Hello my girlfriend and I are both recent college graduates with secondary education social studies degrees (6-12). I graduated in 2015, she will graduate in May of 2017. I have only found substitute positions in my area since I graduated. I worked in a inner-city school for half of the year as a long-term substitute but turn down a long-term position due to general student behavior and bad working conditions.
We both are extremely interested in trying out international school teaching, but we both fear it might be too late to get into a mid tier school for a decent salary.
I would like to ask anyone of this form for options on where we should start to look for gainful employment.
We are both from PA, USA
Thank you
Two New Teachers looking for options
Re: Two New Teachers looking for options
Apply at one of the companies like ISS/SEARCH ASAP! It takes some time to get the paper work completed and cleared. From that point your data base opens up and you can view vacancies.
Most school, when able, are looking for teachers with 2 years of classroom experience. (your LTS/subbing does not count in the IS eyes). However, you might be able to find some schools desperately looking to fill vacancies, especially in the summer months. I would assume that you and your GF would be viewed as a teaching couple (someone correct me if I am wrong. They are not married so unsure of that aspect). By being a teaching couple, you guys are a tad bt more marketable in some cases but also handcuffed in that if a school has only ONE opening, one of you guys are out of luck. There is also the possibility one could accept the job and the other wait for the opening that might pop up or sub when need. It is really a case by case situation with that.
TL;DR/Advice: Sign up for SEARCH/ISS and begin that process. Email recruiters from those agencies and begin to get your name out there. You might luck up and snag a spot. Most schools begin to get "desperate" mid summer for vacancies for the upcoming school year. You all might find a sweet spot to land.
Most school, when able, are looking for teachers with 2 years of classroom experience. (your LTS/subbing does not count in the IS eyes). However, you might be able to find some schools desperately looking to fill vacancies, especially in the summer months. I would assume that you and your GF would be viewed as a teaching couple (someone correct me if I am wrong. They are not married so unsure of that aspect). By being a teaching couple, you guys are a tad bt more marketable in some cases but also handcuffed in that if a school has only ONE opening, one of you guys are out of luck. There is also the possibility one could accept the job and the other wait for the opening that might pop up or sub when need. It is really a case by case situation with that.
TL;DR/Advice: Sign up for SEARCH/ISS and begin that process. Email recruiters from those agencies and begin to get your name out there. You might luck up and snag a spot. Most schools begin to get "desperate" mid summer for vacancies for the upcoming school year. You all might find a sweet spot to land.
Response
You just arent competitive for a mid tier IS. You will be lucky to be competitive at a lower third tier IS. The standard bar to entry is 2 years experience post certification. While your long term substitute/relief teaching may count, half a year isnt going to help, and your gf doesnt have any experience outside field experience. To further complicate and reduce your marketability:
1) You arent a teaching couple, your just two DTs who are dating.
2) You are competing against each other in the same teaching subject, and one of you cant be a trailing spouse, because you arent a teaching couple.
ISS likely wont accept you, and SA only as interns, and that fair is already over. Though youd still have access to the jobs database, youd spend a lot less getting one subscription to TIE.
You basically are only going to be marketable to desperate lower tier ISs, but its better than the nothing you have now.
1) You arent a teaching couple, your just two DTs who are dating.
2) You are competing against each other in the same teaching subject, and one of you cant be a trailing spouse, because you arent a teaching couple.
ISS likely wont accept you, and SA only as interns, and that fair is already over. Though youd still have access to the jobs database, youd spend a lot less getting one subscription to TIE.
You basically are only going to be marketable to desperate lower tier ISs, but its better than the nothing you have now.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: Two New Teachers looking for options
Unless you get lucky, I concur with PG. It is tough to be out there with no experience because the decent schools want experience while the desperate and not-so-decent schools want a warm Western body.