teaching in international schools -- looking for info

[msjones]

Have any of you taught in an international school outside of the US? How did you get started? Is there a 'clearing-house' web site of job openings anywhere?

 

We're considering it at some point, and want to do some research.

Thanks for any info you may be able to provide!

[Kate in Arabia]

My dh posted his resume at a ton of different websites, I don't even know for sure which website advertised the position he eventually got. One popular website is Dave's ESL Cafe, even if you're not interested in teaching English it often has interesting discussions on living as an expat in different locations.

 

If you're interested I can ask dh to send me his links -- he's had a lot of people ask him about it, so I know he used to send out lists to people who were also looking for jobs overseas.

[ScoutTN]

The Middle States Association, based in Phildelphia, PA is responsible for accrediting all the American School overseas. They might give you some good info or places to start.

 

Also there is a big conference annually for Independent Schools (anything non-public) and I know they have lots of people there who teach outside the US. Can't remember the name of it, but if you Google independent schools...

[dm379]

I second Dave's ESL Cafe. They seem to have a lot of experience there. We live in Korea because of dh's job but I had gotten approached at a store about teaching English at one of the schools. I did it for about 6 months and then quit because it wasn't worth the money for me. They paid very well though. I have a couple of friends that do it here, I can pass on an email address or two to you if you'd like and they can answer some questions.

[KrissiK]

I taught in a missionary school in Sao Paulo, Brazil for a couple of years. I found out about it through ACSI (Association of CHristian Schools, International). In Sao Paulo there was also a Catholic School and the American Public School (I'm not sure if that's what they call it, it went by "Graded" which was short for something) which was secular and for kids of ex-pats who didn't want to put their kids in Christian schools. It was an awesome experience living overseas. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

[MorganClassicalPrep]

I'm curious... do you have to be an accredited teacher to teach internationally? Teaching say... history, or ESL?

 

I'll be applying for graduate school in two years, but I've heard that *many* people end up being rejected on round one and have to reapply the next year. This is something I'd be very interested in for the in between year!

 

Oh, and how does homeschooling work while overseas? I know it isn't legal in many countries. Would you have to pick only countries that it IS legal in, or is there some way around it for being an American citizen?

[Teachaheart]

Have any of you taught in an international school outside of the US? How did you get started? Is there a 'clearing-house' web site of job openings anywhere?

 

We're considering it at some point, and want to do some research.

Thanks for any info you may be able to provide!

 

Carney Sandoe and Associates is a recruiting service that schools around the world use to find faculty. It is free for people seeking positions in the US and abroad in a variety of day schools and boarding schools both secular and religious.

http://www.carneysandoe.com/

 

I taught in Japan for two years with the Network of International Christian Schools. NICS has schools in Asia, Europe, Africa and South America.

http://www.nics.org/

[Anne Rittenhouse]

I can only address the homeschooling. It will vary by country. In Belgium, I would have to teach all subjects in the native language of my township, either French or Flemish. The educational authority choses the subjects and materials, inspects my "homeschool" regularly, tests my student, and has absolute authority in determining his/her progress. Teaching 100% in French or Flemish...nixed it for us. We chose an International School and are quite happy. Small school...lots of resources...good language developement....some times for some things homeschool isn't the only solution.

 

The only time I've heard that homeschooling works well is when the American xpat some how falls under the military canopy, then the local rules and regulations can be by-passed for a certain time. For example, I know of a family whose younger children are homeschool, but when they reach 7-8yo...they go to school. They fall under "military" but outside a base and they have managed to circumvent the "creche/kindergarten" requirement.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I'm curious... do you have to be an accredited teacher to teach internationally? Teaching say... history, or ESL?

 

I'll be applying for graduate school in two years, but I've heard that *many* people end up being rejected on round one and have to reapply the next year. This is something I'd be very interested in for the in between year!

 

Oh, and how does homeschooling work while overseas? I know it isn't legal in many countries. Would you have to pick only countries that it IS legal in, or is there some way around it for being an American citizen?

 

Many international schools are accredited and those will want certified teachers of some kind. Some are not (esp. some Christian schools) and will take anyone with some expertise in an area.

 

If you mean teaching ESL in a English school (usually to businessmen/women and students) some of the big ones want credentialed teachers but in my experience, most just want native speakers.

[Heather in Neverland]

Certified? Most of them, yes. They have to hire certified teachers for accreditation reasons and here in Malaysia the country will not give you a work visa unless you are certified (but that varies by country). Some small missionary schools will let you teach without a cert. but be prepared to raise your own support (as in no salary).

 

Best places to look for jobs:

http://missionteach.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=137 (this is for christian schools)

 

http://www.tieonline.com/ (for secular schools)

 

or you can go to many of the schools directly by going to http://www.state.gov and looking up their Office of Overseas Schools. They have listings of hundreds of schools all over the world.

 

And there is also Department of Defense Schools (my friend taught at one in the Marshall Islands for 8 years and LOVED it): http://www.dodea.edu/home/

 

When to apply: The best time to send your resume is late fall (November is good). We are one of the later schools and we post our job openings for the following school year in January and have them filled NO LATER than April but usually by March. This is one of the biggest mistakes rookies make...waiting too late to apply. So if you are interested in going during the, say, 2011-2012 school year then you should start researching schools now and start sending resumes in the fall.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions. :D

[Laura Corin]

I'm curious... do you have to be an accredited teacher to teach internationally? Teaching say... history, or ESL?

 

Many native English speakers teach English in China, for example. They aren't normally teaching in international schools - instead they teach in local schools, colleges or specialist language schools. Some of these are stable jobs that you would be happy to do with a family; others are less solid.

 

The countries I know about: China doesn't allow home education, but doesn't care about foreigners practising it anyway; Hong Kong has a somewhat ill-defined regulatory system - the only foreigner I know who was challenged showed the inspector what she was doing at home and he went away satisfied; Britain allows home education and there is only minor regulation - the new government doesn't seem to have any intention of changing the status quo. For Britain, however, you would be hard pressed to get a job without a teaching qualification. In countries where home education is seriously illegal (Germany, for example) everyone, foreigners included, has to follow the law, unless they are covered by a specific inter-governmental agreement, such as that which applies to the US military.

 

Laura

Edited June 15, 2010 by Laura Corin

[Deb in NZ]

in the Marshall Islands in a private school (not a DoD school.) Most of the teachers were certified teachers from the US, but a couple were local teachers, who had minimal education beyond high school. The local teachers tended to teach in preschool or kindergarten.

 

I found an ad in the back of a teaching magazine one January & wrote for more info. By August I was on a plane to the Marshalls & teaching. Pay was only 25% of what I was getting in VT, but housing was included & cost of living wasn't high. I was single, so didn't need to support a family, but a couple of the other teachers brought spouses or children. Usually 1-2 children of teachers recieved free tuition.

 

I really enjoyed teaching overseas, but go with a very open mind. Life as an expat is very different. Day-to-day life in a foreign country, especially a 3rd world country, is nothing like life in the States. Water was running for 2 hours every other day in the part of town where I lived. And we had no running hot water. Most food was brought in from else where as not much grows on an atoll. So shops would regularly run out of things & we had to wait until the next boat arrived. Heather's friend would have lived in the military housing & been supplied from the US. That island was like a mini country club, not what most people lived like in the Marshalls.

 

But the view we had was priceless. We could go diving, sailing, fishing, etc right off our back step. The WW2 history in the area, on island & in the lagoons, was very interesting. Living as a minority gives an understanding that you struggle to learn at home. I wouldn't trade a minute of those 2 years. (Of course I met & married dh there so its pretty special to us ;) )

 

JMHO

[msjones]

Certified? Most of them, yes. They have to hire certified teachers for accreditation reasons and here in Malaysia the country will not give you a work visa unless you are certified (but that varies by country). Some small missionary schools will let you teach without a cert. but be prepared to raise your own support (as in no salary).

 

Best places to look for jobs:

http://missionteach.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=137 (this is for christian schools)

 

http://www.tieonline.com/ (for secular schools)

 

or you can go to many of the schools directly by going to http://www.state.gov and looking up their Office of Overseas Schools. They have listings of hundreds of schools all over the world.

 

And there is also Department of Defense Schools (my friend taught at one in the Marshall Islands for 8 years and LOVED it): http://www.dodea.edu/home/

 

When to apply: The best time to send your resume is late fall (November is good). We are one of the later schools and we post our job openings for the following school year in January and have them filled NO LATER than April but usually by March. This is one of the biggest mistakes rookies make...waiting too late to apply. So if you are interested in going during the, say, 2011-2012 school year then you should start researching schools now and start sending resumes in the fall.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions. :D

 

Great info. Thanks! We're thinking of going a few years from now, so we're just starting to gather information to see if we could make it work. So many details to think about!