The International Schools Review Forum

This may seem premature to some, but in the past I've done things just a bit too late and missed out on some great opportunities.

A little about me - I'm just starting my teacher accreditation program to becoming a certified secondary Chemistry teacher. I got my BS in Chem and also had a minor in German. I finished school two years ago and spent that time working in England, Holland, and Spain. I've traveled all over the world and hope that my new career can bring me many new experiences in new places.

I plan on applying to UK schools under the tier 2 national shortage occupation scheme, but I've started looking into international schools and I'm very interested. While I'd love living anywhere in the world, Europe is a big draw for me as I have experience living over there, friends, language skills, etc etc.

What are my chances in getting one of these highly coveted positions? I'm hoping that my background and science experience will be a bonus but I'd love some direction from people with experience. Any schools that I'd have a shot at? Also, I graduate in December, so I'd be missing out on the main hiring time. I've heard I could try to get one of the jobs for someone who decides it's not for them. Obviously I'll try to get a job for the following school year and work in the mean time, but I'd love a timeline for applying if someone could help me out.

Thanks!

This is going to sound harsh, but your chances of a school in western europe with no IB, no AP, and most importantly no post certification experience is near zero. Chemistry is in demand, and if you could teach physics that would help as well, but even giving you credit for that its still near zero.

Schools dont care about your traveling and friends (language skills are a plus), they care what you have taught and what you can teach, and you have no experience. Sure your going to hear stories about someone or someone who knows someone who got a spot at a top tier school with no degree, no certification, and a criminal record a meter long, but realistically its not going to happen. The typical bar to IT entry is two years, and if you said youd teach anywhere then id say that their are tier 3 schools in some hardship locations that would hire you, but not a WE IS. Many teachers are working their way to europe, and your looking at 5 years post certification experience, a masters degree, IB experience and either US or UK experience. Being part of a teaching couple would help as well (with no kids).

The only reason I posted is for an honest answer and tips on when to apply and where I'll be most competitive. I'm not delusional - I've spent a lot of time over the last few days reading hundreds of posts. I've seen who's applying for the best schools and their credentials and Western Europe is considered a retirement spot. But there's a lot more to Europe than just those countries. I was more wondering along the lines of the lower schools (which I would have a chance at, I don't expect every school to be one of the top), mainly in Prague, Budapest, Bucharest, etc. All places I would love to live as I have experience there and RyanAir is a wonderful resource to travel. I'm just not to sure where yet and how I'd go about finding these particular schools.

I thought that travel experience would bolster an application as it shows you can succesfully navigate a foreign country and wouldn't be overwhelmed by it, thus more likely to leave before your contract ends? Besides, those were mostly personal motivations as opposed to things that made me a stronger applicant.

I think the travel experience being a benefit would depend on the circumstances. In my case, I was both an exchange student at a foreign school and worked and lived overseas after college. This was corporate experience, not in a classroom, but it helped that I had navigated actually living long term in a foreign country.

Living and working in a foreign country is very different from traveling through a foreign country. Travel, I think, provides evidence of your interest, enthusiasm, and ability to be organized, but it's not as strong as overseas work experience.

That's just my take on it....

Not really traveling doesnt impress recruiters. Living overseas is a very minor plus. Any overseas fair for a candidate shows they can handle traveling just in getting to the fair 9at least they have a passport).

You have no classroom experience your not even qualified for lower schools in Europe (Bucharest, Prague, etc). At these schools they would hire local teachers who were fluent in the local language. The best your going to do is an ELL teaching position working for pocket change given the cost of living. Any real international school with an OSH package is going to look for some experience (typically the minimum is 2 years post certification).