Advice for newbie art teacher

[az0116]

Hi respected members of ISR,

I'm a 24 year newbie teacher, and I'm writing my first post with 2 goals in mind:
1. To share my story with people who may be in my shoes a year ago (ie. recent grad wondering if international teaching is right for them), and
2. To ask for advice for those experienced international teachers and/or art teachers out there as to my next steps

------section 1------
So, I was graduating college, and wanted to teach art in China (art major). A couple of things stood in the way:
1. I didn't major in education, no TEFL...though I spent most of college TAing
2. I wanted to teach something not in high demand - art
3. there's that pesky law in China about 2 years of post graduate experience and being 25 yo to get a legal Z visa.

Well, good news is that 1 and 2 can be worked with, though I must've sifted through a million ESL offers. Rule 3 depends on the school hiring you...if it has enough guanxi...and where you are located. I think it's much tougher to circumvent the law in Beijing then a smaller city. Anyways, I got a job as an IB DP art teacher after being forced to attend a TEFL in China course by the visa authorities in my city...despite not teaching ESL...So I'm sure if you are hell bent on teaching here despite no qualifications in education, you can do it, especially if you teach a higher demand subject than art...and what subject is not in higher demand than art anyways?

Bad news is my school is a private Chinese school with an IB division, and as many of you know, they have low work hours but zero professional development. I was literally just locked into a disorganized art classroom with no supplies or budget and told to read the IB manual and work it out. Which I did. The bad thing is my western colleagues. My Chinese colleagues are experienced professionals dedicated to the school, though they have a tendency toward last minute revisions and bad management. My western colleagues are completely lazy and unprofessional and just want a job with low hours. As the only art teacher at the school I am pretty alone with no guide, and there's no one serving as a good example even outside my subject. I'm leaving as my one year contract is up. In the end, I don't regret it because it answered the one question I wanted answered that couldn't really be answered in just grad school: do I want to be an international teacher? Yes...but in a better environment please...

-------section 2-------------

So as the year ends I'm torn as to my next steps.

1. TeachReady or MAT program? I have the option of going to a slightly better private chinese school with IB DP program in shanghai and management would be western, but I'd still be stuck in the same situation, as the sole inexperienced art teacher. But I'd totally get started on getting my cert through Teach Ready and build an awesome portfolio. But I wonder if the online program cripples you career-wise...would people rather see an MAT program, maybe somewhere prestigious? does it even matter? Is killing off one year of pre-cert teaching experience worth the advantage an MAT would give you? International teachers what do you think?

2. I have the option of taking a videography job in Shanghai, maybe while I volunteer at a school with the TeachReady program...not sure yet. The job isn't the same as my ideal art job, which would be documentary, and may pay less than teaching, but it's a step in the right direction. Despite knowing I want to be an art teacher, I can't help but think I need to be a practicing artist at the same time. I mean, I see so many private schools asking for teaching artists, not just art teachers...this seems unique to art, as I never see math positions ask for practicing mathematicians... I also hate the phrase "those who can't, teach", but the number of concerned parents asking about whether their art-loving child can get a job makes me wonder if I shouldn't have one foot in the art industry to give proper career advice that doesn't involve vague idealistic phrases like "do what you love...." Art teachers, what do you think? Is it important to have an art practice? Any successful secondary teachers working in the international circuits who are not and have not actually been practicing artists?

3. I have a sneaking suspicion it's better to just give up on international teaching temporarily and try to get a job in the states for a couple of years. I even wonder if my thirst for travel can be sated if I just traveled in the summers instead. Anyone can compare working in the states and traveling in the summer vs. teaching abroad? Has anyone had experienced returning to the states after stints abroad? Was it hard to find work?

4. My dream is to develop a study abroad art program that involves documenting social justice stories through illustration, photography, and documentary filmmaking. This is why I'm tossing around the videography job also...to get experience working in video so I can use it to inform my dream educational program haha. I hardly see that possible in these underfunded schools in China, but maybe a school/grant in the US? Anyone have experience with this, in the US or abroad?

5. I actually majored in psychology also in college. I miss it sometimes. I'd totally love to teach it, but I hate that it's mixed with social studies licensure in most state programs, which involves geography, economics, and, my most hated subject of all, history. Is it worth getting licensed in this subject...it's also not in demand....Is it better just to hone my expertise in the arts?

What would make me a better international teacher? What would take me on the greatest adventure? Call me idealistic, but life is so short, and I'm scared I won't get to do all the things I want to do...

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Thanks for reading all that. You guys have been a wealth of information, and I really thank you all in advance. I hope as I gain experience I can slowly give back to this community.

[wrldtrvlr123]

"What would make me a better international teacher? What would take me on the greatest adventure? Call me idealistic, but life is so short, and I'm scared I won't get to do all the things I want to do..."

I think these may be mutually exclusive goals, at least in the short to medium term. I think the key number in the whole equation is 24. You have sooooooo much time to do the things you want to do. I didn't get into education until I was 40 and have now taught on 4 continents (and have loved practically every minute of it).

The question I guess is what should you do FIRST. I think the answer will be found in deciding what you want to do MOST. If being a practicing artist is the driving/burning need then choose something that will further that goal. If you want to be an international teacher so bad you can taste it, then delay your gratification a few years and get a firm educational/experiential base to work from. In my opinion that would mean going back to the states, getting a degree and some job experience. I can't speak for Art teachers but my educational degree is from an online program in the US (I finished it while teaching in China) and I don't think it has ever been an issue (my program was through an actual brick and mortar school and so there is really no way to tell without asking me whether it was an online program).

I do think that being able to bring a unique element to the job would serve you well when applying internationally but there is no reason you couldn't have some amazing adventures during the summer/vacation and put together a fabulous portfolio (and maybe even get some works published, win awards etc WHILE you are still working towards your foundation to be an int'l teacher.

Again, with so many years ahead of you, you could do something until you are 30 and STILL have a 30 year career ahead of you in teaching. So, think about what drives you right now and for the near future and choose a path to THAT. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions that come to mind.

[az0116]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful advice wrldtrvlr! I guess I want to be a teacher first and foremost, but I do believe being an artist would make me a better teacher. I just don't really want to only be an artist. I think I will focus on getting my teaching license and then return to the states for some experience like you suggested.

May I ask what you did before you went into education? And where you got your degree?