair last year had 0-2 years of experience (compared to 29% for 2-4 and 40% for 5+), so it may not be as difficult as you might think if you're flexible on location. I would recommend looking into some tier 2 or 3 schools in China. I think they tend to be more flexible on the 2-year minimum due to the large number of international schools in China and the small number of candidates willing to live there. Some lower tier schools in Latin America may also be an option. I would just caution you that there are a lot of crappy international schools out there and unfortunately without 2 years of experience there's a higher likelihood that you could end up at one. Of course if you do your research and have a little luck, you might end up somewhere wonderful. Who knows? The nice thing about looking for your first international post is that those schools do recruiting long before public schools in the states do. You could always go to fairs during the winter, get interview experience and not accept a job if you don't get something you're happy with. You're not likely to miss out on any jobs in the States by doing that since they don't really start posting many jobs until May. If I were you though, I would try to tough out two years of teaching in the USA (maybe go to Alaska or Hawaii if you're itching for an adventure!) and look at a job in International Education for your 3rd year when you'll have a lot more options to choose from. Good luck!
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
@muguet -
Haha, that's okay - I only mentioned it briefly and I ended up writing more in my question than I meant to. If all goes as planned, I will be certified to teach math to grades 5-12 (7-12 because of my degree plan, and I'm planning on overlapping that with a middle school math endorsement that covers grades 5-8). I'll definitely make sure to do something worthwhile the next two summers! Thank you!
Haha, that's okay - I only mentioned it briefly and I ended up writing more in my question than I meant to. If all goes as planned, I will be certified to teach math to grades 5-12 (7-12 because of my degree plan, and I'm planning on overlapping that with a middle school math endorsement that covers grades 5-8). I'll definitely make sure to do something worthwhile the next two summers! Thank you!
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
Just make sure you have HIGHER LEVEL math. If you get that plus IB, you can write your own ticket in a few years.
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
@Thames Pirate -
I'm about 99% sure there are no IB schools around here, but if I can afford it, I may do the second half of my student teaching abroad, so I'll have to ask if any of those schools are IB. I'm definitely not rich, but getting certification seem worth the cost, so I'll make it work.
What do you mean when you say get endorsed for higher level math? The only endorsements available in my state for math are grades 5-8 and 7-12. I looked to see if you meant specifically for IB, but I only found information for "teaching and learning" and "leadership practice". Is there a test that I need to take to teacher higher level or certain classes that I need to take? How do teachers qualify to teach higher math?
I'm about 99% sure there are no IB schools around here, but if I can afford it, I may do the second half of my student teaching abroad, so I'll have to ask if any of those schools are IB. I'm definitely not rich, but getting certification seem worth the cost, so I'll make it work.
What do you mean when you say get endorsed for higher level math? The only endorsements available in my state for math are grades 5-8 and 7-12. I looked to see if you meant specifically for IB, but I only found information for "teaching and learning" and "leadership practice". Is there a test that I need to take to teacher higher level or certain classes that I need to take? How do teachers qualify to teach higher math?
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
@PsyGuy -
I've thought about picking up a minor in physics, but I honestly don't think I have much wiggle room as it is. My gen eds are basically done, and my schedule is already full. (For instance, this semester I'm taking 17 credits. I'd have to get special permission from the dean of my college to take another class, and I'm going to be working, too.) The only way I can tack on a minor is if I take summer classes, and I think that getting some hands-on experience would be more worthwhile (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). I definitely will look into learning about the IB, though.
The only way I can study abroad is by doing half of my student teaching abroad (7-10 weeks). The first half has to be done in-state in order to meet regulations for becoming a licensed teacher. I'm going to have to ask my advisor about what types of schools they partner with. I was considering working another part-time job to save up for going abroad this and/or next summer, though. I found a program in Ghana that would allow me to basically be a teacher's assistant. If I go twice, I was thinking maybe India the second time, but I haven't really made up my mind yet.
I'll look into learning another language - I might go for Spanish because I took a couple years of it in high school. Or maybe German because I may want to settle down in Switzerland once I get enough experience (if I can - I bet a lot of people want to go to Switzerland). I'll also look into the whole keeping up my teaching certificate thing. I know my state requires the equivalent of 6 credit hours (so like 90 contact hours) every five years to remain certified.
Right now I'm part of a couple education-related clubs and am planning to do Alternative Breaks this year, but I'll look into other clubs, too. I'll probably join something similar to MUN and then maybe teach myself some skill in my spare time that could have some value (programming or robotics or both - I was actually a computer science major for a semester and enjoyed it quite a bit).
I do get work-study, but I'm going to be working as an elementary tutor at an after school program and as a Calculus I tutor for struggling college students.
Thank you for all the information! I guess I don't have to worry about being bored - there seems to be a lot of things I can do to make myself more marketable even as a college student!
I've thought about picking up a minor in physics, but I honestly don't think I have much wiggle room as it is. My gen eds are basically done, and my schedule is already full. (For instance, this semester I'm taking 17 credits. I'd have to get special permission from the dean of my college to take another class, and I'm going to be working, too.) The only way I can tack on a minor is if I take summer classes, and I think that getting some hands-on experience would be more worthwhile (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). I definitely will look into learning about the IB, though.
The only way I can study abroad is by doing half of my student teaching abroad (7-10 weeks). The first half has to be done in-state in order to meet regulations for becoming a licensed teacher. I'm going to have to ask my advisor about what types of schools they partner with. I was considering working another part-time job to save up for going abroad this and/or next summer, though. I found a program in Ghana that would allow me to basically be a teacher's assistant. If I go twice, I was thinking maybe India the second time, but I haven't really made up my mind yet.
I'll look into learning another language - I might go for Spanish because I took a couple years of it in high school. Or maybe German because I may want to settle down in Switzerland once I get enough experience (if I can - I bet a lot of people want to go to Switzerland). I'll also look into the whole keeping up my teaching certificate thing. I know my state requires the equivalent of 6 credit hours (so like 90 contact hours) every five years to remain certified.
Right now I'm part of a couple education-related clubs and am planning to do Alternative Breaks this year, but I'll look into other clubs, too. I'll probably join something similar to MUN and then maybe teach myself some skill in my spare time that could have some value (programming or robotics or both - I was actually a computer science major for a semester and enjoyed it quite a bit).
I do get work-study, but I'm going to be working as an elementary tutor at an after school program and as a Calculus I tutor for struggling college students.
Thank you for all the information! I guess I don't have to worry about being bored - there seems to be a lot of things I can do to make myself more marketable even as a college student!
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
@Teach1010 -
I think I'll get a membership to this site. I was hesitant at first, but I'm starting to think it's worth the fee. I'll also check out ISC! And even though I hear the air is terrible, China's definitely on my bucket list of places to go. If I can't get a job overseas, Alaska would be awesome - I've always wanted to go there, too. Thanks for the information - especially the statistics on the UNI Job Fair - it makes me feel like I have a chance at being able to find a job!
I think I'll get a membership to this site. I was hesitant at first, but I'm starting to think it's worth the fee. I'll also check out ISC! And even though I hear the air is terrible, China's definitely on my bucket list of places to go. If I can't get a job overseas, Alaska would be awesome - I've always wanted to go there, too. Thanks for the information - especially the statistics on the UNI Job Fair - it makes me feel like I have a chance at being able to find a job!
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
So it sounds like your 7-12 is what we call higher level (i.e. you can teach calculus, not just fractions) in our state.
One option might be to tack on a Masters. You could add the physics or computer science stuff, take a bit more time with language learning, and study abroad now and then do the ed requirements and student teaching as part of the Masters. I don't know if that works for your plan, but it is something to consider. But you know your program, your plan, your situation, and your state a bit better than I do, and it might not be feasible.
You can use this feature to find an IB program near you. Don't use the map--use the search. It may turn up a school you didn't know offered IB.
http://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-i ... mmeDP=true
I have a friend who is in a city in China I had never heard of at a not-top-tier IS, and he is absolutely in heaven and may never leave even though he completely could. So you can find something great abroad, I am sure, even if you don't have IB coming out of school.
You are clearly on top of things. It's fun to see your enthusiasm.
One option might be to tack on a Masters. You could add the physics or computer science stuff, take a bit more time with language learning, and study abroad now and then do the ed requirements and student teaching as part of the Masters. I don't know if that works for your plan, but it is something to consider. But you know your program, your plan, your situation, and your state a bit better than I do, and it might not be feasible.
You can use this feature to find an IB program near you. Don't use the map--use the search. It may turn up a school you didn't know offered IB.
http://www.ibo.org/programmes/find-an-i ... mmeDP=true
I have a friend who is in a city in China I had never heard of at a not-top-tier IS, and he is absolutely in heaven and may never leave even though he completely could. So you can find something great abroad, I am sure, even if you don't have IB coming out of school.
You are clearly on top of things. It's fun to see your enthusiasm.
Reply
@stormageddon
There are IB DSs everywhere in the state though they do tend to exist more in major metropolitan cities, there is probably at least one in your state.
Higher level could mean a couple of things that @Thames Pirate was alleviating too.
First, you want to ensure that your academic background and more so your credential is all grades (K-12) or all secondary (6/7-12) and not just 6-8, or 6-9. The expectation for a Maths IT is that they can do all secondary or all grades, and this means algebra through and including calculus. There are a lot of Maths DTs and ITs who do not have a mull academic background in Maths and their expertise ends somewhere after algebra. Your getting a degree/major in Mathematics which will cover the necessary expectations and then some, most of your degree in Maths will go unused and untouched. Algebra I, Algebra II, Calc I, Calc II, Geo/Trig in between and statistics as an advance course.
Second, In IB DIP a student can study a subject at Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL), SL is 150 hrs of instruction and HL is 240 hrs of instruction. Both course formats are over two years (closer to 15 months), but HL has more depth. In a minimum class length of 45 minutes a day (assuming a block of 90 minutes as opposed to a daily class of 50 or 55 minutes), 5 days a week, for 190 days of instruction, in a year most students will finish the SL minimum instruction curriculum requirements within a year. However most classes dont just roll through the IB course, ITs have their own projects and often NC requirements and other curriculum objectives. Many students that study at SL end at the same time HL students do, but those students in HL have more work that they do, its not hard to get 240 hours done in 15/16 months before exams.
There is nothing about your state credential that has anything to do with HL subjects in IB, and there is no IB qualification for HL maths thats separate from SL maths. You either meet the subject matter training requirements or you dont.
I would advise against the IB training certificate, it isnt worth much, and no amount of training is worth any amount of experience. The training workshops are weekend long 17 hour seminars (if done F2F), and they will teach you nothing about education, they are mostly for chalk and talk and drill and kill DTs who know little about western education. In addition, even if done online they are expensive. You cant find one for less that $600, and $800 is more the norm, for what amounts to a single credit hour.
Its very difficult to recommend UNI, its $150 for a single fair in a single year, with a database of only those ISs that attend their fair. For a little more you can register as an intern (an intern class IT is one that is fully credentialed with a degree, but doesnt have the 2 years post certification experience) with SA (Search) for multiple years and have the same database access as anyone else, and youd get an invite to the BOS fair (its the intern fair).
A minors too much work, think more along the lines of a year each of phys, chem, and bio thats 18 hours assuming 3 credit non-major courses without labs. If your at the right Uni or even if you arent you could find a community college that will accept CLEP courses you could do a CLEP test for bio and chem and cut it down to one semester each (the second semester) and do it in 12 hours (thats a summer or two). There is nothing in any secondary school leaving level program that is above first year Uni (except for maths). You could just do the CLEP exams (get the credeit on your transcript) and take a crack at the certification exams and see if you pass, and while not ideal, you would still be able to market yourself as a science IT.
I would disagree with the prior contributors on the value of that hands on experience, it would really depend what it was. If your teaching a codeing program in some kind of summer camp operated by a DS and have a principal who cant right a letter for you, and you do that a couple of summers thats experience that would be worth while. If your not doing something very close to that, then the only things that make up an IT resume is A) What they can teach (certifications, degrees, etc.) and what they have taught (experience, performance scores, etc.). Demonstrating competence and qualification in another cross curriculum area has more value, espcially considering that in many small ISs maths/science paired vacancies are often common, if your not qualified in at least some marginal way in science you wont be eligible for those positions. Even at a minimum taking the certification exam is a day (assuming you can pass the exam).
Thats not true, there are LOTS of ways to study abroad, you are probably thinking that the program your university offers is very limited, but your a sophomore, most Unis wont let you study abroad until your junior year, and there are a lot of global Unis with programs that you can apply for and enroll in directly. You defiantly have the time if you consider a 150 credit (5 year) undergrad degree.
Being a TA isnt worth anything, TAs are labor, you fetch and you carry, your not designing lessons, delivering them and assessing them, at best your doing the mechanics of those tasks that someone else made.
Switzerland is probably the most desirable location in the WE, its a location ITs retire out of, and one of the few places an IT can make 6 figures. There are German, French, and Italian regions in Switzerland, French is more common, especially at the elite chalet boarding ISs. Study French and contact one of the elite ASs and see about doing an internship there as part of your field experience or as part of it, could turn into a job if you do it right.
Robotics and engineering is the big thing in STEM right now, find a local club that works with school kids and get involved (either coach or judge) or start one, the sets are pretty easy.
If you are looking long term, strongly consider the ICT track as an option, at some point you may very well want out of the classroom and setting yourself up for a masters in technology education would lead directly into a technology coordinator position in the future. With Maths/Science your looking at general administration or HOD, and a number of ISs will be reluctant to promote a good maths IT out of the classroom.
Change your work study to admissions or enrollment management if you can. Theres a very niche aspect of IE that doesnt really have a direct training pathway, its University Counselor. The vast majority of school counseling programs focus on Mental health (MH) and maybe a course or a few weeks on University counseling. Getting into your university admissions or enrollment management program will give you that experience that you can leverage into a position even without a school counseling degree or credential. Later when you are considering a masters program you can do an M.Ed at an Ivy or similar and then you can write your own ticket, there are many ISs that will hire you as a University counselor or leadership if you have a degree from an Ivy and a school counselor credential even if all you did in the program was Rorschach and Myers Briggs.
The air is bad in the big cities of China, but there are a lot of places in the rural areas that the air if fine, and those are the ones that are most likely to be interested in your resume anyway.
There are IB DSs everywhere in the state though they do tend to exist more in major metropolitan cities, there is probably at least one in your state.
Higher level could mean a couple of things that @Thames Pirate was alleviating too.
First, you want to ensure that your academic background and more so your credential is all grades (K-12) or all secondary (6/7-12) and not just 6-8, or 6-9. The expectation for a Maths IT is that they can do all secondary or all grades, and this means algebra through and including calculus. There are a lot of Maths DTs and ITs who do not have a mull academic background in Maths and their expertise ends somewhere after algebra. Your getting a degree/major in Mathematics which will cover the necessary expectations and then some, most of your degree in Maths will go unused and untouched. Algebra I, Algebra II, Calc I, Calc II, Geo/Trig in between and statistics as an advance course.
Second, In IB DIP a student can study a subject at Standard Level (SL) or Higher Level (HL), SL is 150 hrs of instruction and HL is 240 hrs of instruction. Both course formats are over two years (closer to 15 months), but HL has more depth. In a minimum class length of 45 minutes a day (assuming a block of 90 minutes as opposed to a daily class of 50 or 55 minutes), 5 days a week, for 190 days of instruction, in a year most students will finish the SL minimum instruction curriculum requirements within a year. However most classes dont just roll through the IB course, ITs have their own projects and often NC requirements and other curriculum objectives. Many students that study at SL end at the same time HL students do, but those students in HL have more work that they do, its not hard to get 240 hours done in 15/16 months before exams.
There is nothing about your state credential that has anything to do with HL subjects in IB, and there is no IB qualification for HL maths thats separate from SL maths. You either meet the subject matter training requirements or you dont.
I would advise against the IB training certificate, it isnt worth much, and no amount of training is worth any amount of experience. The training workshops are weekend long 17 hour seminars (if done F2F), and they will teach you nothing about education, they are mostly for chalk and talk and drill and kill DTs who know little about western education. In addition, even if done online they are expensive. You cant find one for less that $600, and $800 is more the norm, for what amounts to a single credit hour.
Its very difficult to recommend UNI, its $150 for a single fair in a single year, with a database of only those ISs that attend their fair. For a little more you can register as an intern (an intern class IT is one that is fully credentialed with a degree, but doesnt have the 2 years post certification experience) with SA (Search) for multiple years and have the same database access as anyone else, and youd get an invite to the BOS fair (its the intern fair).
A minors too much work, think more along the lines of a year each of phys, chem, and bio thats 18 hours assuming 3 credit non-major courses without labs. If your at the right Uni or even if you arent you could find a community college that will accept CLEP courses you could do a CLEP test for bio and chem and cut it down to one semester each (the second semester) and do it in 12 hours (thats a summer or two). There is nothing in any secondary school leaving level program that is above first year Uni (except for maths). You could just do the CLEP exams (get the credeit on your transcript) and take a crack at the certification exams and see if you pass, and while not ideal, you would still be able to market yourself as a science IT.
I would disagree with the prior contributors on the value of that hands on experience, it would really depend what it was. If your teaching a codeing program in some kind of summer camp operated by a DS and have a principal who cant right a letter for you, and you do that a couple of summers thats experience that would be worth while. If your not doing something very close to that, then the only things that make up an IT resume is A) What they can teach (certifications, degrees, etc.) and what they have taught (experience, performance scores, etc.). Demonstrating competence and qualification in another cross curriculum area has more value, espcially considering that in many small ISs maths/science paired vacancies are often common, if your not qualified in at least some marginal way in science you wont be eligible for those positions. Even at a minimum taking the certification exam is a day (assuming you can pass the exam).
Thats not true, there are LOTS of ways to study abroad, you are probably thinking that the program your university offers is very limited, but your a sophomore, most Unis wont let you study abroad until your junior year, and there are a lot of global Unis with programs that you can apply for and enroll in directly. You defiantly have the time if you consider a 150 credit (5 year) undergrad degree.
Being a TA isnt worth anything, TAs are labor, you fetch and you carry, your not designing lessons, delivering them and assessing them, at best your doing the mechanics of those tasks that someone else made.
Switzerland is probably the most desirable location in the WE, its a location ITs retire out of, and one of the few places an IT can make 6 figures. There are German, French, and Italian regions in Switzerland, French is more common, especially at the elite chalet boarding ISs. Study French and contact one of the elite ASs and see about doing an internship there as part of your field experience or as part of it, could turn into a job if you do it right.
Robotics and engineering is the big thing in STEM right now, find a local club that works with school kids and get involved (either coach or judge) or start one, the sets are pretty easy.
If you are looking long term, strongly consider the ICT track as an option, at some point you may very well want out of the classroom and setting yourself up for a masters in technology education would lead directly into a technology coordinator position in the future. With Maths/Science your looking at general administration or HOD, and a number of ISs will be reluctant to promote a good maths IT out of the classroom.
Change your work study to admissions or enrollment management if you can. Theres a very niche aspect of IE that doesnt really have a direct training pathway, its University Counselor. The vast majority of school counseling programs focus on Mental health (MH) and maybe a course or a few weeks on University counseling. Getting into your university admissions or enrollment management program will give you that experience that you can leverage into a position even without a school counseling degree or credential. Later when you are considering a masters program you can do an M.Ed at an Ivy or similar and then you can write your own ticket, there are many ISs that will hire you as a University counselor or leadership if you have a degree from an Ivy and a school counselor credential even if all you did in the program was Rorschach and Myers Briggs.
The air is bad in the big cities of China, but there are a lot of places in the rural areas that the air if fine, and those are the ones that are most likely to be interested in your resume anyway.
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stormageddon
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2016 5:36 pm
Re: US college student thinking of teaching abroad
@Thames Pirate -
Oh, okay! Yes, I'll be certified to teach any math class that high schoolers can take (including calculus, statistics, etc...). At this point, I'm leaning away from more schooling, mostly because I'm paying for school by myself. While it wouldn't help me get my first job, I'd consider learning another subject area (science, computer science, etc...) once I start making more money. I did look for an IB school, but I didn't find any in my area, although there are a few in my state. Thank you for being so encouraging!
Oh, okay! Yes, I'll be certified to teach any math class that high schoolers can take (including calculus, statistics, etc...). At this point, I'm leaning away from more schooling, mostly because I'm paying for school by myself. While it wouldn't help me get my first job, I'd consider learning another subject area (science, computer science, etc...) once I start making more money. I did look for an IB school, but I didn't find any in my area, although there are a few in my state. Thank you for being so encouraging!