The International Schools Review Forum

I am in my second year of teaching here in the US. I spent 3 years in South Korea teaching ESL before coming back to get certified. I'm interested in going back.

My main question is about a fair. I'm looking at going to one here in the US, either UNI or perhaps BOS (Search). Is the Boston fair worth the added expense for someone new to international teaching?

I want to teach in either South Korea, China, Taiwan, or perhaps the ME.

Thanks for the feedback.

What are you looking for? Your locations arent the focus of the UNI fair, its more LCSA, but there are ISs from Asia that make up about 25% of the fair. The ISs at UNI are a higher concentration of lower tier ISs. Youre also looking at the end of peak recruiting, its between BOS and SFO. Still its $50 for the fair and access to their small database.
There are more and better ISs at BOS, but its also a much larger database. UNI is a one and done event, there is significantly more utility in the SA database, but its $225, thats pricey if you go to BOS and are open to anything, anywhere.

At the stage of your IT career, BOS has better rewards, but more risks. I would strongly consider not using a service or recruiter at all. TIE is $39, TES and COIS are free. See what interest your application efforts accomplish. The locations you are interested in are generally hardship locations.

Thanks for the input. I am a member of TIE since it is cheap, and I am putting out applications to some schools I am interested in.

Forgive my noobness, but what do you mean by hardship locations?

@munybse

Generally a hardship location is a region where the quality of life is less than or has difficulties than what you would experience in the west. Its often found in places like the ME, LCSA, China, and some other parts of Asia (Myanmar, Vietnam, SK, TW, etc..) and some parts of Eastern Europe.

Okay, thanks for the input. I used to live in South Korea and that is my #1 location. I loved it and really would like to go back. This time as a certified teacher. Before I just taught ESL at a hagwon.

@munybse

If SK is your goal a fair isnt going to help you much. You find the 1st tier ISs at fairs, but you arent competitive for those yet. The second tier is relatively small in SK, which leaves you a third tier that is mostly private/independent DSs and its a small third tier.

Well by goal I mean eventually. It is not a must for me to find a job in SK next year. I'm open to other places to work my way up through the IS system. Thanks for all the input.

I used Search and went to the BOS the first time out. It was definitely worth it for the database alone and having the confidential references right there.

there are quite a few mildly sketchy international schools on Jeju Island in SK (no personal experience, they just have a lot of negative reviews on this site). A couple of them have already posted positions on Search. If you don't mind working at a less than perfect school for a couple of years, they might serve a stepping stone to something more long term in Korea.

@twoteachers

My read is the LW is an ESOL DT, will barely have two years experience at the end of this recruiting cycle, and is fine with an appointment in the ME and China among others, why pay $225 plus travel for a premium agency when they can easily get an appointment by virtual interview and direct application. If they go to BOS, they are going to be comparably uncompetitive, with a high probability of walking away with nothing, and frustrated.