Okay I feel like this post was originally about getting a Master's before being a licensed teacher and then went into something about identity theft. I don't want to post another topic about the same subject.

@aloha_ackbar I just wanted to ask you, if I went ahead and got this online MA Elementary Education, could I get hired somewhere - for example South America? Because you said that your co-workers have degrees in the subjects they teach. Well an MA Elementary Education would be in the subject that I would like to teach - Elementary Education. I'm thinking about applying for this program very soon, though it doesn't include licensure. If I get accepted I will probably do it.

I'm not sure why doing the Master's first, directly followed by Teacher Ready when I can afford it, is going to mess me up forever. It seems like though it's unconventional it might work. I know most schools wouldn't hire me but maybe I could find a job, which would allow me to save up and do Teacher Ready. If there are reasons why it definitely wouldn't work, and I'm going to be unemployed for sure, please let me know.

I would like to do both the online MA in Elementary Education and Teacher Ready within 2 years. I'm wondering what the difference is between a 2-year Master's with certification and a 1-year Master's without plus a 9-month teacher certification program. It's true that the Master's degree and the certification would be from 2 different states.

Is it possible to move up after a few years at lower tier schools, and to teach at better schools? I saw an ad the other day for a school in Mexico, it says it's an IB World School, and it was offering teachers $600/month. Is this what the salary is like at lower tier schools? If so, that's scary, when I'm thinking about going at least another $20k into debt.

Thank you all for the suggestions, I really appreciate it.

@peachestotulips Thanks, I have seen that program at George Mason University and I've been thinking about it recently. It's only 36 credits max and I read they have a discount on tuition for the international education program. It would be somewhat affordable if I could get accepted, but I'm really not looking to move back to America. Part of it can be done online. I would need to apply very soon but I'm on the fence about it.

@aloha_ackbar Thanks for explaining what you said before. I would really love to teach in South America. My undergraduate degree is in French, but I don't feel confident to teach French. That's why I wanted to get an MA Elementary Education; I've heard there are a lot of openings for elementary teachers at international schools. I wouldn't mind starting at a lower tier school, if I made enough money to save for Teacher Ready. I'm sure my credit isn't good enough to get a private loan for Teacher Ready.

@s0830887 I know there is a high turnover in teaching but, I'm pretty sure this is what I want to do. I did teach full time at a school in Korea for 3 years, though I had a co-teacher. Plus at this point with only ESL experience and an online TESOL certificate, I don't see myself getting hired to teach full time in a K-12 setting anywhere.

@PsyGuy Thank you for the information on the PGCEi and how it could be transferred to a DC teaching license. I think I would rather pursue an American teaching license from the beginning. As for getting a PGCE (and maybe the PGCEi as well, I'm not sure), it's very expensive with international student fees. I don't really want to stay in Bangkok but there are a couple of universities that would allow me to do an education degree here, if I were planning on staying.

@sid I guess if all else fails I'll have to return to the US. Of course you're right, it would look a lot better to have the certification first, and as part of a Master's program. I would just like to be finished sooner rather than later and Teacher Ready seems like a convenient way to do it from overseas. I just need a better job first, to save for Teacher Ready, and I thought working on a Master's would help me with that step.

Actually I'm so broke at the moment, applying for several graduate programs would be a stretch. All the applications require $50, $60, $75. Some require the GRE or PRAXIS. And if I'm going to ask my professors for letters, I would want to apply to several schools. One thing I like about Teacher Ready, and the MA Elementary Education degree I've found, is that no letters or test results are required for admission. So I can do this on my own, and with Teacher Ready I would take the Florida teaching exams after I study and finish the program.

I just saw that on another post here, aloha_ackbar wrote, "Many upper tier schools will prefer/require you to have a western certificate, while an M.Ed alone (without a credential) can be acceptable at many lower tier schools." Is this true? That would be encouraging if so, and I would just apply to the MA Elementary Education, and try to do Teacher Ready as soon as it's possible.

I've posted before about how I want to do the Teacher Ready program to become a licensed US teacher while living abroad. Right now it's impossible for me to save up for Teacher Ready. But I could use loans for a Master's degree in elementary education. I found an online MA Elementary Education at a reputable school. It does not include licensure and seems to be targeted at teachers who are already working and would like a pay raise or to count it toward their licensure renewal requirements. But there are classes on classroom management and foundations of elementary education, so it isn't that advanced. I e-mailed the advisor and she said quite a few people without licensure do the program, for different reasons.

How bad of an idea is it to apply to this MA Elementary Education and if accepted, do it before doing Teacher Ready? I would really appreciate career advice. I want to become an international school teacher. If I can get accepted to this MA program, my hope is that during or after the program (it's only one year) I'll get a better job and then I can do Teacher Ready.

I live in Bangkok right now as an ESL teacher (I would like to get certified and become an international school teacher). I'm making like 40k a month, and I live in a really small apartment. Basically I am a homebody in Bangkok, and it's not fun. When you think about Thailand you think about the beaches, the massages, the good food. But if you don't have enough money here you won't be happy. You'd be making a lot more than I'm making, but you also have 2 kids. I want to wear clothing that fits and Gap jeans cost about the same here as they do in the US. I can't afford $60 for jeans. A gym membership is also $60/month. So, I've learned the hard way that unless you can get a really high paying job, Thailand is for vacation. But if your spouse was working it could be doable. The housing allowance is enough to get a decent apartment. But I would not want to try to support 2 kids on 75k baht in Bangkok, and it wouldn't be possible to support your spouse too and have any kind of life, in my opinion. People do make it in Bangkok on much less, but I don't think their quality of life is great. I know mine isn't.

PsyGuy - If I were fluent in French, you're right, it wouldn't be unrealistic. But despite my undergrad degree I'm far from fluent. I wouldn't feel confident enough to teach other subjects using French any time soon. Teaching French and Spanish as foreign languages is definitely a long-term goal for me, though. Thanks for making me realize that.

I'm hoping to secure a better paying job now to save up for Teacher Ready. Thanks everyone for your advice. :)

Walter - I agree that the idea of working in a lycée is unrealistic. I don't think I could teach other subjects in French but I could definitely teach basic, high school or elementary level French as a foreign language. I wouldn't expect to be hired in Western Europe to teach French or Spanish. And anyway it wouldn't be right away; as I said I need time to work on it. I just meant eventually. :) I know the French are proud of their language; I spent a semester in Dijon. Thanks for the input. :)

PsyGuy - Thanks for the advice about the Florida tests being less challenging than the ACTFL. I will try to pass the French exam. After thinking about it, I would much rather teach ESL, French and Spanish to elementary students than be a homeroom teacher. But it will take me time to improve my French & Spanish, even though I was a French major and almost got a Spanish minor.

Tyshine - Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm glad to hear that you were able to find a good job after Teacher Ready. I should probably wait to do a Master's but I might do that first. Though I know it would be useless without certification.

Thanks wrldtrvlr123. It's really encouraging to hear that you were able to make a career in international teaching with these qualifications. Yes, I'm single with no dependents. I hope to do Teacher Ready in the next year or two and I would have no problem teaching in China to start. :) Hopefully it will work out.

Thanks so much for your advice, PsyGuy.

I know my ESL experience won't count at all, and that I need to do Teacher Ready at an international school. I was planning on working evenings at a private ESL academy somewhere while doing the TR program hours at an international school during the day.

I don't feel that my spoken French is good enough to be certified in French. So I was hoping to do Elementary generalist and also take the exam for ESL certification. I didn't realize Elementary was saturated as I see a lot of ads for primary teachers. :( I was hoping to go directly into IE after Teacher Ready, and would be willing to start out in a less desirable country. It's good to hear that an online Master's will be accepted, at least.

I've been sort of lurking and I would appreciate any advice you could give me for becoming an international teacher. I'd like to complete the Teacher Ready program from abroad. I have 3 years' experience in ESL teaching in Korea and now almost 1 year of ESL teaching in Thailand, but I'm not a certified teacher (my major was French).

At first I was thinking about just getting ESL certification through Teacher Ready but now I'm considering doing Elementary generalist. I hope to go to China and save up for the program. Do you think that schools would frown upon Teacher Ready? I don't want to take out more student loans for a graduate program right now. I have read some people say on this forum that they got hired after Teacher Ready. I'm hoping that it's not looked down upon because it's online.

I was also considering, in the future, an online Master's in Education. But I have the same question regarding that - if it's respected and worth the investment or not.