#internationalteaching

Dreaming of teaching in vibrant Ho Chi Minh City? 🇻🇳 This guide breaks down the essential qualifications you'll need to land a job at an international school, from degrees and teaching certifications (like PGCE or QTS) to English proficiency and teaching experience. We also cover specific requirements for IB schools and ESL teachers, plus subject-specific needs for various roles.

Click the link to dive deeper into the requirements and kickstart your international teaching journey in HCMC! : https://renaissance.edu.vn/requirements-to-teach-in-an-international-school/

A few months ago, I reached a stage where it suddenly occurred to me that I wasn’t happy. Something was missing. I needed to make a change.

A couple of years ago, whilst living with an ex, I had my heart set on moving abroad. We went to Abu Dhabi and Dubai to check them out (with a view of potentially living there) and I knew straight away that this is what I wanted. However I also soon came to realise that the relationship wasn’t right for me.

After the relationship ended, I suddenly found myself having to move out, renting under a fixed term contract, tied down with financial responsibilities (Car, rent, etc) and in a bit of a hole that I couldn’t see the way out of. I couldn’t leave, it just wasn’t an option at this time. Living alone eats all your money!

However last year (fast forward 18 months ) I realised that this dream might just be possible. I went to an informal seminar held by a big recruiter, where they detailed the pros and realities of teaching abroad and of living as part of an expat community. After this I knew it was what I had to do.

Shortly afterwards, I happened to be at lunch with my mum, brother and sister in law, where I told them about the seminar and my plans. My mum’s initial reaction (having had little experience of the middle east) was that I would be entering into some sort of unsafe trafficking ring and getting into something I would regret. It took a few weeks of educating her about what the UAE was actually like and getting her to understand that it was something I needed to do. When my mum offered to help me and took a real interest, the dream became even more real.

Having been researching this for quite a while, I had an idea about the schools or organisations I would be looking to work for. I knew the pros and cons of most and had really studied their websites, reviews, and searched on forums for teacher’s opinions and recommendations. I decided in the end to apply directly to a few schools, as I figured why would a school pay an agency to find them people when they can choose someone they don’t have to pay the extra for?

A lot sooner than I anticipated, I received a phone call from the HR department of one school who told me they would like to interview me and invited me to an interview in December. This was all happening months ahead of when I thought it would, however I decided that I may as well go and get the interview experience if nothing else.

Anyway, long story short, after an hour-long interview, where I thought there was no way I was getting the job, I was offered a job on the spot. I was gobsmacked and obviously went away to consider the decision over the next week or so. 

After a little consideration, I knew that I had to accept. I had researched the school so much and weighed up the pros and cons of this school compared to its counterparts, considered location, was happy with the package, and knew that this was my dream - so what was there even to think about?!

So this was December. 

We are now in February and I am a little further down the line, but living in a constant state of anxiety that something will go wrong and this dream will be taken away from me. 

I have now got rid of my car and am planning to move house to a more suitable temporary place to get me through my last 6 months rather than living in rented accommodation. 

People don’t really tell you about all the waiting.

I have had my documents attested and have sent them to the UAE with no idea whether they have arrived or not as the postal courier is so bad and the school is on half term.

I am still awaiting my contracts, but hopeful this will happen soon.

I am waiting to hand in my notice to my current employer.

I am waiting to see everything goes through OK.

Anxiety. About everything. Waiting. For everything. 

Yet, life goes on. On Monday I will go back to my normal job, and keep that smile on my face. When inside, my head is in turmoil, my to-do list is growing longer and longer and all I can think about is being out there, in my new job, meeting new people and starting my new life.

Hopefully by the next time I post I will have some updates! 

#SpringBreak - International Educator Style #InternationalSchool #TeachAbroad #iTeach

Spring Break noun: spring break; plural noun: spring breaks

a week’s vacation for students in the spring, typically at Easter.

Clearly this definition doe NOT pertain to educators.  When I used to teach stateside my “Spring Break” was similar to that of this video by my fellow educator, Eddie B. Comedy.

For ten years, when I…

Monday night, in a moment of desperation, perhaps the kind that only a first year teacher can feel (and probably a second and third year as well), I set on a quest to find the miracle solution to the rowdy, disengaged, and completely unconvinced Primary 4, 5, and Secondary 7 year students that walk into the international plus school in Medan, Indonesia that I teach at.

What I thought would be a voyage of weeks and weeks on end turned into a mighty conquering, especially since having internet that works is a blessing in itself. Can you guess what the Philosopher’s stone I stumbled upon that had the ability to turn student behavior into efficiency and learning greater than gold? I couldn’t have. This said philosopher’s stone is called Wholebrainteaching, and I believe is changing the way I teach and I’ve barely even started!!!

I suppose before I discuss the impact that Wholebrainteaching has had on this very FIRST day of implementation, I should explain the type of educational environment that I am in, as well as my own personal background. Being an American (North Carolina, to be exact) teaching English, Drama (got thrown into that one) and IPC (International Primary Curriculum) has been a challenge when teaching in an entirely different culture and even different “traditional” style of teaching. Did I mention that I am a FIRST YEAR TEACHER??? A first year teacher fresh out of college, eager to please, and yet aware of my very own naivety.

 As much as I learned from my professors, they did not and could not have prepared me to teach in a place where the first thing students do when you enter the classroom is parrot “Good Morning Miss Ward”, which to me feels like tiny little robots greeting me, eerily reminiscent of “You got Mail!” There are two main distinct types of teaching here that seemed to be divided into eastern versus western (much like everything else here, bread versus rice anyone?) I am not in either corner of this boxing match, because at the very least I am not entirely sure where the ring is. I see merits of both eastern and western: high expectations, hard work, respect, honesty, and diligence that comes with eastern ideals and the outspokenness, creativity, individuality and cooperation of western ideals. It seems that my destiny as teacher, if I am meant to aware of it, is to bridge these two worlds…..I AM CLUELESS.

Repeat….I AM CLUELESS (shhh….Please don’t let my students know. My principal already does.)

Now back to that Philosopher’s Stone!!!!

Today I implemented WBTing (Wholebrainteaching) aspects into my Primary 5, Primary 4, and Secondary 7 classes as follows:

Primary 5 English and IPC

Class. Yes.

Student versus Teacher

5 rules with gestures

Primary 4 Drama

Mirror

Secondary 7 English

Class. Yes.

Student Versus Teacher (and level one)

5 rules with gestures

Teach. Ok.