The International Schools Review Forum

This is my second year teaching at an IB school in Taiwan--local hires, local students, okay pay.
Currently thinking of transferring to some other school in 2022 September.
I teach grades 9-12 math-- IGCSE and IB (AA). So by the end of this school year, I'll have 2 years of IB experience.

Other credentials:
1. IB diploma (went to an international school)
2. a bacherlor's degree from a top 30 university (math) & a matser's degree (not math)
3. no teaching license
4. Canadian/Taiwanese citizenship
5. age 30, no dependents

My questions:
1. If I don't acquire a teaching license, what are my chances for moving to an European school? I'm looking at UK/Germany/Austria/Netherlands.
2. If I get a teaching license, how much will it increase my chances?
Any other suggestions for my next steps if I want to move to a better school?/Become more competitive?

Thanks a lot.

I have worked at three of the four countries that you have mentioned, and I can tell you that at least two of them required a teaching credential/license. You have to submit your credentials to the Department of Education in at least one of the countries you have mentioned, if not all. So they don’t even interview people without teaching credentials.

Thanks a lot!

I'm not being mean with this question, but why do you want to live in Europe?

The reason I ask is that Europe has lots of teachers who want to move there. Savings potential is low and taxes are high. Simple supply and demand.

Most IB schools require either a teaching degree and/or teaching certification. Some schools might not see your 2 years IB experience as experience as you were not officially qualified at that time.

If I were you, get some type of teaching qualification or certification. Others on the forum with more European experience can tell you what to do in more detail.

I'm general, a university degree may be important for your first job but it's really about experience and references. Teaching maths will mean that more doors can potentially open once you are seen as qualified with 2+ years experience.

What may be your biggest problem will be getting a work visa. That's why getting certification is so important.

The lack of a teaching certification will likely be a big blocker to you being able to get work permits, and therefore jobs.

This might be less of an issue, or not an issue, in some countries but in many it will be.

UK - no teaching certification will definitely be a problem. (But why on earth would you want to move to the country of Boris' Basket Case?)

Unless you obtained your degree from one of a handful of Global Ivys, than a degree is a degree is a degree.

Youre going to have significant challenges getting above tier three ISs without a professional edu credential.
Of the ones you mentioned, teaching in the UK is the most likely, youre not required to have QTS to teach in an independent DS/IS but it would be a major issue for a DS/IS to get an uncredentialed DT/IT a visa, then again maths is really difficult for a DS to fill, that they might endure the process to get you in. Of the other three its not likely to happen at all, and in most cases its not even possible as the relevant ministry wont approve a visa without a credential.