My wife and I are wanting to go international, and we're wondering if we'll make it.
I have 18 years teaching experience and am currently teaching at a high ranked school in California. I have a masters in ed and a masters in ed tech. I am credentialed in social studies. I teach world & US history, gov, econ and yearbook. I've taught English, humanities, health, speech and debate and a bunch of other classes over the years (but mostly history). I was also a debate coach for 13 years.
My wife has been a stay at home mom for 17 years. Has never been hired to teach, but has been a sub for 2 years (our youngest is now in school). She has an expired Utah credential, and a current provisional California credential in English and social studies. We live in a small town in California and there is declining enrollment all over our county, so there sin't any hope that she will get hired at a local school to get a couple of years teaching experience.
So my questions are:
1. Is is possible for my wife to get hired with a provisional credential, and what would that mean in the long run (as in, say she gets hired but then her provisional credential expires down the road).
2. I know we aren't 1st tier school material, but what schools should we be looking at. I know people will say 2nd or 3rd tier schools, but could someone suggest actual schools?
We are willing to go anywhere really. We are looking to become a part of a community and would rather commit for longer times where possible.
Oh and we have 3 school age kids and a son who will graduate this year.
Thanks for your input, and hopeful solutions.
Provisional credential?
Advice
Your wife doesn't have a certificate she has a provisional intern permit, not a preliminary certificate?
If she has the permit, she's not certified, and ISs don't accept substitute teaching, so she has zero experience, and on top of that neither she (nor you) are in high needs areas, have IB experience, etc.
All of that really doesn't matter, you have three kids, and for all pracical purposes a trailing spouse that's 5 people for 1 teacher. The only school that would reall consider you would be QSI, even then you would be a hard sell. You would just be to expensive of a hire, and you'd get frustrated with the waiting and the run around you'd get. You would be in an interview after discussing all the teaching questions, and they would ask you about your family, and after you told them, you would literally be able to see the interest leaving their face. They would be polite and everything, but you won't hear anything more from them.
If she has the permit, she's not certified, and ISs don't accept substitute teaching, so she has zero experience, and on top of that neither she (nor you) are in high needs areas, have IB experience, etc.
All of that really doesn't matter, you have three kids, and for all pracical purposes a trailing spouse that's 5 people for 1 teacher. The only school that would reall consider you would be QSI, even then you would be a hard sell. You would just be to expensive of a hire, and you'd get frustrated with the waiting and the run around you'd get. You would be in an interview after discussing all the teaching questions, and they would ask you about your family, and after you told them, you would literally be able to see the interest leaving their face. They would be polite and everything, but you won't hear anything more from them.
Psyguy: Thanks for your reply =]
I guess it's a preliminary certificate that she holds not a provisional. She needs to complete clad training to get her California clear. Is she employable by someone like QSI with a preliminary credential?
I get that we are a hard sell. I know that SS and English aren't hard to come by for schools. So QSI is a possibility, what other 2nd or 3rd tier schools should we look to?
I guess it's a preliminary certificate that she holds not a provisional. She needs to complete clad training to get her California clear. Is she employable by someone like QSI with a preliminary credential?
I get that we are a hard sell. I know that SS and English aren't hard to come by for schools. So QSI is a possibility, what other 2nd or 3rd tier schools should we look to?
I'm from California too. What your wife has is a provisional credential. It's still a teaching credential, and she can still get hired as a teacher - much different than say, a 30-day emergency credential. She has 5 years to take those CLAD classes and get her Clear - but why doesn't she do that now?
I don't think the fact that she has a provisional credential will matter much, but your dependents will.
If I were you I'd stay where you are and try to get your wife hired your school somehow.
I don't think the fact that she has a provisional credential will matter much, but your dependents will.
If I were you I'd stay where you are and try to get your wife hired your school somehow.
Can your wife get her Utah credential renewed? In the meantime, a provisional credential is still a credential and she might want to start working on her CLAD this year.
If you're willing to go to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, or various other -stans, then I think you have a very good chance of being hired by QSI. You could apply as a social studies/English/health teacher and your wife could apply as an English or elementary teacher. More than likely they would hire you for social studies/English and your wife for ESL (which QSI calls 'Intensive English') or elementary. After a few years, you could transfer to a QSI school in a more desirable location (China, Europe).
How old are your three school age children? That could make a difference down the road, too.
If you're willing to go to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, or various other -stans, then I think you have a very good chance of being hired by QSI. You could apply as a social studies/English/health teacher and your wife could apply as an English or elementary teacher. More than likely they would hire you for social studies/English and your wife for ESL (which QSI calls 'Intensive English') or elementary. After a few years, you could transfer to a QSI school in a more desirable location (China, Europe).
How old are your three school age children? That could make a difference down the road, too.
Thanks for the replies folks =]
durianfan: Thanks for the help. My wife will be working on clad and will have it done this year, but we'd like to be overseas at the start of next school year so I was wondering if the fact that it's just provisional at the moment would be an unbeatable roadblock. Sounds like we have a little hope.
As to my wife getting employed at my school. Well it's not happening anytime soon. Our whole county is suffering from declining enrollment. There hasn't been a job in our community that my wife fit, in the last two years and I'm guessing it will be two or three more before that could change. Our community is shrinking. Plus we really want to teach overseas.
sevarem: There is a possibility of getting her Utah renewed, we actually started investigating that option. It will be a major pain in the butt, but is a possibility. From the reading that I've done on the forum so far QSI really takes a beating, but it does seem more likely that we could get a job with them than other places. I know the stans don't seem all that glamorous, but I guess that's just all part of the adventure.It's not where we want to end up, but I think we'd be willing to go just about anywhere as a starting point. For all the bad that people say about QSI I'm also hearing that the housing is good, the pay isn't bad, you can move around within their system and dependents aren't as big a deal.
As for dependents, my oldest school age will be a junior next year (so only two years for her) but my two younger are in elementary. Does the fact that my oldest will be out of school quicker help my situation at all?
Thanks for all the help.
durianfan: Thanks for the help. My wife will be working on clad and will have it done this year, but we'd like to be overseas at the start of next school year so I was wondering if the fact that it's just provisional at the moment would be an unbeatable roadblock. Sounds like we have a little hope.
As to my wife getting employed at my school. Well it's not happening anytime soon. Our whole county is suffering from declining enrollment. There hasn't been a job in our community that my wife fit, in the last two years and I'm guessing it will be two or three more before that could change. Our community is shrinking. Plus we really want to teach overseas.
sevarem: There is a possibility of getting her Utah renewed, we actually started investigating that option. It will be a major pain in the butt, but is a possibility. From the reading that I've done on the forum so far QSI really takes a beating, but it does seem more likely that we could get a job with them than other places. I know the stans don't seem all that glamorous, but I guess that's just all part of the adventure.It's not where we want to end up, but I think we'd be willing to go just about anywhere as a starting point. For all the bad that people say about QSI I'm also hearing that the housing is good, the pay isn't bad, you can move around within their system and dependents aren't as big a deal.
As for dependents, my oldest school age will be a junior next year (so only two years for her) but my two younger are in elementary. Does the fact that my oldest will be out of school quicker help my situation at all?
Thanks for all the help.
Reply
She doesnt need to get her Utah license renewed. The preliminary credential is just the entry level teaching credential in CA. It just wasnt the best choice in names, but theres no explanation, needed, shes fully credentialed when it comes to teaching.
Since she will have completed the CLEAR credential by the end of the year, there isnt anything to worry about. It becomes an issue when you havent finished it and then you dont finish it over the years and find yourself unable to get your certificate renewed.
I dont like QSI, but there your best bet given your family situation. Housing is provided everywhere except a couple places. The salary is a little on the light side, and many of the locations arent high on anyones bucket list.
Your oldest being done in two years doesnt mean anything unless your planing on waiting 2 years until they are off to college before going overseas.
Since she will have completed the CLEAR credential by the end of the year, there isnt anything to worry about. It becomes an issue when you havent finished it and then you dont finish it over the years and find yourself unable to get your certificate renewed.
I dont like QSI, but there your best bet given your family situation. Housing is provided everywhere except a couple places. The salary is a little on the light side, and many of the locations arent high on anyones bucket list.
Your oldest being done in two years doesnt mean anything unless your planing on waiting 2 years until they are off to college before going overseas.
ready2go, I work for QSI and so do a few others around here, along with a few who have worked for QSI. Please listen to current/former QSI teachers about what teaching at QSI is like.
QSI provides housing in ALL locations. The salary is tax free in all locations. You won't get wealthy on the salary, but once you factor in the various bonuses and allowances, the salary is pretty mid-range. The housing tends to be very good and if you happen to hate your housing, you can move at the end of the year. The health insurance is excellent.
The fact that your daughter will be finished with school in two years helps your situation tremendously. Once she's off to college and you only have two dependents, your options really start to open up. You could easily start at QSI. If you liked it, stay a few years, transfer around. If you ended up not liking it, after two years, you'd have a lot more options to choose from.
QSI provides housing in ALL locations. The salary is tax free in all locations. You won't get wealthy on the salary, but once you factor in the various bonuses and allowances, the salary is pretty mid-range. The housing tends to be very good and if you happen to hate your housing, you can move at the end of the year. The health insurance is excellent.
The fact that your daughter will be finished with school in two years helps your situation tremendously. Once she's off to college and you only have two dependents, your options really start to open up. You could easily start at QSI. If you liked it, stay a few years, transfer around. If you ended up not liking it, after two years, you'd have a lot more options to choose from.
Consideration
Get use to disappointment....
Sorry to have started another QSI debate =]
sevarem: Thanks for your comments, I appreciate your viewpoint and it's nice to hear from someone in QSI. I gather from what I've read here on the forum that central Asia (Kazakhstan) is a likely starting place for teachers. Are there other likely starting places for couples? Just trying to find out all I can in advance.
PsiGuy: Thanks for the clarification with certification, sorry about the confusion I created there =].
There might be one more wrinkle with a California clear. California's new issue is BTSA. All new teachers have to do it to get a clear and apparently your have to be teaching in Cal for two years to get it. Any one have any input on that?
sevarem: Thanks for your comments, I appreciate your viewpoint and it's nice to hear from someone in QSI. I gather from what I've read here on the forum that central Asia (Kazakhstan) is a likely starting place for teachers. Are there other likely starting places for couples? Just trying to find out all I can in advance.
PsiGuy: Thanks for the clarification with certification, sorry about the confusion I created there =].
There might be one more wrinkle with a California clear. California's new issue is BTSA. All new teachers have to do it to get a clear and apparently your have to be teaching in Cal for two years to get it. Any one have any input on that?
Comment
Debates are fine, happens all the time and that's really what this forum is for.
QSI has a number of premier locations, your likely to end up as a first year teacher in one of the Stan's or in China (outside Shekou).
The BTSA requirement is for teachers prepared IN California, your wife comes from Utah, and so needs to follow the requirements for teachers prepared outside California, in which case all she needs is the CLAD endorsement.
QSI has a number of premier locations, your likely to end up as a first year teacher in one of the Stan's or in China (outside Shekou).
The BTSA requirement is for teachers prepared IN California, your wife comes from Utah, and so needs to follow the requirements for teachers prepared outside California, in which case all she needs is the CLAD endorsement.