You might have been teaching for a few years in your home country, but there is something missing… you might be in a mid-career slump and are ready for a change… Maybe you are an avid traveler, maybe you enjoy the challenges and joys of teaching a multi-cultural, multi-lingual and diverse student body… maybe you want to live, work and immerse yourself in a different country, culture and language? Maybe you have been thinking what it would be like to pack your bags and teach abroad?
First, let’s get some myths about teaching abroad out of the way:
you will not be teaching English as a foreign language in a Language School – AMISA’s member schools are International schools that follow an American/International curriculum.
you don’t have to be an American citizen- Most of our schools hire all nationalities.
you don’t have to speak the language of the country you are looking to teach in- The official language of our member schools is English
you have to teach English as a subject- Our member schools are looking to hire all subject area teachers, ex. Mathematics, Social Studies, Elementary School classroom teachers, Music, Counselors, Librarians, etc.
So, how do you best prepare and position yourself to be hired by one of our member schools in “the Americas” (located in North, Central, South America and the Caribbean)?
Here are 10 Tips to becoming an International Educator:
Update your Resumé Review, reflect and update your resumé. Make sure your experience in the education field is highlighted. “Beef up” your resumé by taking on relevant and education related responsibilities and jobs. Add experience of teaching in the subject area you wish to be hired for.
Become Certified as a Teacher, Renew or add Professional TeachingCertifications If your university degree is not in education, become an alternative certified teacher in the subject area you wish to be hired for. If you are a certified educator, make sure your teaching certification is up to date and even consider adding endorsements or new subject area certifications to make yourself more marketable in the job search.
Diversify your Skills International schools most often are tight knit communities. Families hang out with each other outside of school to connect with other English speakers and culture. Students will take advantage of after-school programs. Schools look for faculty members who enjoy getting fully involved in the life of the school and are able to lead extra-curricular activities. Being able to offer, contribute and add value in a variety of ways to the school community is highly valued by schools.
Become a Leader Sharpen your leadership skills. Step up to leadership positions at your current school, initiate projects, pilot initiatives and become involved in team work to move education forward.
Self-Assess, Reflect and Develop your International Mindedness, Global Literacy, Global Awareness, International Capabilities, and Intercultural Awareness and Sensitivity. Read, expose yourself to other perspectives, connect outside your “bubble”, broaden your horizon, travel, extend your comfort zone to develop above mentioned skills and literacies.
Develop Professionally and become/be a Lifelong Learner Read relevant, innovative, cutting edge, classic, best practices articles, social media feeds, books, journals, etc. Attend professional online webinars (many offered for free) on educational topics you are interested in. Join, organize or participate in Twitter chats and on other platforms where educators regularly meet to discuss topics of interest and concern and to grow professionally.
Create a Portfolio Document and make your experience and growth as a professional visible. What a better way than to not just TALK about your teaching experience and work at an interview for a teaching position at one of our member schools, but to SHARE & SHOW your accomplishments.
Connect and Network professionally with other International Educators on Social Media Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are great platforms to make connections with other International Educators to learn with and from, find out what teaching at their individual schools is like. Make already professional connections, collaborate on projects, let them get to know you and your work.
Become a Candidate in AMISA’s International Teaching Recruiting Database Search open vacancies from our member schools and allow recruiters to find your candidate profile. Establish your interest in working at a specific school or for a specific position.
Do your Homework Learn about our member schools! Explore their website, follow them on social media channels, read their contributions on AMISA’s blog. Explore member school’s benefit package for foreign hires in the AMISA Database. Research different countries, cities and school communities. Be open minded when considering potential countries and schools where you might want to work.