Working in international schools for Singapore Teachers?

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joeteach88
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2016 11:14 am

Working in international schools for Singapore Teachers?

Post by joeteach88 »

Hello all, I am a nascent mathematics teacher eager to find out how to make oneself employable in the arena of international school teaching. To start off, I am from South East Asia and studied in local schools for all my primary and secondary school years. However, I did obtain four UK A levels (Edexcel) and spent four years in the UK for my undergraduate and masters degree in two top Russell Group universities. In fact, I currently hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from a Singaporean university and have been teaching maths at A levels in the country for the past 1.5 years. If I may add,the PGDE allows me to teach the Singapore GCE O level maths too.

At this point time, what else can I do apart from accumulating teaching experience to boost my chances of getting employed in an international school? I am now teaching a more difficult variant of A level maths in Singapore so the British A level maths should be quite manageable. To add on, I am willing to learn how to teach the IBDP too and have been looking at attending IB workshops. Unfortunately, I have no idea how well regarded a Singaporean PGDE is compared to a UK PGCE or teaching qualifications from other native English-speaking countries. I had the impression that they are equivalent but do employers think so?
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Working in international schools for Singapore Teachers?

Post by sid »

For most employers, a valid credential is a valid credential, especially if you have good teaching experience to back it up.
Many employers prefer to hire people with experience in international schools. Would you be able to seek employment in an international school in Singapore, as a next step towards moving internationally? It should be easier to get hired on your home turf first, and then you can use that experience to leverage a position in another country.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Working in international schools for Singapore Teachers?

Post by shadowjack »

You hold a valid teaching certificate. You are from Singapore, home of a good education system. You studied at Russel Group Uni in the UK. You teach math.

Get recruiting - but know that you really need to do your homework to avoid some schools that are far more horrible and toxic than you can ever imagine and that lots of jobs are in the process of being filled over the next month and a half.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

I concur with @SJ, your PGDE means your registered with the SG MOE as a DT which is a professional educator credential. In addition the pop.ed of maths education is SG maths. In general outside SG, SG ISs have a poor reputation.
Aside from that your main issue and cause for disappointment will be at ASs, BSs will be much more receptive to your application. The only other main issue frustration for you is going to be your nationality and language. Many ISs define western DTs as those from the UK, US, AUS, and CAN.
IB training isnt worth very much though a lower tier IS (third tier floater) will reasonably take a chance on you and train you, A levels and DIP are very congruent.

Your next step is to implement a vacancy search. I would recommend for now that you focus on TES, and potentially CIS. Both are free, and you will have plenty of upper tier IS vacancies interested in your candidacy.
At this point its getting late for SA or ISS to attend a fair (push for the BKK fair) and you really have no reason to spend the coin.
ShouldIGo
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Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:44 pm

Re: Working in international schools for Singapore Teachers?

Post by ShouldIGo »

I currently teach MYP math in an international school in Singapore. I will be teaching IBDP SL Math or Math Studies as well from Aug 2017. Am local but did my teacher training (GradDip) in Oz and taught there for just very 2 years. I am well regarded in the school. Check out the international school on the purple line as it is expanding and looking for Math teachers. This way you can build up your credentials before you go overseas.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

The LW already has a sufficient resume to enter IE.
Vajrapani
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Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2017 11:08 pm

Re: Working in international schools for Singapore Teachers?

Post by Vajrapani »

Unlike the Singaporean teacher who started this discussion thread, I'm a 32-year old former teacher. I have a First in English from University College London, received my teaching diploma here in Singapore, and taught gcse English and Literature for 2 years in a local secondary school before my hiatus began: 3 years in public policy as a consultant to primary schools and another 3 years as a cook.
The wisdom in the forum suggests that IB certification is a waste of resources so I assume I should try to find a job at a bottom-tier international school here in Singapore to get my 2 years of IB experience under my belt before I even try to go overseas. What do you think?
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@Vajrapani

Ive yet to find anyone in IE (who doesnt work for the IB) who thinks an IB T&L certificate is worth anywhere close to what it costs or has any real value compared to the experience of an IB practitioner.

You have two years of post credential experience, youre an entry class IT, not an intern class IT. If you have to stay in SG any DS or IS would work, I dont think you need to though. You would add more marketability to leave SG and find an appointment elsewhere (even a third tier IS), showing you can handle another culture and location other than SG. Of course at your stage of a career you have been out of edu for a while (3 years at least), any IB IS or DS at this point would be of great advantage for you, and you increase the number of IB opportunities by looking further than SG.
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