Hi all,
I'm currently teaching overseas (university EAP) I've been thinking about doing an online teacher certification and shifting over to international schools, but staying close to the current age I teach - ideally, high school. I'm thinking some of my uni freshmen are still practically adolescents maturitywise so I don't think there would be much to adjust to there.
My only concern is my age - By the time I'm all certified and ready to look for IS jobs, I'll be in my early 50s. Is age a major stumbling block in getting an assignment with a reputable school? Or does it all come down to need? Sadly, I won't be a math or science teacher, so that of course goes against me... but I do have decades of life experience!! :)
Thoughts?
Age question
Response
You dont say what your teaching field would be would it be ESOL?
I wouldnt advise it, unless your moving from where you are to an IS your going to settle into for your career. Considering the typical IT career path is about 6 year, unless youre in leadership you need to start IE by 50 so that by the time you are 55ish youre in an IS you can retire out of comfortably.
You will also likely have to start in a lower third tier IS and work your way up and through the tiers, thats about 2-4 years before you are at somewhere reputable and that assumes your open and flexible to location. If your going to stay where you are and will only accept what is essentially a high tier 2 or tier 1 IS your talking a handful of ISs with very low maturation and few vacancies, in which case you will complete the program and end up waiting until you time out and cant find a position.
I wouldnt advise it, unless your moving from where you are to an IS your going to settle into for your career. Considering the typical IT career path is about 6 year, unless youre in leadership you need to start IE by 50 so that by the time you are 55ish youre in an IS you can retire out of comfortably.
You will also likely have to start in a lower third tier IS and work your way up and through the tiers, thats about 2-4 years before you are at somewhere reputable and that assumes your open and flexible to location. If your going to stay where you are and will only accept what is essentially a high tier 2 or tier 1 IS your talking a handful of ISs with very low maturation and few vacancies, in which case you will complete the program and end up waiting until you time out and cant find a position.
Re: Response
PsyGuy wrote:
> You dont say what your teaching field would be would it be ESOL?
I have an MA in TESOL, so obviously ESOL would be an easy certification to get, but I am also multilingual and can easily teach foreign languages (Spanish/French) and language arts (lit crit, creative writing, journalism etc.). I'm hoping being able to teach in more than one area would make me competitive.
>
> I wouldnt advise it, unless your moving from where you are to an IS your
> going to settle into for your career. Considering the typical IT career
> path is about 6 year, unless youre in leadership you need to start IE by 50
> so that by the time you are 55ish youre in an IS you can retire out of
> comfortably.
>
That's the thing - I feel TOO settled in with my current career, and much too boxed in to the regions (Gulf, East Asia) where the jobs mainly are for my qualifications.
> You will also likely have to start in a lower third tier IS and work your
> way up and through the tiers, thats about 2-4 years before you are at
> somewhere reputable and that assumes your open and flexible to location.
As it happens, and while this goes against the conventional narrative, at this stage in my life I value flexibility over security (I'm not fazed by the idea of working at a "lower third tier" IS for a while - I can always just quit if it truly sucks.) I want to roam the world and teach in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern and Western Europe (if I could get EU permission), etc. etc. My current job is good, the money's good, but i'm bored bored bored in the Gulf.
If
> your going to stay where you are and will only accept what is essentially a
> high tier 2 or tier 1 IS your talking a handful of ISs with very low
> maturation and few vacancies, in which case you will complete the program
> and end up waiting until you time out and cant find a position.
As stated above, I do not want to stay where I am. That's the whole point of me doing this.
Thanks for your candid comments - and can I ask you, does this have any effect on your assessment of my options?
> You dont say what your teaching field would be would it be ESOL?
I have an MA in TESOL, so obviously ESOL would be an easy certification to get, but I am also multilingual and can easily teach foreign languages (Spanish/French) and language arts (lit crit, creative writing, journalism etc.). I'm hoping being able to teach in more than one area would make me competitive.
>
> I wouldnt advise it, unless your moving from where you are to an IS your
> going to settle into for your career. Considering the typical IT career
> path is about 6 year, unless youre in leadership you need to start IE by 50
> so that by the time you are 55ish youre in an IS you can retire out of
> comfortably.
>
That's the thing - I feel TOO settled in with my current career, and much too boxed in to the regions (Gulf, East Asia) where the jobs mainly are for my qualifications.
> You will also likely have to start in a lower third tier IS and work your
> way up and through the tiers, thats about 2-4 years before you are at
> somewhere reputable and that assumes your open and flexible to location.
As it happens, and while this goes against the conventional narrative, at this stage in my life I value flexibility over security (I'm not fazed by the idea of working at a "lower third tier" IS for a while - I can always just quit if it truly sucks.) I want to roam the world and teach in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern and Western Europe (if I could get EU permission), etc. etc. My current job is good, the money's good, but i'm bored bored bored in the Gulf.
If
> your going to stay where you are and will only accept what is essentially a
> high tier 2 or tier 1 IS your talking a handful of ISs with very low
> maturation and few vacancies, in which case you will complete the program
> and end up waiting until you time out and cant find a position.
As stated above, I do not want to stay where I am. That's the whole point of me doing this.
Thanks for your candid comments - and can I ask you, does this have any effect on your assessment of my options?
-
teach4life
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:45 pm
Re: Age question
I got my first IS job when I was in my early 50s. A few of the teachers just hired this year were in their late 50s (but had IS experience). Definitely doable.
Re: Age question
You'll find this ISR blog of interest in regards to your age question.
https://internationalschoolsreviewdiscu ... d-over-50/
https://internationalschoolsreviewdiscu ... d-over-50/
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Helen Back
- Posts: 242
- Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:16 pm
Re: Age question
Teach4life, what country are you in?
Re: Comment
PsyGuy wrote:
> @teach4life
>
> Anything is doable, winning the lottery is doable.
gee. Negative much?
> @teach4life
>
> Anything is doable, winning the lottery is doable.
gee. Negative much?