Two teachers

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thegreengleam
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:06 am
Location: Portland, OR

Two teachers

Post by thegreengleam »

Hello ISR community,

I have been a passive member for a couple of years now - reading posts, reviews, etc. I am now in my MAT program and trying to decide on my second endorsement as I aspire to teach internationally. Like all new posters, I have the regular questions concerning my candidacy.

My wife just finished her MAT program with a 4.0. She did not take a teaching job this year, but opted for an assistant directorship of the MAT program she graduated from. She holds a bachelors in psychology and is endorsed in elementary.

I hold a bachelors in history and Latin American studies from the University of Oregon. I am going to be endorsed in Social Science. I need to decide on my second endorsement. I am torn between Spanish - an endorsement that will get me a job quickly here in Oregon, or English/Language Arts. I am also open to other suggestions that are complimentary to a social science endorsement and desirable in an international school. My school does not offer an IB endorsement, but I will pursue this as soon as I am finished with the program.

We have a 4 years old daughter entering kindergarten in fall 2015.

I am not finished with my program until June 2016, but I want to start to get a pulse on what our options are. i.e. job fairs to consider, regions and tiers to focus on, etc. Also, what we need to be realistic about and please give suggestions as to how we can increase our stock. Thanks for all your help!
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Two teachers

Post by sid »

An English endorsement will mean there are always jobs available. Most schools will have one or more English posts to fill each year. Spanish, not so much. Hit or miss. On the other hand, English means a lot more papers to grade. And Spanish probably means having mixed levels of proficiency in your classes, not that English doesn't.
And your partner should get a teaching job ASAP. If you plan on starting an international job search as soon as you finish your program, you will want to have at least one of you with two or more years experience. Even then, it will be a challenge to get into a decent school at first.
thegreengleam
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:06 am
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Two teachers

Post by thegreengleam »

Thanks for your input, sid. I understand that we may have to put a few years in teaching here in Oregon before we are viable candidates for a good intl school. Can anyone explain the schools tiers and give me some insight into how bad a "bad" school is and how good a "good" school can be?
Thanks!
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Two teachers

Post by sid »

Tiers are a very negotiable concept... One man's garbage, another's haute cuisine.
But in general, tier one schools are often felt to be those which are well established, provide strong educational options to students, treat students and teachers right, and pay at least decently. They're often larger and older, but that's not always true. For lower tiers, just subtract from one or more categories.
The worst are absolutely awful. Soul draining, and hard to escape from if they don't pay enough that you can get to a hiring fair, or if they give bad references no matter how good you are, or just becaus they're so bad that other schools will think you're tainted by association.
The best are pretty darn good.
MIS
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Oct 20, 2013 6:57 pm

Re: Two teachers

Post by MIS »

I definitely agree that the "tier" system is pretty silly. There are tier 1 schools that I would never want to work at and there are tier 3 schools which I would love to work at. Depends on what you're looking for. Everyone thinks they want to work at a tier 1 because the reputation of most of those schools are so great, but the pressures and demands of lots of tier 1's make them undesirable to many.

Ultimately it comes down to what kind of teacher you are and what you're willing to accept as a teacher. I wouldn't want to work at a school with a rigid curriculum, where pedagogy gets pushed on you by admins and curriculum heads, or where I feel like I'm being evaluated on a daily basis. That to me just isn't an enjoyable work environment. I want to be treated like a professional and I want to be able to enjoy my students. Fortunately I've found that at my current school, which is considered a high tier 2.

Point is, there are great schools in every tier. A lot of times the tier system is about perception more than anything. Anyone looking at jobs shouldn't be preoccupied by tier. Obviously you want to work somewhere reputable, but fit and comfort level with the school's admin and philosophy are key, because ultimately that, along with the location, will ultimately determine whether or not you enjoy your post. Tier, on the other hand, guarantees nothing.
sid
Posts: 1392
Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: Two teachers

Post by sid »

MIS is dead accurate about the tier system's limitations. Just because a school meets the criteria of a tier 1, that doesn't mean it's a place I want to work. The pressure is real, and the expectations high.
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