The International Schools Review Forum

Long time no see, board!

My spouse and I are trying to figure out our options. Here are the stats:

Spouse:

3-year Temp License - Florida - Math 6-12
(Can and will convert to permanent license.)
B.S. Mathematics
Currently teaching Geometry (capable of teaching Calculus)

Me:

3-year Temp License - Florida - Math 5-9, Math 6-12. English 6-12, English 5-9, Health K-12, +CELTA
(Can and will convert to permanent license in Math 6-12 and English 6-12 at a minimum.)
B.S. Health, B.A. English - Creative Writing, M.S. Communications
Currently teaching 9th grade English

+two small children (3-year-old, 1-year-old)

We both just started teaching in Florida and we know the 2-year standard for international teachers.

I will not have TAUGHT math, but I am licensed to do so. My husband has the degree in math, is licensed, will have one year of experience teaching math here in the states. If we wanted to leave next year, what moves could / should we make? I'm pretty sure Search and ISS are off the table without the two years of experience - is that correct? Is TES our best bet?

We're flexible as to location. Are mid-year moves ever advisable? Which boards / sites should we be scoping out?

We're hoping the prospect of two licensed math teachers will help us jump the proverbial line at least a little. Thank you for any help you can provide!

Tier 2/3 schools in China and Middle East will be your best bet. 21-22 will be a tough year as you will be competing with experienced and laid off folks who are eagerly waiting to grab all the good or fairly decent jobs. Make sure your cover letter is customised and rock-solid. Good luck.

Finedude is correct.

Being a math teacher on paper may not be the boost you hope for.

You're looking for a school that needs two or more new math teachers, and is willing to fill both of those slots with inexperienced/unexperienced teachers. Something about that scenario doesn't sit well with me. I'm all for giving chances to those starting their careers, but a good school balances a department so that veterans support the newcomers. If I take one fairly inexperienced teacher, I'd want the other to be more experienced. Good schools also have good reasons for looking only at people who already have at least two years of experience - it's those first couple of years where the learning curve is steepest. Schools back home are better equipped to support teachers in those earliest years. International schools have mostly chosen not to provide that service. It's sink or swim, whether you approve or not.

Given the craziness that we're expecting to see in recruiting this year, your best bet may be to knuckle down where you are and get another year or two of experience. If you want to teach math, start doing it now. The longer you go without teaching it, the harder it will be to convince a school to give you that opportunity - after all, if the school you teach in now doesn't see fit to try you in math, why would a new school that doesn't even know you want to take the chance? I'm sorry if this sounds harsh. That's not my intention, it's just me reporting reality. I've seen too many teachers in positions like that, through no fault of their own. They wanted to teach x, were certified to teach x, but the only first job they could get was teaching y. Then their next school wanted them because they could teach y, and so on. So if math's your goal, start pushing now.

Good luck.

As someone in charge of hiring, I agree with everything Sid said. One inexperienced math teacher is fine, but two would be a problematic hire for exactly the reasons he described. Also, you are going to have an issue finding schools that are hiring for both MS and HS math (again, as Sid said). Those schools are either very large or very desperate, and the latter is more likely given the current situation. Also I hope you are not listing all of those certs on your resume - that reeks of desperation and I would not hire someone who claims to be an expert in all of those rather disparate subjects without EXTENSIVE proof of both content and pedagogical knowledge.

Also having two teaching working in the same department can be seen as a problem from an employer perspective

Plus your degree is in English - go for that.

Also consider that schools which MIGHT take a chance on you might not be big enough to need two math teachers replaced. Each of you find your niche and stick to it until you get overseas and see if you can make an internal switch after a year or two to where you want to be.

I wouldn't go for TES - you are not UK trained and TES is very UK-centric. They won't look at you really - what do you know about the KSs or SOWs or the NC? Resources are also different, as is assessment.

My advice, if you absolutely MUST go overseas without a bit more experience, is TIEonline. But caveat emptor! Best is to wait another year or two. I think that this recruiting season is going to be the strangest one on record, because COVID is affecting EVERYWHERE. Good luck!

The comment on the 2021/22 job season being unconventional is correct. Due to COVID - there were MANY schools who cancelled contracts in May/June for both working staff and newly employed staff. This includes some of the most reported 'best schools out there".

Anyone can register with ISS Schrole Advantage. You can likely register with SA as interns, which gets you the same jobs database as anyone else. Of course Id recommend TIE.

Forget the maths angle for yourself, your partially competing against your spouse and you have nothing other than a credential to support you can teach maths. You have a very it resume and I wouldnt give you a maths classrooms unless I had no other option, and your spouse is a better option. Youre a better option and more marketable as an English IT. Thats a strong teaching couple combination (Maths and English/Literature). You're looking for a school that needs two or more new math teachers, and is willing to fill both of those slots with inexperienced/under experienced teachers, thats not the kind of ISs youd want to be in even if an IS was willing to do it. You could be walking into a train wreck. The only other ISs that could manage that would be those very large ISs, but those are either top tier ISs or third tier local DSs.

IE isnt the place for an edu to make their bones, they arent typically resourced or organized to provide the support and mentoring an edu needs, and they tend to be unforgiving.

Mid year moves can work, but you dont have a strong background to hit the ground running in that type of situation.

I wouldnt wait another year. This year flexibility is going to be everything, and you seem like a very flexible teaching couple that can pivot on short notice and your cheap. Those ITs that got shut out arent as nimble and they are more cautious. They are less able to take a chance on another IE appointment when they have a sure thing going on even if it is DE and the recruiting and readying for 21/22 is starting and there are a lot of unknowns still.

Actually going to agree with PsyGuy here. You'd be more competitive as a math/English couple.

+1 for Psyguy's advice. I think English and Maths makes far more sense.