US/Canadian license or QTS

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propeller
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:23 am

US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by propeller »

Hi everyone, I'd like to ask for advise. What would be the best option for me to get teaching license from US or Canada or QTS, from what I've read in some topics from the past there is possibility to convert them once you have at least one of them.
I'm coming from Europe, NNES country, I hold a bachelor and master degree in science of geography from my country (300 ECTS credits), and since last summer iPGCE from UK which was online learning. My working experience is almost 2 years domestic teaching before I moved to China (this is my fifth year in China). In my first year I was teaching ESL in the kindergarten, then I moved to an international school that is using Canadian curriculum and since then I'm subject teacher at current school.
I'd appreciate suggestions what to do, I'm considering to move out from China in the future and would like to prepare myself to have more chances of being hired in other countries too.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by shadowjack »

Canada won't do it for you. The requirements can be quite tricky and vary province by province. Plus, you need a valid work permit in some jurisdictions, so you won't even get in the door.

US might be better - but it might cost you 6K through TeachNow (now Moorehead University) out of DC. Search members get $1000 off of the tuition cost.

QTS - are you in the UK to do this? I don't think QTS can be done internationally, except under special circumstances at specific schools.
unsure
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2018 12:15 pm

Re: US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by unsure »

Make sure it's US/Canadian. Anything British is an old fashioned waste of space.
Asteger
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Joined: Sat Jul 25, 2020 2:53 am

Re: US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by Asteger »

For Canada, you need eligibility to work in Canada (ie. SIN card), as Shadowjack indicated. However, in addition you will need to be registered as a teacher where you did your initial training and still be in good standing there (ie. in your home country or province, for example). There are also requirements for having completed lengthy, full-time, supervised teaching placements/practicums (eg. 10 to 20 weeks, etc.). Therefore, any online schemes tend not to be acceptable, such as the iPGCEs or Teach Now. Alberta, for instance, explicitly lists several unacceptable qualifications on their website ('... Teach America, TEACH-NOW, Teacher Ready' among them). Things vary province to province, it is true, but I remember checking several in the past and the requirements are largely similar.

Of the 3 options - English QTS, Canadian provinces, US state licences - I am pretty sure the easiest options are in the US, where Teach Now-type qualifications sometimes are accepted. This also makes general sense. While Canadian and US teachers both earn near the top of the scale among OECD countries (although still not that much), it seems teaching is still regarded as a better profession in Canada than in the US. Often it is hard for registered teachers to find work in Canada, and provincial governments can (and should) keep standards for new teachers high.
propeller
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:23 am

Re: US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by propeller »

Thank you all. When I did some research in the forum from the past topics I've seen people mentioned several times Hawaiian license and that used to be easy one to get, but they changed rules last summer.
1. Anyone has idea if it would be possible for me to apply there according to work experience and my degrees?
2. I've seen they require PRAXIS exams now, they can be taken online or it must be in the US?
3. Moreland University is the best option or I can apply in some other States without this program that would be at least one year?
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

You do NOT need employment eligibility to obtain a CAN credential in ALL provinces in CAN. BC is the most common pathway that does not have an employment requirement.
That said CAN (including BC) is unlikely to work for you. You need to complete an appropriate EPP/ITT program that includes both supervised field work and academic (traditional coursework). A PGCEi isnt going to be acceptable (even the ones that contain an appropriate length field work experience) as the ITT/EPP program must result in issuance of a regular, professional grade or better credential (such as QTS) and PGCEi programs as they are now dont do that.
Further being a NNES is going to be a barrier both in getting a credential in any manner from a western, NES region and in meeting ISs application requirements.

If your current IS is using a CAN curriculum is there not a program or pathway to get a credential through whatever province they are using for their curriculum and SLL qualification?

You could get QTS through the AO pathway, but your IS must be using the UK NC, yours uses a CAN curriculum so you would have to move to a BS to use that option.

As for the US. First, you could do a skills based pathway such as Teach Now which costs USD$6K and takes about a year. Second, you could do an assessment pathway such as the Provisional (Entry grade) credential which would require a couple online exams and an application which would cost you about USD$300 and take a couple weekends.

In direct reply to your most recent inquiries:

1) No, HI requires a credential or completion of an EPP/ITT program. You could use an entry grade credential from somewhere like MA, but they would only give you a HI entry grade credential. The MA credential is already an effective lifetime credential and the HI entry grade credential is only 3 years.

Its possible to obtain a credential from CT based on experience and education, but really unlikely given your experience at this point.

2) PRAXIS exams are available from various testing offices globally.

3) As mentioned above you could apply for an MA Provisional (entry grade) credential. This would require you to take a couple exams and complete the application requirements.
propeller
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2021 4:23 am

Re: US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by propeller »

Thank you @PsyGuy.
I asked already to help me with application for license from their province but they are not helping at all. This is why I want to get some by myself and try to move somewhere else in the near future.
I am going to check Teach Now. But I think MA would be better for me, I already checked their website but will do detailed research what exams I should take to apply for their license.
I don't have to renew this one from MA, right?

Any idea how iQTS is going to work? is that a possible option fro IT in the future? But again, all IT will need to work with British schools I guess
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@propeller

You cant renew the MA Provisional credential, its non-renewable. Its valid for 5 years, but thats 5 years of work, and "work" is specifically defined as teaching in an MA DS. If you never teach in MA you will never use any of that time and the credential wont expire.

Assuming parliament adopts it as the Dfe wishes youll be able to use iQTS to apply for QTS as an OTT, however you will be considered an ECT and have the induction requirement.
iQTS will likely be offered by the same institutions as those offering a PGCEi. Currently you can do those ina number of regions. The difference is going to be that most PGCEi programs do not have a field experience component. The ones that do dont have a specific requirement that it be completed in a IS that uses the UK NC. A PGCEi is a Uni creation, whereas iQTS is a Dfe creation. Its very likely that iQTS will require completion in an IS that uses the UK NC mush as is required now for AO. It doesnt have to be a BS bust has to use the UK NC.
Induction can be done overseas but it must be a BSO meaning it uses the UK NC and has been recently inspected as satisfactory.

It might be a stronger option than what is available now. It really depends at first what parliament does. Mainly the iQTS can apply for QTS. If it doesnt than its just going to create another subclass of ITs that are somewhere between a PGCEi and QTS. Mostly it will allow some BSs to claim a higher number of certified ITs. This is going to depend how inspectorates grade iQTS. The Dfe is stating regardless of parliament they will recognize it, but if parliament doesnt approve the iQTS too QTS transition then that recognition still means that those with iQTS cant teach in England, what exactly is that recognition going to mean then? Will inspectorates be required to count those with iQTS in the same group as those with QTS (or ECT) or will it be left to inspectorates how to weight those with iQTS. Then there are the BSs that arent BSOs who will very likely count those with iQTS along with those with QTS since the Dfe has stated that they are going to recognize it. Those BSs are going to come back with any challenges to doing that by saying "HMDfe recognizes and regulates those with iQTS as having met the requirements of the NC Teaching Standards". Then theres the scenario where parliament approves the iQTS to QTS route but the outcome of which provides the IT (and to a similar extent the IS) with a higher number of ECTs compared to those with full QTS and a lower number of those that are uncredentialed. This is going to help ISs but likewise create yet another category of ITs that ISs could take advantage of. This creates another scenario of utility, marketability and value for the IT. Is completing a program such as Teach Now with the outcome of a professional grade credential albeit one that isnt British and requires renewal and was obtained vie a skills based pathway but is a professional grade credential "better" than having an entry grade credential as an ECT. This doesnt even get into the cost, redundancy, and comparison issues issues (such as AO). Is the iQTS too QTS route resulting in an ECT just a way to evade the AO experience requirement? Is it just going to come down to AO is cheaper and less time because of the experience requirement and iQTS-QTS costs more and takes longer but no experience requirement? Whats IE going to think about it? Is it going to elevate those with full QTS higher in utility and value (since the extension of induction from 1 too 2 years is likely to decrease the number of those with full QTS) but make the pool of ECTs bigger. What about comparable US credentials such as the DC Standard (professional grade) and the MA Provisional (entry grade) credentials, is Britishness worth something? Do entry grade credentials develop more utility as they become more common? Is parliament going to resolve with finality the OTT issue (DC-Teach Now) between US and UK applicants? Is iQTS going to become another (independent) skills based pathway or is it going to be an extension of the PGCEi route?
TGGRIFF1989
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Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:26 pm

Re: US/Canadian license or QTS

Post by TGGRIFF1989 »

@psyguy

I have read through a lot of your posts and can see you are the best person to ask this.

I have 7 years of international experience teaching in international schools in Qatar and Shanghai.

I have my BA and an iPGCE.

Am I right in saying that I can apply for the MA Provisional licensure?

Thanks in advance.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@TGGRIFF1989

None of the experience matters nor does the PGCEi.

You will need to obtain an MEPID number from the MA DOE. You will need to have your Bachelors degree evaluated by an approved NACES provider to be equivalent to a 4 year US degree. You will then need to complete and pass 2 MTEL exams one for Communication Literacy, which is a English language proficiency test. The second test would be a subject and content test in the teaching field. The Communication Literacy test and some content tests are available remotely and would not require travel. This is usually the minimum but some teaching fields have additional requirements (such as primary/elementary). You would then need to apply and clear the CRB.
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