Travel Opportunities

International Teacher Status-Arguably the best status to have ass a teacher. I mean, you have some many opportunities! The other side to that conversation is that there is not a place you really call home in most cases. If you are someone who is very family orientated, maybe internationally teaching is not your calling, but why not make it a chapter of your life for a year or two?

I swear by international teaching. I am an English teacher, therefore very biased and a bit crazy but I promise you an unforgettable experience. Good or bad, it will be unforgettable. Usually it depends on the person and the research conducted as well as questions asked before accepting a job internationally. I was very persistent and waited till the absolute last minute to make the acceptance of my opportunity. For that reason I feel my experience has been exactly what I had hoped it became.

It is hard for me to directly speak to my experiences as a benchmark for other teachers who go international because I have met some really miserable individuals who swear they would never return or care to work in China again, yet, here they are completing "x" amount of years at our school or in some cases going to an even more "interesting" location (as if they were not depressing enough to be around already).

You meet many individuals, you see a lot of interesting things but most of all you learn the most you ever could about yourself than you ever have (in my experiences at least).

I recommend using the assistance of "teacher horizons", search associates offers the same assistance except they charge you out the rear end and sometimes have representatives or associates with very poor attitude and work ethic.

Another possible inquiry into potential jobs when job searching is asking if the school has AdvancEd Accreditation "AdvancEd" (American Non-Profit Accreditation Association). This is an organization that tries to categorize schools based on a full inspection of the school's growth plan, facilities and staff. It could be a good way of inquiring about how certain schools are ranked or categorized compared to other schools. It is very difficult information to get unless the school flat out tells you or hands you the report about it.

Things to consider and think about,

CB

Experiences in PPL3O: Paintball...and firearms?

An activity day includes exactly that, a day of activity. Activity, such an arbitrary term, for some it may scream outdoor activity; for others it could simply meaning classroom film time. Regardless of what activity means to you, there was an event at our school that led to an activity day being called. All teachers needed to participate in an activity OR set up an activity that students would also participate in.

The events needed to be large enough that they generated enough student interest to make it worth the accumulation of teachers. Every teacher was on deck (or supposed to be) that day.

One of the events (an awesome event choice I might add) proposed was, "Paintball". Why? How? No way! So you think, as did the teacher who proposed it. The idea was approved, 100+ students were enrolled and the buses were late. It was happening...

The bus made its way to the hunting club (it was not known that it was a hunting club before going), the manager of the club was advertising the paintball and laser tag around town constantly and also offered some decent deals on the activity for students and teachers. As a first time event on a scale this big, it went well for the teacher. The students were excited to be going; safe and well taken care of. The teachers involved did a good job, for the most part. Money was handled well and it was a very memorable event. It turns it was more memorable for some more than others.

The students when finished on the field were allowed to go get an ice cream from the main hut and sit in the sun by the bus, what teachers didn't know is that a lower level of the grounds, there was a shooting range. The owner took students sitting there, down to the range as the students were curious and inquiring. A teacher noticed the manager walking students down and approached them out of concern and responsibility.

The teacher was trying to ask the students what was going as the teacher had no idea what was being said in Chinese. This had proven to be the Achilles heel to the whole event. The students and teacher were talking and there was translating which was very vague. The manager walked away and came back with a hand gun and clip. The teacher became nervous and a student reached for it. The teacher unsure what to do demanded the student stop and took the others to find a teacher. The student had began firing shots into the range and the manager idly stood by smiling. The student paid the manager and ran back up to the group. The teacher couldn't find the other teachers who were still on the field at the time and went back down to discuss what had happened with the students and the manager. After being talked down by the students who were explaining it is fine, it is safe, it is okay, etc. (because in China, screw the rules and law enforcement right?), they also participated in the activity thinking, "well, TIC" (This is China). Pictures made their way by students to a social media platform which became quite problematic for the other teachers as well.

A day later the other teachers found out about the full story and event which was discussed and appropriately dealt with. the interesting part to this, was the parent's response.

The teacher wrote an apology letter to each set of parent s(well, one that was meant for each set of parents), some responded with "thank you for letting us know, that is okay." and the others simply, didn't respond at all.

So, when preparing an activity for a school event (especially in Canada), beware of certain "unexpected features", you never know when you will be on the right side of the gun in the wrong situation. Needless to say, everyone is safe and learned something important, but in the future...this activity will not occur again.

Teachers, might I recommend viewing OPHEA (more than just a set of safety guidelines for Ontario Physical Education Teachers.

CB  

Experience in GLC2O/CHV2O: Planning 10 (1st Year Teacher Status)

I arrive to China-just graduated, said hello to the family in the summer, travelled to Costa Rica, finally dropped everything and moved on out to China. No idea what this is going to be like, where I am going to be living or what to expect.

I mean, ya, there are projections, what to expect-no toilets, dirty streets, bad health care?; what I am teaching-english...11 or 12? where I am going to live-teacher dorms, a concrete shell? But how many of those things ever really end up being what you thought? In worst cases, everything is exactly as you imagined. However, fortunately for me, its been best cases all around so far.

This is a back dated post but the ideas are very much the same. I am teaching BC (British Columbia, Canada) Curriculum in Dalian, LiaoNing  China at a school for students who are interested in going abroad.

After a year I saw a lot, did a lot and learned the most I think I have ever learned in my life. I guess, it goes without saying...my first "real" international experience was obviously going to be a make or break experience. Aside from finding the love of my life and meeting some of the most amazing people, there wasn't that much else that made me want to stay in this school particularly.

The school offers quite a bit for the number of teachers that are able to teach these things. I had a friend who was a social studies teacher by training and ended up teaching IT and Math here. I am teaching Foods and English 10 right now. Needless to say, I am loving it. I can do without certain annoyances and unexpected responsibilities but that comes with anywhere you work.

Planning 10 has been interesting as it has provided a chance to teach more down to earth and practical aspects of life, everything from personal hygiene to budgeting an university application. The course discusses aspects of sexual education as well. This is very interesting to because Ontario has been discussing the new sexual education curriculum that has come out which is (needless to say) very important to the education of students in a growing world.

I look forward to Planning 10 again possibly. It almost gives me feeling of fatherhood training. Who knows what a teacher could do with such a range of learning objectives!

All in all, I am giving a shout out to teachers back home, Getting into a teaching gig as a substitute is great but having a classroom that is nothing but laughs and practical learning-that is much more rewarding for me.

Cheers!

CB