Hi Dr. Spilchuk,
Your name was referenced in the International
Schools Review, an online newsletter about teaching
abroad (I just joined organization). I am an aspiring
teacher
looking for advice and guidance at this early stage.
I thought it would be a good idea to join some organizations
for teaching abroad since that is what I’d like
to do.
I am currently a an employee of a large corporation
in the US, with the ability to retire early, I’d
like to change careers to become a teacher. I’m
considering two career paths; multiple subject teacher
for elementary
or perhaps a university teacher. I already have a
degree in a social science area, and since I am fluent
in French (through education and not a native speaker)
I would be interested in teaching English (among other
things).
If I was a University teacher, are the salaries and
academic calendars comparable to K-12 programs? I have
a lot of questions, but thought I’d start with
you to see if you might be a resource for my questions,
or if you are able to refer me elsewhere.
Thanks so much for your help and I look forward to your
response.
Best Wishes,
Ready for a Move
Dear Ready for a Move,
The first step is to take a teaching
degree so that you are accredited to teach abroad. I'd
start that right away so that by the time you are ready
to retire, you are close to completion. I'm not sure
if you can fast track the Education degree because you
already have an MA but this is worth exploring. Following
completion of your Education degree, you then need to
spend time in the public school system teaching so that
you receive certification with a local board. Many countries
look at both the degree and certification when hiring.
It may be that you can find a position teaching without
your BEd/BA in Education, simply relying on your MA.
However, recently countries like South Korea have expelled
ex-pat teachers who do not have the appropriate education
in an effort to upgrade their system. Certainly , certifying
with TESOL or TOEFL by taking their ESL teaching program
would be of assistance. You may even want to make ESL
your major as this is what foreign countries are buying.
It may be that you can find a position at a University
with your Masters degree that would not require you to
upgrade your education past a TOEFL course. Why not check
this out? If you are interested in China, you are more
likely to be looked at with these qualifications at this
level than you would be in Europe, for example.
Depending upon where you teach, your salary will be significantly
different. For example, even a University job in China
may only give you $1000 per month whereas a university
job in Singapore could net you upwards of $80,000 USD.
On the other hand, the higher the salary, the more
education and the more experience the employers will
require of a candidate.
I hope this has provided you with come information,
Ellen. Finding the right job internationally, particularly
for a new comer to teaching, depends a lot upon qualifications
and...luck.
All the best
Barbara
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