How do you become an International School Teacher? This is probably the most common question I got asked while teaching abroad, and still get asked today when I talk about my teaching background. Whether it’s people simply just curious about my life, people wanting to travel more, or educators in other domains who want to make the switch to international teaching, people always want to know how. Like anything in life, figuring out something new can be extremely difficult. Yes, you can research it, but I’ve found in order to get the information you need it often takes count-less hours, endless web-searching, and additional phone calls out to family and friends to confirm those sources anyways. So to anyone looking to teach abroad- here is your step to step guide.

Step 1: Get a teaching credential.

Although there are International Schools that will hire you without one, most will not and the ones that will are unlikely to hire a young educator that doesn’t have a firm background yet in one particular discipline. I’ve talked to so many English teachers and volunteers abroad who want to switch to international schools but don’t have a teaching license, and unfortunately this is a necessary first step.

There are a lot of online programs you can take to fulfill this that take less than 1 year. It’s important to note though that in additional to course-work you need to schedule and pass a teaching exam, most likely the Praxis if you’re doing a course in the States. Both these need to be fulfilled before you can get a license.

More info on teaching fast tracks if you have a bachelor’s degree: https://go.magoosh.com/schools-blog/5-accelerated-teacher-certification-programs-to-consider

Step 2: Register Yourself with a Search Database.

There’s many options here but the two I can recommend from experience myself and other educators are Search Associates and International School Services. These are both online platforms where you make a profile, get matched with an associate, and navigate through international teaching possibilities together.

Search Associates– I chose Search Associates for my teaching journey and was extremely happy with their quality of mentorship, easy to create online profile, and school search system/details. I was able to attend a job fair conference in Boston by easily registering online where heads of schools and principals from around the world came together to interview and recruit teachers for their school.

Step 3: Partner with your Associate to find you the Best Fit Job

I’ve found that International Schools look for 3 main things when they’re trying to hire a good-fit candidate. You should also consider these things when trying to pick a school that is best for you.

• First, they want that person to have experience. This means a teaching credential and normally 2 or more years of full-time teaching experience. Often international educators have worked numerous years in their home country before setting sail for destinations abroad. It’s also important to note that some schools can’t even hire you legally unless you have that baseline 2 years of experience.
• Second, they want someone who has international experience or has been abroad before for extended periods of time. Having spent time abroad before proves to international schools that you are well-suited for the lifestyle. Schools want you to be happy working with them and living in their host country. If you can prove that you have successfully lived abroad in the past, you will be more marketable to a school.
• Lastly, they want someone who has experience with their curriculum. When it comes to international schools, there are a lot of different types. There are schools that follow an American curriculum using the Common Core State Standards. There are schools that follow the British Curriculum. There are even schools that develop and use their own curriculum completely. I worked at a school that used the IB Curriculum for elementary students called the Primary Years Programme.

Now what’s hard is that as a new educator or any educator looking for an international teaching job for the first time, you most likely do not have all 3 of the above things. That’s why Step 4 is super important.

Step 4: Be Open-Minded in your Opportunities

When I first started international teaching, I was very naive. I thought I would be able to get a job easily with English being my first language and with having a dual-certification credential for teaching. I had my sights set on a full-time teaching job somewhere in Europe, making money and having my own homeroom class. Without any years of full-time experience with my own classroom, I ended up Intern Co-Teaching in South Korea, and I could not be more thankful for the way things lined up!

If you’re making the decision to teach abroad the most important thing is getting that foot in the door, so any opportunity that come to you, embrace it. This might mean being an Intern teacher for 1 or 2 years, learning a curriculum you’re not familiar with, or being in a country you’ve never considered or potentially never even heard of before!

You came abroad for a new experience, give yourself one.