Double the Certification
I blog a lot about the economy, but it is an ever important factor in job hunting. As an experienced teacher, I've worked at the secondary level as well as the university level. One factor that always comes up among administrators and instructors alike, is certification. I'm not talking about the certificate the state gives you to teach, but the actual areas that you are certified to teach.
As a language teacher, a fad is coming around that probably won't go away. Teachers who can teach more than one language are seen as of double value to a dean or principal. Firstly, it costs them less money. Why hire a German teacher AND a French teacher when you can get one teacher who can teach both?
Veteran teachers might tell you not to do it, because you'll never get a "pure" schedule, meaning the ability to only teach the language you truly adore. But this is a new day. Our employment is not guaranteed, and as language teachers our job has international competition. Once you earn your way up to the top with years of service, you get first dibs on the schedule and you can decide to teach all of the classes that make up your language program. Therefore, you'll be able to teach what you want to again.
The same way Korea, China, Mexico and other countries recruit for English teachers in the US is the same thing that universities and large public schools do abroad. I say this not to scare anyone. What I want to say is that education is included in the global market. To better prepare for this you must consider your ability to compete.
The US take on foreign language is a bit more gated than our international counterparts. Being bilingual abroad is seen in many places as a neccesity, not just an option. Therefore if you are studying languages in colleges, as a professional currently in the market I would oblige you to add another language to your bag of possibilities.
Teaching English as a second/foreign language is an easy add on to your education. If you are studying one of the romance languages, study one of its cousins as well. If you doubt my concerns, visit the want adds in regards to foreign langugage teachers. You will see a lot of "slash jobs" French/Spanish, German/French with the ability to teach ESOL (English as a second language) if neccessary, etc. These ads predict the future. If you desire to have an edge with your future application, your best bet would be to be certified in more than one area.
I recently interviewed a dean at a public university and he blatantly told me that he was hired full time because he could teach French, Spanish and Portuguese. I've also interviewed for language positions and been asked "What other languages can you teach?" So taking these indirection recommendations in mind, I decided to act and got 18 graduate credits in English, and now I have more work as an adjunct than I can handle. Word to the wise, when considering another area to teach you have to somewhat like subject. I happen to love writing, so teaching composition courses to me is a love and a passion and infuses itself easily with my love for foreign languages.
Below I've written a list of things to consider if you are interested in add another certificate.
1. Interview deans and principals. Since they are in charge of the hiring process, they know what their district or college is looking for. Ask them about what they would want in a foreign language instructor at their institution. There is nothing wrong with looking into the horse's mouth for answers to your career questions.
2. Talk to your foreign language peers. Ask those who share your language background how they got to their current position and their educational background. This should give you insight on how other foreign language professionals are preparing themselves to be employed.
3. Visit job fairs. Talk to the recruiters. However, take heed as the job fair event is becoming a dying practice and many schools don't want to pay to send people to events out of town. As the number of full-time jobs shrink, less administrators are putting money into finding candidates in the traditional form. They wait for candidates to look for them, because they can. However, you still might find some if you look hard enough.
4. If you are still in school or have a relationship with a foreign language department, talk to your professors. Ask them about their education and what recommendations they have for language professionals in the 21st century.
5. Look at the job ads. This truly tells the story of the demand for teachers. Enough said.
6. Don't just stick to languages. Most colleges, besides technical schools, always need English and Math teachers to fulfill the core courses of their degree programs. At the college level you can always get 18 graduate credits in addition to your masters degree in another area such as psychology, English, math, science or any other area you like. At the secondary level you can go and take the certification test for another area that you like. I know plenty of individuals who have done it and it saved them their jobs.
As always, I hope this information can be of benefit to you.
As a language teacher, a fad is coming around that probably won't go away. Teachers who can teach more than one language are seen as of double value to a dean or principal. Firstly, it costs them less money. Why hire a German teacher AND a French teacher when you can get one teacher who can teach both?
Veteran teachers might tell you not to do it, because you'll never get a "pure" schedule, meaning the ability to only teach the language you truly adore. But this is a new day. Our employment is not guaranteed, and as language teachers our job has international competition. Once you earn your way up to the top with years of service, you get first dibs on the schedule and you can decide to teach all of the classes that make up your language program. Therefore, you'll be able to teach what you want to again.
The same way Korea, China, Mexico and other countries recruit for English teachers in the US is the same thing that universities and large public schools do abroad. I say this not to scare anyone. What I want to say is that education is included in the global market. To better prepare for this you must consider your ability to compete.
The US take on foreign language is a bit more gated than our international counterparts. Being bilingual abroad is seen in many places as a neccesity, not just an option. Therefore if you are studying languages in colleges, as a professional currently in the market I would oblige you to add another language to your bag of possibilities.
Teaching English as a second/foreign language is an easy add on to your education. If you are studying one of the romance languages, study one of its cousins as well. If you doubt my concerns, visit the want adds in regards to foreign langugage teachers. You will see a lot of "slash jobs" French/Spanish, German/French with the ability to teach ESOL (English as a second language) if neccessary, etc. These ads predict the future. If you desire to have an edge with your future application, your best bet would be to be certified in more than one area.
I recently interviewed a dean at a public university and he blatantly told me that he was hired full time because he could teach French, Spanish and Portuguese. I've also interviewed for language positions and been asked "What other languages can you teach?" So taking these indirection recommendations in mind, I decided to act and got 18 graduate credits in English, and now I have more work as an adjunct than I can handle. Word to the wise, when considering another area to teach you have to somewhat like subject. I happen to love writing, so teaching composition courses to me is a love and a passion and infuses itself easily with my love for foreign languages.
Below I've written a list of things to consider if you are interested in add another certificate.
1. Interview deans and principals. Since they are in charge of the hiring process, they know what their district or college is looking for. Ask them about what they would want in a foreign language instructor at their institution. There is nothing wrong with looking into the horse's mouth for answers to your career questions.
2. Talk to your foreign language peers. Ask those who share your language background how they got to their current position and their educational background. This should give you insight on how other foreign language professionals are preparing themselves to be employed.
3. Visit job fairs. Talk to the recruiters. However, take heed as the job fair event is becoming a dying practice and many schools don't want to pay to send people to events out of town. As the number of full-time jobs shrink, less administrators are putting money into finding candidates in the traditional form. They wait for candidates to look for them, because they can. However, you still might find some if you look hard enough.
4. If you are still in school or have a relationship with a foreign language department, talk to your professors. Ask them about their education and what recommendations they have for language professionals in the 21st century.
5. Look at the job ads. This truly tells the story of the demand for teachers. Enough said.
6. Don't just stick to languages. Most colleges, besides technical schools, always need English and Math teachers to fulfill the core courses of their degree programs. At the college level you can always get 18 graduate credits in addition to your masters degree in another area such as psychology, English, math, science or any other area you like. At the secondary level you can go and take the certification test for another area that you like. I know plenty of individuals who have done it and it saved them their jobs.
As always, I hope this information can be of benefit to you.
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