Thanks for putting this together and sharing it! I really like seeing the data laid out this way.

This is the UCLA program, scroll down to "Standard Track Induction": https://www.uclaextension.edu/teachers_ ... clear.aspx

(Basmad6 pointed it out to me, too :) )

@PsyGuy, thank you so much for assembling all of that information. After considering everything, I decided that getting my CA preliminary credential is the best choice. I've already requested the forms I need. Like you suggest, I'll try to use that for a Hawaii certification before they institute that new rule, and I'll have to do a little more research on DC certification and possibly go for that. I don't know anything about QTS, but I'll take your advice on that, as well! I'm still seriously considering doing the UCLA induction program; obviously I'll have to if Hawaii or DC doesn't approve my preliminary cert, but regardless it could be valuable for me, in terms of looking good on paper and helping me develop. I'd say I'm a competent teacher with potential, but I could certainly use more training and experience. No matter what, having that preliminary cert in hand and five years to figure things out will really free up a lot of my options in terms of timing, applications, etc. I really appreciate your advice and effort in helping me!

@Basmad6, thank you! I've decided to apply for the CA preliminary credential and work from there. Not needing to leave Korea for the tests, and having a 5 year window to work things out, makes it seem like the best option for me. I've been researching online for a few weeks now trying to figure out how I should go about getting certified, and it's really exciting to find this route! I really appreciate your help and offer of advice. I will definitely PM you when I think of questions or need some guidance. Thanks!

@portico, thanks for that info. Since I have a leg up in California because of my Peace Corps service, I've decided to go that route, but the iPGCE does look like a really strong program.

@Basmad6 Oh wow, there ARE online-only options! Thank you for pointing that out. Here's the info on the Peace Corps preliminary CA cert, in case you're interested or any other returned Peace Corps vols see this thread: http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl535.pdf. It looks like the required CA tests are offered at the Pearson Vue center here in Seoul, so I wouldn't have to travel to take them. I'm looking through all the $ and hoop-jumping, as you say, and it's a little bewildering, but that does seem like another strong option for me to consider. Time to make an Excel spreadsheet to compare all this!

Rawr, it's getting catty up in here! Heck, Walter, I'm from Texas and I bet I can focus my eyes on a printed page for a whole ten minutes. Sign me up!

Seriously, though, thanks PsyGuy. I am aware that you've made it plenty clear that the PCGEi is not the same as a teacher cert, so I'm not sure why anyone would say you're misleading me. I do know that Peace Corps service can get you a CA cert, and yes, I do qualify for that. I was put off because I didn't want to spend the 2 years teaching in CA that I'd need to clear the preliminary credential, but I hadn't thought about the possibility of transferring it to another state to bypass that requirement. I'll need to look into the reciprocity with Hawaii or D.C. that you suggest, and see if that seems viable. I'll also see if I can verify the idea of getting a PGCEi converted to a US cert through D.C. Not saying I doubt you, but I want to see if I can contact any of those states and confirm that one of these plans will work.

The PGCEi sounds like a useful program no matter what, just in terms of knowledge and skills. Ultimately, though, my main goal here is to have a US teaching certification, preferably with a minimum price tag, and ideally without needing to return to the States. I appreciate the discussion about different routes that might be options for me, and I'll definitely be looking into these ideas further. @bludgeoned again, I really appreciate your input, as well.

Thanks so much, PsyGuy. Looking into this, I can see that it would be logistically much more convenient than TeacherReady in many ways. You've definitely given me something to consider. If you don't mind, could you explain a little more/link to info about transferring the PCGEi to a USA teaching cert? I'm having trouble finding details about that online (my Google-fu is failing me). Do you know anyone who's successfully done that? Ultimately I would like to have a US teaching certification, since at some point I may end up living there again and wanting to continue teaching.

Again, thanks for taking the time to give me so much information!

whynot wrote:
> Agree, it's not necessarily bad being at the bottom, it means different things to
> different people at different times. I worked in a country many people would consider
> right at the bottom and had a good experience. I now live in a country many people
> want to live in and it's kinda the same feeling.

Thank you for the input!

sid wrote:
> Many schools are flush with fantastic people if not with money, and it can be great
> to work somewhere where good people are doing the best they can with what they have
> for kids.

Thank you for this, and for your comments about the usefulness of primary/English! A school with well-meaning people, that's maybe not very wealthy or well-equipped, would be great for me. I think the good thing about the bulk of my teaching experience being in the Peace Corps is that it's set my standards, bells-and-whistles-wise, very low. It's good to know that this kind of school is something I could possibly find in the world of international schools.

Psyguy, thank you for taking the time and effort to type all that out! I appreciate that you talk about the good as well as the bad, and I'll take your experiences into consideration. About the PGCEi, do you have links to any concise information or specific programs? I'm doing some googling, and it's a bit varied, but it seems fairly expensive, that many courses require you to attend the first few weeks in person, and that the practicum/observation field work is actually more limited? I've read a few things about needing to be a current, employed teacher to do it, as well. If you can point me to anything more specific that would be helpful. Thank you!

wrldtrvlr 123 wrote:
> If you are open to challenging but manageable locations like China, the Middle East
> etc, then you should find a decent school that will give you a chance to get experience,
> do some traveling and still have a nice little oversea life, even at the bottom
> of the barrel.

Thank you! That's good advice to know. Yeah, I'm not overly concerned with tiers really-- like I said, I'm not particularly concerned about going somewhere prestigious. I just wanted to make sure that when people talk about 3rd tier, they don't necessarily mean it will be an awful place to work. And it sounds like there are many options that aren't! Thank you for the encouragement, and for the personal anecdote.

dover2013 wrote:
> OP, why are you aiming so low? Why ,oh why?

Ha, I promise that if I choose to go through with this, I'll aim high with my applications, too! But before I commit $5,000 and my (and my boyfriend's) foreseeable future to trying to make this happen, I wanted to think through the worst-case scenarios. As far as no-experience post-cert. teachers go, I think I'd be a fairly marketable one. Still, I get pretty mixed opinions about the job market from this forum, so I just want to be prepared for everything.

Hi! I'm a maybe-aspiring-international-teacher whose won't-count-for-much-experience consists of two years in the Peace Corps and a current hagwon position in Korea. I really enjoy teaching and working abroad, so I'm seriously considering doing the TeacherReady program to try and make the jump into IE. Yes, I know, you've heard from a hundred people just like me-- I've read through a lot of past posts on this forum, so I know my situation isn't exactly unique!

I'd probably aim to get certified in elementary education and secondary English. I get the impression that those are possibly the least-competitive certifications, but it's really what I'd be happiest and most confident teaching. Add in the fact that I'd need a location where my boyfriend can either do cheap visa runs, or a place that would accept him as a trailing spouse (if we got married for this, I mean, which is an option), and I know that I would be looking at what I commonly see called "the bottom of the barrel." Possibly several feet underneath the barrel, in fact.

Can someone give me examples of that bottom of the barrel? I completely accept that I wouldn't be working at a prestigious school or earning a high salary. I would be comfortable working with students who are primarily locals rather than foreigners; although I have seen some references to entitled rich kids who you have to keep happy, I figure that isn't so different from the students at my hagwon. We'd be fine living somewhere with a lower standard of living, provided we can have consistent electricity/wi-fi (boyfriend needs it for his work). What I DON'T want to deal with for two years is an administration that makes teaching miserable, or serious safety concerns-- is it possible to go bottom-of-that-dang-barrel without dealing with either of those factors?

And if anyone reading this entered IE without any previous experience, would you mind telling me a little about the first school you managed to land a job at?

Thank you all for any advice or insight you can give. I've been reading through this forum to learn more about IE and try to decide if this is the right choice, and I really appreciate how active and helpful everyone here seems to be.