The International Schools Review Forum

Hi, everyone! I want your thoughts please...

Some facts:

• I am certified to teach Art, K-12.
• I have just finished my 11th year of full time teaching art to middle and high school students in a private, college prep, K-12 school in the Dallas area. I had a career in the graphic design area prior my teaching career.
• I am single, age 52, no dependents living at home.
• I want to teach internationally. I'm fairly open to where I go, however I'm not interested in the Middle East or Africa. From the reading I've done on ISR, it seems that South American schools don't pay very well.
• I have set up my SEARCH file, and have received daily notifications of jobs since March 2012, but have not yet paid my fee because I do not want a job for the 2012-2013 school year. I do not want to begin my international teaching until the 2013-2014 school year, so was planning on paying my fee early this fall.
• I have lived in the Dallas area for almost 30 years and have a resume full of art exhibitions, volunteer work, curatorial work, and other forms of teaching experiences.

Some questions:

1. In regard to teaching Art, do you feel it is necessary to attend the fairs? For the past three years I have communicated with ISS, SA and UNI. I am able to do the February/March 2013 fairs (or a couple of them) but am not convinced that an Art teacher may find that to be advantageous.

2. Are there any Art teachers out there who might suggest schools with good art departments?

3. Are there any Art teachers out there who might share their experiences with me?

4. Do you feel it would be advantageous for me to get certified in TESOL/TESL/TEFL this next year before moving abroad? I have just attended a free introductory session by Oxford Seminars. They provide a month long (weekend) certification in the Dallas area in September for just over $1,000.

5. Specific to Art, do you feel any of the educational recruitment companies would be better than another?

6. Since March, I have started blogging about my love of art, teaching and travel. My blog is www.artteachtravel.com and I would like to invite you to browse. It is my way of putting a voice to all that I'm considering doing with my life and moving abroad.

Thank you all in advance for all your advice.

Don't discount the SA schools because of the pay. The cost of living is often quite low, and if you're getting free accommodation you'll live quite comfortably. My last position there only paid $19,000/year to start and while I wasn't saving much, I wasn't having to budget either.

1. I don't know that attending/not attending a fair makes any particular difference for an art teacher. I did attend a fair last year, got two offers as art dept. head but turned them down. I used Search's database and job application features to get the job I have now; interviews were conducted via Skype.

2. Can't advise there; if you are wanting a more or less stable department with everything in place you are more likely to find it at one of the more established schools. On the other hand, you can accept a challenge (as I did) to overhaul a very dysfunctional department and create it in your own image ; ) I may be stereotyping here, but I would think the good Asian schools would value art the most.

3. I'd be happy to.

4. I'm certified in four areas including ESL which recruiters mentioned as a plus--but I'm not working for them. I wouldn't spend the time or money getting the cert on the off chance it might help. If you're in Dallas you've no doubt had lots of experience working with LEP kids and that's something to point out.


5. No, not really, except that Search has a bigger database and thus more positions.

Dear heyteach,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply. I've noticed your comments on the ISR blog and I appreciate them very much.

I will absolutely NOT discount the SA schools. I'd really love to go there!

1. Are you an Art Department Head at the school you choose? What kind of certifications/degrees do you have to be offered the department head positions? Just curious... I've been figuring out on my own that I might be able to save the fair expenses by simply doing exactly as you did...use Search's database and interview over Skype.

2. Got it. Plus and minus each way...I'll be processing that info. Thanks!

3. How can I reach you? There have been several art teachers who have responded to me via my blog or via email, which is on my blog (www.artteachtravel.com). Please feel free to reach me that way, or tell me how to reach you to ask you about your experiences. Thanks in advance!

4. Hmmm...actually, I have taught the past 11 years in a private, college prep school in Dallas and I do not have any experience with LEP kids, sadly... thus, the reason I was asking about certification through Oxford Seminars...

Thanks again!

The money is an issue in SA only if you have bills back home or outside expenses. if you dont even though the salary looks low, the cost of living is very low as well, and with major expenses like housing paid for, you can live comfortably. Once you leave though you will find that your savings dont go very far.

Wheather to attend a fair or not depends on the number of positions (in this case art) that are available. You can check which schools are attending a particular fair, and what positions are open. Dont be surprised though that even at the bigger fairs like Bangkok and Boston if there are only a couple art vacancies. In those case you have to ask if its worth spending a $1000 to go to a fair and interview for only a couple positions. Its also not uncommon at all for a school to fill a position just as a fair is about to begin, or even do Skype interviews at the fair. I would identify those schools at the fair, and send them an application packet (your materials) and gauge by their reaction and response if its worth going, or if they are interested in interviewing you before going. It really makes no sense to go to a fair that doesnt have your teaching field, or the recruiters arent interested in you.

I dont know what your skill set is, but what ive seen recently is an increase in Design Technology & Art positions. If you have those skills, you may consider adding that area to your profile and possibly a certification in it as well.

An ESOL certificate isnt going to be much help to you if you dont want to teach ESL. Even then a State ESL teaching certificate is a far better choice, over even something like a Cambridge/Trinity certificate (which is the gold standard in ESL). Spending $1K for a seminar/weekend course would be a waste of money honestly. Your better (and cheaper) off getting an ESL teaching book, and taking the State ESL exam. if you want to attend a seminar, there are cheaper ones offered online for a couple hundred dollars, and they are no more marketable then the Oxford Seminars, or anyone elses for that matter.

Thanks for these responses regarding art positions. I found them helpful.

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