The International Schools Review Forum

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and hope to be new to international teaching within the next two school years.

I will be receiving my teaching license in February, but I have the option to get certified in several subjects. I'm wondering which subjects would make me the most marketable for schools? I have read that chem/physics teachers are highly sought after, but I just don't think I would be an effective teacher in those subjects (nor would I be happy teaching them!) So I'm interested in getting opinions about which endorsements I should go for.

About me: I currently teach preschool overseas for the DoD (not DoDDs) and previously worked with kids in Japan (again for the DoD) for four years. I have a BS in psychology and worked as an admissions/financial aid counselor for a university for 2.5 years. I also have a masters in international management. Ideally, I want to land a job as a secondary/college counselor, but I'm interested in being a subject teacher as well. Dream school is ASIJ, but I know I'll have to wait and work for that. I am open to teaching anywhere in Asia (except China and Malaysia), ME, South America, and Europe. I also have a trailing spouse. He is contemplating teacher licensure, but he is currently an entrepreneur focused on his business. We have no kids.

I am not attending any fairs, as I am not certified yet and my location makes international travel difficult.

So any advice would be helpful!

Thank you!

Just to clarify: how do you plan in certifying for phys/chem if psych is your undergrad?

At any rate, most international school heads don't especially care whether you are certified to teach something in your home state or not. They want to see experience in successfully teaching the subject.

Having a trailing spouse as a first year out teacher will prove a drag.

@kayparfaite

What certifications are you contemplating? Hard sciences, maths, technology have had stable and strong demand over the years. Its not what will make you marketable internationally, your not there yet, what will make you marketable is what you have experience teaching. The rule in recruiting is that 2 things matter: 1) What you can teach (degrees, majors, certifications), and 2)What you have taught (experience). Of the two experience rules. So the issue is what is there demand for locally that will allow you to have that 2 years experience to enter the IT profession. If you become a music teacher or an art teacher and cant get a job locally then in two years you still have nothing. If you can get a job in maths or science locally and can do well in it (preferably in AP or DIP) that is what is going to matter.

I would strongly begin to look into school counselor programs and requirements in your state. Many require several years of teaching experience and an internship before getting certified as a school counselor. Starting the masters program may be very worthwhile so that you can be certified around the time your entering IT.

I dont know where you were a college counselor, but career and college counseling is big, much bigger and more in demand then the mental health aspect of school counseling. If you went to an elite enough school (IE Harvard, Yale, etc), you would be competitive even without the school counseling certification.

@tangchao

Many states in the US permit teachers to add certifications by taking the certification exam, regardless of degree or academic background. If the LW can pass the test there will be no bar to obtaining a science certification.