Question from a fresh International School Teacher

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NoWhy
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:40 pm

Question from a fresh International School Teacher

Post by NoWhy »

Hi, I last asked a question a little less than a year ago. Since then, I've become certified in K-12 math through the Teacher Ready program and taught math at an international school in a Tier-2 city in China. To give more background on myself, I have a B.A. in Psychology, and completed 2 years of a joint PhD/Master's program, during which I served as a TA, thus gaining teaching experience and receiving my post-graduate education for free. Following this, I took some time doing other things including substitute teaching. After a few years I headed for China with the idea of beginning a teaching career and learning Chinese.

In my second placement in China I was asked to tutor math (in English) to the school owner's daughter, then subsequently assigned Math Language classes in that school. I used that to acquire my current position prior to certification: teaching middle school math at an international school, with the plan to acquire a math teaching certification, which I did. I chose math because it is an in-demand subject, and although I have never majored in it, I have always been exceptionally good at the subject when learning or being tested on it in the past.

My goal is to attain a better position and gain experience each year, and so for next year I've been looking for IB and/or high school teaching positions for math, and have found both. I've been offered a few different positions thus far, including a freshly accredited (2015) IB school, which I would join the math department of. They are a K-12 school, and I would teach one middle school math class and 2-3 high school math classes. The pay is less than I would have hoped for, and the same that I'm being paid currently. However, so far this is the only IB school who has offered me a position, and thus I'm looking at this as an opportunity to add IB experience to my resume. Thinking realistically, I must acknowledge that as my degree is not in Math I need to accumulate a few years of successful experience teaching math to prove my ability of teaching it effectively.

I've been offered some other opportunities next year, such as a Chinese school with an international department in which I would be teaching Pre-calc/Calculus, and paid quite a bit more than the IB school. I should clarify that the original position I was offered at this school was Grade 10 Math Language. The intent is for these students to study in Australia, but I think that when they are admitted to the program their English level may be insufficient. The plan is for them to be taught Math in English exclusively after their first year.

I've visited both schools, and although the Chinese school seems well-equipped, the IB international school seems to have better facilities and resources. That said, the foreign teachers at the Chinese school are all from English-speaking countries, while the foreign teachers of the math department at the international school are from Pakistan and Slovenia.

One question I asked the schools is how many of the students are admitted to English-speaking countries' universities following graduation. I have a small impression that regardless of the capability of the individual, students that can afford to attend an international school versus just an international department are in a better position. I wonder whether it may be easier to teach the students at the international department, as I think they are likely better students, but I think that it will probably look better on my resume to teach the students at the international school, and a majority of them will be admitted to schools at a variety of Universities in English-speaking countries.


With this information in mind, what do you think of my career plans? What do you think of these two school offers in particular, and which would be more valuable for my credentials and future?

I appreciate any and all feedback I receive. Thank you.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

You need to determine your priority, we cant give it to you. Both ISs appear to be third tier ISs, the IB IS would increase the utility of your resume, the private local DS would likely provide a more enjoyable experience (coin has a tendency of decreasing problems and challenges).

Many second tier ISs are IB ISs, the IB experience would facilitate moving into a strong 2nd tier IB IS especially with solid performance data in DIP maths. That could be a golden ticket for your career, however brand new IB ISs/DSs have definite growing pains and challenges, and you may not do particularly well as a result of the adjustment period.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Question from a fresh International School Teacher

Post by shadowjack »

The IB on your resume, especially SL and HL math at the DP, with some solid MYP would make you a more marketable candidate going forward. Nobody asks who you taught with or whether your kids went to Harvard - they want to know what levels your students achieved and whether you can deliver the program. I would bite the bullet go for the same pay and get the IB experience to get the delayed payoff down the road.
ChengLi
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Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2016 5:43 pm
Location: UK
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Re: Question from a fresh International School Teacher

Post by ChengLi »

All stated quiet clear and very informative on our career path as teachers to consider the points taken.
expatscot
Posts: 307
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2016 4:26 am

Re: Question from a fresh International School Teacher

Post by expatscot »

Reading your post I think your gut instinct is telling you to go for the IB one.
NoWhy
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:40 pm

Re: Question from a fresh International School Teacher

Post by NoWhy »

Thanks everyone for the clear responses. My gut instinct is telling me to go for the IB school.

I am looking to eventually progress to higher-tiered international schools, and thus I think gaining IB experience now will be conducive to this.

Thank you.
MedellinHeel
Posts: 169
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 1:59 am

Re: Question from a fresh International School Teacher

Post by MedellinHeel »

Congrats NoWhy on getting certified and finding numerous jobs.

A few questions for you. I did Teacher Ready also and got the middle school math license. Now I am wanting to add the high school license to it as well.

How was the high school exam? Anything tricky on the test? I am a little worried about the time. Seems like you have to rush the exam just to finish on time with the amount of questions. What study materials did you use? What should I focus on the most?

Also, where you only looking for schools in China? How did you go about the job hunt? I am planning either China (or the likes) or Middle East as my first stop.

I get the impression that these Asian kids are super smart in math and they would just breeze through a typical Western math curriculum. Is that true?
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@MedellinHeel

How strong are your maths skills? The greatest focus of the test is Algebra which comprises about a quarter of the content, and those questions are computation. Another quarter is geometry/trig and its computational heavy. Stats is about 10% of the test but most of it is identification and terminology as opposed to computation. Maths reasoning is mostly word problems but its only 5% of the content, calculus is about 10%, but fortunately about 15% of the test is Meds/Peds that requires little actual maths ability. You could blow the calc and still pass the test, or blow either the geometry or trig and still pass the test.

Its a rushed exam, there isnt a lot of time to reverse compute the responses for too many item sets. In many ways the exam as about the ability to use a calculator more than knowing the maths, if you are a master of a scientific calculator you can hack much of the actual computation.

Asian students arent supper smart in maths, they dont have higher rates of natural affinity, much of it is social engineering, its "cool" to be exceptional in maths and science in many Asian regions. Those students get the popular attention of their peers, not the athletes and performing arts types.
You do find a significant difference in maths ability, many students are above there GE compared to western students. What this means is that in a western classroom at lower secondary you can more easily fake it, since your students that get the material will be fewer, those students will just get top marks and be happy they dont get griefed on the material, and your job is more about getting the students who have less developed maths skills through the material.
In strong Asian regions and classrooms there is going to be a much smaller difference between students abilities, your students will mostly be at GE and they will have progressed through those competencies sooner. In year 8 Asian students may be fully into Algebra where as western students may still be in pre-algebra.
All of this is a wash as you reach upper secondary and school leaving level. By the time students are taking Calc they know their maths regardless of being Asian or Western students.
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