Experience the Rewards of International Teaching
Samuel S. Peters
You're just finishing college with a teacher's certificate, you don't have binding ties to England, the US, or Canada, and you are up to an adventure. Or you've been teaching unmotivated American students for X years and you're bored, frustrated, and ready for a challenging change. If this is you, perhaps a stint or a career in international teaching is just what you have been looking for.
Kelly Blackwell is a teacher with a winsome challenge to consider international teaching. In an audio blurb on her website, she shares three advantages to teaching at an international school. First, motivated students who make her teaching experience fun and rewarding. Second, longer holidays. She teaches just 180 or so days a year, giving her time to take in the local exotic culture firsthand. Third, lack of pressure. Schools give time to prepare and often the classrooms are not as crowded as some in the west. The salaries are adequate to provide a good living, giving her finances to travel as well. Kelly also offers a step-by-step guide to acquiring an international teaching job, along with pitfalls to avoid. It might be worth investigating.
How would one go about getting his or her resume considered in an international school? One website describes the experience of one couple in obtaining an international teaching position in Tanzania. He suggests the best place to learn about some of the over 4000 international schools is through a college's recruitment fair. His experience sounded something like an auction where prospective teachers have minutes to present themselves, a little longer to interview, and expectations to make a decision before the two days are over. Those seeking employment abroad should attend something like this prepared, with goals and interests already in mind.
One of the greatest interests in international schools are native English teachers, preferably ones who know English grammar well and speak clearly. Depending on the particular country, such a position could vary from self-supporting to lucrative. It's always be to do your homework before applying to any particular school. Besides ESL (English as a second language opportunities), some companies hire Americans who know English well to teach employees, especially for companies working closely with American clients. Many foreign universities are expanding their offering of summer immersion English courses to post-graduate students who are moving to an English speaking country to finish their education. Of course, many jobs are available besides teaching English.
By taking the step to experience international teaching, you could be putting yourself in the path of adventure, reward, fulfillment, and opportunity to achieve more than you could in a secure career at home.
About the Author:
|
