I have worked at one international school for four years and my husband was a trailing spouse. He is now teaching in the U.S. in a vocational field in which he has about 20 years of experience. He is in his third year of teaching, and I am in my eighth.
We are pursuing both DoD schools and IS. Here are my questions:
1. For DoD, is it easier to get a vocational position? He is qualified in his position but since it is so specialized, we wonder about the number of openings each year.
2. For DoD, should I also complete an application? My thoughts were to work on getting him a position, and I can always get one later. We have young children, so it wouldn't be detrimental if I couldn't get a position right away.
3. For IS, his B.S. and teaching certificate is in a field that he has not yet taught in. We plan to go to Cambridge and are hoping that his three years experience vocational teaching will help him get started in a new field. He won't technically be a first year teacher, but he will be a first year teacher in the subject area he is pursuing overseas. How would most admin feel about this?
4. As for the job fair, is it best to split up and speak with recruiters? Or should we stay together and visit each table? We are researching the schools and will have a list to refer to.
Thanks for any advice!
A few questions about DoD and IS and the fair...
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wrldtrvlr123
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- Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
- Location: Japan
Re: A few questions about DoD and IS and the fair...
Hi. I've taught in int'l schools and am now with DoDDS. Here is my two cents, FWIW:
1. For DoD, is it easier to get a vocational position? He is qualified in his position but since it is so specialized, we wonder about the number of openings each year.
You have it about right. If he is qualified in a vocational field that DoDDs offers in more than one or two schools then he could in a relatively unique position to get an interview/offer faster than many people who are looking to get into DoDDS. The flip side to fewer people competing for those positions is of course that there are much fewer of those positions every year. The biggest thing is whether he is considered qualified by DoDDS in that area. so, he should complete his application ASAP if he has not already so you can see if there are other classes etc he could be working on.
2. For DoD, should I also complete an application? My thoughts were to work on getting him a position, and I can always get one later. We have young children, so it wouldn't be detrimental if I couldn't get a position right away.
I would say yes. If you want to get into DoDDS then two applications doubles your chances to get interviews/offers.
3. For IS, his B.S. and teaching certificate is in a field that he has not yet taught in. We plan to go to Cambridge and are hoping that his three years experience vocational teaching will help him get started in a new field. He won't technically be a first year teacher, but he will be a first year teacher in the subject area he is pursuing overseas. How would most admin feel about this?
Most admin. value recent successful experience in a field that you are certified in. The subject of the degree is less important. That said, some schools would likely be interested in a certified teacher with teaching experience even if it is not in the same area. Unless you are very lucky (a school looking for your position and with some interest in your husband's candidacy) then the schools that would be interested are not likely to be first tier schools, which could still be fine.
4. As for the job fair, is it best to split up and speak with recruiters? Or should we stay together and visit each table? We are researching the schools and will have a list to refer to.
We have done it both ways. Generally we try to stick together unless there are several schools that have openings for us and we are afraid they may fill up their interview slots before we can work our way through together. In your case it sounds like you should stay together as much as possible since you have the more traditional experience/certification and schools would probably need to have a fairly strong interest in you for you to be considered as a teaching couple.
I'm a little confused by his teaching history/certifications but I am assuming you are leaving out some details for confidentiality sake. Bottom line is that you should have a decent to good chance to hook in with an int'l school as long as you are open to location, school size/quality etc.
If your husband is considered qualified in a viable vocational area then you should also have a decent chance with DoDDS (and you as well, depending on your area).
I'm sure others will be along to throw their two cents in. Good luck!
1. For DoD, is it easier to get a vocational position? He is qualified in his position but since it is so specialized, we wonder about the number of openings each year.
You have it about right. If he is qualified in a vocational field that DoDDs offers in more than one or two schools then he could in a relatively unique position to get an interview/offer faster than many people who are looking to get into DoDDS. The flip side to fewer people competing for those positions is of course that there are much fewer of those positions every year. The biggest thing is whether he is considered qualified by DoDDS in that area. so, he should complete his application ASAP if he has not already so you can see if there are other classes etc he could be working on.
2. For DoD, should I also complete an application? My thoughts were to work on getting him a position, and I can always get one later. We have young children, so it wouldn't be detrimental if I couldn't get a position right away.
I would say yes. If you want to get into DoDDS then two applications doubles your chances to get interviews/offers.
3. For IS, his B.S. and teaching certificate is in a field that he has not yet taught in. We plan to go to Cambridge and are hoping that his three years experience vocational teaching will help him get started in a new field. He won't technically be a first year teacher, but he will be a first year teacher in the subject area he is pursuing overseas. How would most admin feel about this?
Most admin. value recent successful experience in a field that you are certified in. The subject of the degree is less important. That said, some schools would likely be interested in a certified teacher with teaching experience even if it is not in the same area. Unless you are very lucky (a school looking for your position and with some interest in your husband's candidacy) then the schools that would be interested are not likely to be first tier schools, which could still be fine.
4. As for the job fair, is it best to split up and speak with recruiters? Or should we stay together and visit each table? We are researching the schools and will have a list to refer to.
We have done it both ways. Generally we try to stick together unless there are several schools that have openings for us and we are afraid they may fill up their interview slots before we can work our way through together. In your case it sounds like you should stay together as much as possible since you have the more traditional experience/certification and schools would probably need to have a fairly strong interest in you for you to be considered as a teaching couple.
I'm a little confused by his teaching history/certifications but I am assuming you are leaving out some details for confidentiality sake. Bottom line is that you should have a decent to good chance to hook in with an int'l school as long as you are open to location, school size/quality etc.
If your husband is considered qualified in a viable vocational area then you should also have a decent chance with DoDDS (and you as well, depending on your area).
I'm sure others will be along to throw their two cents in. Good luck!
Response
@austin
1) I disagree with @WT123, vocational vacancies rarely go CONUS, they are typically filled by local hires, and often former military. Many of them are not FTE, but part time vacancies.
DODEA determines qualified based on meeting academic and credit hour requirements. State Certification earns you a 50% reduction on the required number of hours, but experience means nothing in determining if you are "qualified".
If your spouse was in a unique position of offering multiple vocational roles he could be in a very small pool. There are no applicants in EAS with both culinary arts and health care technology.
Having his application submitted and evaluated is the next step. He needs to find out if he is qualified or not.
2) I concur with @WT123. You cant always get one later, and vocational CONUS vacancies are rare. Applying yourself would be required later anyway, there is no rational to delay your application for later. It is unusual for spouses to be made offers in the same.
3) Understand that vocational appointments in an IS are very uncommon outside of design technology and to a lessor extent Home Economics/Culinary Arts.
In IE there are two components that make an ITs resume what they can teach (degrees, certifications) and what they have taught (experience), of the two experience is king. 3 years isnt very much experience, the standard bar of entry for an Entry class IT is 2 years experience, your spouse has three years which is still entry class, and the appointment type he is seeking he hs no experience and will be an intern class IT. Those are not highly marketable in general. I concur with @WT123, recent, relevant teaching experience is the gold standard. Anything and everything else is just less utility and marketability.
4) It greatly depends on how long your list of interested ISs is and how marketable your spouse is. In general it is better to split up. Signup is little more than a few moments, the goal is an interview slot, there is nothing that actual presence of a spouse would add, that couldnt be conveyed verbally, if in the unusual scenario as an IS having vacancies for both of you.
1) I disagree with @WT123, vocational vacancies rarely go CONUS, they are typically filled by local hires, and often former military. Many of them are not FTE, but part time vacancies.
DODEA determines qualified based on meeting academic and credit hour requirements. State Certification earns you a 50% reduction on the required number of hours, but experience means nothing in determining if you are "qualified".
If your spouse was in a unique position of offering multiple vocational roles he could be in a very small pool. There are no applicants in EAS with both culinary arts and health care technology.
Having his application submitted and evaluated is the next step. He needs to find out if he is qualified or not.
2) I concur with @WT123. You cant always get one later, and vocational CONUS vacancies are rare. Applying yourself would be required later anyway, there is no rational to delay your application for later. It is unusual for spouses to be made offers in the same.
3) Understand that vocational appointments in an IS are very uncommon outside of design technology and to a lessor extent Home Economics/Culinary Arts.
In IE there are two components that make an ITs resume what they can teach (degrees, certifications) and what they have taught (experience), of the two experience is king. 3 years isnt very much experience, the standard bar of entry for an Entry class IT is 2 years experience, your spouse has three years which is still entry class, and the appointment type he is seeking he hs no experience and will be an intern class IT. Those are not highly marketable in general. I concur with @WT123, recent, relevant teaching experience is the gold standard. Anything and everything else is just less utility and marketability.
4) It greatly depends on how long your list of interested ISs is and how marketable your spouse is. In general it is better to split up. Signup is little more than a few moments, the goal is an interview slot, there is nothing that actual presence of a spouse would add, that couldnt be conveyed verbally, if in the unusual scenario as an IS having vacancies for both of you.
Re: A few questions about DoD and IS and the fair...
Thank you both for your detailed responses. I really appreciate the insight.
1. Based on what we have read on the DoDEA website, he is definitely qualified in his field. We have submitted the app and are awaiting the evaluation to verify he is qualified. I did look at the profiles of some of the teachers that are currently teaching in his field and my husband's experience and education will definitely stand out among other applicants should a position become available. I just wish they posted jobs online, so we would have a better idea where he stands!
2. I will complete an app as you suggested.
3. This issue has been driving me a little crazy to be honest. I do feel that valid teaching experience should help secure a position. He may not have experience in the position he is applying for, but he has been in a Title I public school and has learned a great deal about classroom management and all of the little details that make up the teaching profession. Since I have more experience (8 years with 4 being internationally), I guess we are hoping that a school will want to hire me and make it work for both of us. We are very flexible with location. The main reason we are going to the fair is that I think it will be helpful to meet the recruiters in person, so they can see who we are (even in a very short amount of time).
4. Thanks for the strategy for the fair. I have heard both ways, so maybe it will just depend on how many schools have positions for both of us.
1. Based on what we have read on the DoDEA website, he is definitely qualified in his field. We have submitted the app and are awaiting the evaluation to verify he is qualified. I did look at the profiles of some of the teachers that are currently teaching in his field and my husband's experience and education will definitely stand out among other applicants should a position become available. I just wish they posted jobs online, so we would have a better idea where he stands!
2. I will complete an app as you suggested.
3. This issue has been driving me a little crazy to be honest. I do feel that valid teaching experience should help secure a position. He may not have experience in the position he is applying for, but he has been in a Title I public school and has learned a great deal about classroom management and all of the little details that make up the teaching profession. Since I have more experience (8 years with 4 being internationally), I guess we are hoping that a school will want to hire me and make it work for both of us. We are very flexible with location. The main reason we are going to the fair is that I think it will be helpful to meet the recruiters in person, so they can see who we are (even in a very short amount of time).
4. Thanks for the strategy for the fair. I have heard both ways, so maybe it will just depend on how many schools have positions for both of us.
Discussion
@austin
I dont ever see them going to posting general vacancies. Principals have better things to do than read applications. They do post some vacancies that arent just general candidate pool vacancies.
What you think should count/matter doesnt. Classroom management and organization is a portion of the equation; success in content delivery is another very significant component, and your spouse doesnt have that in the new field. Classrooms are not laboratories for ITs to make their bones and prove their mettle.
They can see who you are on a video cam as well, but yes there is a proximity/tactile factor you dont get with digital.
I dont ever see them going to posting general vacancies. Principals have better things to do than read applications. They do post some vacancies that arent just general candidate pool vacancies.
What you think should count/matter doesnt. Classroom management and organization is a portion of the equation; success in content delivery is another very significant component, and your spouse doesnt have that in the new field. Classrooms are not laboratories for ITs to make their bones and prove their mettle.
They can see who you are on a video cam as well, but yes there is a proximity/tactile factor you dont get with digital.