The International Schools Review Forum

I am curious if anyone knows whether parochial school teaching experience generally is considered valid by international schools. I am in my first year of a master's program in History at a university in California. I will obtain my Massachusetts teaching credential next summer. I would like to start teaching locally next year so that I have two years of experience by the time of my anticipated move abroad in 2022. I considered teaching in my city's public school district, but I was told that a California credential is mandatory, unless I enroll in a four-year intern teaching program. I would rather not spend that long working on a credential.

It occurred to me that local teaching experience at a parochial school might be the answer. Do recruiters look down on such experience? Has anyone here successfully used parochial experience to land a job in IE?

I appreciate any information or insights you may have.

well, to me, if you're of a religious bent and have experience with that kind of stuff, there are many religious schools abroad that base themselves on such stuff. i don't know if agencies look down on it as they only really care about placing candidate$. you would still need a valid teaching credential but, unless you are big into that kind of stuff, not sure why parochial schooling education would be a (first?) choice.

good luck.

v.

As long as you have a credential (which for some countries is mandatory), I don't think it should be a barrier having parochial school experience. You could also look at independent schools, which California has a number of depending on where you're living. There is a regional headhunting firm CalWest that's kind of does a similar thing to ISS and Search Associates does abroad. Carney Sandoe does it nationally, but they should also post a lot of jobs at California independent schools.

What may be more important is how closely the curriculum you teach links with the curriculum that is being taught at the schools you apply to (IB, AP, Common Core, etc).

If History is your teaching subject, it's not a high need position so competition is tougher than some other subjects. Experience teaching economics and psychology (maybe business) as well as history could help your marketability if you're wanting to teach high school. Some middle schools are teaching language arts these days by combining social studies with English literature. The most valuable thing would probably be IB curriculum experience, though AP subjects can also help you.

Good luck.

Eion

Parochial school experience should be fine, on two caveats. One, you work there after gaining your credential. International schools don’t typically consider any experience before you have a credential. Two, it’s a “real” school. Legal, accredited, teaching a full curriculum, etc. Not an after-school or Saturday sort of “extra” school just teaching religion.

@eion_padraig:

Thank you for those tips. I have made note of Cal West and will look into charter schools in my area as well. Getting credentialed in multiple areas is a good idea. Geography and English would be the most accessible for me. I don't have a background in economics, business or psychology, unfortunately. Is Political Science much in demand?

@sid
Yes, I plan to start teaching only when I have the Massachusetts credential. I'll be sure to work at a legitimate parochial school or charter school.

Political science isn't a position I've seen in my region in East Asia. I have one former colleague teaching an IB politics course in South America and another friend teaching the same course in South Asia, so maybe it's more useful in other regions. Geography as a subject seems more common in British schools than in US patterned schools.

English is widely taught as well, but lots of potential teachers. It may give some flexibility when a school has to split one of their teachers between two departments so it's probably better than being a single subject teacher though no as useful as the other subjects I mentioned before.

Eion

I teach AP US and Comparative Gov't...teaching politics is possible (also Model UN is great experience for getting hired). I also teach in an international Christian school in Seoul, so many things are possible.

@eion_padraig:

In that case, I'll obtain a credential for teaching English in addition to the one for History. Are you in China? I'm keen on East Asia or Latin America.

@jbiersteker:

Thanks for the tip. May I ask how you became involved with Model UN?

Involvement in Model UN came through two different means:
1. Joined an already existing club as a sponsor at two schools (pretty standard club at most international schools).
2. Started my own MUN team in Canada at a public school (for a public school of 1000 we did exceptionally well...top school at Cornell twice and 2nd at MIT/Boston U conference)

I completely see why you would prefer a parochial DS, as the environment is more similar to an IS than a public/maintained DS would be. The vast majority of ISs are essentially independent/private DSs, parochial DSs are just independent/private DSs with a non-secular ethos. There are ISs with a religious with a practicing religious ethos and even curriculum. Assuming your parochial DS is a legitimately governed institution with an appropriate curriculum and (its not some cult) than parochial DS experience absolutely counts in IE.

Since you will have the MA teaching credential you will be fine, though obtaining it sooner rather than later is preferred so that you can rep the experience you would be gaining now in this parochial DS as post credentialing experience.
You could also consider acquiring an ACSI credential int he mean time, since a parochial DS would allow you to meet the PD requirements for ACSI renewal, it would be an extra line item with some utility as your recruiting.
If the parochial DS is Catholic a review of the and TACHS which aligns with the secondary curriculum would be beneficial.

Political Science isnt huge in IE. Its an IB subject, there were about 3600 examines in May 2019, and another 23 in political theory. There are to integrated political science course in the AP. There is no IGCSE or A* political science. Even in ISs that offer Poli.Sci its an elective and not nearly enough demand to make a FTE appointment our of it, you would have to combine it with other social studies courses.

While I wouldnt advise against obtaining cross curriculum experience especially in paired subjects in lower secondary (where one IT teaches maths/science and one teaches literature/humanities), but youre better off marketability wise expanding your range of social studies/humanities offering allowing you to focus on one department.

@PsyGuy:

I appreciate your confirmation regarding the value of parochial experience. I'll look into ACSI certification after I obtain my Massachusetts credential next summer. I don't think I can manage being a full-time grad student and teaching full-time, so I plan to look for a part-time teaching gig for the next school year or to just do one year of teaching in California once I have my master's degree and credential.

As for expanding my range of social sciences/humanities, I'm looking at taking the MTEL exam for high school English in addition to History.

@aleconner

The ACSI certificate requires only a bachelors/first degree there is no EPP/ITT requirement, and no assessment requirement, it would provide you with increased marketability at parochial DSs but would also allow you to more easily claim that experience as post certification experience prior to obtaining the MA provisional credential.

There are ITs that have done full time studies with full time work, however experience being far more marketable than a Masters were there an option full time work and part time studies would be more of an advantage.