The International Schools Review Forum

Hi All-

I'm wondering if my education/background will prove to be a help or hinderance in the international job market. I'm American and did my first two years of university at a community college in the US, and then moved to Egypt. I've spent the last five years there and got my BA/MA in socio-anthropology from the American University in Cairo (it's fully accredited in the US and the language of instruction is english). I'm now back in the US and getting a post-bac teacher cert that will have student teaching section here. Will my non-US degrees negatively affect my chances, or the fact that I have significant time abroad (including a revolution, woot!) make me a stronger candidate?

Last but not least how much weight is given to where you get the first two years of experience? Given the job market in the US, I'm really not sure how likely I am to score a position in social studies; I might have better luck taking my chances at a third tier school abroad rather than face unemployment. Does it really matter where the experience comes from, or just that you have the time in? I have no intrest in teaching in the US, and am looking to stay international.


Thanks in advance!

Your degree won't matter, being the specific school where it is from.

The time abroad would help if you were applying to ISs in Egypt. At the least it shows you can live overseas without freaking out, that everything isn't western/American. Really, though schools don't care what kind of travel you have done or where you have been.

Go international, teachers tend to get 'typed' quickly. American schools want teachers with experience in an American curriculum. UK, Canadian, Australian schools are all the same. The vast majority of ISs are private/independent schools which is very different from public schools anywhere. Find an IB IS and start there if you can. The middle east seems to work for you, and you'd have little problem finding a position at some school in the region. Consider not only social studies (Huamanities in IB) but also psychology. That said most social studies/ humanities positions are mainly history focused.