Happier Abroad Forum Community

Here I find myself at a support-staff position ($15hr) @ 32 hrs..in the most sought after and highest paying school district in the state of MT. The only problem is I and about 3 others support staff work next to certified high school teachers who obviously are on a whole other pay scale/contract ($25+hr) and we are basically in a dead-end job. One guy in his 50's has been on the support staff for 9 yrs? and his sour attitude shows?? Others come and go in this position often.


Anyways the barrier to entry as a u.s. teacher is pretty high.... especially for the lack of $$

1) You can't apply for a one-time temporary 3yr teaching license unless your enrolled in a graduate program.. and are teaching at some capacity.

2) Then ..thanks to Bush.. the "no child left behind" act requires that you can only teach what your undergraduate degree is in after you get your masters.. mine is business finance?? and those curriculums are extremly rare and the first to get cut due to budget contraints.


So.. my only US option is to really get a graduate degree in Counseling...which I like...or jump through a ton of loops and classes before I'm allowed to teach these future american angels...


With a B.S. and a Celta do I take a 2k a month job teaching english in place like Saudia Arabia..and then enroll and complete an online masters in tefla? or enroll in US grad school (M.ed or counseling) and become a couselor or scan all 50 states and see who hire a business teacher??


Input would be awesome! .....I leaning towards getting out of the Ol'USA!!!


Thanks Guys,


DM




P.S. I could be dipping my toes in a pool somewhere outside the anglosphere next year on my off time with fine ladies...or up here assisting teachers and proding little punks to do their book work in 20 degree below weather??? hmmmmm??



Yahoo aswers had mixed advice: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 748AAMsiIu

If you can afford the change I would just work overseas in Korea or the ME and do your masters online, that's what I did. Working in those countries you will have more disposable income and will have more leisure time than working in the states. Depending on where you live you could also have a better nightlife than in the states or at least have the option to travel to a neighboring country in your off time to have more fun than you could ever have living in the states.
Living in America is extremely lame for single guys, unless you have copious amounts of disposable income; if you had that I would still question what the hell are you doing in the states?

Have a look here:
http://www.eslcafe.com/teachers/

The Teacher and Teacher training forums may be of use to you.

Thanks again S and momopi!

I agree it would be better to just get overseas and begin my masters online. At the pay rate I'm @ now(15hr) I would actually make more in the ME or Asia...while living it up compared to Billings,MT.

Best way is to get you BA and get the teaching cert immediately and concurrently because the USA has strict standards and they will not pay.
Most MA's have teaching assignments as part of the program and work with local schools to get you classroom hours and certification.

Some states are easier than others.

Oddly, I was under the impression that MT was one of the easier states with programs at many colleges that result in credentials.