Am I qualified enough to teach overseas?
There are over 7,000 international schools around the world all advertising for teachers. But how can you be sure you’re qualified enough to get the job?
Training qualifications
If you have graduated as a teacher, you’re half way there! Teaching in an international school is open to anyone who is a fully-trained teacher. This refers to approved teaching qualifications from many countries. It is now possible, in some British accredited schools, to complete your NQT year overseas. However, most international schools want teachers who have completed their training and been teaching for at least two years.
Language
International schools teach, almost exclusively, using the English language. They are often referred to as being English-medium international schools.
As a result, if English is your first language, you don’t have to be fluent in another language before teaching in a different country. In fact, teachers who speak English as their first language are usually those teachers who schools are most keen to hire; particularly teachers from the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the United States.
Some international schools are bilingual, which means they teach in both English and the local language. This usually involves a local teacher co-teaching with an English-speaking teacher.
While it is not essential to learn a new language, TIC does recommend to all candidates to take time to learn some important words and phrases of your new location before moving overseas. This will help you to connect more easily with the local students, parents and staff at the school, as well as with other people in your new neighbourhood. Saying ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, ‘please’ and ‘goodbye’ in their language can make such a difference. The more words you know, the quicker you are likely to feel welcomed and to settle in to your new home.
Curriculum
International schools use a variety of curricula. Almost half of all international schools in the world use the National Curriculum of England to some extent. Many others follow an American or Canadian style curriculum. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is hugely popular in many international schools, and there are a number of other internationally-oriented curricula (such as the International Primary Curriculum, IPC) which are very popular too. Experience at teaching any one of these curricula will be a significant advantage for you.
If you’re applying to a school with an international curriculum (such as the IB or IPC) and don’t have experience teaching with it, then make sure you do your homework on the curriculum. You can find out a great deal about the learning approach and content on the curriculum websites. This will help you to see if your previous experience is sufficiently relevant to support you in your application.
Professional Development
Do you have a good record of professional development? Have you attended courses that might be of interest or value to an international school? These may be related to pedagogy, extra-curricular activities, student or family support, specialist skills or more. Any training will be of value to international schools.
International mindedness
By selecting to work in an international school, you are choosing to live in another country, and to teach children and to work with staff from cultures different to your own. One essential ‘qualification’ is to be internationally minded.
This means you need to appreciate, accept and be sensitive to the expectations and approaches of people from other countries and cultures. You need to view the world as one; where no culture, country or people are any more or less significant.
Attitude
Enthusiasm, flexibility, resilience and patience are important attitude ‘qualifications’ for an international school teacher. Along the way, particularly in your first year, you’ll be faced with challenges and circumstances that you’ll never have expected. It’s how you may face these unexpected and challenging situations that recruiters will be looking for during your application process and interview.
For many international schools, attitude is just as important as experience.
So do you think that you’re sufficiently qualified? Here are some tips to help you further:
• Take a look at some of the qualifications required by schools on the TIC Vacancies page. This will give you an idea of the expectations of some international schools.
• You can read about the qualifications and the experiences of some teachers who are already teaching in international schools here.
• And if you’re still not sure if you’re qualified enough or not, then give us a call or drop us an email and someone from the TIC team will be very happy to help you.
Register with TIC today to start your incredible overseas teaching career! There's no charge, and our recruitment experts will work with you to find the perfect job in an international school.
Would you like to find out more about the opportunities available teaching overseas? Then visit our advice section or have a chat with one of our recruitment experts.
To see the latest teaching positions available now, head over to our Vacancies page.
To stay up to date with all the latest news and vacancies, you can download the TIC App from the App Store and Google Play now.
You may also be interested in these other helpful blogs:
• Teaching overseas is not just for young people!
• Teaching overseas – where in the world could you be next year?
• The differences between international and national schools
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Gemma McSweeney
Gemma is our Associate Director, having joined TIC in 2009. With over 15 years experience of recruitment and selection methods, she specialises in matching teachers and leaders with our international school partners. She has attended many international education conferences and has visited a number of international schools over the years. She uses this experience to best advise our teachers, leaders and schools and manage our team and UK operations.
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