The International Schools Review Forum

What student teacher references and evaluations should a new teacher include, and in what order of importance, with their application to schools (both domestic and international)?

I have two marginally above average LORs from co-teachers. There was another science teacher at the school that gave an excellent recommendation.

However, the college supervisor is very negative and spiteful and gave me a very poor reference and a B-. (She had sole decision for the grade.)

Is there anyway to circumvent this? The feedback I'm getting is that leaving the supervisor off the collage of LORs is a severe red flag and automatic disqualifier.

What is the rule overseas with these LORs? Also, how much negative impact will the B- have, particularly without the superivsor reference?

At this point, after wasting 1.5 years, cash, and effort, I'm discouraged.

I think it's always best to be honest. I would include it and, to the best you are able, give a reason for your belief you got the grade -- without too much in the way of ad hominem attack on the college supervisor. I would then stress the excellent recommendation and your the reason you'd make a good candidate. It's better to face it than to hide it and be discovered later. That is never good. Better not to get the job than to be looking over your shoulder for two years wondering if you'll get caught in the lie.

edit

SweetWaterGringo wrote:
> I think it's always best to be honest. I would include it and, to the best
> you are able, give a reason for your belief you got the grade -- without
> too much in the way of ad hominem attack on the college supervisor. I
> would then stress the excellent recommendation and your the reason you'd
> make a good candidate. It's better to face it than to hide it and be
> discovered later. That is never good. Better not to get the job than to
> be looking over your shoulder for two years wondering if you'll get caught
> in the lie.

The program, like most in the U.S., is based on misrepresentation and loan money. The letter is a result of me bothering her with phone calls at dinner to try to troubleshoot the inability of the school to supply science co-teachers and follow the manual...

My question is, in the international job field, does a fresh teacher grad need all three references, or is there some leeway of what to include, two of three, one of three, etc.?

Domestically, it appears all three references are needed or it is an automatic rejection.

My question is why would you not stay at home and do two years, forget about that spiteful B-, develop new letters of reference and then get out there?

thanks for your input, shadowjack. My question is more for the LORs. In internationally teaching, is the supervisor essential or important for job hunting, that is, can one substitute another reference (like college or non-teaching work, etc.)? This is an important question for me, as if it is de facto essential for the supervisor reference, I'm sunk.

Thanks

In that case, some schools will wonder why there is no supervisor LOR, and will either (a) ignore your application, or: (b) contact you and discuss it.

Other schools (and I can think of several), you are a piece of meat/a face in the classroom/a replacement for runners who might not do a runner given that poor grade/LOR, and will not even worry about it. A face in the classroom who IS certified? Sign him/her up!

Others, hopefully, will be in between. My advice - working in some overseas schools is like working in some of the worst US schools except with 0 legal protection for you.

Good luck with your hunt - keep us posted!

shadowjack wrote:
> My question is why would you not stay at home and do two years, forget
> about that spiteful B-, develop new letters of reference and then get out
> there?

From my understanding, the teacher market is much more competitive in USA than overseas. I was hoping that the overseas hiring paradigm would not stress over a missing supervisor reference.

You are saying both international and domestic would see this as a career non-starter?

baronzb wrote:
> shadowjack wrote:
> > My question is why would you not stay at home and do two years, forget
> > about that spiteful B-, develop new letters of reference and then get out
> > there?
>
> From my understanding, the teacher market is much more competitive in USA than
> overseas. I was hoping that the overseas hiring paradigm would not stress over a
> missing supervisor reference.
>
> You are saying both international and domestic would see this as a career
> non-starter?
-----------------------
No offense, but haven't we covered this for you already? Some schools would not hire you. Many schools would. The best thing you can do is get a job at pretty much any recognized k-12 school (public, private, charter, international), learn/practice your craft, do a good job for two years and get good references. Then you never have to worry about those people or that program again.

I'm saying that some international schools would not worry about it - but those might not be the schools you would want to end up at.

If you realize that, suck it up for two years and then move on, you have solved your LOR problem.

If you don't fully understand what you are in for, you might do what some teachers new to overseas teaching do - land that first international job, be over the moon, get to your school, discover the reality, and realize by October you cannot last another year and three-quarters. You HAVE to get out of there ASAP or you will lose your sanity or be beat down so bad you can't get up again.

I have been told of that happening by friends from back home. I only wish they had asked me before signing on the dotted line...

Just forget the teacher supervisor, its not a principal or a supervisor from a school, its just one of many college professors letters. Get a couple other professors from the education department, perhaps your education departments chair, or the dean. Most recruiters/admins that would hire a noob (an entry level teacher has two years experience), arent going to care, and the recruiters and admins that would care wont be interested in you at this stage of your career. Its highly unlikely a recruiter from overseas would make the distinction between a professor and your field supervisor. Just act like it doesnt exist, and if asked just say one of the other professors you have a letter from was your field supervisor.