I have read through almost all of the threads regarding agencies. Obviously SEARCH, ISS and UNI are the most popular. Can anyone (please) point me in the right direction?
I am looking for the '13-'14 school year. I do not have any international teaching experience. However, I did an overseas internship during college where I worked in classrooms. I'm not quite sure if that "counts" in the grand scheme of things...just thought I'd throw that out there.
*13 years years teaching elementary school (6yrs in 2nd, 5yrs in 1st, 2yrs in 3rd)
*8 years teaching in the only elementary demonstration school in my city. A demo school is a "model school" where various teachers, principals, and administrators come into our classrooms and observe us teach "best practices" on a pretty regular basis
*Currently co-teach with a special ed. teacher using an inclusion model
*BA in El. Ed.
*Masters Equivalency in El. Ed
So that's my deal in a nutshell :)
I would love to teach in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Columbia, anywhere in Western or Southern Europe, and I'm open to China. I'm not interested in the ME except for Israel, nor am I interested in Africa.
Which agency is my best fit? Any responses are greatly appreciated!
Best,
Cee
**Question Regarding Various Placement Agencies**
Response
What do you mean by "Masters Equivalency in El. Ed "? You either have a masters or you dont? How big is your family that would be coming with you?
Your internship doesn't count, it was pre certification, and was pre degree at that.
UNI isnt an "agency" they are just a single annual job fair, organized by the University of Northern Iowa. Its a great opportunity for newbies, but they dont provide any other recruiting services.
Your really very marketable, the only thing that would make you "perfect" would be IB PYP experience. A few issues are that in elementary/primary either your competing with people who are just as qualified and experienced as you who want to go to europe, or primary school positions are saved for teaching couples. The lack of PYP experience will also be an issue. PYP is an entirely different classroom. Schools will train a MYP/DIP candidates who is otherwise competitive, but training a PYP teacher is pretty much a year long process. Assuming you dont have a bunch of kids and a trailing spouse getting a position in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Columbia would be easy for you. Western europe likes to see some international school experience, and IB experience, but it doesnt hurt to try.
Based on your region demographics I'd go with Search, they have the largest database, and you get a free fair, and you will need to attend one, thats just how it is with primary. I'd suggest though that you may not need an agency at all.
Your internship doesn't count, it was pre certification, and was pre degree at that.
UNI isnt an "agency" they are just a single annual job fair, organized by the University of Northern Iowa. Its a great opportunity for newbies, but they dont provide any other recruiting services.
Your really very marketable, the only thing that would make you "perfect" would be IB PYP experience. A few issues are that in elementary/primary either your competing with people who are just as qualified and experienced as you who want to go to europe, or primary school positions are saved for teaching couples. The lack of PYP experience will also be an issue. PYP is an entirely different classroom. Schools will train a MYP/DIP candidates who is otherwise competitive, but training a PYP teacher is pretty much a year long process. Assuming you dont have a bunch of kids and a trailing spouse getting a position in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Columbia would be easy for you. Western europe likes to see some international school experience, and IB experience, but it doesnt hurt to try.
Based on your region demographics I'd go with Search, they have the largest database, and you get a free fair, and you will need to attend one, thats just how it is with primary. I'd suggest though that you may not need an agency at all.
Thanks for your response!
In my state, you can take 36 graduate credits in your area of certification and receive your Masters Equivalency. So, there's the deal with that.
I don't have a spouse, nor do I have any children.
I already joined TIE last year, but didn't pay the extra $29 for their "Instant Job Notification" but moving forward, I think I will. I also applied to a lot of schools directly, but started doing so in February and stopped in April. I was pretty overwhelmed with the whole process, and told myself I would go about it much earlier and differently this time around!
So moving forward, I think I'll join SEARCH. One more question though (actually two). Should I convert my resume to a CV? Should I exclude my experience overseas? I thought that it would show possible employers that I have traveled, and lived outside the US. I know schools are worried that "newbies" can't hack it due to culture shock, and I thought including the abovementioned would perhaps increase my chances.
In my state, you can take 36 graduate credits in your area of certification and receive your Masters Equivalency. So, there's the deal with that.
I don't have a spouse, nor do I have any children.
I already joined TIE last year, but didn't pay the extra $29 for their "Instant Job Notification" but moving forward, I think I will. I also applied to a lot of schools directly, but started doing so in February and stopped in April. I was pretty overwhelmed with the whole process, and told myself I would go about it much earlier and differently this time around!
So moving forward, I think I'll join SEARCH. One more question though (actually two). Should I convert my resume to a CV? Should I exclude my experience overseas? I thought that it would show possible employers that I have traveled, and lived outside the US. I know schools are worried that "newbies" can't hack it due to culture shock, and I thought including the abovementioned would perhaps increase my chances.
Reply
I understand what your saying, but in the IS world you have a Bachelors +30 hours. You dont have a Masters, and trying to market as one is going to be a red flag to schools. Dont do it.
Dont do a C.V. recruiters are really only interested in a few things, which fall into two groups: 1) What HAVE you taught, and 2) What CAN you teach. So what matters are degrees (and your majors), certification, experience, and to a lessor extent 'skills'. Honestly your international experience is so old its not relevant, and 'traveling' abroad isnt the same as working abroad. Its something to mention in an interview, but will be 'begging' on your resume.
Honestly, I think you quit to early, you may well have got something if you stuck with it. Search is a good choice, start planing now which fair to go to. Try to get into Bangkok, if you can. Aside from a lack of IB experience your really a VERY strong candidate, about the only other thing is if you can marry a science or math teacher in the next year that would be great.
Dont do a C.V. recruiters are really only interested in a few things, which fall into two groups: 1) What HAVE you taught, and 2) What CAN you teach. So what matters are degrees (and your majors), certification, experience, and to a lessor extent 'skills'. Honestly your international experience is so old its not relevant, and 'traveling' abroad isnt the same as working abroad. Its something to mention in an interview, but will be 'begging' on your resume.
Honestly, I think you quit to early, you may well have got something if you stuck with it. Search is a good choice, start planing now which fair to go to. Try to get into Bangkok, if you can. Aside from a lack of IB experience your really a VERY strong candidate, about the only other thing is if you can marry a science or math teacher in the next year that would be great.
iliketotravel: Maybe that's why I didn't get the job in Colombia. Kidding! Thank you for correcting me!
PsyGuy: You're right, I did quit early. But if I didnt give my current Principal notice by April 15th, then I'd be screwing over my colleagues for the following year.
The Masters Equivalency thing makes sense, so does excluding my overseas "experience" from way back when.
I'll definitely try to get into Bangkok!
Marrying a science or math teacher wasn't on my short list, but I'll keep that one in mind :)
By the way- I don't care what people on here have to say about you and what you post. You always take the time & effort to respond. So this "newbie" sincerley thanks you!!!
PsyGuy: You're right, I did quit early. But if I didnt give my current Principal notice by April 15th, then I'd be screwing over my colleagues for the following year.
The Masters Equivalency thing makes sense, so does excluding my overseas "experience" from way back when.
I'll definitely try to get into Bangkok!
Marrying a science or math teacher wasn't on my short list, but I'll keep that one in mind :)
By the way- I don't care what people on here have to say about you and what you post. You always take the time & effort to respond. So this "newbie" sincerley thanks you!!!
Sigh
I cant spell Columbia, either.
You really think your school would have had a problem replacing you from back in April? Thats like 5 months of time to find a replacement, most schools I know back in the states could have done that no problem.
I was being kind of cheeky about the marrying a science/math teacher thing. I only brought it up, because ive heard a couple stories of exactly that kind of scenario happening.
You really think your school would have had a problem replacing you from back in April? Thats like 5 months of time to find a replacement, most schools I know back in the states could have done that no problem.
I was being kind of cheeky about the marrying a science/math teacher thing. I only brought it up, because ive heard a couple stories of exactly that kind of scenario happening.
-
stellalocal
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:21 am
Re: Reply
[quote="PsyGuy"]
Dont do a C.V.[/quote]
Really? I've always needed one for job applications. I've never been to a fair, I've always got my jobs by applying direct to the school, and they've always required a cv and letter/statement. I'd recommend you try fairs and applying direct.
If I was you, I'd get everything ready to start applying from Sept/October as that's when ads start coming out, it also gives you some time to improve things if you find no-one's interested.
[quote="PsyGuy"]Honestly, I think you quit to early, you may well have got something if you stuck with it. Aside from a lack of IB experience your really a VERY strong candidatet.[/quote]
Yep, agree with that. It is competitive but just keep at it. If you're not too picky then you should be able to find a decent enough job.
Dont do a C.V.[/quote]
Really? I've always needed one for job applications. I've never been to a fair, I've always got my jobs by applying direct to the school, and they've always required a cv and letter/statement. I'd recommend you try fairs and applying direct.
If I was you, I'd get everything ready to start applying from Sept/October as that's when ads start coming out, it also gives you some time to improve things if you find no-one's interested.
[quote="PsyGuy"]Honestly, I think you quit to early, you may well have got something if you stuck with it. Aside from a lack of IB experience your really a VERY strong candidatet.[/quote]
Yep, agree with that. It is competitive but just keep at it. If you're not too picky then you should be able to find a decent enough job.
Discussion
A lot of people and professionals use C.V. or "curricula vita" interchangeably, and for good reason a resume is a subset of a C.V. Your C.V is essentially your 'life history'. Every job, volunteer experience, club, association, professional membership, awards, honors, publications, degree, and certificate. For some teachers, especially veterans thats an exhausting amount of information, and a good chunk of it is irrelevant for an IS K-12 teacher. You really only see C.V.s used in research, tertiary academia, executive business positions, or security sensitive government positions.
The resume which is a sub set of your C.V. is the teaching relevant material. Degrees, certifications, teaching experience, subject specific industry experience, and extracurricular skill sets. Thats all that really matters. A recruiter doesnt care what your work study job was back in college, or that you were a member of an honors fraternity. or what your masters thesis was. Especially if any of that stuff is a decade old.Your resume should only capture and include those items that are relevant to the particular job.
The resume which is a sub set of your C.V. is the teaching relevant material. Degrees, certifications, teaching experience, subject specific industry experience, and extracurricular skill sets. Thats all that really matters. A recruiter doesnt care what your work study job was back in college, or that you were a member of an honors fraternity. or what your masters thesis was. Especially if any of that stuff is a decade old.Your resume should only capture and include those items that are relevant to the particular job.
-
liketotravel
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:58 pm
Sigh
Im not certified in Columbian culture or history, and no one outside Columbia cares how its spelled.
Its like people who complain that its not the US/United States, but the USA/United States of America and that the "americas" constitute a geographical and political area that is greater then the 50 contiguous states of the Union of the States Republic (or maybe its republic of the Union States). The point is it doesnt matter and no one cares except spelling gnomes, english teachers and Columbians.
In case you hadnt noticed by my atrocious lack of respect and adherence to the conventions of grammar, structure, and spelling, used in the english language, i have a healthy amount of ignorance and apathy in so much as i dont care how uncredible and uneducated it makes me appear.
Its like people who complain that its not the US/United States, but the USA/United States of America and that the "americas" constitute a geographical and political area that is greater then the 50 contiguous states of the Union of the States Republic (or maybe its republic of the Union States). The point is it doesnt matter and no one cares except spelling gnomes, english teachers and Columbians.
In case you hadnt noticed by my atrocious lack of respect and adherence to the conventions of grammar, structure, and spelling, used in the english language, i have a healthy amount of ignorance and apathy in so much as i dont care how uncredible and uneducated it makes me appear.
-
stellalocal
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:21 am
Re: Discussion
[quote="PsyGuy"]. Your C.V is essentially your 'life history'. Every job, volunteer experience, club, association, professional membership, awards, honors, publications, degree, and certificate. For some teachers, especially veterans thats an exhausting amount of information, and a good chunk of it is irrelevant for an IS K-12 teacher.
[/quote]
Usually ads will say 2 page max cv, so you pick the relevant bits. Mine's certainly not my whole life history. In my experience teachers' CVs are usually only 1 or 2 pages, that's just from talking to various colleagues. Maybe the long cv thing is an American thing. So to clarify, I'd do a 2 page CV/resume, whatever you want to call it.
[/quote]
Usually ads will say 2 page max cv, so you pick the relevant bits. Mine's certainly not my whole life history. In my experience teachers' CVs are usually only 1 or 2 pages, that's just from talking to various colleagues. Maybe the long cv thing is an American thing. So to clarify, I'd do a 2 page CV/resume, whatever you want to call it.
I'm of the opinion that the country should change their name. Colombia is obviously spelt wrong. If they claim they are the country which Christopher Columbus gave his name, then they are obviously illiterate.
Much like the Chinese insisting that the natural log in Math is In and not ln, because of some Mao era typo translation done by a non- mathematician.
Much like the Chinese insisting that the natural log in Math is In and not ln, because of some Mao era typo translation done by a non- mathematician.
I think that you'd be a good fit for the UNI fair. You would find a good number of schools from the regions that you mention being interested in plus it's a kinder fair for newbies. If you went with Search, I would go to Cambridge. I think that Bangkok wouldn't have the South American options and not having IB experience would be more of an issue. Good luck.
Comments
I think youd be a good fit for the UNI fair as well, but its JUST a fair its not a service or agency. there is no school database, or continuing update of new positions and vacancies, and thats a lot of stress. You dont have a backup after the UNI fair, and that increases the pressure to leave with a job,or else what. UNI isnt going to send you daily updates of new positions.
I also think you would be successful at the Cambridge fair, but heres my point, I think you have a decent probability of being successful at the Bangkok fair and that fair is earlier and is where the top tier 1/elite schools hire from.
A one page resume is the appropriate length for a new/inexperienced teacher. Two pages for an experienced teacher. I wouldnt advise against a three page resume, if its highly relevant, and not just filler.
I also think you would be successful at the Cambridge fair, but heres my point, I think you have a decent probability of being successful at the Bangkok fair and that fair is earlier and is where the top tier 1/elite schools hire from.
A one page resume is the appropriate length for a new/inexperienced teacher. Two pages for an experienced teacher. I wouldnt advise against a three page resume, if its highly relevant, and not just filler.