Thanks for the kudos - it does feel good to have got this far, even if it's not the greatest of schools.

Your advice (keeping up on best practices in pedagogy & attending EARCOS) sounds like what I was expecting - good to have it confirmed by another person.

Moving on to something better - that's the other thing I'm looking for advice on. I fear that having worked where I'm at is going to be a red flag to recruiters/Heads - is showing a consistent professional development & networking enough to mitigate that?

...while at a poorly-run, dysfunctional and unstable school.

What would you suggest I do in this situation? Or, if you started at a crap IS, and worked your way into something better, how did you do it?

I'm a newly-qualified teacher, did TeacherReady while teaching EFL in Korea. Did my teaching field experience at a great school in Seoul, but they didn't have any openings for my subject area (Social Studies 6-12) when I finished. Took my chances on a school in Vietnam, knew that it wasn't going to be great, and let's just say the reviews on the paid side are 110% accurate. There's no PD budget, any PD given (if given at all...) in-house is a joke, admin aren't actually certified admin/don't have experience running other schools, ever-changing student & staff rules and inconsistently-applied consequences, loony assessment policies, little grade-level/subject collaboration, etc. etc. I just try to give my students the best lessons I can.

I've already footed the bill for my own PD a few times (Kagan workshops, Google Level 1 & 2, a recent edtech conference in HCMC), and I'm willing to continue doing so - but what I'm really trying to figure out is, how can I use this crisis of a school/work environment as an opportunity to grow as a teacher?

I think you're using the wrong form. That form is used if you are requesting a Criminal Background Check to work for a PA State Government Agency - the FBI would then send the results directly to that state government agency instead of sending it to you.

You should follow the directions here, using "Option 1: Submit Your Request Directly to the FBI": https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ident ... ary-checks

You basically print a fingerprint card from the FBI website, then take that to your local police department or a UPS store, and have your fingerprints taken. Then you send the fingerprint card, application form, and payment to the FBI (address on the website above).

The background check results will be authenticated by the FBI (no need for notarization), and you would then send to the U.S. Department of State (Washington D.C.) to get an apostille, if you need one.

I was able to open an account while living abroad. I believe I put that I was unemployed, but cannot remember for certain. I used my parent's address as my address, and it worked out fine. I think the most important thing is to have a U.S. address.

I was able to open an account while abroad, by using my parent's address. I believe I put that I was unemployed during the application. I think the most important thing is that you have a residential U.S. address.

TeacherReady lets you get certified in any area you choose, you're not limited by what your college major was. Though you would need to find either a mentor who teaches that subject in order to do the field experience parts of the program or an administrator to observe you if you can get your own classroom.

Also, Florida DoE lets you add additional certification areas by examination. Once you've got your initial certification (in any subject), you can add an additional certification area by taking the relevant FTCE subject test.

Double-check with TeacherReady, but this was all true when I started in December 2014. Their staff are quite helpful & quickly respond to emails.

I've lived in Korea for 4+ years. Definitely, get everything you can in writing, regarding working hours, compensation & responsibilities - even then, expect it to be changed. Just part of the work culture here - contracts are the start of an ongoing negotiation, in the mind of Korean employers.

As others have said, Koreans are generally polite, but not particularly warm & friendly. The cost of living is cheap if you live more like a local, or as expensive as any big/capital city if you live more like a Westerner. Renting your own place can be difficult due to the large "key money" deposit you'd have to make up-front (US$5,000 - 10,000+) - though whatever school you work for would probably make that deposit for you. Easy and cheap to travel around S. Korea, hiking is very popular here, as is camping, so if you like the outdoors, you'll probably enjoy living here.