Master's in Education....HELP!!!

[mcs7474]

I thought I had everything ready to return to the US and start work on my Master's in Education, but after some initial reverse culture shock and the prospect of losing valuable years of my life living in a country I hate, I am having second thoughts. As a result, some other options have opened up to me...

 

Firstly, my goal is to get into an international school where I can earn more money, get paid vacations, and provide decent education for any future children I might have. 

 

Ok, so I know I am going to need an Education degree and a certification from my home country (USA), but I am wondering if there are less traditional ways to acquire the needed qualifications? I could come back to Thailand and be happy while doing a Master's online without the certification, but then that leaves me with no certification and I am thinking that I'll be ineligible for those international school jobs. Additionally, I could stick it out in my home country for two years or so and acquire the Master's and the certification and then back to Thailand, although I would feel like I am wasting my youth in a place I hate. 

 

Alternatively, there might be something completely online that satisfies my concerns: staying in Thailand and obtaining my degree and certification without sacrificing my sanity and life????? Maybe these international schools are too difficult to get into and I am wasting my time?

 

I don't know...Please advise.

[rijb]

Why don't you contact a few international schools and ask them the best way to satisfy their requirements?  

 

You might not want to tell them about your 'hate' for your home country.  It doesn't make a good first impression. 

[naboo]

Its not just certification you need, its also experience. For international schools, experience in Thai schools counts for nothing.

 

The USA is a big place, surely there is somewhere you don't "hate". I came here young from the UK and on visits back, I realised that what I didn't like about home was the life I had created. Reflect a little more rationally and see how you can make America work for you for a few years because if you plan to be here long term, have kids and have them educated in an international school, you need to make sacrifices now.

 

The alternatives I would suggest are a Masters in Bilingual Education (Rangsit University) and, with time, a senior position in a good English Program school (still not great) or a PGCEi/Masters in Education from Nottingham University (no teaching certification) and start looking for work at a lower tier international school, see if you can work up. But in all honesty, home country experience with feedback and support from qualified, experienced teachers is what makes a good teacher.

[simon43]

Firstly, my goal is to get into an international school where I can earn more money, get paid vacations, and provide decent education for any future children I might have

 

Can I ask the OP what net (after tax) salary level he hopes to receive?

[IntEdSource]

You have several options that will each depend on your financial situation and long-term goals.

 

If you opt to stay in Thailand and pursue a qualification here, there are multiple on-site master's programs available. I would not recommend an online program, as many international schools still view them as inferior, whether that is accurate or not. Most of these programs, however, can be nearly the same cost as they would be in the United States, meaning you will need to have money to spare, and they do not include licensure. Additionally, remaining in Thailand means slowly working your way up the chain of schools. Even the best international schools - NIST, ISB and BPS - do recruit a few teachers from smaller international schools each year, but those teachers represent a handful among an average two to three dozen hires, and sometimes several hundred applications. Taking this route would be difficult if you ultimately want to end up in a top school with an excellent salary and benefits package.

 

A second option is pursuing a qualification here, gaining experience in a smaller international school and then shifting to better schools in other countries, with the long-term goal of returning to Thailand. This is more viable, as it widens the pool of schools that would be willing to consider you. As soon as you're able to land a position at a decent upper mid-tier school, you greatly increase your chances of being hired at a top school here in Thailand. At some point in this path, you would also want to seek out ways to acquire a teaching license; some states allow you to take the Praxis while abroad, making it much easier, or you could enroll in a summer program that leads to licensure. The obvious downside to this approach is that you would have to leave Thailand (unless it's simply a return to the United States that you want to avoid).

 

Finally, you can accept that you will have a few years back home while you pursue a master's degree there. This frankly is the most viable route for eventually getting into a top school, as you will acquire your license at the same time through your practicum, making you much more appealing as a hire. You would also then have the option of gaining a little more experience in public or private schools at home before shifting to international schools. Again, this route would greatly raise your chances of eventually ending up in a top school here in Thailand.

 

Regardless of which route you choose, map out your goals and how you intend to get there. By planning in advance and being diligent about accomplishing those goals, you'll have far more success in your career in international education.

[claffey]

Bite the bullet and return home for a few years. I did this and I'm now working at a top international school. I did my teaching diploma for one year and  also did my NQT year at home. I then returned here and taught ESL for one year in a top Thai school while looking for international school positions. I managed to get one and haven't looked back. The two years at home went really fast and also allowed my family to explore Europe. Good luck...