Teachers Should Fly South for the Economic Winter
Laid-off teachers in the U.S. need only look to South America for a job, where American international schools are hiring teachers of all subjects in droves. Especially in demand are elementary, math, science, and social studies teachers.
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) November 3, 2009 -- U.S. teachers who have lost their jobs may find an unusual market for their talents: South America. American international schools, which teach a U.S. curricula in English to grades K-12, are seeing their enrollments increase and are ready to hire more Canadian and U.S. certified teachers.
With housing, flights, health insurance, and a generous salary, teaching for a few years (the standard contract is 2 years) at an international school might be a great way to ride out the economic downturn. Yet teachers often don't seem to even to consider teaching abroad when looking for a new teaching job. Christy Grimste, managing director of Educators Overseas (http://www.educatorsoverseas.com), an international teacher recruiting company that helps teachers and school administrators find jobs in international schools around the world, agrees. “It's amazing. For an upcoming job fair in December, with schools from more than 20 countries throughout the Caribbean and South America, we're seeing more open positions than there are candidates to fill them.”
Teachers that do decide to take the plunge and teach abroad don't regret it. “This has been an awesome experience; the school is amazing; and I have learned so much here”, says Kimberly K., a teacher in Mexico. The appeal of teaching abroad lies in the adventure of living in another country, experiencing another culture, and being able to travel to exotic locales on the weekends. Teachers are also drawn to the outstanding learning environment at schools, where class sizes are generally smaller and children are well behaved and eager to learn. Another big plus is career development. When they do come back to the U.S. they'll find that their international experience is a big draw for potential employers. Shelley S., who taught in Africa, says “I got an on the spot interview at a job fair simply because I was teaching in Africa. After the interview I was offered a position in two days. Teaching abroad is a big bonus for schools.”
So why aren't more teachers signing up? Often they don't think about it until it's too late. Many teachers start looking for a new position in the spring, when U.S. contracts are issued or renewed. “But schools in South America and the Caribbean are doing their hiring right now for the 2010 school year”, says Christy.
Educators Overseas is based out of Tampa, Florida and is one of the premier international teacher recruiting companies in the U.S. Individuals interested in teaching and living abroad can learn more on the company’s website - http://www.educatorsoverseas.com.
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