I am hoping to begin one of these certification programs soon. My preference is Teach Now due to the reasons PsyGuy and others have outlined many times (mostly due to the additional field experience). The issue of course is finding a school that would be willing to hand over their classroom to me.
To further complicate things, my plan is to teach ESL on the side to pay the bills while I'm going through the program (the certification I'm pursuing is 7-12 Math, so unrelated to ESL). So I'm in a bit of a catch-22, in the sense that: 1) I need to find an ESL job wherever I'm going, but I'm not sure where to apply/accept offers from because 2) I don't know which locations, if any, I'll be able to find a cooperating IS for the Teach Now program. And if the answer to the latter is none, then the same question goes for the Teacher Ready program.
Should I use a recruitment agency for this kind of thing? And if so, which one? Some relevant info:
-I'm getting certified in 7-12 Math and have an unrelated Bachelor's degree with no teaching experience
-I applied and was accepted to Teach Now, but there's no binding agreement/financial commitment and I still have to find an IS to work with.
-I am quite open in terms of locations; I'll stop short of saying I'll go anywhere, but the list of places I'd say no to is pretty short.
-Teaching ESL is how I plan to pay bills temporarily but is not a hard requirement per se if other options are available.
-I'd like to start ASAP.
Do I have any shot at finding an IS to work with me for TN somewhere, or should I just opt for TR?
Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
Hey Cookies4u, it seems we are in a similar boat. That's why I was looking at Teacher Ready and not Teach Now. 5 days is a lot easier to do that 12 weeks when I'm not sure how to find a cooperating classroom.
One thing I noticed on the Teacher Ready website is that they say they will contact schools in your area to find a place for you to do the student teaching and get the evaluation. Im not sure I believe they can help people who are abroad but they say they can do it in the USA.
I actually asked a question about this in my Topic.
One thing I noticed on the Teacher Ready website is that they say they will contact schools in your area to find a place for you to do the student teaching and get the evaluation. Im not sure I believe they can help people who are abroad but they say they can do it in the USA.
I actually asked a question about this in my Topic.
-
shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
Cookies4U - just out of curiosity, do you have a strong background in math in your university/college degree?
Response
You would not be able to use either of the premium agencies (SA, ISS).
Before you even select a program (Teach Now or Teach Ready) you need to find a cooperating IS. There are two general routes:
1) Start with the hardship regions:
China/Vietnam/Myanmar, etc.
Middle East
LCSA
2) Go through the embassy list of 1st tier/Elite ISs.
The reason for these routes comes down to visas, you need to get into the country.
The hardship route is the most likely to find an IS that will hire an uncertified/uncredentialed intern, adding that your pursuing a training program is better for a desperate IS than hiring an IT without any credentialing path at all. They take a risk on you for a term, in exchange for filling their schedule for 2 years. This route solves the visa issue and makes the paying for it problem moot.
The embassy IS route is viable because its those ISs that are going to be the most likely to secure you a student visa. They have the resources to make that happen and they might even absorb some of the costs (such as documentation and housing). The key to making this option work is to pitch it in non-traditional classroom environment:
1) Float: You need "A" classroom, one classroom, you dont need a full day schedule. As such an IS may have a scheduling issue where they would benefit by adding one extra class in a subject but doesnt justify a full IT. Another version of this is the permanent on call substitute/relief opportunity. You show up for the day and make the teacher room your office, someone needs to do a meeting but has a class or is ill your already there, you fill in.
2) Primary: Package the position as that of a free co-teacher where you solely teach a unit in say reading as part of the normal daily course plan. The IT gets an extra 30 minutes of prep time, and the IS gets an extra free body in the room throughout the day.
3) Resource: Depending on your subject you may be able to package yourself as providing some form of resource class. The issue this resolves is that most ISs dont have a classroom to give you to work out of, so you take advantage of improvised space. You could provide a study hour/tutoring option in the library during lunch periods for 2-3 hours a day. If you are in SPED/G&T/ESOL you could provide inclusion support in the classroom, shadowing a small handful of students who have special needs. Maybe you can put together some kind of story hour program in the library for primary, or something involving technology for secondary.
The objective is to identify an IS problem, and then construct a solution to it that fits into the model of looking like a class.
I recommend the Embassy route to begin with for two reasons: First, the reference will be a lot more valuable. Second, It may open up an opportunity for a full OSH appointment at the end of the field experience.
I understand your intent is to do Math, and while thats a high demand subject, you have no certification and no or little academic maths background, very few ISs would give someone so unqualified a maths classroom, especially at upper secondary or school leaving level.
I would suggest that you are NOT a maths intern candidate, you are in actuality a "whatever I can find" candidate. It doesnt matter what you get your initial certification in, you can add anything and everything once your certified by taking the appropriate PRAXIS exam. What this means is instead of restricting yourself by asking an IS "can you help me do THIS" you can instead ask "what problem can i help YOU solve".
If you go the hardship route, you are more marketable if you focus on positions that your academic degree prepared you for. Hardship ISs may be desperate, but in a field like maths youre no more qualified than some random person pulled off the street.
You really need to look at your list of places that are your no go list. The priority is completing the field experience its three months, you can suffer through a lot more if its only three months long. Think of it like summer camp, you need a bed, hot water, food and electricity. You can probably eat really cheap lunch at your IS, buy two meals one eat there the other get to go. Volunteer weekly to clear out the faculty refrigerator, likely you will find a number of perfectly edible leftovers. You can get internet at hotels and your IS. Find a hotel, duck into the lobby get a cup of their free coffee and use their WiFi, if anyone asks your waiting for a friend. Be everyones friend, friends will buy friends drinks especially in the beginning when all the new staff dont really know each other.
If you have an extremely small course load make yourself available to other ITs especially new ones, drop by their rooms, ask what their doing, pick their brain and offer to help, in the beginning everyone has a mountain of work to do, and trying to figure out how to do it with the resources they have (and in which box those resources are in). Be their impromptu TA, you will learn, earn political/social currency, and leadership will notice that your a problem solver, and a member of the team. Dont ignore the value of networking.
ESOL will be hard and you need to be careful. From the ESs POV your job with them is your priority. You want an ES that is very flexible. You have to pay the bills but you want to act and look like every other member of the faculty at your IS. You want to be seen doing some type of duty, you want to do ASPs and your going to want to go to as many meetings as possible. Why because you will learn, you will be networking, you want to be informed, and most importantly you want leadership to believe that you have amazing potential and that your commitment and work ethic make up for any mistakes you make as your learning the teaching thing.
This is going to really impact your ET commitment. I would strongly advise doing your ET on the weekends, leaving your evenings for errands, preparation and sleep. Many ETs who work week long schedules dont really like working on weekends, committing to eight hours of Saturday & Sunday lessons should give you enough to get by without killing you and make your ES leadership happy. A side benefit of that is you will have less ES politics and supervision.
Before you even select a program (Teach Now or Teach Ready) you need to find a cooperating IS. There are two general routes:
1) Start with the hardship regions:
China/Vietnam/Myanmar, etc.
Middle East
LCSA
2) Go through the embassy list of 1st tier/Elite ISs.
The reason for these routes comes down to visas, you need to get into the country.
The hardship route is the most likely to find an IS that will hire an uncertified/uncredentialed intern, adding that your pursuing a training program is better for a desperate IS than hiring an IT without any credentialing path at all. They take a risk on you for a term, in exchange for filling their schedule for 2 years. This route solves the visa issue and makes the paying for it problem moot.
The embassy IS route is viable because its those ISs that are going to be the most likely to secure you a student visa. They have the resources to make that happen and they might even absorb some of the costs (such as documentation and housing). The key to making this option work is to pitch it in non-traditional classroom environment:
1) Float: You need "A" classroom, one classroom, you dont need a full day schedule. As such an IS may have a scheduling issue where they would benefit by adding one extra class in a subject but doesnt justify a full IT. Another version of this is the permanent on call substitute/relief opportunity. You show up for the day and make the teacher room your office, someone needs to do a meeting but has a class or is ill your already there, you fill in.
2) Primary: Package the position as that of a free co-teacher where you solely teach a unit in say reading as part of the normal daily course plan. The IT gets an extra 30 minutes of prep time, and the IS gets an extra free body in the room throughout the day.
3) Resource: Depending on your subject you may be able to package yourself as providing some form of resource class. The issue this resolves is that most ISs dont have a classroom to give you to work out of, so you take advantage of improvised space. You could provide a study hour/tutoring option in the library during lunch periods for 2-3 hours a day. If you are in SPED/G&T/ESOL you could provide inclusion support in the classroom, shadowing a small handful of students who have special needs. Maybe you can put together some kind of story hour program in the library for primary, or something involving technology for secondary.
The objective is to identify an IS problem, and then construct a solution to it that fits into the model of looking like a class.
I recommend the Embassy route to begin with for two reasons: First, the reference will be a lot more valuable. Second, It may open up an opportunity for a full OSH appointment at the end of the field experience.
I understand your intent is to do Math, and while thats a high demand subject, you have no certification and no or little academic maths background, very few ISs would give someone so unqualified a maths classroom, especially at upper secondary or school leaving level.
I would suggest that you are NOT a maths intern candidate, you are in actuality a "whatever I can find" candidate. It doesnt matter what you get your initial certification in, you can add anything and everything once your certified by taking the appropriate PRAXIS exam. What this means is instead of restricting yourself by asking an IS "can you help me do THIS" you can instead ask "what problem can i help YOU solve".
If you go the hardship route, you are more marketable if you focus on positions that your academic degree prepared you for. Hardship ISs may be desperate, but in a field like maths youre no more qualified than some random person pulled off the street.
You really need to look at your list of places that are your no go list. The priority is completing the field experience its three months, you can suffer through a lot more if its only three months long. Think of it like summer camp, you need a bed, hot water, food and electricity. You can probably eat really cheap lunch at your IS, buy two meals one eat there the other get to go. Volunteer weekly to clear out the faculty refrigerator, likely you will find a number of perfectly edible leftovers. You can get internet at hotels and your IS. Find a hotel, duck into the lobby get a cup of their free coffee and use their WiFi, if anyone asks your waiting for a friend. Be everyones friend, friends will buy friends drinks especially in the beginning when all the new staff dont really know each other.
If you have an extremely small course load make yourself available to other ITs especially new ones, drop by their rooms, ask what their doing, pick their brain and offer to help, in the beginning everyone has a mountain of work to do, and trying to figure out how to do it with the resources they have (and in which box those resources are in). Be their impromptu TA, you will learn, earn political/social currency, and leadership will notice that your a problem solver, and a member of the team. Dont ignore the value of networking.
ESOL will be hard and you need to be careful. From the ESs POV your job with them is your priority. You want an ES that is very flexible. You have to pay the bills but you want to act and look like every other member of the faculty at your IS. You want to be seen doing some type of duty, you want to do ASPs and your going to want to go to as many meetings as possible. Why because you will learn, you will be networking, you want to be informed, and most importantly you want leadership to believe that you have amazing potential and that your commitment and work ethic make up for any mistakes you make as your learning the teaching thing.
This is going to really impact your ET commitment. I would strongly advise doing your ET on the weekends, leaving your evenings for errands, preparation and sleep. Many ETs who work week long schedules dont really like working on weekends, committing to eight hours of Saturday & Sunday lessons should give you enough to get by without killing you and make your ES leadership happy. A side benefit of that is you will have less ES politics and supervision.
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
edmunder:
Hey, just read through your post. It sounds like you definitely have a bit more experience than me. Out of curiosity, do you mind me asking how you ended up teaching Literature and History at a university? I've always been under the impression that anything at a university required an MA or PhD, and usually non-ESL subjects require domestic certification. Feel free to send me an e-mail at chaconne87 (at) gmail dot com if you don't want to post here. I'm not sure how Teacher Ready handles international schools, but I'd probably just give them a call and ask.
shadowjack:
For someone planning on teaching math, my math background isn't very strong. I suppose it's strong for someone with a non-math/science degree. I took two semesters of Calc and got A's; I would also say I have a solid foundation in Stats due to outside interests and self-study, although I've never taken a formal class in it. I looked at the shortened Praxis exam samples available online, and the main thing I'm missing is Linear Algebra, which I plan to learn. The rest of the test seemed very doable if I were to take it right now.
Hey, just read through your post. It sounds like you definitely have a bit more experience than me. Out of curiosity, do you mind me asking how you ended up teaching Literature and History at a university? I've always been under the impression that anything at a university required an MA or PhD, and usually non-ESL subjects require domestic certification. Feel free to send me an e-mail at chaconne87 (at) gmail dot com if you don't want to post here. I'm not sure how Teacher Ready handles international schools, but I'd probably just give them a call and ask.
shadowjack:
For someone planning on teaching math, my math background isn't very strong. I suppose it's strong for someone with a non-math/science degree. I took two semesters of Calc and got A's; I would also say I have a solid foundation in Stats due to outside interests and self-study, although I've never taken a formal class in it. I looked at the shortened Praxis exam samples available online, and the main thing I'm missing is Linear Algebra, which I plan to learn. The rest of the test seemed very doable if I were to take it right now.
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
PsyGuy:
Thanks for another informative, helpful post. There are some things I'd like to clarify.
1. One point of confusion is where you reference the field experience as being only 3 months, re: viewing it as a summer camp, re-considering my no-go list, etc. This seems to contradict a few things:
-Teach Now says that their field experience is "embedded throughout the modules", rather than a compact 3-month segment.
-The potential upside of a followup full OSH appointment for 2 years (or whatever the contract length) seems like it would be negated if I'm only in that particular location because I'm willing to suck it up for 3 months, no?
-If nothing else, wouldn't my ES contract have to be for longer than 3 months?
I bring these up because I would indeed be willing to go anywhere for 3 months. For 1 year+, I'd like to avoid a small number of places like Saudi Arabia, some parts of rural China (most of China is still fine), probably some parts of India and Pakistan, maybe 1 or 2 other ME countries like Kuwait, and likely some parts of Africa - although it would probably depend more on the particular city/school than the country in most cases. For 2+ years, the list of no-gos gets a bit bigger but I'd still be open to plenty of hardship regions.
Another issue I just thought of apart from finding an IS is the qualification requirements for the temp ES position itself. In the ME for example, it seems like most ES positions are requiring domestic certification if not an MA? I'm thinking that would eliminate some places like Saudi Arabia which I wasn't thrilled about going to anyway.
2. Second point, I'm confused as to why the 'List of Embassy 1st-Tiers' option and the 'Hardship regions' option are listed as distinctly separate things. Apologies if I'm being obtuse, but certainly there are 1st-tier/elite schools located in hardship regions?
3. I'm a little confused about exactly how I would do the pitching process you suggested. You gave me some options for marketing myself to these schools, but how do I know which 'pitch' to use before knowing what their needs are? Or do I just lay it all out in my initial e-mail and say e.g.:
"Hello, my name is cookies4u. I am in the process of pursuing my teaching certification, and I'm interested in completing my field experiences at your school because X & Y. Depending on the needs of your school, I could do one of the following (list Float, Primary, Resource packages + details)."
Thanks for another informative, helpful post. There are some things I'd like to clarify.
1. One point of confusion is where you reference the field experience as being only 3 months, re: viewing it as a summer camp, re-considering my no-go list, etc. This seems to contradict a few things:
-Teach Now says that their field experience is "embedded throughout the modules", rather than a compact 3-month segment.
-The potential upside of a followup full OSH appointment for 2 years (or whatever the contract length) seems like it would be negated if I'm only in that particular location because I'm willing to suck it up for 3 months, no?
-If nothing else, wouldn't my ES contract have to be for longer than 3 months?
I bring these up because I would indeed be willing to go anywhere for 3 months. For 1 year+, I'd like to avoid a small number of places like Saudi Arabia, some parts of rural China (most of China is still fine), probably some parts of India and Pakistan, maybe 1 or 2 other ME countries like Kuwait, and likely some parts of Africa - although it would probably depend more on the particular city/school than the country in most cases. For 2+ years, the list of no-gos gets a bit bigger but I'd still be open to plenty of hardship regions.
Another issue I just thought of apart from finding an IS is the qualification requirements for the temp ES position itself. In the ME for example, it seems like most ES positions are requiring domestic certification if not an MA? I'm thinking that would eliminate some places like Saudi Arabia which I wasn't thrilled about going to anyway.
2. Second point, I'm confused as to why the 'List of Embassy 1st-Tiers' option and the 'Hardship regions' option are listed as distinctly separate things. Apologies if I'm being obtuse, but certainly there are 1st-tier/elite schools located in hardship regions?
3. I'm a little confused about exactly how I would do the pitching process you suggested. You gave me some options for marketing myself to these schools, but how do I know which 'pitch' to use before knowing what their needs are? Or do I just lay it all out in my initial e-mail and say e.g.:
"Hello, my name is cookies4u. I am in the process of pursuing my teaching certification, and I'm interested in completing my field experiences at your school because X & Y. Depending on the needs of your school, I could do one of the following (list Float, Primary, Resource packages + details)."
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
cookies4u wrote:
> edmunder:
>
> Hey, just read through your post. It sounds like you definitely have a bit
> more experience than me. Out of curiosity, do you mind me asking how you
> ended up teaching Literature and History at a university? I've always been
> under the impression that anything at a university required an MA or PhD,
> and usually non-ESL subjects require domestic certification. Feel free to
> send me an e-mail at chaconne87 (at) gmail dot com if you don't want to
> post here. I'm not sure how Teacher Ready handles international schools,
> but I'd probably just give them a call and ask.
>
I don't teach Lit or History at the uni, I tutor those subjects to students from the best public high school in my city. They all go to Hong Kong to take AP tests, which happened just recently.
I teach Academic writing, Reading (novels, newspapers, etc), Speaking, Phonetics (fancy name for pronunciation).
I looked at the Teach Now website and they say the same thing: They will help the teacher to find a placement to do their student teaching. I'm not sure I believe them but it would be worth a try no doubt.
My issue is that I already have a contract signed for the following academic year, Sept 2016 to July 2017. Though my course load will only be 12 hours/6 courses a week. I will have a lot of free time that I usually fill with tutoring for AP/TOEFL/IELTS.
I think since I won't need a visa, will not need any money, I will cold call/email all the international schools and do as PsyGUY has said, explain my situation and see if we can't work something out. It would be great for me and if the International School gets a free teacher that is dedicated to helping out, hopefully they see it as great for them too.
> edmunder:
>
> Hey, just read through your post. It sounds like you definitely have a bit
> more experience than me. Out of curiosity, do you mind me asking how you
> ended up teaching Literature and History at a university? I've always been
> under the impression that anything at a university required an MA or PhD,
> and usually non-ESL subjects require domestic certification. Feel free to
> send me an e-mail at chaconne87 (at) gmail dot com if you don't want to
> post here. I'm not sure how Teacher Ready handles international schools,
> but I'd probably just give them a call and ask.
>
I don't teach Lit or History at the uni, I tutor those subjects to students from the best public high school in my city. They all go to Hong Kong to take AP tests, which happened just recently.
I teach Academic writing, Reading (novels, newspapers, etc), Speaking, Phonetics (fancy name for pronunciation).
I looked at the Teach Now website and they say the same thing: They will help the teacher to find a placement to do their student teaching. I'm not sure I believe them but it would be worth a try no doubt.
My issue is that I already have a contract signed for the following academic year, Sept 2016 to July 2017. Though my course load will only be 12 hours/6 courses a week. I will have a lot of free time that I usually fill with tutoring for AP/TOEFL/IELTS.
I think since I won't need a visa, will not need any money, I will cold call/email all the international schools and do as PsyGUY has said, explain my situation and see if we can't work something out. It would be great for me and if the International School gets a free teacher that is dedicated to helping out, hopefully they see it as great for them too.
Reply
@cookies4u
The entire Teach Now program is 9 months and throughout those 9 months you will do various forms of field work, mostly observational types of task. The culminating experience of field work is the three months/12 weeks of clinical practice.
Your not going to be suffering through a tier 1IS, its going to be the kind of IS your going to want to be offered a an appointment. At a lower tier hardship IS the deal is going to be they hire you on a package and you agree to a two year contract. If its really suffering though you can break contract and leave after your certified and complete the program. You gave them a year, it just didnt work out, the lifestyle isnt a match. Is it an optimal ending no, but you have accomplished your primary goal which is getting certified. You may have regions on your short list of no gos that you actually like. Its better to have choices after exploring all options, you can always decline regions on your no go list if you have better opportunities.
Well it would be 9 months, but the clinical practice portion of the field work is you teaching. Yes, your ES contract would need to be longer than 3 months. Its difficult getting short term work visas in many places. Your likely looking at a year long contract for an ES, but its ESOL you can leave anytime and no one will care that you broke and ES contract.
I use three months because with Teach Now you can split your field work. You can do your observations etc at one IS/DS and then travel somewhere else to do the clinical practice. Its also possible to start clinical practice early. Its 3 months/12 weeks but theres nothing keeping you from doing it all year long. I actually recommend this. It would be a lot of work but if your at a 1st tier IS it would be worth it.
There are plenty of ETs in the ME including the Kingdom that have bachelors degrees and no certification at all, many have a TESOL certificate of some type. There isnt a region (that Im aware of yet) that requires a Masters for all types of work visas. Most regions have a skilled (requiring a bachelors degree or equivalent) and an unskilled work visa types. There are regions with visa categories that in practice require a Masters, but no regions that all work visa categories would require a Masters.
The hardship route isnt going to be just hardship regions but low (bottom tier ISs) these are the ISs that are the most desperate, these are the ISs in hardship locations are the most likely to hire an credentialed IT, and an intern could be a more desirable option.
Tier status is only valid within the given region. A third tier IS in Switzerland is going to be a superior experience than a third tier IS in China. A lot of third tier ISs in WE are comparable to the typical DE experience you would find in a regulated DS. Theres bad and then there are the ugly train wreck ISs.
Yes there are 1st tier/elite tier ISs in hardship locations, but you have to live in the hardship region. Once your passed the IS gates your stuck with whatever conditions you find in the region.
Research, Research, Research. Review the ISs website, look at their staff and faculty pages, is there anything they are missing (an absence of ESOL or SPED ITs)? Does the IS have regular TAs? Use a different email and call the school counselor as a potential parent and ask about curriculum and elective options. ISs will share a lot with potential parents. Then carefully craft an email to the HOS of the IS, you have a proposal that specifically targets a problem or need, thats how you get leadership to say yes.
While there are tertiary certification programs, the vast majority of UNIs require no more than an academic degree and evidence of publication. There are some non language posts in UNI that only have a Bachelors degree, but they are the exception.
You dont need to know linear algebra to pass the maths PRAXIS. The number of items is extremely small, you could miss all of them and still pass the exam.
I would suggest taking the PRAXIS ASAP, and use the exam score as part of your application packet, assuming you get a high score. There are bottom tier ISs that are desperate enough that could be enough for an appointment.
The entire Teach Now program is 9 months and throughout those 9 months you will do various forms of field work, mostly observational types of task. The culminating experience of field work is the three months/12 weeks of clinical practice.
Your not going to be suffering through a tier 1IS, its going to be the kind of IS your going to want to be offered a an appointment. At a lower tier hardship IS the deal is going to be they hire you on a package and you agree to a two year contract. If its really suffering though you can break contract and leave after your certified and complete the program. You gave them a year, it just didnt work out, the lifestyle isnt a match. Is it an optimal ending no, but you have accomplished your primary goal which is getting certified. You may have regions on your short list of no gos that you actually like. Its better to have choices after exploring all options, you can always decline regions on your no go list if you have better opportunities.
Well it would be 9 months, but the clinical practice portion of the field work is you teaching. Yes, your ES contract would need to be longer than 3 months. Its difficult getting short term work visas in many places. Your likely looking at a year long contract for an ES, but its ESOL you can leave anytime and no one will care that you broke and ES contract.
I use three months because with Teach Now you can split your field work. You can do your observations etc at one IS/DS and then travel somewhere else to do the clinical practice. Its also possible to start clinical practice early. Its 3 months/12 weeks but theres nothing keeping you from doing it all year long. I actually recommend this. It would be a lot of work but if your at a 1st tier IS it would be worth it.
There are plenty of ETs in the ME including the Kingdom that have bachelors degrees and no certification at all, many have a TESOL certificate of some type. There isnt a region (that Im aware of yet) that requires a Masters for all types of work visas. Most regions have a skilled (requiring a bachelors degree or equivalent) and an unskilled work visa types. There are regions with visa categories that in practice require a Masters, but no regions that all work visa categories would require a Masters.
The hardship route isnt going to be just hardship regions but low (bottom tier ISs) these are the ISs that are the most desperate, these are the ISs in hardship locations are the most likely to hire an credentialed IT, and an intern could be a more desirable option.
Tier status is only valid within the given region. A third tier IS in Switzerland is going to be a superior experience than a third tier IS in China. A lot of third tier ISs in WE are comparable to the typical DE experience you would find in a regulated DS. Theres bad and then there are the ugly train wreck ISs.
Yes there are 1st tier/elite tier ISs in hardship locations, but you have to live in the hardship region. Once your passed the IS gates your stuck with whatever conditions you find in the region.
Research, Research, Research. Review the ISs website, look at their staff and faculty pages, is there anything they are missing (an absence of ESOL or SPED ITs)? Does the IS have regular TAs? Use a different email and call the school counselor as a potential parent and ask about curriculum and elective options. ISs will share a lot with potential parents. Then carefully craft an email to the HOS of the IS, you have a proposal that specifically targets a problem or need, thats how you get leadership to say yes.
While there are tertiary certification programs, the vast majority of UNIs require no more than an academic degree and evidence of publication. There are some non language posts in UNI that only have a Bachelors degree, but they are the exception.
You dont need to know linear algebra to pass the maths PRAXIS. The number of items is extremely small, you could miss all of them and still pass the exam.
I would suggest taking the PRAXIS ASAP, and use the exam score as part of your application packet, assuming you get a high score. There are bottom tier ISs that are desperate enough that could be enough for an appointment.
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
You are a hero, PsyGuy.
I'm in the process of researching these schools: http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/c1684.htm (this is the correct list of 1st-tier schools?) and cross-checking the reviews on this site before I start contacting them. Other than applying to the hardship regions in general, any thoughts on specific regions that would be best to focus my time on? I plan on following your advice re: finding the school's needs and writing a proposal to the HOS. Thoroughly researching each school will be very time-consuming though and I doubt I'll get through them all in a reasonable time frame - though I will try - so I'm just looking for the best way to target them.
One last(?) question. I of course would prefer an IS that gives me the 3 months required by TN, but would ultimately take the 5 days with TR if that's my only option. So, once I've researched the schools' needs and crafted my letters to the HOSs, do I simply say I would like 3 months but would take 5 days (in a more detailed, thoughtful way obviously)? Or just ask for 3 months, and if rejected see if they'll go for 5 days?
I'm in the process of researching these schools: http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/c1684.htm (this is the correct list of 1st-tier schools?) and cross-checking the reviews on this site before I start contacting them. Other than applying to the hardship regions in general, any thoughts on specific regions that would be best to focus my time on? I plan on following your advice re: finding the school's needs and writing a proposal to the HOS. Thoroughly researching each school will be very time-consuming though and I doubt I'll get through them all in a reasonable time frame - though I will try - so I'm just looking for the best way to target them.
One last(?) question. I of course would prefer an IS that gives me the 3 months required by TN, but would ultimately take the 5 days with TR if that's my only option. So, once I've researched the schools' needs and crafted my letters to the HOSs, do I simply say I would like 3 months but would take 5 days (in a more detailed, thoughtful way obviously)? Or just ask for 3 months, and if rejected see if they'll go for 5 days?
Reply
@edmunder
I would strongly advice a well crafted email over a phone call. You need to give the administrator/manager time to consider.
@cookies4u
Yes, the DOS Assisted Schools are the US embassy ISs overseas and typically first tier ISs.
China is probably the best option, there are a LOT of third tier ISs in the region. I would also look at Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Taiwan. Some of the worst and most desperate ISs are in Vietnam. I would also look to the ME, and ME parts of Africa such as Egypt and Morocco.
A good place to start if you want a list is here:
https://www.iss.edu/about-us/events-e/e ... ifair-2016
These are ISs that are still recruiting this late in the season. You may well find an IS that will appoint you on a comp package.
Its very unlikely you would have responses to all of your inquiries at the same time. I would start with the 3 month route, wait to see what your results are and then followup at a later time for the observation and 5 days field experience later. The reason is that a 3 month (or longer) placement is a hiring/recruiting issue. Observations and five days guest teaching is not.
I would strongly advice a well crafted email over a phone call. You need to give the administrator/manager time to consider.
@cookies4u
Yes, the DOS Assisted Schools are the US embassy ISs overseas and typically first tier ISs.
China is probably the best option, there are a LOT of third tier ISs in the region. I would also look at Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Taiwan. Some of the worst and most desperate ISs are in Vietnam. I would also look to the ME, and ME parts of Africa such as Egypt and Morocco.
A good place to start if you want a list is here:
https://www.iss.edu/about-us/events-e/e ... ifair-2016
These are ISs that are still recruiting this late in the season. You may well find an IS that will appoint you on a comp package.
Its very unlikely you would have responses to all of your inquiries at the same time. I would start with the 3 month route, wait to see what your results are and then followup at a later time for the observation and 5 days field experience later. The reason is that a 3 month (or longer) placement is a hiring/recruiting issue. Observations and five days guest teaching is not.
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
PsyGuy:
Something that was just pointed out to me (and not why it didn't occur to me). Teach Now requires a mentor teacher to supervise and evaluate my teaching. I'm having trouble understanding how that could happen in some of your suggested improvised classroom arrangements. For example, the 'Float' option where I'm an on-call sub in the teacher room - how would I find a qualified mentor teacher to coordinate their schedule with that?
Something that was just pointed out to me (and not why it didn't occur to me). Teach Now requires a mentor teacher to supervise and evaluate my teaching. I'm having trouble understanding how that could happen in some of your suggested improvised classroom arrangements. For example, the 'Float' option where I'm an on-call sub in the teacher room - how would I find a qualified mentor teacher to coordinate their schedule with that?
Reply
@cookies4u
The supervising and evaluating portion of the program isnt a consistent and continuous assignment. An IS doesnt assign someone to follow you around all day. What it means is that someone is assigned as your mentor who you can go to for advice and help (and this might be very limited basis), and then someone on the leadership team (or faculty) will observe you a couple times throughout your field experience. If you have an unconventional 'classroom' in the library then you will arrange a couple meeting times when you will have students where the admin/manager will stand/sit off in the corner and observe you as your evaluation.
If its an impromptu type of class, than leadership may assign the librarian to complete your evaluation sometime during a particular week and they will sign off on it. In most cases a member of leadership is the official mentor/evaluator, and they assign other staff to various tasking roles as time permits based on the schedule. If your a float in another class, then leadership will consult the schedule to see who has a prep period and have them pop into the classroom your using and do the evaluation.
The reality is most of these evaluations are an ongoing assessment. The leadership serving as your mentor/evaluator has likely been listening to staff and faculty comments during the entire time, and if they havent heard anything bad will just complete the evaluation with high ratings in all domains/competencies without actually being in your classroom. You do a good job, theyre going to hear about it, congrats you get a stellar evaluation.
The supervising and evaluating portion of the program isnt a consistent and continuous assignment. An IS doesnt assign someone to follow you around all day. What it means is that someone is assigned as your mentor who you can go to for advice and help (and this might be very limited basis), and then someone on the leadership team (or faculty) will observe you a couple times throughout your field experience. If you have an unconventional 'classroom' in the library then you will arrange a couple meeting times when you will have students where the admin/manager will stand/sit off in the corner and observe you as your evaluation.
If its an impromptu type of class, than leadership may assign the librarian to complete your evaluation sometime during a particular week and they will sign off on it. In most cases a member of leadership is the official mentor/evaluator, and they assign other staff to various tasking roles as time permits based on the schedule. If your a float in another class, then leadership will consult the schedule to see who has a prep period and have them pop into the classroom your using and do the evaluation.
The reality is most of these evaluations are an ongoing assessment. The leadership serving as your mentor/evaluator has likely been listening to staff and faculty comments during the entire time, and if they havent heard anything bad will just complete the evaluation with high ratings in all domains/competencies without actually being in your classroom. You do a good job, theyre going to hear about it, congrats you get a stellar evaluation.
Re: Teach Now (Or Teacher Ready) - finding a cooperating IS
I am doing exactly what you want to be doing, now. I was teaching EFL in Vietnam and started TeacherReady in November. I'm doing my practicum in September but have finished the bulk of my student teaching experience and the program.
Some points, based on your main post:
-TeacherReady assigns someone to help you find a mentor teacher (an IS). I gave them a list of three and they gave me my top choice, which was the best school in the city and maybe top two or three in the country. It's a great school. Another TeacherReady student was just finishing her stint there when I finished. I was not hung out to dry. Important to note I was LIVING IN VIETNAM when I started the program, you're asking a lot for a a program and the IS to take a chance on your flying out there.
-I was on a 'part-time' contract with ILA (EFL school in Ho Chi Minh City), which meant I was paid for hours worked. I talked to my manager to not work weekdays for awhile, the bulk of my hours are on weekends so it worked out nicely with the IS. My mentor teacher was flexible as well, for for about 2 months I had to show up very often because she let me teach an entire unit of the course.
-Prior to cutting back on my hours at ILA, I was saving enough money to cover tuition payments for TeacherReady. So it worked out really nicely financially.
My advice to you would be to find a country where you can work in a languane center, i.e. your hours will be mostly on the weekend. Work in a country where there is some flexibility if you need to work at a different language center or quit (China and Saudi Arabia, for example, seem difficult. Vietnam involves some paperwork but you could continue living there if you made changes, and ILA holds no grudges if you quit a part-time contract before its finished). Work in a country with a lot of international schools, i.e. a large expat population.
In short I'd say you're making this much more complicated than you need to make it. Find yourself an EFL job in a place with a lot of ISs. Then start the program and work with them to find one that will take you. Getting everything set up before you go sounds difficult.
I don't quite understand the difference in TeachNow/TeacherReady that is so important to you. TeachNow struck me as kind of a scam with its new Master's degree, for some reason they stopped working with a legitimate outfit (The U of Pacific) and started giving students an unaccreddited one.
Some points, based on your main post:
-TeacherReady assigns someone to help you find a mentor teacher (an IS). I gave them a list of three and they gave me my top choice, which was the best school in the city and maybe top two or three in the country. It's a great school. Another TeacherReady student was just finishing her stint there when I finished. I was not hung out to dry. Important to note I was LIVING IN VIETNAM when I started the program, you're asking a lot for a a program and the IS to take a chance on your flying out there.
-I was on a 'part-time' contract with ILA (EFL school in Ho Chi Minh City), which meant I was paid for hours worked. I talked to my manager to not work weekdays for awhile, the bulk of my hours are on weekends so it worked out nicely with the IS. My mentor teacher was flexible as well, for for about 2 months I had to show up very often because she let me teach an entire unit of the course.
-Prior to cutting back on my hours at ILA, I was saving enough money to cover tuition payments for TeacherReady. So it worked out really nicely financially.
My advice to you would be to find a country where you can work in a languane center, i.e. your hours will be mostly on the weekend. Work in a country where there is some flexibility if you need to work at a different language center or quit (China and Saudi Arabia, for example, seem difficult. Vietnam involves some paperwork but you could continue living there if you made changes, and ILA holds no grudges if you quit a part-time contract before its finished). Work in a country with a lot of international schools, i.e. a large expat population.
In short I'd say you're making this much more complicated than you need to make it. Find yourself an EFL job in a place with a lot of ISs. Then start the program and work with them to find one that will take you. Getting everything set up before you go sounds difficult.
I don't quite understand the difference in TeachNow/TeacherReady that is so important to you. TeachNow struck me as kind of a scam with its new Master's degree, for some reason they stopped working with a legitimate outfit (The U of Pacific) and started giving students an unaccreddited one.
Reply
@cms989
Your plan worked for you and thats great, but advising to find the job first, relocate and then look for the cooperating IS could leave you in the position of not having one. The priority is completing the credentialing program, the ESOL position is just the means to pay the bills. It worked for you, but thats no guarantee it will work for everyone or even anyone else.
Yes the Teach Now Masters isnt worth the paper its printed on, it has no bearing on the value and validity of the teacher certification. Teach Now just moved too fast and tried to expand to fast, they wanted to be competitive. University of the Pacific essentially had their own program that involved CA certification and other partnerships with other programs. Teach Now was little more than a feeder for University of the Pacific, and the coin wasnt their for them.
Your plan worked for you and thats great, but advising to find the job first, relocate and then look for the cooperating IS could leave you in the position of not having one. The priority is completing the credentialing program, the ESOL position is just the means to pay the bills. It worked for you, but thats no guarantee it will work for everyone or even anyone else.
Yes the Teach Now Masters isnt worth the paper its printed on, it has no bearing on the value and validity of the teacher certification. Teach Now just moved too fast and tried to expand to fast, they wanted to be competitive. University of the Pacific essentially had their own program that involved CA certification and other partnerships with other programs. Teach Now was little more than a feeder for University of the Pacific, and the coin wasnt their for them.