You need to email, text, or write the head of school asking them how many teachers they got into the school during the pandemic. Then, ask to be put into contact with one of those teachers so that you can verify the information. That's my suggestion and I think getting this information will help you make a more informed choice.

PsyGuy wrote:
> The rule is a Masters or any advance degree should do more than get you into a classroom.
> So looking at your list the most advantageous one is:
> 1) Educational Technology; it would allow you work as a technology director or coordinator,
> a role you arent currently qualified for.
> 2) C&I; could lead to leadership positions such as HOD, curriculum coordinator or
> AP/VP/DP of academics, etc.
> 3) English Literature; as some ISs require the masters degree match the teaching
> field to qualify for the higher salary band.
> 4) ESOL; the most marketable outside of IE but still in edu. Even in IE there are
> plenty of opportunitys to supplement your coin in ESOL and Uni appointments (the
> most desirable) typically require an MTESOL.
> 5) IB; the IB degrees arent very popular but they carry some weight at foundation
> classic IBWSs and at the regional offices, which would give you some advantages
> if you wanted to work up and through the various roles in the IBEN.
> 6) Creative Writing; this would be the prestige and status option as an MFA in creative
> writing can be considered a terminal degree (despite proliferation of DFA programs)
> allowing you to claim the title of Master, Magister, Professor or more significantly
> 'Doctor', which may get you a further increase on the salary band at an IS that
> has one.

Thanks for your advice. I do have to disagree with your assertion that a masters degree should be obtained for the sole purpose of getting out of the classroom. As you stated in your advice, some international schools do require teachers to have advanced degrees in the subjects that they are teaching.

Thanks again for your tips.

Thanks for your wisdom! :)

Hi everyone!

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Here's a snapshot of my resume:
Bachelor of Education secondary with a major in English and minor in Chinese.

I have taught for six years internationally (no IB experience at this moment, but...)

At my next international school, I will be getting my IB training and I'll be MYP and DP Language Acquisition as well as grades 9 and 10 IGCSE.

With that snapshot inside the cogs of the brain, I am wondering which masters I should obtain to make myself more marketable? As an English teacher, I know that I am worth about 5 cents a dozen.

My wife and I would like to transition to a high level international school in the next 3-5 years after we get some IB experience. I do plan to stay in the classroom as an educator for the rest of my career. I am open to being a Head of Department in the future. Here are some options I have considered:

1) Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language
2) Master of Arts in English Literature
3) Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
4) Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
5) Master of International Education International Baccalaureate (https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/cours ... alaureate/)
6) Master of Educational Technology

Which one is the better option to pursue in terms of marketability? I am interested in all the topics listed above.

Thank you very much for your wisdom. I am looking forward to reading other teachers' responses.

Thanks for the advice all


Sitka: its good to read that someone moved on from MLES and managed to land a new job somewhere else, MLES isn't a bad place, but I don't think I could go career, due to the city. Where about are you working now, SITKA, if you don't mind me asking? II have some friends at MLES that put in three or four years at the school, one of my cohorts landed a job at the Shenzhen international school. Another is off to Shanghai American school.

I think I'll stay as long as I can at MLES (maybe four years).

Thanks for your help all!

Climberman wrote:
> I am looking at the remaining math jobs on the Search database and I can't
> believe people would work at most of these schools.
>
> One school wants an IB math/physics teacher who can teach another subject -
> and they want to pay less than 38.00 USD TAXED!!
>
> I see that with 109 of these positions still open it is obvious that there
> are far too many fifth rate schools in this business.
>
> Shame on Magagna and Search for advertising them. I can't wait for the job
> fairs to finally die.
>
> Yes, Psyguy, I know you say they won't. So there now is no need for you to
> reply, ok?



I agree with the previous post: the salary is probably lower due to paid accommodation, perhaps your medical insurance is amazing, or the standard of living is just low. My school only pays me 45 thousand Canadian, which is about 3200 Cad a month in China, and I'm able to bank at least 2000 every month, because the living standard is just low.

If the school is paying you in a foreign currency, it could be that the USD is sinking right now due to oil or what not. I know the Canadian dollar has taken a hit this year.

Lots to consider.

I have almost 1 and half years experience teaching internationally. I am currently employed at an international school in China with BC accreditation.

Should I wait until I have two or three years of teaching under my belt before I start to use SEARCH Associates?

Personally, I would recommend starting at a tier 3 school. It'll make you appreciate the Elites and tier 1s once you've put in your time.

Don't expect to land a job at a tier 1 school unless you've got a connection (sorry if my response is harsh, but its the reality)!

PsyGuy wrote:
> You have some very fuzzy math. The average 200 day contract is a 10 month
> contract, adding another month or 6 weeks to it while your school calls it
> a semester or term does not equal extra years or any part of a year. Years
> matter for scale, half years matter for for recruiting and your resume, but
> summer is considered part of whatever year you are claiming experience.
> I would not include it separately on your resume assuming its with the same
> school/organization you work with, in which case if you taught a very
> different subject or a special summer program (like a literary or STEM
> camp, or coaching athletics camp or program) then its worth a bullet point.
> If the summer program was a separate entity then its worth a separate entry
> on your resume/C.V.
>
> It depends what your teaching, if your an English teacher and thats how
> your characterize your career then its better to concentrate your teaching
> subjects into what you do. If your a dual (or more) certified teacher you
> want to as close to as evenly as possible divide your experience amongst
> those subjects. You want to present the appearance of being a practitioner
> of your subjects and not just meeting the technical definition of teaching
> them or as an academic in those other subjects.
>
> It would be a great way of breaking into other teaching fields when your
> lite on experience that would prohibit you or greatly handicap you from
> obtaining experience elsewhere, this assumes you are or obtain credentials
> in the additional subjects.

Ok. I don't think I'll put it into a separate category, but teaching summer school is worth at least a bullet I feel.

I'd still have more "classroom teaching hours" than someone who started teaching the same date that I did, but I'm not sure if recruiting agents care if you're willing to give away half a holiday to help kids be successful.

I've taught STEM camps before, albeit it was not classified as certified teaching experience. Ever heard of DiscoverE? Actua?

The courses that I would be teaching would most likely be credit recovery English, or social studies.

Ultimately, I am looking for ways to get as much certified teaching experience as I can. How else can I make myself more marketable? I heard IB examiner is a good bet, but I don't have IB teaching experience.

Newbie here, almost have one year experience!

Started, and will probably end my career in China.

Frustrations? People trying to rip me off because I'm a "white male," and loaded

Pleasures? Language, food, living, price of transportation, savings potential etc

Hi helpers!

I am a first year teacher. One year of teaching experience usually means teaching from September-whenever your school year ends, correct?

I was wondering how would you count summer school experience on your resume? Not all teachers teach summer school, so could I technically add it as more "teaching experience" to my qualifications?

What I was thinking is this: summer school (at least at my school) is one semester, so couldn't I say that I have 1.5 years teaching experience after I teach summer school and get through the first school year? Am I making this too complicated? haha

One last thing: the summer program will usually ask teachers to teach something outside of their area of expertise. So for example, if I am an English teacher, there is a chance I may be teaching social studies. Does breadth rather then depth help on a resume? To clarify the former question, is it better to get two solid years teaching English, or to teach one year of English, a semester of social studies, a little history, some health 9, and maybe a dose or two of math?

My school is a two years and get out school, but the advantages of working at a terrible school is that once you stay more than one year, the principal will usually give you any class you want to teach. So yes, that means an English teacher could request a precalculus 12 course. I know its crazy, but I'm wondering if this situation can open up any doors for me (I would not, obviously, choose courses that are too far out of my expertise, because I still want to give the kids at my school a decent education)!

Thanks for the help all!

PsyGuy wrote:
> The issue becomes not is IS experience superior to nothing but is the IS
> experience at the lower tiers superior to or preferred than continuing to
> teach domestically?

Well if you can't get a job domestically, then I think IS experience becomes superior.

I think there are a few important things to consider when looking for a lower tier international schools:
1) is the school accredited?
2) does it receive regular inspection?

I have lots of friends who have moved on from my tier three Maple Leaf to better schools in China, or at least tier 2 IB schools.

In some cases, I think (and this is just an opinion), I think teaching abroad shows you are able to adapt to culture, and live in a different environment. I mean isn't the Beijing polliution a huge reason so many teachers are fleeing even great international schools (WAB, ISB)?

MizMorton wrote:
> PsyGuy wrote:
> > I dearly and sincerely apologize for offending you. It was not my intention
> > to call you a DUFF. My intent and expressed poorly and I am sorry, was in
> > relation to admins/recruiters at fairs and other recruiting activities who
> > smile at you while saying "Thanks but not this time" after
> > waiting in line for 20 minutes and not even getting 10 seconds of time, or
> > the recruiter who suggest a second day, second string interview, or the
> > ones who never get back to you about a resume or application packet, after
> > you spend an hour completing it and your references complete the reference
> > forms.
>
> I've read that a few times now, and I'm still not sure what you're saying. Look, the
> admins may be saying "thanks but not this time," and it sucks, but please
> try not to kick people when they are already down. I get it man, it's a no, I don't
> need painful and insulting a n a l o g i e s. (that word was initially removed when
> I posted it whole.)
>
> > Again, I truly am sorry for any offense and insult.
>
> Apology accepted, but I am definitely gun-shy now, and I still think you are a bully.
> Live and learn. I won't post as much.
>
> > It might be too late to sell your house, but I wouldnt consider doing so
> > the firt year ata new school, you really dont know how a school is going
> > to turn out, and youd like to have a place to come back too if it doesnt
> > work out. This is part of having an exit or in some cases escape plan.
>
> This is actually something we've been wanting to do anyway due to our local
> circumstances (1 hr commute). We have a backup plan if we have to cut & run.

I'm not sure if "guy" is a business teacher, some old grumpy man, or he's just blunt and hits you hard with a stick, but I think when you start to creep around these forums more and more, you'll actually find that what "guy" says is quite helpful.

He's a bit condescending, but he's telling you the truth: this international teaching gig is not all sunshine and rainbows. You can't get into a good school without experience, and most of what "guy" writes on these forums is quite useful, He's taught me a lot, and personally I'd love to shake his hand one day.

So yes: chin up, get up when your kicked down, accept whats happened at the recruitment fair. Look at it this way: you gained some experience interacting with recruiters, which essentially should help you grow as an interviewee, and as a professional teacher. The international teaching gig isn't all rainbows, but the clouds do part at times:

I know that several lower tier international schools, particularly in China (because that's the region I'm familiar with) would probably hire you. I would spend less time writing about your feelings, more time polishing your resume, and applying for other schools that a) may offer you lots of challenges, b) may give you a ridiculous teaching workload, c) may pay you a lot less then some schools at the recruitment fair. Experience is better then nil.

I hope this helps, and if you need some links to lower tier schools, please shoot me a pm. I'm here to help you try to land a job.

PsyGuy wrote:
> Well first, dont have a lot of kids, kids kill careers.
>
> If those are the only two options a second Bachelors or a Masters, then it
> really depends what you want to do. A Masters in Educational
> Assessment/Psychometrics isnt going to be any more marketable then any
> other masters, and less so then a Ed.Led M.Ed. Whats it bring to the table,
> whats its value, how does that degree translate to increased marketability.
> is it going to make you a better teacher, how is it going to help you
> improve students scores. If your goal was to eventually work for the IB or
> one of the IB regional offices in the assessment or QAF, then there is some
> marketability for it in the future. Otherwise its just a masters that will
> get you an increase on the salary scale, but it doesnt have much utility
> when marketing it.
> A second undergrad degree in science especially the harder sciences
> (physics and chemistry) that gives you more marketability in a higher
> demand field, and gives you more options. The utility is is self evident
> you have an academic background in science and you can teach, in a
> recruiters/admins mind at a lower tier school thats marketable, maybe not
> for DIP/A levels/IGCSE/AP right away but in a relativly short period of
> time if you can show proficiency in the content and can demonstrate your
> ability to transfer that knowledge it woudnt take you long to have exit
> level courses and hopefully impressive scores to match.
> Even better within this pathway would be finding a Masters in Science
> Education (such as the one at UBC-V), which gives you all the benefits of a
> Masters and the academic science background, an HOD at a lower tier school
> would be a possibility.
>
> All that aside there are two things that matter in IE what you can teach
> (certifications, degrees, etc) and what you have taught (experience), of
> those the rule is experience is king. If you could get 4 years or even some
> of that in a classroom successfully teaching science that is going to be
> worth far more then a degree or transcript will. The other significant
> issue is that as a rule you can explain away about one year of absence from
> the classroom, after that your marketability and teaching experience
> becomes dated, after 4 years youd basically be a noob again, none of your
> previous experience will have much marketability.

Perfect, thanks for your helpful advice.

I did the opposite: bought a house back in Canada, and I rent it out while I'm abroad. I hired a trusted friend to do the property management for me, but you can hire agents for as low as 5% comish I think.

I've also considered buying a property in China, but the prices are outrageously high at the moment. Do you have a local wife? I'm not sure where you're working, but in China its also very hard to purchase property as a foreigner. It may or may not be the same your destination.

I hope this wishy washy response helps you a little bit!