The International Schools Review Forum

I have a burning question, and really need insight from experienced international teachers!

Say I have a job offer which is in every aspect ideal, except that it is outside of my qualifications. Specifically, I am a certified generalist Elementary Teacher. I have prior experience teaching business, and good exposure to business studies through my undergraduate degree which, however, was not in business. The offer is for a job teaching grade 11-12 business courses - something which I would be very confident, capable, and comfortable doing.


I am a few undergraduate credits shy of being able to take the additional certification courses which would qualify me to teach grade 11-12 business in my home country. I could obtain these credits, but the courses would cost me ~$1500 USD. The qualification course for senior level business would run another $700 for a total of $2200.

My job offer is [b]not[/b] contingent upon obtaining these qualifications. For the future, as long-term career planning, would it be wise for me to obtain qualifications to match the work? Or, does it not matter given I intend to continue teaching abroad? Will accepting this job create a detrimental gap in my experience, should I wish to teach Elementary later on?

Any insight is greatly appreciated!

KPSeventy - much of my teaching over the past decade and more has been in computers. I do not hold a computer certification. Then again, when I started teaching there was no such animal. I have taught health. Again, no certification. I have also taught math up to grade nine. No certification. However, I was asked later to teach math 10. I said no, and when asked why said that my skills took me up to math 9, but that I would be doing the students and school a disservice to teach math 10. They didn't insist LOL.

I am of the opinion that if you have the background and skills, that is what the school is most interested in. Save you money. If you believe you can do the job, then do it.

Thank you very much for your experience shadowjack!

One more shiner; will doing this for several years potentially inhibit a transition back to Elementary teaching later on?

That one I don't know.

Any teachers out there who are elementary certified, then went and taught HS outside of their certification and then a few years later went back to elementary with no problems?

I can understand if your specialism is closely related to the one you want to teach (such as a chemistry teacher teaching biology, for example), but from elementary to HS business?
Some schools may see you as a Jack of all trades.....(though that`s not what I am implying).

My school is second-tier Asian school. They routinely hire teachers outside their subject areas when the teachers have experience in areas other than their certification, even when the difference was quite pronounced (HS/ Elementary). However, it hasn't been "jack of all trades" teachers--just teachers who had switched focuses somewhere in their career, so were trained in one area but teaching in one other.

In general the further your distance from a teaching subject you are (the more dated) the less marketable you are.

I think your going to be doing damage professionally to your career. Your essentially teaching in a field that if you persue later you wont be as competitive as you are with other candidates.
You do have options, if you continue in the business teaching field you have time to get the credits and 2,200 over a 2 year contract (depending on the region and school) for a couple extra courses isnt that much work, you could easily do it over the summer when your more flush with cash.
Have you looked at your states view on CLEP hours/credits? Their are 7 business and business related examinations that could take, have posted to your transcript, and then use those to apply, they exams are under $100 each, and include:

Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Financial Accounting
Information Systems and Computer Applications
Introductory Business Law
Principles of Management
Principles of Marketing

Another option you could look at is simply moving your certification to another state that is more friendly and cheaper. One where you only have to take an exam, and in the case of the Praxis exam you can take in many testing centers around the world. States such as New Hampshire, Hawaii and DC are very teacher friendly, have license reciprocity and may add certifications with the Praxis exams.

Psyguy, this is excellent information. Thank you very much! I will take your advice, and pursue appropriate professional development over the summer.