Now that next year's positions are starting to trickle out... there is a (tentative) opening that I'm interested in. Do I introduce myself as part of a teaching couple? Mention the spouse? Or do I not mention it until they ask?

Hi all-- hoping someone out there has some advice on the following. I'm happily employed, contracted, long-time teacher, etc. My wife has never taught but has always been interested in it. She has extensive professional experience and graduate coursework in her field, and she is perfectly willing to get certificated. My school is willing to offer her a position for next year, as long as she is "working towards" her certification (which again, is just fine with her!).

There are lots of paths towards alternative certification, but unfortunately our home state doesn't offer any applicable ones. Searching the forums here, I found out about Pathways to Teaching though Montana State University, which looks like a very compelling option. I'm wondering if anyone out there has any other suggestions of ways to pursue a certificate while teaching.

Thanks!

Hi-I'm teaching for the first time abroad after a few years in the US. I love my job--good admin, good peers, great classes. I like the city and the country-- I've been out seeing the sights, found great dive bars and food, have found my way navigating the new home. In short, it's been a successful first semester.

Now I'm back in the old hometown for Christmas, and I'm realizing how incredibly homesick I've been. I realized it the last few weeks, but had an extremely strong sense getting on the plane back to the US of how much I wanted to be "home"-- i.e. my old "home," not the new place I'm living. Now I'm here for the next two weeks and am not looking forward to getting back on the plane.

Reading everyone's discussions here, this would be a different discussion if I were subject to some of the abuse that it seems is out there-- but I live in a nice place, I've got a good job with good people. My wife and I took this job because we wanted to live in a different environment and explore-- I think that we've just learned that where we left was where we wanted to be all along.

Perspective: We're one semester into a two-year contract. How much of this is normal "learning to live abroad" learning curve? How have you all dealt with homesickness? How much credence do you put in this after 6 months? And if this is significant/meaningful, how do we manage it for the next 16?