Teacher Certification Question

[dpashouwer]

Here's my atypical background:

I have two years experience teaching high school mathematics in Hawaii through Teach for America. I don't have teaching a teaching certification and my degree is in Economics - Mathematical Emphasis instead of Mathematics.

Am I employable at an international school?

What if I got licensed in Massachusetts through their "Test for Educator Licensure", would I be employable at an international school?

[sid]

Without a certificate, few good schools would hire you, but you could probably find a position somewhere. Your options would be limited.

With an MA license, or any license, doors would open.

Long-term, you're far better served getting the license.

[PsyGuy]

No your not really employable. There are places in the world like the middle east, and some third tier schools that would hire you, but without a teaching credential you will be stuck.
A masters isnt all that impressive anymore, lots of teachers and the majority of them at tier 1 schools have a masters degree.

Does the Mass. program get you a Mass. state teaching certificate? How you get a credential is less important then having one, especially with your TFA experience.

[durianfan]

You're not employable. I'm at a third-tier school and only 3 of our teachers are not credentialed; 2 of them are getting kicked out at the end of this year; the other when the contract ends next year. You will only get hired by really desperate schools who have no other choice. So places like Kuwait, Saudi, etc.

And I would add that even after you get your credential you probably aren't very employable for another 2 years after you get some teaching experience....post-credential.

[bostonfan19831]

Hey! I live in Mass. Let me say this to you straight as an instruction. Take the test, become certified. Don't worry about the degree aspect just worry on becoming licensed. You have the experience now you just need the license. A lot of people think the PRAXIS ( educator test in other states) is easier than the MTEL. I took the MTEL, communication and literacy part and passed the reading easily... the writing took me a few times but that's due to lack of preparation due to being away from writing for a long period of time.

Lastly, any DOUBT regarding your abilities to pass the test should be addressed immediatly and should be weeded out quickly. Believe in yourself.

Take care.

[higgsboson]

I have a Ph.D. in my subject and even with that I have a hard time getting jobs for lack of certification. If I had to do it over, I'd focus on certification. But if you are teaching math and science, you'll always have a job. I usually wait until July and jobs pop up. I've managed to teach in top tier schools in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Portugal without certification but always last minute hires. I get the left overs but the upside is I get to change jobs all the time. Saudi and Kuwait are always well paid options. Still, I'd take 1 step back if I were you and get certified.

[PsyGuy]

Primary/secondary education is just a regulated field, like being a CPA, nurse, cosmetologist, etc. Being certified is your "membership" into the profession, its what makes you legal. Sure there are ways around the requirements, and their are opportunities that get around the rules (you can climb the fence at the back of the golf course to get into the country club too), but your never going to have the best chance with the better schools if you dont go through the membership process, and that means getting certified.

[dpashouwer]

I appreciate everyone's advice and suggestions.

Sounds like it'd be worthwhile for me to spend the year gaining certification which will open doors into a international teaching career.

[PsyGuy]

It not only will open up bett doors, it will open up even basic doors. Agencies like Search won't accept you as anything bu an intern if your not certified.

[purpleturtle]

Search will accept you as a teaching candidate without certification. Most schools won't be interested in you, but you can register with Search if you're teaching somewhere but not credentialed.

[PsyGuy]

Thats a toss up, if your teaching somewhere at the time and your not certified, they might. They will take you as an intern, but if your not teaching, and not certified, they won't. ISS won't take you and neither will COIS. You would really have to catch someone at Search on a good day, because other then as an intern, Search isn't going to be able to place you, not that they won't take your $200, if it's a light month for that associate. I know candidates that one associate declined and another one accepted them. If you talk to an associate and indicate that your really excited about working in the middle east, even with out a certification they might accept you.

[higgsboson]

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools in Kazakhstan, a group of schools hiring big time and doesn't require certification but does require experience. US$60,000/year a 10% tax rate, housing and travel allowance.

Jobs for the uncertified do exist.

Anybody ever work in Kazakhstan?

[PsyGuy]

There are always exception, and its possible to get a job without a certification (wrote about that in a previous post on this thread. The problem in this case though is you have to work in Kazakhstan. I have a rule against working in countries that end in "stan".