I posted here a couple years ago, but my situation has changed, so here I am again, with a new round of questions. I appreciate any and all advice I can get. Here's the current situation :

At the end of May 2011, I will have completed a Master's in Secondary Education and a teaching certification (called a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing). I have a Bachelor's in English Literature, so I will be certified to teach that k-12. If I feel the need, I can also add an Elementary certification, but I'm not yet sure that's necessary.

By the end of December 2010, my husband will have completed a Bachelor's in Math. According to NJ state law, he can apply for a Certificate of Eligibility, which in theory, allows him to accept employment as a middle/high school math teacher, while at the same time taking education courses. He already has a Certificate of Eligibility in Elementary and Middle School Math. This is, of course, not the same thing as completing educational coursework and student teaching.

Both of us worked for two years as ESL teachers at a private boarding school in China.

Is it realistic to believe that an international school might hire us if he has a Certificate of Eligibility, but without having done student teaching/education coursework? Is it realistic to believe that if, perhaps, a bottom tier school did hire us, after completing a contract there, we'd be able to move onto a better school, still with him having the CE?

Again, I appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

[quote]Is 30 undergrad credits equivalent to a major? [/quote]

In my state (NJ), in order to be certified in a subject area, you either need a Bachelor's degree in the subject OR a Bachelor's degree in a different subject, PLUS 30 credits in the subject you wish to teach. So it's not quite a major, but it's enough to get subject endorsement.

So... how will international schools view that? Would I be able to get a visa that way?

I'm worrying myself sick over this, so feedback would be greatly appreciated and very helpful.

By the time I'm finished with my grad school program, I will have a BA in Communications, 30 undergrad credits in English literature and a Master of Arts in Secondary Education with an endorsement to teach English literature k-12.

But according to many of the international school websites I've looked at, this *still* doesn't make me a good teaching candidate, because they all seem to want a BA in English literature. Is this true? Even though I have a BA, a Master's, 30 English credits and an endorsement, will I still not be able to get a job?

Please just tell it to me straight. My husband and I want very badly to go back overseas and if this is a hindrance, I need to take care of it. He has a BA in Theater and one in Math, with endorsements in both, by the way.

Well, I figure our first school certainly won't be a top tier school and that's fine. Dues have to be paid, etc, which is pretty much how it works in any career.

With that in mind, we certainly don't want to be at a school that's the lowest of the low, one that will screw us out of pay, benefits and the like. But I think it's realistic not to expect the best of the very best our first time out there.

Particularly, we'd like to return to China, as we really enjoyed living there for two years. Barring that, Thailand. But we're open to most locations, save those in the Middle East and Africa.

So... is the UNI Fair a good place for those new to international teaching?

Thank you both for your replies. I actually did pay to read the reviews on this site, quite a few months ago, but they didn't really answer my questions. Also *so many* of the reviews seem so overwhelmingly negative, it makes me a bit wary... Happy teachers generally don't post reviews at all, so you're left trying to read between the lines with the unhappy reviews.

Specialed, are you saying that the recruitment fairs are becoming unnecessary? I have heard that UNI is a good fair for those that are trying to get that first job.

I apologize if this has been asked before, but I would appreciate input from anyone who cares to give it. I also apologize if this sounds a bit.. convoluted, but I'll try my best to sort it all out.

I'm curious as to what our (my husband and I) honest chances of securing a position in an international school are. Here is our breakdown:

1. We both have two years overseas teaching experience, however, this was at a Chinese (not international) private boarding school, as ESL teachers (I taught grades 3/4 and he taught middle school).

2. We are currently back in the States. I'm earning a second degree in English Literature and a Master's in Teaching, which will also lead to a teaching license.

3. By the time I'm finished with school, my husband will have 2 years experience as a middle school math teacher. He is certified to teach math in grades K-8, though he is planning on getting the additional credits needed to teach math k-12.

I have no real desire to teach in the USA, so ideally, we would like to go overseas as soon as I'm done earning my qualifications. What are the chances of this happening?

Thank you for your time.