Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

twoteachers
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Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by twoteachers »

In our next recruiting cycle, we want to be able to apply to British curriculum schools, but we lack the experience. We both have QTS status...but how do we appeal to a British school, when our credentials and experience are all US based? What can we point out to show we'd be qualified for the position? We don't want to ignore a whole group of schools that could be a good fit for us.
PsyGuy
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Response

Post by PsyGuy »

Good performance data.

There is nothing curriculum wise thats vastly different between the USNC and the UKNC. The biggest differences are when certain elements of the curriculum are taught, and that KS1 has a slightly higher focus in content outside literacy (mainly numeracy). In Secondary, especially at school leaving level the curriculum programs are congruent as far as content A* levels/HL DIP/AP are congruent in content.
The only other differences are in vocabulary/terminology and organization of the education system, which wont effect you in any meaningful way below school leaving level. If your a strong IT in an AS you will be a strong IT in a BS.

What you want to do is learn the terminology so you can talk intelligently about it (and express a love for documentation).
shadowjack
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by shadowjack »

Apply to domestic schools in the UK. Do a couple of years. Voila!
PsyGuy
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COmment

Post by PsyGuy »

@SJ

Are you getting a commission for every time you pitch teaching in the UK?
shadylane
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by shadylane »

PsyGuy wrote:

> Are you getting a commission for every time you pitch teaching in the UK?

Lol.

@twoteachers

Why? What's the draw? They'll want to know.
shadowjack
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by shadowjack »

PsyGuy,

no, but it will give you a much deeper, faster overview and induction into the UK system than trying to land at a UK curriculum school overseas.

Been there done that have the badge.
Traveller1
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by Traveller1 »

As someone with a US background you go down the British Curriculum route at your peril. Of course this depends on your personality, your perspective on assessment, whether you're looking at Primary or Secondary, and how closely aligned the school/group of schools is to education in the UK, etc. etc.

If you're considering a Primary position I would suggest you find out about the Ros Wilson writing assessment scale and descriptors. I would find out about the degree of micro management you'll be working under, whether you can accommodate the British philosophy on assessment and grading to the Bell Curve, whether you're comfortable with teachers shouting at students, whether you're comfortable with a rules based student management system, find out about 'Golden Time', how it's applied, what it's purpose is (reward & punishment), and whether the school will value you as someone who is non-British. Mostly talk to US teachers who've worked in British schools.

Secondary will be different to Primary, obviously, but do you have long term plans to work in a British curriculum environment?

If you're happy with the answers you get go for it.
twoteachers
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by twoteachers »

@ SJ

My draw is just not wanting to discount a whole group of schools that could potentially hire us. It seems at least half the schools out there are BC. Doesn't that decrease our chances if we completely ignore them and not even apply? Or should I not even bother and stick to US curriculum schools?

@Traveller

You paint a grim picture, which makes me rethink this whole thing. I will definitely chat with some of my colleagues here who've done it.

Thanks for the tips!!
Traveller1
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by Traveller1 »

TT, I wasn't trying to discourage you, its just that philosophically the US and UK systems are quite distinct and it can be difficult moving from one to the other. The last thing you want to do is end up in a school without realising what you're getting into. The UK system is highly structured and teachers that have grown up through that system and are trained to work with the BC know what's expected. When you come in cold and want to use learning centers only to find that your line manager/s don't understand them, and you're excited about the Daily 5 and no one's heard about them it can be a bit demoralising.

I'm sure there are BC schools you would enjoy working at, it all depends on whether they're open to other approaches and methodologies and whether they value anything other than the BC.

While there are many BC schools in the international schools context there are lots and lots of others. You're much better served trying to get into a PYP/MYP/DP school. IPC is also expanding and although I think it has a British orientation its not BC. I'm open to correction here so do some research. If you're wanting to make a career in international education I would say the IB is the way to go.
shadylane
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by shadylane »

Traveller1 wrote:
grading to the Bell Curve, whether you're comfortable with teachers shouting at students,

No offence, but if this was your experience then you can't have worked at a decent BS (if it was actually a BS, and not just a local school that brought in the CIE suite of assessments). The UKNC never grades to a Bell Curve, and shouting at students isn't considered good practise in any system. (except maybe North Korea?)

Traveller1 wrote:
philosophically the US and UK systems are quite distinct . . . I would say the IB is the way to go.

I do agree with you on these points though. The UK system tends to be more structured in its expectations, and requires teachers to collaborate. It's not a 'nice option', you won't survive if you don't. Having gone the other way, the two things that struck me were the independence that US teachers get (and sometimes get away with), and the lack of collaboration between teachers in the High School. There are far more 'rockstars' in US schools too. The IB seems a nice mix, with high expectations, a collaborative ethos as well as the freedom for the teachers and students to do what seems best. I'm afraid that I've pretty much drunk the IB kool-aid.
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@SJ

A couple of years is overkill, you can learn all you need to know in one year, its not rocket science.

@twoteachers

I strongly disagree with @Traveller1, if you were new to USNC and hear all the terminology and organizational details, youd think it was grim and incomprehensible as well, yet all educators at some point within a year or so figure out how the system works and what the new trend in that systems Pop.Ed is. There is nothing about the UKNC or a BSs organization that intelligent educators cant figure out and learn. The content is congruent, so you can already walk the walk, all you need to do is learn to talk the talk.

IB is great and it bridges the 1st tier and 3ed tier,a lot of ISs in the 2nd tier are IB ISs, however at the elite ISs is is predominately NC ISs either ASs or BSs. I love the IB Koolaid and I think its ultimately going to become the defacto global curriculum, however until the IB gains more market penetration into western DSs and the IB allies more with Universities IB is going to be limited to experimental DSs and ISs.
Traveller1
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by Traveller1 »

Shadylane, while I know there are many really good teachers in the UK, and UK teachers working abroad, my experience of UK trained colleagues, genuine British teachers, and the feedback from friends in other places doesn't read well. They just don't seem to have the same skills levels in affirming students and managing difficult students. The Year 2 teacher down the corridor from my room really does shout at some of his students in the corridor. To the British Upper and Lower Primary Coordinators, who sit in an office 5 m from his classroom, he is considered a good teacher. Our British teachers have savaged 2nd language students in staff meetings, called their work rubbish, and when I've called them out on it I'm told this happens at home.

You're probably right about the Bell Curve, its more like a wedge, with a select few able to attain an acceptable standard. Philosophically the span between most of the UK teachers I've worked with and US colleagues is closer to the Pacific than the Channel. I've had UK colleagues denigrate US Masters degrees, perhaps because they're 2 year courses instead of 1 year courses. I don't know. Then, of course, there's the British media. The forums on the TES make teaching in the UK sound like a battlefield. Perhaps the teaching profession in the UK is under threat from the government and parents, but it doesn't sound like a context where I would care to teach. Private schools are continually attacked in the British media, and I would think that they are the closest relatives to international schools. When a society views the public naming and shaming of 'poorly performing' schools as a strategy to address the problem what more is there to say.
Traveller1
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by Traveller1 »

It would be really good to hear the perspectives of US teachers who have worked or are working in BC schools.
shadowjack
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by shadowjack »

I taught in the UK. Remember that most UK schools that will take on OTTs are NOT the top of the league table schools. There we quite a few colleagues yelling. One even asked me how I got the students to do what I wanted and said he never heard me yell. I shared my procedure with him, but he couldn't wrap his head around it, and continued yelling. Not sure if he is still teaching, as I left the school and country, sadly. I really did enjoy it and once I had made my rep with the students I was golden.

However, as I have posted elsewhere, Twoteachers, the UK system is all about predicted grades and tests. Students will come to you in KS 2 or 3 or 4 with predicted grades. Woe betide you if they don't meet them! Best for you that they exceed them, as you become 'value added'. GCSE assessment is a mix of assignments and tests. Assignments/projects/work is moderated randomly. Tests are for all. Marks, similar to IB, are made up of the two and are on a number scale - no percentages. It is different, and the SoWs (schemes of work) are laid out differently, as well as lesson expectations are much more ticky boxed than in Canada.

That's just my 2 pence from teaching in the UK. If it hadn't have been for the taxes and kids, I might still be there. LOL
shadylane
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Re: Applying to British Curriculum w/ US background

Post by shadylane »

Traveller1 wrote:
The Year 2 teacher down the corridor from my room really does shout at some of his students in the corridor. To the British Upper and Lower Primary Coordinators, who sit in an office 5 m from his classroom, he is considered a good teacher. Our British teachers have savaged 2nd language students in staff meetings, called their work rubbish, and when I've called them out on it I'm told this happens at home.
>
> You're probably right about the Bell Curve, its more like a wedge, with a select few able to attain an acceptable standard.


It's a shame you can't name the school on this site anymore. It sounds horrendous. Shouting to keep control is accepted practise? Calling EAL students lazy, because they can't access the work? Elitist grading / feedback that disenfranchises most of the kids? Sounds like a dodgy AS that I worked at for a bit. I, however, just presumed it was like that because it was a poor school, not because it was American. Shame you can't cut the slack the other way.

I'm sorry that's your experience.
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