Partner interested in becoming qualified to teach

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s0830887
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 4:46 am

Partner interested in becoming qualified to teach

Post by s0830887 »

Hi gang - hope we're all feeling good about the upcoming break!

I wanted to post about our situation to see if anyone had any ideas or comments on it. I know there are already a million posts like this, all slight variations on the previous ones. I promise we have read through as many of those as we could find.


The Situation:


- Me: qualified teacher, 4 years experience, teaching in a good school in LCSA. Experience of A-Level English, Thinking Skills, Philosophy. Philosophy Co-ordinator.
- Her: no teaching qualifications. Political writer for reputable online companies. High-level writing experience, but no in-classroom curriculum experience. ESL experience spread over 3 years, some in hagwons, lots of privates. She is not currently teaching in a school.


The Plan:


My partner is interested in becoming a qualified joint Math and Chemistry teacher. We are looking at all online options. We have explored the usual options - Teacher Ready, TeachNow, PGCEi, and MTEL Provisional License.

The *perfect* plan for us (assuming perfect is impossible, but using it as a baseline here) is for her to start a degree in Jan and complete the theoretical stuff as soon as possible - a 6-9 month timeline. Try to organise a teaching practice with a school near us; see if anyone will take on a 'free gringo', so to speak. Ideally, she is then fully qualified (no QTS) for us to consider moving to a new school together (being hired as a a teaching couple). By that time, I would have 5-6 years experience, 5 of which would be international. She would have no teaching experience bar the practical part of her degree, but would be qualified in an in-demand subject (right?)


The Questions:


1) Which is the best path for her? We'd like to avoid her having to go back to the US to do the practical part of her course if possible; same for the exam. But if we HAVE to, then we have to. Which of these courses (or any others) are the best mix of time, cost, and marketability?

2) What are the chances that we can get hired together at a good school in SE Asia? My subject (Philosophy) isn't super in-demand, but I would have decent English A-Level experience behind me by that time, and maybe schools like the flexibility of subjects I could offer (then again, maybe not - what do you think?) Does our joint potential possibly overcome her having to do the usual 'new teacher working through bad schools to get experience before moving up to better schools', or is that unlikely?

3) Is it feasible to organise the teacher practicum/in-class experience with an international school here? Do ISs do that? Are they happy with it? Or will it be more what I suspect, that a school MIGHT do it if we get right place/right time kinda luck, but generally the answer is 'it's too much effort'?

4) Any other comments or thoughts generally?

We both know this isn't a perfect scenario; our situation is a wee bit awkward. But she's ready and willing to bust her ass doing what she needs to do. We're not trying to half-arse this; we're trying to proactively plan for our long-term future and we are trying to figure out the best way to do that (before people start commenting the usual judgemental stuff about how newly qualified teachers can't teach anything anyway so we're doing students a disservice etc). Our situation forces us to be flexible with our route, and to do the best we can with what we can access.

NB: I'd also be super interested in talking to someone knowledgeable over Skype. I/we/she would also be happy to pay for your time!


Thanks to all of you in advance! I appreciate you taking the time to read this thread, even if you didn't feel able to/didn't have the time to comment on it.
shadowjack
Posts: 2140
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Partner interested in becoming qualified to teach

Post by shadowjack »

s0830887

my response would be dependent on her background. She has high level writing experience, but does she have a BSc, an MSc, or an equivalent that would help her master the Math and Chemistry? If not, I am assuming she is just naturally crazy mad skilled in those areas? Has a chemistry set at home? :-)

Second, if she doesn't have a background other than A levels in those areas, or HS Chem and Math, it will be a limiting factor for many schools. And I am not sure that your teachables (English - TOK, but you don't have IB training, though there is correlation) + coordinator experience would be strong enough to carry you both into a solid tier 2 school unless it was near the end of recruiting season and the fit was there. So that means going tier 3 and working your way up, which IS doable.

As to teaching, TeachNow has no requirements to go to the US. You can do Praxis exams at the end of your training in many places. You can have a practicum at almost any school willing to sponsor you (your school could sponsor your wife - or your colleagues could, provided your admin acted as supervisors).

Hope that helps!

Shad
s0830887
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 4:46 am

Re: Partner interested in becoming qualified to teach

Post by s0830887 »

@shadowjack: Hi, thanks for replying. I'm the partner in question; I've borrowed the computer so I can talk about myself ;-).

My professional experience is a bit scattered, so bear with me. I was pre-med in college (I'm American), worked for six years during and after as a clinical assistant and scribe for an OB/GYN. I studied (and mostly aced) up through multivariate calculus and organic chemistry.

Didn't go to med school (obv), started freelance research/writing and tutoring mostly. Included in that is three years of tutoring math and science to three kids ages 8-15 with learning disabilities, a couple semesters tutoring college statistics, three years of ESL tutoring and classroom teaching, plus the light statistical modeling involved in the writing projects I do.

So, in terms of subject knowledge, no Masters degrees here but I am very comfortable up through grade 12, particularly for math. I wholly lack curriculum experience, which is arguably the most important part.

As an aside, I've been told it may be more feasible for me to get a primary job and move up to a math position as one opens up; I'm very willing to take that route.

I'm a little worried about doing Teach Now if sponsored by my partner's school. They're not exactly supportive, and would probably be less so if they knew the end goal was for us to leave the country ASAP after I get qualified. There are other options to look into for sponsorship, but barring those, how much more of a credibility issue would I have with the MA provisional license vs. the full D.C. license through Teach Now? Given my lack of classroom experience, would it even matter?

If MA, I would spend a semester studying/taking the exams then try and get hired on at a shitty fourth-rate IS in our current city (plenty of those, they hire unlicensed gringos). I'd have time to squeeze in a year of teaching while we look for jobs and get ready to leave. If Teach Now, because of the cohort model I would end up applying for jobs with only the 200 hour practicum under my belt. So, experience or credibility?

Thanks again for your reply. I feel like we're swimming in options, so your help is greatly appreciated!
shadowjack
Posts: 2140
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Partner interested in becoming qualified to teach

Post by shadowjack »

I guess then my question is whether there is a path for you to convert your MA provisional cert to a permanent cert, either through MA or transferring to another state - especially without teaching in the state itself? If the answer is no, then do the TeachNow. Do it at your husbands school and try to get your practicum in earlier rather than later - look into when you can plan it. Or plan to stick around for two years.

It sounds like you have the background in the sciences to teach the courses - but some schools down the road are going to REQUIRE certification - especially the upper tier ones, or schools in particular countries.

Waiting for PG to chime in here... ;-)

PG?
PsyGuy
Posts: 10793
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

So much to parse....

OBSERVATIONS:

1) Philosophy while more common at BSs and associated curriculum, is more a niche subject area in the aggregate of IE. Its very difficult to make an FTE schedule for an IT based exclusively on philosophy. Combine it with other social studies/humanities subjects and literature and you are marketable, especially in the scenario where you can transition Philosophy into TOK/Essay/CAS, etc. Yes an IS would value this type of combination.

2) Is there a particular reason or rational for starting a degree? What type of degree, content area or edu? I dont see how thew spouse would need a degree unless you were specifically pursuing a credential in CAN or France or some parts of NE or if it was higher compensation or to show evidence of an academic background (some ISs and regions require a specific subject related degree from an IT to employ that person in a specific classroom). It would be difficult to complete a degree in 6-9 months, not impossible but I wouldnt want to do it.

3) "Fully qualified" is a somewhat ambiguous term, though I appreciate the comparative simplicity and its value to QTS as opposed to phrases such as "licensed in home country as a teacher" and other similar requirements. If an IT doesnt have the equivalent of QTS they probably arent "fully" qualified, sufficiently qualified is probably a better term.

4) It is entirely possible to obtain a degree (especially an M.Ed) and have no field work component required at all.

ANSWERS:

1) My primary issue with responding to "what is the best path" is that you give no indication what your goal outcomes are long term at the end of the journey. This is further complicated by an absence of understanding regarding the longevity of edu as a career for the spouse. I dont know if the energy is a real drive to shape the minds of young people as a career or if this is just a side hustle for a few years to increase marketability for the couple (shifting a trailing spouse to IT and increasing income and benefits potential). Im on the fence about pathways without knowing where it ends up. Does best path mean the most marketable, the easiest, the cheapest, etc.

None of the skills based ACP pathways would require returning to the states for field experience though there is one option that would fulfill the need for a truly fast EPP/ITT program. Teach Now and teach ready specifically would allow the spouse to complete field work OS providing a suitable cooperating IS.

Teach Ready would require travel back to the US for the exams. Teach Now can be done in a number of locations OS without any special access. The PGCEi has no exams per say, though its possible a tutor may require one as part of the course studies.

2) Im going to answer this question very specifically in relation to what you asked which is being recruited and hired as a teaching couple meaning one IS contracts both of you for services as a domestic unit through one recruiting cycle as a couple. Im going to further define "good IS" as second tier. With those ODs your marketability isnt very strong. The main issue being I wouldnt put your spouse in anything close to SLL in maths and ISs at 2nd tier typically dont have to. Your marketability improves significantly as you drop in tier. The tutoring and ESOL isnt worth anything. there are a lot of very intelligent and bright people who are horrible and transferring knowledge. Change the ODs though and different scenarios have different success outcomes.

3) Its absolutely possible to obtain a field work placement in an IS through Teach now and Teach Ready. Teach ready is an easier sell because the It only needs the classroom for 5 days as opposed to 12 weeks. Yes ISs do that. Its harder though (considerably harder) to apply for a field internship during recruiting. There is a designated fair for it, but most ISs are not resourced, or staffed to provide the mentoring a DT/IT candidate requires. There can also be significant resistance from ownership in doing so. This isnt the case though in your situation its really an IS is buying you and giving your spouse a field placement as part of the package. Youre not ina high needs area but the right IS in the right place at the right time could easily see strong advantages training a maths/science IT especially if theres an indication of longevity for the IT. Of course the scenario again is subject to shifting depending on the tier of the IS and a number of other recruitment factors. There are ISs as you indicated that would be ecstatic to have a maths IT with strong academic background regardless of their credential (or absence of one) especially if the IS has compatible vacancies for both of you.

Your scenario isnt awkward it lacks focus. I generally find high energy enthusiasm as a bad sign, simply because it flares and then disappears, edu is a profession that requires a long slow energy resource. Its a stamina more than intensity issue.

::insert usual judgemental stuff::


COMMENTARY:

Id generally agree with @SJ and alleviated to earlier, that your profile is on the weak side regarding marketability into a tier 2 IS without some situational mitigating factors. Its also possible your spouse could act as your mentor as well.

CONTINUATION (Spouse):

1) None of the tutoring or ESOL is of any value in IE.

2) Curriculum experience isnt really the critical part especially for maths. Most of the curriculum maps and scope sequence date back 50+ years. Its essentially a page turner rote delivery format and for a large part of the world this is still how maths is taught. Its meds/peds that varies but of all the core subjects its the most stable.

3) A lot hasnt been discussed about your science component. Chemistry is great, but for marketability physics is better and if your doing those two adding biology 9since you were pre-med) isnt much of a reach and if your doing that you essentially have a composite science qualification though youd be stronger marketability wise if you specifically have credentials in each of those three sciences. Thats a lot more assessment work though Bluntly, if your not going to do physics at this stage in your career its better to focus on the maths than the science (but by no means suppress the science utility you have).

4) Primary would be the worst (well maybe not THE worst but in the same area as the worst, you could see the worst and maybe even yell loud enough for you to hear) option to take. the most important objective for you to accomplish above all others is obtaining maths SLL experience with strong moderation outcomes for your students get a couple years of that and EVERYTHING (notice the caps) becomes moot, especially if you can spin yourself as a 'maths whisperer'. Anything like teaching primary that takes away from that is time your not spending teaching maths.

5) Maybe dont tell your spouses IS that your exit plan is to abandon them as soon as you have a better opportunity? A lot of ITs hurt themselves significantly because they dont appreciate that evil leadership wins because good ITs insist on things like integrity, honesty, etc. and those arent attributes typically associated with evil. Evil leadership likes lots of rules because it knows good ITs will obey and follow them, and evil leadership never intended to to begin with.

6) Differing aspects of the credential differences between DC and MA assume alternating positive and negative characteristics as the perimeters change. The DC credential is stronger, would allow you to obtain QTS and can be transferred in time to eliminate the need for PD, but a lower tier IS isnt likely to know or care. The MA credential is weaker doesnt have the portability, but is effectively a lifetime credential and has a MUCH lower cost of entry and obtainment, though at higher tier levels is going to negatively impact your marketability, though this can be mitigated based on demonstrated performance (this is the "pied piper" rule, you could have a candy wrapper with teacher written on it in sharpie and be highly marketable if you can pull average students through calculus with high moderation marks, but you have to show it because no one will believe you just because you claim to). Thus, much of your future 'utility' is highly dependent on the value of future moderation performance. If you can justifiably market yourself as a 'maths whisperer' than the MA credential saves you a lot of resources and expenses, if however despite your abilities are less successful in transferring knowledge to your students than the DC credential makes for a higher value IT (value is subjective attribution, and utility objective attribution, which combined equate to marketability).

7) Dont take a semester to study for the maths assessment. You will feel stupid for wasting all that time when you are done. Most of the exam (about a quarter) is algebra. A quarter is numeracy, and then geometry and statistics in about equal proportion, followed by trig and lastly by calculus. Computational calculus items are around 4 items out of 100 items on the exam. You could get incorrect large portions of whole maths sub-fields and still pass the exam. Its not uncommon to find maths ITs who cant do calculus or trig or some other sub-field at all. In addition, youre allowed a scientific calculator and are provided formulas (so you dont have to memorize).

8) There is no 4th tier.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1) There is no requirement to choose one EPP/ITT pathway over another. You can apply for the MA credential and then using that credential obtain an appointment and then pursue the DC credential through teach Now as PD. You do not thus have to sell a recruiter or leadership on a field placement for an credentialed IT.

2) More importantly is what aspect of the sciences do you want to leverage into your marketability. As discussed Physics is the primary option (there are significant dual maths/physics vacancies each recruiting cycle).

3) Assess your outcomes. It would be a potentially poor route to take on the cost of a EPP/ITT program if this career objective is only a few years. if this is a career for you than a higher investment in your training (up to and including an academic EPP/ITT pathway)will provide superior return later on in your career.

4) The LW should consider expanding their credentials into other sub-fields of humanities and social studies, with priority to IB, especially in the core areas of TOK/ESSAY/CAS, which you have increased unique utility iin a combined position, potentially as coordinator.

COMMENTARY, SUPPLEMENTAL:

1) There isnt a pathway to standardize the MA (Entry grade) credential into a professional grade credential, not without returning and teaching in MA and it isnt acceptable for QTS, nor is it transferable out of state on its own.

2) Fully concur with @SJ, the marketability increase of a credential is just too great given the costs and resources barrier to obtainment of the MA credential. It makes you a legal professional educator, regardless of status and credibility (it allows you and the IS to check the appropriate box).
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