Dear all --

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply my posting. I found your advice quite helpful and encouraging -- I apologize that it's taken me so terribly long to reply in return!

Some of you asked about online certification programs. The two I know of are actually both located in Australia. I have two Australian friends who completed their certifications online (while living here in Indonesia) through Murdoch University (Graduate Diploma in Education), and I have an American friend here who is now doing her Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching online through the University of Southern Queensland.

Thanks again for your help, all of you...

I have a question about getting 'overseas hire' status at international schools, which I hope you all can help me with.

First, a quick explanation of my situation. I am an American ESL teacher, currently living in Indonesia, interested in becoming an international school teacher for the first time.

The negatives of my candidacy: I have never taught high school, nor do I have a teaching certificate (just have a CELTA).
The positives: I have an MA in economics from an excellent school (Stanford) and I have two years experience teaching at the university level (mathematics), as well as four years experience teaching ESL in Indonesia.

I am currently considering two options for my first job:
A) Take a position as a 'local hire' at an international school here in Indonesia (while working toward certification online), OR
B) Take a position in a high school back in the U.S., preferably a top private school, and work on certification there (probably also online).

My ultimate goal is to get hired as an 'overseas hire' at an international school. Here is my question for you all then -- to become an overseas hire is it necessary to have had teaching experience back in the States? Also is it necessary to get hired while standing on American soil (at a job fair for instance)? Or if I first take this 'local hire' job here, do you think it will be possible to use that experience to later get an 'overseas hire' job at a different school (possibly in a different country), without having ever taught in the U.S.?

Basically I don't want to get permanently tracked on the inferior 'local hire' status (less pay for the same work, it's nuts!). But on the other hand I'd rather not go back home and teach in the U.S. if I can avoid it. I've been very happy living abroad.

Thanks so much for any help you can offer with this!

yours,
Sean McCrossin