What should I do in 2021?

[PurpleHaze]

I was teaching at a T3 IS in China until COVID struck and since have not been able to fly back from the US. In the summer, my school terminated my contract despite having a year left on it. I'm primarily a high school and middle school teacher.

I've tried to make the most of this situation and will have finished the TeacherReady Florida licensing program by the first week of December. I know that I won't be able to score a T1 or T2 IS position yet but a license is better than nothing, right? I'm also a bit nervous because it may take up to 90 days to actually receive the certification. I have solid teaching experience in English, math, and business. I also got an endorsement for social sciences just in case.

My end goal is to still return to China sometime in 2021. Here are the options I'm looking at:

1.) Bite the bullet and find a T3 IS in China for the 2021 school year that is trying to replace someone for this upcoming semester. Pay all the fees, the flight tickets, quarantine----just get back ASAP.

2.) Focus on securing a slightly better position for Fall 2021. This, however, leaves the first half of the year in question....
2a). If no IS will take me, work at a training center or public school for the first half of the year, then jump ship come summer and transition back to IS teaching (seems like a waste of a license but these are special times).
2b). Stick it out in the US and teach for a semester----not ideal, but a possibility.
2c). Teach in a different location for one semester (Korea, Vietnam, South America, etc.) then leave for China when summer arrives.

3) ????

Will the timing of receiving my license throw a wrench into the entire process? I know option 2 includes probably breaking a contract but it seems like less of a nightmare than what I've had to endure in 2020, for what it's worth. What would you recommend I do given these circumstances?

I appreciate any and all feedback, no matter how critical it may seem.

[Zebra750]

Hey PurpleHaze.

I absolutely feel your pain on this one.
My employer pulled the same thing on me mid-contract over the summer which just absolutely was blindsiding. (To me and to many of my colleagues, roughly half of us were let go and practically all the international teachers at that)

Have you signed up with any of the services like SA in order to get access to job fairs?

I know that as someone in a similar boat alongside you - I've just decided to focus on Fall 2021. It feels as though things are a bit too up in the air currently to hope that you can land a job and get all the proper paperwork done in time. (I've had friends who were struggling with visa paperwork because of changing COVID situation) I also figure that at least schools can plan out for the next year, and by then the situation should (hopefully) be better.

[Banter1584]

I would agree that option 2 would be the better option on many fronts. Having participated in several recruiting fairs the consensus is that there is preference for teachers who have no pr fewer dependents and can hit the ground running and require no additional costs for training, or in other words experience teaching IB,A Levels,MYP IGCSE,etc. As a result the better schools will unlikely look too much into your application.

I hope in your experience that you choose a school with a more reputable profile and China despite all the issues and BS is much easier to break into due to the supply of schools. However, at this moment its not the time time to travel let alone throw chunk of money into something that in the current climate blow up in your face.

In your situation I would recommend preparing your CV and gather your references for the new recruitment session for fall postions 2021. Do some part time/ volunteer work/cover work in schools and build up some experiences and save up some money to make your transition better when the oppurtunities come. There will also be positions from schools who have sudden requirements in the spring of 2021 for the fall of 2021, those tend to be more lenient in requirements as a lot of the more experienced/better teachers looking for jobs will have found jobs already.

Oppurtunities will come, stay put build up your resources and experiences so that you are a better more prepared candidate.

[PurpleHaze]

Thank you for the responses! I don't mind delaying things until Fall 2021. I am, however, really itching to leave the U.S. or at least change my environment after being cooped up for an entire year. Maybe I'll take a long vacation somewhere cheap.

I've definitely updated my CV, as well as contacted admin from my previous IS to get some solid references.

Hopefully by late January flu season and transmission will have already peaked and started to decline.

[PsyGuy]

You dont have to do just one, you can combine options. Perhaps conduct a job search for anywhere and see what options that produces, if none, you can always head to China in August/September.

Are you going to work in Florida? Thats the only place your credential is valid, some states will allow you to transfer vie mutual recognition, but a fair number wont without experience. All of them have some permit, but DSs arent going to be keen to hire you remotely or at least not being in the state. Too much can happen that you wont show up.

I doubt the timing will be an issue, youre going to have it around Spring time, potentially sooner.

Unless your willing and able to go somewhere and are willing to teach at an ES if nothing happens a Fall 21 start is a more realistic option.

[PurpleHaze]

@PsyGuy

Thanks for the response. I've no current plans to work in Florida, but I am doing my student teaching (which is 95% finished) remotely for a title 1 school in another state. I've spent a lot on certification and will probably hold off on paying more fees for mutual recognition paperwork/tests.

I found the glossary and learned that ES means english language school. Is that referring to an IS that promotes an english-only policy, a school that primarily teaches english, or something else?

There are tons of jobs out there and many schools have expressed interest, but visa restrictions are the biggest obstacle, especially in China.

I'm hedging since ultimately I have to wait for my license no matter what, and hopefully I'll have a clearer picture if travel will be possible by late December. I'm prepared to wait it out a semester, but all my stuff except the suitcase I brought with me in February are still stuck in storage in China (including electronics which apparently can't get shipped out atm) so it's been a massive headache overall.

[expatscot]

Just a suggestion on your storage - could you ship what you can, and maybe sell on the electronics? There is usually an exemption for personal use electronics, although you might be subject to duty in the country you are shipping to.

[expatscot]

And PS - hope you have named the school in an appropriate review.....

[PurpleHaze]

@expatscot

Thanks for the suggestion! I am indeed thinking about using a service to ship some essentials. I'll look more into the electronics fiasco as time goes on.

After I get my ducks in a row, you bet I'll write a review. Although I wouldn't be surprised if there are several reports on the institution already...haha

[PsyGuy]

@PurpleHaze

Unless that DS your doing your field experience in is also giving you a credential, then its worth zero, youre still only getting a Florida credential.

An ES is a business that provides mainly ESOL, cram, tutoring, or test prep instruction, it could also include EC (Early Childhood) instruction. Hagwon and Eikaiwa are other common terms.

You dont have to wait the entire time for your credential to actually issue. You can put it on your resume as "processing" and get a letter from Teach Now that youve met all requirements and are just waiting for it to process.

[PurpleHaze]

@PsyGuy

Thanks for the clarification. I took your advice and have requested a letter.

Not getting a credential from this DS, but it was the best I could find that fit the requirements for student teaching. Just ticking those boxes.

ES might be the move, indeed.

Cheers.