teaching in the USA

[bybloxx]

Hello all,

My bf is a nurse and I'm a teacher (we're in Ireland) we're considering working abroad for a while, America or Canada ideally, we visited Florida this summer and just loved it. We'd be interested in relocating and working there if that was possible.

Has anyone got any advice or pointers on where to start? Would my teaching qualifications be appropriate for the USA? Is there any sort of demand for elementary teachers? How can you get a working visa?

If there are any teachers out there I'd be interested in hearing from you.

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

[looseliam]

Schools are always looking for teachers. Right now school's already started. So finding a position may be a bit of a problem. You could do substitute teaching.

As for your credentials, I would contact or go on-line with the state's department of education. You should be able to find out what you need to do.

You can find the info about visas here.

 

[smakelijkus]

I have taught in Wisconsin. Because education is a reserved right for states, each state establishes criteria for you can teach. Thus, my license is good only in Wisconsin. If I would want to teach in another state, I would have to figure out the process for licensure in that particular state. As to how your credentials could be transferred to a US state, I have no idea, but I know when I came to Holland I had to redo everything (my license is worthless...except for international schools). So I imagine you might have similar problems. I wish you the best of luck. Start by looking at the particular state's education web site.

 

[gsdx]

Nurses are in big demand in Ontario, and I suspect teachers are always needed.

Here's the Government of Canada Immigration website. It gives you all the info you should need: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.html

 

[slobone]

Getting a job at a public school could be a bit of a hassle. First of all, each of the 50 states requires a teaching credential issued by that state -- there is no national certificate. There may be a way for an alien to apply for a credential based on whatever your certification is in Ireland.

Private schools are probably a lot easier, especially religious-based ones, if you can stand that. They generally don't pay as much, but it would give you something to live on while you're looking around you for other alternatives.

Then there's always tutoring. There's a ton of federal money allocated under the No Child Left Behind Act that's gone unspent, for after-school tutoring. Of course you can't make a living doing that, but again, it will give you an opportunity to get inside the school system.

Beyond that, there are specialized schools, such as language schools, adult education, etc. It also might be possible to get a part-time job at a community (2-year) college, depending on what specialized skills you have.

Sorry I can't be more specific, I'm a little out of the loop on teaching.

PS, Sad to say, in some parts of the country it's perfectly legal for a school, even a public school, to refuse to hire you if they know you're gay. In other states, such as California, it's not legal. So that's another thing you might want to look into.

 

[cbtfan]

Your BF's nursing qualification would not be recognised in the States.

 

[bybloxx]

First of all,
thank you everybody for replying, I'd no idea I'd get responses so soon. On that note, if anyone wants advice on coming to belfast I'd be happy to help ( Who knows... maybe someone would! Ach, it's a nice place really)

The help so far has been very informative, if a little disheartining (! why so hard?), but any help from the community would be great.

I'm glad I posted here.

Dia duit,

B.

Please keep posting!

 

[flyingfree]

I would start with arranging an appointment at the American Embassy in Dublin or a consulate office in Ireland. There are people in the embassy/consulate visa section who will answer all your questions.

 

[looseliam]

And don't let the yankee wankers give you any shit!

 

[ronboy]

Hello all,

My bf is a nurse and I'm a teacher (we're in Ireland) we're considering working abroad for a while, America or Canada ideally, we visited Florida this summer and just loved it. We'd be interested in relocating and working there if that was possible.

Has anyone got any advice or pointers on where to start? Would my teaching qualifications be appropriate for the USA? Is there any sort of demand for elementary teachers? How can you get a working visa?

If there are any teachers out there I'd be interested in hearing from you.

Any help greatly appreciated!

Hello Bybloxx,
Like those posting before me have said, each US state (and Province in Canada) has different requirements to attain certification to teach in their publicly funded schools. There is a greater demand for elementary teachers in some states than in others. It is nearly impossible to find an elementary teaching job in New York state, unless you are willing to teach in the very diverse and underfunded New York City Public Schools. This is because teachers in New York state are among the highest paid in the nation, and the state teacher's union, NYSUT, is very strong. Other states continuously recruit new teachers. Among them are North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Arizona, and California. They are high population growth areas, and are constantly expanding their schools and building new ones.
I think it's great that you'd like to share your talents in American classrooms. Being an elementary teacher myself, I love the inquisitive nature of the children, and their open attitudes to learning new ideas. Once they move into secondary school, the hormones begin to kick in, and that interest and open attitude seems to disappear. I teach Fifth Grade (children who are around age 10), and I love that they still love learning, but can be treated as independent young adults in many respects.