[quote="Helen Back"]Keep it current. It's a small amount of money. Could you imagine a bunch of doctors discussing whether or not they should bother keeping their license current or just let it lapse because no one is looking?

Seriously, this is your professional certification we are talking about, not a magazine subscription.[/quote]

I think Helen Back said it the best here. If you have pride in your profession, you would keep that license current / updated by paying the fee regardless of whether you will be teaching or returning to Ontario or not. I would never ever want to teach in Ontario....but I still pay the fees and keep it current. After all, I would never want any of my students' parents, employers and colleagues to check up on my license and find that I don't have an updated license.

I apologise : I didn't realise that you already narrowed down your choices to " Dubai ". However, take the other points of my post as advice or tips on acclimatising :)

You're asking an extremely broad question. There are over thousands of international schools in the world with different curricula and so forth. You need to do the following before delving into the international school sphere :

1. KNOW THYSELF : A lot of newbies go for the " adventure " at first, without realising or even taking the time what they really need or want or like as a person in regards to something as simple as " geographical location ". For example, can you stand 40 - 50 degree celcius weather all year around and don't mind not seeing trees and greenery for a bit? If this is your type of place, then the Middle East ( esp. Kuwait or Saudi ) would be your type of area to move in. Now, this may seem " unimportant " but it actually IS the most important thing. In order to acclimatise to a new country, your body has to be ready / healthy for it bc if it's not, then you will not be mentally prepared to take on harder situations ( i.e. CULTURAL -> For example, this alone can affect how students SEE or REACT to your classroom management. ).

To put it simply : You have to be REALISTIC with what your personality / character can take. Many newbies, in desperation for a job abroad, will say to themselves, " Yeah, I GUESS I can live in extremely hot weather without any greenery ( or vice versa ) "...without really taking into account that something as " simple " as weather can affect the psyche when it comes to acclimatising culturally and geographically. One needs to be healthy ( physically, emotionally and mentally ) to understake an international post.

2. KNOW THE COUNTRY : For obvious reasons, you have to be aware of the cultural implications.

3. ONCE YOU DELVE / THINK ABOUT 1 & 2 ABOVE : NARROW THE PLACES DOWN ACCORDING TO CERTAIN COUNTRIES.

4. RESEARCH THE COUNTRY. NARROW IT DOWN SOME MORE.

5. RESEARCH THE SCHOOLS IN THOSE SPECIFIC COUNTRIES.
For example, when I started out in the international school sphere around 6 years ago, I narrowed down my choices to Asia and Europe. I chose Asia bc the economy was booming around 6 years ago ( and still continues - with other tinier countries becoming " Asian tiger cubs " in the economic talk ). I landed a great position at one of the top-tier schools in Tokyo ( which is rare for a " newbie " ). I did very well and until recently, I got offered another position at the top international school in Tokyo. Tokyo / Japan is FABULOUS.

I can honestly say that with a few more years here in Tokyo, then I can move to Europe....bc by then, I will have enough capital ( I saved an insane amount of money in Japan ) not to worry so much about taxation.

6. BE OPEN TO THE FOLLOWING IDEAS :
a) EVERY international school ( no matter how " great " or " top tier " ) has its challenges and quirks that YOU may not be happy with. Learn to accommodate without sacrificing who you are as a person and an educator. You have to master the concept of " balance ".
b) YOU CAN SAVE HEAPS OF MONEY : Depending on how you live.
c) YOU WILL HAVE AN ADVENTUROUS LIFE
d) YOU WILL HAVE CHALLENGES IN THE COUNTRY : Not all countries are as " efficient " as North America or Europe...OR...you might even find that some countries take " efficiency " to a whole new, robotic level ( e.g. Japan, Singapore, Norway, Finland ). Be prepared to have your beliefs shattered and reinvented.

Ummmm...being a member of the OCT is necessary for you to practice. It's what keeps your license current. Most top tier international schools and govts ( who are processing your work visa ) need to know that your license is still valid. In fact, when I applied to all the top tier schools ( and am currently working in one / was hired by the top tier in Tokyo ), they checked the OCT in order to send the results to the Japanese govt to process the additional years for my work visa.

I was 26. I'm in my early 30s now. I should have entered the field in my early 20s but got Master's instead. Best decision of my life to teach internationally...all the money and adventures.

I'm VERY GLAD and thanking the stars around me that I got rejected by that school around 2 years ago. The director, Steven Cathers, was nothing more than a grumpy old, demeaning, condescending old man who hid under a veneer of false smiles. He actually said to me during my interview, " All that you are saying sounds really good....BUT... "

Well, I guess he couldn't spot a real teacher bc I got hired at one of the best, sought-after schools in Tokyo.

It seems that they are predisposed to hiring teaching couples. As a single person, I seemed to have all the qualities they were looking for....except the fact that I am a single person. So, they denied me an offer.

However, it worked out for the better bc I received a lucrative offer from Tokyo instead and I have been here ever since, teaching at what is considered by most as the best international school in Japan.

Hello,

Here are my responses to your questions. I hope that you can find them helpful.

[b]1) Will schools be turned off by the fact that my licensing courses came from an online program? [/b]

Despite 21st century literacy and progressive approaches to education via technology, there is still a bit of " elitist traditionalism " ingrained when it comes to teacher education. Online programs are usually looked down at more than actual studying experience on campus. I believe that the really good, academic schools will tend to choose candidates with on-campus degrees than online ones. There's still that mentality, " Anyone can get an online degree ".


2) I will have three years of ESL teaching experience under my belt, but no experience teaching back home in the States. Will my experience be considered relevant/sufficient by international schools?

The 3 years ESL experience is something that can get your foot as long as you have the following :
a) A full teaching license
b) The personality / charisma to win the hiring committee at the interview

When I started out, I had 4 years of ESL teaching with a program that was fully endorsed and supported by the host country's government and my government. That 4 years ESL teaching experience was looked at highly by the hiring international schools as I didn't teach at some private, makeshift ESL company that proliferate in the Asian markets. It was actually a program sanctioned by the education ministry of the country so that I can teach ESL to students at public schools.

When I got my full license ( on campus ), my personal background and ability to have good interviews landed me 6 interviews and 3 offers at my first job fair. At that time, as a teacher with no POST-LICENSE experience, I was very fortunate. I landed an international school in Tokyo and currently have been offered a position at what most consider as the best international school in Tokyo. I am only a teacher with 2 years POST-license experience. Remember that international schools ( the really good ones ) tend to hire teachers with 2 years POST license experience so although your 3 years ESL will attract them ( should your personality win out ), it will not be truly enough for them to offer you a position. So if you want to make a move into the international schools, you do have to start off at the " lower tier " schools, shine as brightly as you can and then move on, after 2 - 3 years, onto a " better, higher tier " school.

3) How important is it to have a masters degree in the international school job market? Can I get by without one, or should I definitely plan on getting one if I want to be competitive.

A Master's degree can get you far in ANY field. However, it's best to get your Bachelor of Education ( license ) first and then practice for at least 2 years. Once you get the experience, then you can pursue an M.Ed and then jump back into the market, with more marketability. If you get a B.Ed and then an M.Ed right after, most international school hiring committees will still look for that experience. So not only did you take 4 years or so to complete your education degree and spend copious amounts of money, but you will find that you will still have to compete with those with a B.Ed degree but years of working experience.

@ writer : I declined the offer. I recently got an offer at ASIJ in Tokyo just a couple of days ago. I do know a few teachers from Tokyo though who are very keen on getting the CIS positions.

Yes, that's why you can disagree without making your disagreement sound like a fact or the " truth " : Something that you have done all these years to sway people / newbies. Shame on you.

Where's United World College in this list?

@ LIEGUY : What if it's simply bc I only care to share my experiences and not the experiences of all the other staff members at my school or the many other foreign educators who actually get paid better than the staff at my school?

If I must, then here goes : Yes, 80 % of the staff at my school save an exorbitant amount of money in Japan that a few of them actually have purchased homes as they are married to Japanese people.

Thank you, lifeisnotsobad.

I just ignore Psyguy actually. It's quite funny how artful he is at concocting stories or egging people on with disagreements. It doesn't take much to figure out that he's probably an unemployed educator who sits at home all day, reads the forums, reviews, internet material and artfully constructs it together to put it on here as " fact ", thus, providing self-affirmation that he still matters in the profession....because there's a mental disorder that lies behind the obssessive compulsive need to comment fanatically at EVERYTHING.

It's sad really. One has to wonder what type of mental disorder he might actually have. It's actually fascinating. I mean, after all, the moderators have kept him on here for so long. He must be a cause of entertainment. It's like, " Hey, look what kind of fantastical crap Psyguy has come up again ( guffawing ) ".

What's seriously troubling is this though : There are many newbies who go on here who would take his advice or " knowledge ". For us "old" international educators bounding around the world, we laugh at him. But for the bright-eyed newbies...I fear the worst.

Although the peak hiring season is around January - February ( tailing off by February ), there are still plenty of opportunities to be had. I only attended one fair in my entire teaching career but I have always found the best jobs outside the fairs ( " 1st tier schools " ). It's never " too late " for hires.

Some of the reasons :

1. Runners : Those who were hired in January has had some time to think about their decision. As the time gets closer to departure, some get cold feet, no matter how great the school is.

2. Uncontrollable factors : Death, disease, marriage, life changes / plans.

3. Changes in the schools themselves : Perhaps the school has had more enrollment and needs to open up more classes. Some old teachers leave unexpectedly for better offers etc.

Being proactive in looking is key.

Do you know what's best about rejection? It provides you precious lessons that help you develop a thicker, wiser skin and also, it opens up another door in perhaps, an even better school.

Chin up...you'll get your dream school :)