I want to become an international school teacher...

[phyrro]

So I realize that I have a bit of a challenge in front of me--but not an insurmountable one. After teaching as an ESL instructor in South Korea for 5 years (going on 6 once I complete this most recent contract), I've decided that I want to move out of the hagwons and into a more elevated position.

As it stands right now, I'm a simple plebeian with a BA in English Literature, an inconsequential online 120 hour TEFL certificate, and 5 years of experience in the classroom. The first three years were basically monkey work; singing songs and the ABCs. These more recent 3 contracts have been at a much higher level. We teach literature, essay writing, and TOEFL. None of that probably matters--I just wanted to give you a little bit of background on where I stand right now. I've learned a lot through trial and error, but I know that I need pedagogical training.

I just turned 30 yesterday, and for the past year professional development has been on my mind. I thoroughly love teaching, and I want to break into the international school circuit. That said, I'm not a wealthy man, and I can't really afford the opportunity cost of leaving work and going back to university. I've read about online masters programs, but then I've seen it said that no legitimate international schools will hire people with online MAs.

Thus, I've been looking for options--trying to find a way that I can move up from my current station while continuing to work. That is when I came upon this forum and a user by the name of PsyGuy talking about the Teacher Ready program. I'm seriously considering forking up the money and completing the program. However, I wanted to ask some of you knowledgeable folks here about your experiences.

First, to those who have completed the Teacher Ready program--were you able to find work at an international school after completing the program? Was it a very difficult job hunt?

Second, I've seen some say on other forums that years of experience in your home country (USA in my case) after teaching certification is earned is a hard requirement to get into an international school. Is that true? I realize that there are different tiers of international schools. If one were to get certified and then get a foot in at a lower tier school--would that experience translate on a resume when later applying for a higher tier school? Meaning, if I got certification with 0 years teaching experience in America, then got a job offer and worked at the lower tier school for a year or two; would that allow me to move up to a higher tier school later?

Third, is an MA recommended? Is an online MA (something I would consider later--after earning teaching certification) worth it? Do international schools place any value on those online degrees?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Have a nice day!

[eion_padraig]

You need a credential to be eligible to teach in some countries and the better international schools want their teachers to be credentialed. This is not to say that there are not countries and schools that will hired those without a credential, but your options would be more limited. A Master's degree can also be helpful and may help you be more competitive for a job and gain admission, but not as essential. Often you can get a credential and then a MA with little additional work.

Teachers can get hired without the two years minimum requirement that agencies want to see (Search Associates, ISS), but if you're credentialed to teach middle/high school English you probably won't be starting at a great school. However, you can work your way up over time. You'd have much luck in countries where fewer people want to go (China, Korea, many countries in the Middle East). Once you have 2 - 3 years of teaching experience, you'll have more options. You'll want to get experience teaching IB or AP classes to make yourself more marketable.

Yes, people have gone this route. Are there going to be those who look down on your ESL experience at international schools? Yes, there are going to be those people, but you'll find a lot of folks who have gone the path you're talking about. There may be some places that are hesitant about teachers who get their credential online, but over time it's your experience teaching and networking that becomes more important.

Good luck.

[phyrro]

Thanks for this post. So it seems like I just need to stop delaying and get the ball rolling on this Teacher Ready program. I'll get to it then.

[eion_padraig]

The sooner you can get a credential, the sooner you can start to work your way up the ladder within international schools. I did ESL teaching years ago and seeing friends working in international schools convinced me it was a career I wanted in on. I did spend time back in North America getting experience so I didn't have to work my way up the ladder overseas as much. Having said that, I know people who stayed overseas while making the transition. They have in some way or another have had to put in time and/or money to make it happen.

[Thames Pirate]

I would add that while your experience as an ESL teacher might not count on the pay scale at many schools and that you should have a credential ASAP, you should, when you start applying, dismiss the two years' experience "requirement." Many schools will at least consider it, and some schools will hire you if you're good even without it. If you can teach something else at your current school (literature, for example), all the better. I know some people would say that confidence does not replace competence, but I am not claiming that. I am pointing out that in 5-6 years, even without a credential, you are likely to have gained some competence and should be confident in that ability.

Good luck!

[tictacziptie]

@Phyrro,

I'm sort of in the same boat: I turned 30 this year and I'm looking to transition into full-time secondary school teaching (in my case, coming from the world of higher education). I'm also living abroad and not able to blow a lot of cash on this transition.

You might want to consider getting the 5-year Massachusetts preliminary certification. That's what I did and it's worked out so far.

The MA prelim route might be good for you because (a) it's cheap; (b) you can complete all of the requirements from abroad; (c) the process is pretty quick (took me about two months from start to finish); and (d) it can get you a teaching job right away (or at least it did for me). Then you have 5 years to figure out the best way to get more permanent status and, if you choose Teach Now or Teacher Ready or whatever, you can do the practicum in the school you're working at.

The license requires only a BA and, in my case, two tests. I was able to take these tests at my local Pearson centre in Hong Kong and pass with zero studying. The tests were about $120 each and the license application was another $125, for a total of around $365.

Might be worth looking into!

[helloiswill]

I took the same route both of you are hoping to take. I taught in Taiwan for 2 years... got into an alternative teacher program a la Teach For America (The New Teacher Project). I am now completing my MA online through Johns Hopkins and finishing up my second year teaching at a domestic school. Over the winter, secured a teaching position at an upper tier school in China. No one batted an eye-lash at my degree being completed online and my 2 years as an ET in Taiwan proved I could hack it in Asia. If you can give up two to three years to head back to the states do it. There are lots of great alternative certification programs/lateral entry options in many states. However, if you can't bring yourself to leave the life abroad (I don't blame you) there are options available to get your certification which have already been mentioned. Once you have the cert just find third tier school that is desperate. Either way, you will have to slum it for a year or two until better options open up -- it's up to you whether the slumming will be in the States, with lots of support but decidedly less exotic surroundings -- or abroad, with all the risks of ending up in a really undesirable situation.

Good Luck!

[helloiswill]

Also -- I'd echo what others are saying. Add as many certs as you can. I teach ESL in the states but I will be teaching ELA next year. This opportunity opened up because I added the ELA cert along with Social Studies and Special Ed.

[b12r]

What about joining SEARCH as an intern since you don't have the 2 years of experience?

[PsyGuy]

@phyrro

Yopure right it doesnt really matter. ESOL work as an ET doesnt count, most recruiters will avoid it like poison. Yopu may need meds/peds but most ITT/EPP programs dont teach you very much either.

ISs dont really care very much about online Masters programs, its more the Uni they come from more than the service delivery method. The problem is a lot of sub-par Masters Uni programs are online/distance programs only, so they have a generally higher negative reputation.There are a lot of ITs who are employed and working at ISs who completed online/distance degrees.

In response to your inquiries:

1) There are a number of employed ITs with credentials earned through Teach Ready, the program results in a state of Florida professional credential. The Teach Now pathway earns the same credential as a candidate who completes a traditional academic or Uni preparation EPP/ITT program.

2) It depends how you define difficult. The greatest issue is when an Et moves into being an IT, completes an EPP/ITT program and than has expectations that tier 1 ISs are going to aggressively recruit them. It generally doesnt work out that way. Usually what you see is small incremental step, as you move from an ES to a third tier IS. Its a lot of investment, getting the credential, then 2 years post certification experience, all so that you end up working harder and longer for a minor increase in comp.
Its very realistic that your new IT resume will have a lot of white space, and prior experience that doesnt count for anything.

3) In general the bar to entry in IE is 2 years post certification experience. Its not a written in stone rule, there are those that enter IE immediately either into lower tier ISs, or were already part of an IS and contine in their appointments. In general the premium agencies (SA/ISS) dont accept candidates without the 2 years post certification experience, but there are ways around that.
The bigger issue is that ISs are not the place to make your bones at an IT. ISs arent resourced or generally able to provide the mentorship, for a new DT/IT to be successful. So much about successful teaching is realizing what you learned in your ITT/EPP program doesnt work as written. One of those first two years is just getting lessons developed, and the other year is learning how to manage a classroom and students.

You have a problem in that your teaching field (literature) is highly saturated in DE, you could get certified and then end up waiting years if ever getting a DE appointment to get that experience.

4) Generally as long as your not teaching something that isnt ESOL, and your at an IS thats accredited by someone the experience counts for step and marketability.
Typically an IT can move up one tier or laterally to a less hardship region each contract cycle (typically 2 years). So if you started in a third tier IS in China, you could move up to a 2nd tier IS in China or somewhere less a hardship.

5) I wouldnt recommend a Masters at this point. There are three things that make up an ITs resume: 1) What they can teach (certification, degrees, etc..). 2) What they have taught (experience). 3) Special Skills. Of those three Experience is supreme. Getting a masters means your spending X years not getting experience. Your also getting more expensive without any really visible value. There are lots of very smart and intelligent people who cant teach themselves out of a box. Success in IE is about demonstrating you can transfer knowledge, and a masters absent any experience doesnt demonstrate you can successfully teach.

6) Sure an online Masters is worth it. Generally all masters are the same unless you get a degree from an Ivy such as Harvard or OxBridge, those are the only ones that really matter. If an IS wants you and you have a Masters youre almost guaranteed to get band credit for it on the salary scale, as long as the degree and Uni is properly accredited.

I wouldnt start with Teach Ready. Id look at one of the assessment routes, such as the Utah APT credential or the Massachusetts preliminary credential. Essentially there is no EPP/ITT program you take an exam (such as PRAXIS) an application and CRB and then you get an entry level credential. You can then see how marketable you are with a much lower investment in resources.

I disagree with @eion_padraig , in that going back to the US, as I discussed earlier, may very well be a non-starter. One youll be limited to a job search in the state your certified in, and literature is pretty saturated, you could be waiting years and unless you know someone who can hire you, you may very well be accomplishing nothing returning to the US.

Further disagree with @Thames Pirate, sure there are ISs that will appoint without the post 2 years experience, but those ISs are the types that result in train wrecks. There are a number of other issues: As discussed earlier ISs generally arent resourced to mentor a new IT. The expectation is you know what youre doing, and dont need guidance. In addition those lower tier ISs arent going to be a fountain of good stewardship. Any mentoring you do make for yourself is going to be ITs who arent much different than you. Finally, starting in IE is less forgiving, if youre in a DS as a new DT your going to have a certain degree of forgiveness and understanding for mistakes.
The problem with @Thames Pirate is that without experience you cant show youre good at anything. You have zero experience.

@Thames Pirate is always claiming confidence equals competence. Its essentially their mantra. That said, teaching in IE is far differnt than doing the money dance in a Hagwon or Eikaiwa.

The MA preliminary credential does not expire in 5 years. It expires after 5 years of employment in MA, as long as you dont teach in MA, it wont expire. Though MA is expected to change some of their credentials in the next few years.

The advantage of the UT route, is that you have only one exam to complete and the PRAXIS is more readily accepted.

No one would blink at @helloiswill online Masters because as discussed earlier its from John Hopkins, its not Capella, etc.
Again, while the forum consensus is that 2 years in DE is the recommended pathway (and I agree), you have to have a DS thats willing to hire you. Without one, your just wasting time and again literature is pretty saturated.

I would also strongly advise against @helloiswill and add as many endorsements as possible. Its beneficial to add complimenting endorsements, but at a very early point having to many endorsements starts to convey the message you really arent an expert in anything and are too much a generalist.If youre a literature IT adding drama/theater and social studies would be marketable.

You can join SA as an intern and get the same access to the jobs database as full candidates, the only limitation is that the intern fair is the BOS fair, and thats the only fair your likely to get an invite for.

[helloiswill]

"I would also strongly advise against @helloiswill and add as many endorsements as possible. Its beneficial to add complimenting endorsements, but at a very early point having to many endorsements starts to convey the message you really arent an expert in anything and are too much a generalist.If you're a literature IT adding drama/theater and social studies would be marketable."

This made me laugh... I added those endorsements because of advice given to me on this forum by you @psyguy. That was also while I was in my first year teaching. Not that dissimilar a situation to the OP.

[PsyGuy]

@helloiswill

Adding complimenting endorsements or endorsements that are organic extensions to your core capabilities is fine and I highly support it. What I dont advise is getting carried away to the point you have double digit endorsements and it starts looking like your such a generalist who really isnt a master of anything.

Take a secondary literature IT, adding:
Reading
Theater/Drama
Social Studies (for those lower secondary combined vacancies)
ESOL (because literature and language are on a continuum)
Journalism (if separate from literature and the IS has a paper/magazine)
Speech (if separate from literature, and your interested in MUN)
Music (if you can play piano and will help with that drama)
Primary (because theater/drama/music is often a specialist/departmentalized vacancy in primary)
SPED/SEN/LS (Because theres always some degree of that)

I would advise staying away from:
ICT
Science
Maths
STEM
DT
PSPE/PHE
Business/Economics
Social Science/Humanities
Home Economics

See where Im going, it starts to look more and more chaotic, and then you end up with 20+ endorsements and your having to spend 10+ minutes convincing a highly skeptical recruiter that your "qualified" to actually teach all those things, because they really just dont believe it. I usually advise IT candidates who have done that to have multiple resumes that target specific 'clusters' of subject focus.

[seansmith]

My buddy was teaching ESL at hogwans and then at a university in South Korea for 18 years. He was able to transition out of ESL by taking The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Teacher Education program while he continued teaching. They offer a mix of Distance Ed and face-to-face classes in places like Bangkok and Majorrca.

His new position will be at a bilingual school in Shanghai. He'll be teaching English Lit and History - granted to ESL level students. But it's a start. He did this in his late 40's AND he has two kids AND a non-working spouse. So as a single 30 year old, you should be optimistic.

You mentioned that you've been in Korea for almost 6 years and that you can't afford "the opportunity cost" of leaving work. If you could reconsider, another option is to quit your hogwan gig, go to a brick and mortar university, and do a Teacher Education Program in one year. Studying part-time for 3 years while still toiling at the hogwan can be a real slog. Friends and acquaintances have found the experience dire. Whereas, with the one-year program, you could be working as an IT 2 years earlier. This is the route I took and it worked out. Still, it is pricier and incurs the risk of unemployment post-program, at least in the short-term. I would think the vast majority of ESLers would take the part-time distance option, but this is another route worth pondering.

[PsyGuy]

@seansmith

There isnt anything wrong with TCNJ, but compared to other options its time intensive, longer, and more costly than other available options. You can get a credential in about 2 days now, and even comparable options to TCNJ such as Teach Now and Teach Ready take less time, less effort and resources, and cost less.

[wrldtrvlr123]

PsyGuy wrote:
> See where Im going, it starts to look more and more chaotic, and then you
> end up with 20+ endorsements and your having to spend 10+ minutes
> convincing a highly skeptical recruiter that your "qualified" to
> actually teach all those things, because they really just dont believe it.
> I usually advise IT candidates who have done that to have multiple resumes
> that target specific 'clusters' of subject focus.
=======================
Ummm. Don't you have like close to 30 certifications? How do you rock those and use them to your advantage?