Recently I've been looking at gaining teacher accreditation in Australia.
I've seen various Graduate Diploma in Education courses offered by universities there that would lead to being recognized as a teacher within each state.
Can anybody please tell me whether this type of course would be recognised by international schools, particularly in Japan?
I'd be especially keen on hearing from any Australians who know the system.
Australian Graduate Diploma in Education
Re: Australian Graduate Diploma in Education
To the best of my memory, the Dip Ed degrees for Australian teachers are recognised by almost all international schools. This is because you had to complete a normal degree before you complete your 1 year Dip Ed in Australia. Do note that Dip Ed courses are quickly falling out of fashion at Australian universities and are being replaced by Masters in Education or Teaching. I'm not sure if you can still get a Dip Ed in Victoria anymore.
As you can probabaly tell, I'm Australian and I have also worked in Japan. I have met numerous teachers who have Dip Ed's from Australia who teach in Japan at international schools. Do note that all teachers also have or have had full teaching registration from their individual state and normally at least 2 years of experience at home.
Competition is quite fierce for positions in Japan, apart from some totally unknown schools down in Okinawa which pay accordingly and woud not advertise on Search, ISS or possibly even TIE....
As you can probabaly tell, I'm Australian and I have also worked in Japan. I have met numerous teachers who have Dip Ed's from Australia who teach in Japan at international schools. Do note that all teachers also have or have had full teaching registration from their individual state and normally at least 2 years of experience at home.
Competition is quite fierce for positions in Japan, apart from some totally unknown schools down in Okinawa which pay accordingly and woud not advertise on Search, ISS or possibly even TIE....
Response
An Australian PGDE is fully recognized as a working credential in ISs. A PGDE still remains a popular qualification in Australia for those seeking post graduate teacher qualifications and is half the time and credits of a Masters (Victoria however is phasing out the PGDE in favor of 1 year masters programs at the graduate level, and Bachelors programs at the undergraduate level).
MEXT the education ministry in JP recognizes the PGDE as a teaching qualification, and those with a PGDE are no less competitive then other professional educators at ISs in JP.
Understand though that the PGDE is an academic qualification and much like the UK, the authorization to provide educational and instructional services is conferred by individual territory regulatory authorities ( IE.. in Victoria this is the Victoria Institute of Teaching and in NSW its the Department of Education and Training) these agencies accept your PGDE and then authorize you to teach, so you must be a member in good standing (non barred) with one of them to be considered a professional teacher.
The bar to being an IT is 2 years experience but in JP a highly desirable location school often get applicants with many more years of experience, and the number of Australian school s is very small, compared to American, British and IB schools. Many of them will consider an Australian teacher with a competitive and marketable resume.
Bottom tier schools exist outside of Okinawa as well, some of the worst are in Tokyo.
MEXT the education ministry in JP recognizes the PGDE as a teaching qualification, and those with a PGDE are no less competitive then other professional educators at ISs in JP.
Understand though that the PGDE is an academic qualification and much like the UK, the authorization to provide educational and instructional services is conferred by individual territory regulatory authorities ( IE.. in Victoria this is the Victoria Institute of Teaching and in NSW its the Department of Education and Training) these agencies accept your PGDE and then authorize you to teach, so you must be a member in good standing (non barred) with one of them to be considered a professional teacher.
The bar to being an IT is 2 years experience but in JP a highly desirable location school often get applicants with many more years of experience, and the number of Australian school s is very small, compared to American, British and IB schools. Many of them will consider an Australian teacher with a competitive and marketable resume.
Bottom tier schools exist outside of Okinawa as well, some of the worst are in Tokyo.