I am just after some info if possible. My wife and I would like to secure teaching posts at an IB school in Europe for August 2017. We are members of Search and have been invited to the London fair in January.
We have two children who will be 6 and 4 next August, who we obviously want to go to the school where we work.
I have no IB experience, but have been teaching in the UK for 18 years. I am both an elementary teacher and an elementary PE specialist.
My wife taught at an IB school in London from 2008 to 2012 and before that she taught in both the UK and Canada (she is originally Canadian, but has dual citizenship). She hasn't taught since 2012, as she has been raising our family, although she has been volunteering at my son's Primary school for the past 18 months.
Any thoughts on our chances of successfully gaining employment would be greatly appreciated.
Job Prospects?
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Thames Pirate
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Re: Job Prospects?
Honestly, it totally depends on a school's need. PE is going to be a somewhat smaller department than others. You didn't mention what your wife taught or how much of your experience was an elementary classroom. Sure, primary is a saturated market, but that shouldn't discourage someone who has a proven track record, enthusiasm, skill, and the ability to make themselves look good on paper and in an interview. Your wife's absence from the classroom hurts, but the volunteering can offset some of that depending on how it is marketed.
There are also a LOT of schools in Europe. Some do IB at all levels, some only the DP--would you work in a school that does the DP, but not the PYP? What about geographic restrictions--are smaller cities or Eastern Europe okay?
You might not be "top of the heap" in terms of resume, but you could be competitive. Your lack of international experience hurts, but (for now) the UK passports help. Really, it boils down to how well you put yourselves out there--on paper, in person, and in terms of reaching out effectively--and what you are willing to take in terms of jobs. You are likely to find something--whether it suits is up to you. Work hard and you can get something great!
There are also a LOT of schools in Europe. Some do IB at all levels, some only the DP--would you work in a school that does the DP, but not the PYP? What about geographic restrictions--are smaller cities or Eastern Europe okay?
You might not be "top of the heap" in terms of resume, but you could be competitive. Your lack of international experience hurts, but (for now) the UK passports help. Really, it boils down to how well you put yourselves out there--on paper, in person, and in terms of reaching out effectively--and what you are willing to take in terms of jobs. You are likely to find something--whether it suits is up to you. Work hard and you can get something great!
Re: Job Prospects?
Thames Pirate, thank you very much for your response. My wife is also an elementary teacher and worked in a PYP school.
We would certainly consider smaller cities and schools that don't do PYP, as although this is our preference, we have to be realistic. Do you think our best chance of securing a job is at the London Fair?
We would certainly consider smaller cities and schools that don't do PYP, as although this is our preference, we have to be realistic. Do you think our best chance of securing a job is at the London Fair?
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Thames Pirate
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- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Job Prospects?
Yes, or possibly CIS. These are the Europe fairs. Obviously, you will need to be proactive, though, and might secure employment before the fairs, too. Don't rule it out. Make the most of your fairs with proactivity!
Reponse
You have low marketability, but high employability.
Disadvantages:
1) I dont see you as being competitive for PYP, you have no PYP experience and the KS 1/2 is very different than PYP.
2) Your spouse hasnt been in IE/DE for 4 years going on 5, you can generally do anything outside IE for a year before your resume begins to age, and 4/5 years is pretty aged. Some of the lexicon hasnt changed, some of it has.
3) You are competing against each other, you need an IS to give you two primary vacancies above holding those for IT couples where one spouse is in a high needs area.
4) Many lower tier ISs will just as easily recruit locally for a primary PSPE vacancy. HRT vacancies are the primary focus of OSH recruitment. PSPE is saturated.
5) You need two waivers, which isnt an issue if an IS is below their enrollment cap or off list.
6) Volunteering isnt worth anything, its just type A helicopter parent, its not teaching.
Advantages:
1) You have EU passports
2) You have a lot of recent/current experience.
The LON fair is the best option for you. You are far more marketable at a BS teaching the UKNC then you would be in PYP. Your spouse has been out of IE/DE long enough that they have lost a lot of their marketability. You must contend with the probability that your spouse wouldnt be appointed.
It would be reasonable to consider different ISs for each of you. Its rare for an IS to run dual curriculum tracks in primary. It would take some coordination and a large enough region but its feasible.
Little of this will matter, i would advise going to the LON fair if its inexpensive and convenient for both of you, but come May there will be a lot of ISs in WE that will require EU passports to hire you, and they will likely offer you positions or combinations of positions after a brief interview and likely the same day. You could easily forget SA and fairs and not even think about it until the end of Spring.
Disadvantages:
1) I dont see you as being competitive for PYP, you have no PYP experience and the KS 1/2 is very different than PYP.
2) Your spouse hasnt been in IE/DE for 4 years going on 5, you can generally do anything outside IE for a year before your resume begins to age, and 4/5 years is pretty aged. Some of the lexicon hasnt changed, some of it has.
3) You are competing against each other, you need an IS to give you two primary vacancies above holding those for IT couples where one spouse is in a high needs area.
4) Many lower tier ISs will just as easily recruit locally for a primary PSPE vacancy. HRT vacancies are the primary focus of OSH recruitment. PSPE is saturated.
5) You need two waivers, which isnt an issue if an IS is below their enrollment cap or off list.
6) Volunteering isnt worth anything, its just type A helicopter parent, its not teaching.
Advantages:
1) You have EU passports
2) You have a lot of recent/current experience.
The LON fair is the best option for you. You are far more marketable at a BS teaching the UKNC then you would be in PYP. Your spouse has been out of IE/DE long enough that they have lost a lot of their marketability. You must contend with the probability that your spouse wouldnt be appointed.
It would be reasonable to consider different ISs for each of you. Its rare for an IS to run dual curriculum tracks in primary. It would take some coordination and a large enough region but its feasible.
Little of this will matter, i would advise going to the LON fair if its inexpensive and convenient for both of you, but come May there will be a lot of ISs in WE that will require EU passports to hire you, and they will likely offer you positions or combinations of positions after a brief interview and likely the same day. You could easily forget SA and fairs and not even think about it until the end of Spring.
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Thames Pirate
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- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Job Prospects?
However, there are more jobs at the fair than in the spring, and you will have a greater selection of schools. If you are in the UK, there is no reason not to attend LON, either Search or CIS. Yes, you may get something later, but why pass up the peak recruiting season and the big Europe fair? Why pass the schools that will have jobs then just to see what might open up in the spring? I know the bulk of the hiring for our school was done at London, with one or two hired at BKK and one or two in the spring.
Reply
@Thames Pirate
No there isnt, there are thousands of vacancies and more variety of ISs on TES (and thats just one source) in the Spring compared to the couple of hundred ISs at the LON fair.
Yes, there are reasons not to attend in that scenario, it will be arly enough that ISs and recruiters will have options they wont be desperate. Why compete with all the AUS, CAN, US ITs when you can just compete with the UK and EU ITs. You will have a stronger bargaining position the more desperate the IS is.
I would agree though if you have a free invite and your local, it would be worthwhile to get a sense of your marketability, and do some practice interviews. If you get a dream offer great if not Spring will bring the LW something.
No there isnt, there are thousands of vacancies and more variety of ISs on TES (and thats just one source) in the Spring compared to the couple of hundred ISs at the LON fair.
Yes, there are reasons not to attend in that scenario, it will be arly enough that ISs and recruiters will have options they wont be desperate. Why compete with all the AUS, CAN, US ITs when you can just compete with the UK and EU ITs. You will have a stronger bargaining position the more desperate the IS is.
I would agree though if you have a free invite and your local, it would be worthwhile to get a sense of your marketability, and do some practice interviews. If you get a dream offer great if not Spring will bring the LW something.
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Job Prospects?
Oh, I was unaware peak recruiting was all of a sudden in the spring . . . .
Reply
@Thames Pirate
Its not, and you know that, and you also know the issue isnt about the entirety of peak season recruiting because thats not what the issue on the table is its the LON fair compared to Spring EU recruiting in the DS/IS market.
Its not, and you know that, and you also know the issue isnt about the entirety of peak season recruiting because thats not what the issue on the table is its the LON fair compared to Spring EU recruiting in the DS/IS market.
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Thames Pirate
- Posts: 1150
- Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am
Re: Job Prospects?
I think the point is clear. Go to London.