The International Schools Review Forum

Hello all,

I have just completed my MEd, have a US teaching license, & a 140hr TEFL cert. I have ~3.5 years exp teaching including 2 years in the Korean EPIK program.

So, I am now looking to work at international schools but between money and schedule, I cannot go to any of the fairs. It is my intention at this point to apply directly to schools.

Is there another (better) option? Thoughts?
---------------------------------------------------

Also - I am really open to going anywhere. Any suggestions as to best options? I know that is a pretty broad question.

I am something of a hermit, don't need a big city but don't mind them either. Love outdoors activities. Plan to travel when possible. Hope to bring my tiny dog (of possible).


Thank you

International schools love licensed teachers with advanced degrees. You should target both tier 1 and 2 schools because you never know. Email the schools directly as you have another 3-4 months to find a job. Here are the links to some school vacancies.
http://www.fobissea.org/Recruitment
http://www.seekteachers.com/
http://www.teachaway.com/teaching-jobs-abroad

Try TIE online and Joyjobs.com. You might also want to join Search Associates even though you're not going to a fair. Unlike many other sites, Search lists the pay, benefits, and whether or not they will hire teachers in your personal situation (single parent, teacher w/non-teaching spouse, etc). ISS (International Schools Service) is another option, but their database doesn't have as much information as you will find on Search. Many schools will arrange skype interviews in lieu of an in-person interview at a fair.

With your education and experience, and since you are open to the place you will be living, you should have no trouble finding a job.

Given the information you've given there is every reason to think you could find a position somewhere.

There are a few countries where you may want to cross off your list if you want to bring your dog because the countries won't allow importation of animals from countries with rabies. We took Indonesia off our list for that reason. Finding concrete information on animal importation can be tough. The best resource is someone already working at the school who has done it.

You may want to consider how easy it will be to find caretakers for your pet during breaks in the countries you consider. We have a local colleague staying at our place during our Christmas Break. It's bit tougher during Chinese New Year though, it looks like one of our foreign colleagues is going to help out.

Having your pet with you makes the new place feel like home much sooner.

The EPIK won't count unfortunately, esl is just considered classroom experience by almost all IS's. Many countries require 2 years classroom experience just to get a visa. There are also intern jobs available. That being said a qualified teacher can find work. Really do your research on who makes an offer as you do want to stay for the 2 year contract! Don't want to start over because you made a runner. Spend some cash, join joyjobs and tie online, search probably isn't worth the money for you yet, but in 2 years it definitely will be! You might get your job later, say April, May, but get to looking now. You could score something quite righteous! Good luck!

There's a good amount of information you need to get on your own to find what works for you. I suggest signing up with Search as you'll be able to get the best information there and use it as a base for further web research.

I think the EPIK job would count, since it is a position teaching at a public school, not a language academy. So on your CV you would just write the name of the public school where you worked and your position, (ESL teacher, English teacher or whatever) just like any other job.

mandi100, is your subject area ESL?

The time in Korea would only strengthen your ESL experience. If your US licenses is for high school English then the ESL experience shouldn't count.

My certification areas are:
EC-12 ESL
EC-12 Spec Ed
EC-8 Generalist
Not sure how they measure this internationally, but per NCLB I am 'highly qualified' to teach HS Psychology. Texas doesn't offer a certification for that.
I will be taking the 7-12 Social Studies test on Jan 31st.


I genuinely like teaching ESL, would love to teach HS psych. Mostly, I want to move out of elementary level.

From my limited experience I believe if you teach ESL, even at an internationally accredited school, you will have half the pay of your accredited teaching counterparts. As a result, it should be relatively easy to find ESL work.

If you want to teach history/psychology you will have to start at bottom-tier schools since you don't have experience teaching in these fields.

The few ESL teachers that my school has get the same pay and benefits that non-ESL teachers make. I don't necessarily think that paying accredited ESL teachers less at IS is a wide spread policy.

I've never heard of an international school paying ESL teachers less either.

I've never heard of it either.

Ours does. Exactly half.

Sorry I should clarify. I have taught at two Canadian international high school schools. At the first school, Canadian certified teachers received full pay while the ESL teachers made less than half of that because they taught at the non-accredited middle school which fed into and was connected to the high school. At the second school, Canadian certified teachers received full pay, while ESL teachers made half because they taught under a foundation program which fed into the high school.

From my limited experience, the bottom is it's a different contract mainly because they have different credentials.