Teaching Kindergarten While Cruising

[One Sock]

Would it be very hard for an American teacher/sailor to find work as a kindergarten teacher in other countries while cruising?

[Dennis.G]

If teaching your own children it would not be hard to find the work.

[zeehag]

if you are a licensed teacher, you will find same as nurses, organizations with temp positions in various places. they will arrange temp jobs in far away places of your choice for you to sail to. i dont know names of those agencies for teachers, but i do for nurses, as i have been one for centuries, no longer working.
good luck with that and smooth sailing.

[One Sock]

Hi zeehag, So, I guess those temp agencies won't look at you askance if you want to work for a year, then disappear and do your own thing for 2 or 3 years before coming back to work again?

[James S]

Welcome to the forum One Sock.
Most country's require some sort of work permit, and that can often require a residence visa.
Guess it'll depend on where you sail as to the difficulty in obtaining those.
Next will be your sailing season...school season is generally all but 2 or 3 summer months.

[Dennis.G]

Check:
U. S. Department of State, Overseas Schools, Teaching Overseas

Your advantage is in teaching English as a second language to children. Otherwise, you are just someone that looks to be taking work away from a local citizen.

[MichaelC]

Maybe try Teaching English as a Second Language. Usually conversational, since kids in many parts of the world read and write English, but have little opportunity to learn spoken. Look on line for teaching english overseas, and you will find a bonanza of info and possibilities. the difference for you is that you will already be there, and will need less paperwork and stuff. You teaching certificate and degree will work for you.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by One Sock

Would it be very hard for an American teacher/sailor to find work as a kindergarten teacher in other countries while cruising?

If you can be flexible about what you teach, a lot of teachers get jobs teaching English in other countries. Does it have to be Kindergarten?

[scallywag]

Teaching in foreign countries would be hit and miss. Some Carribean areas do not have airconditioning. In Panama schools were out when we visited in early December. It was too early for Christmas vacation. St. Thomas just let teachers go because of budget problems. Then there is, can you speak the language obstacle. I am sure there are countries that need teachers. Some countries want you to teach the students English. Again it is location, location, location. How many teachers do you think are needed in HI. As a teacher, I have been looking as I travel.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by One Sock

Would it be very hard for an American teacher/sailor to find work as a kindergarten teacher in other countries while cruising?

This should be easy provided you speak the language and have local qualifications.

b.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by One Sock

Hi zeehag, So, I guess those temp agencies won't look at you askance if you want to work for a year, then disappear and do your own thing for 2 or 3 years before coming back to work again?

i took a few yrs off nursing while i hated people for a bit----critical care can do that to ye---and nothing is a problem... they just go with it,, there are travel gigs for rns that are easily filled for places out of country and arranged in advance-- are these such companies also in teaching?? if so, is a good way to get into a different scene and not aggravate the natives .....

[SaucySailoress]

You will find a good section for overseas jobs for teachers in the Times Educational Supplement at The TES - Education Jobs, Teaching Resources, Magazine & Forums

In my experience, you need to have a teaching degree to teach from Reception upwards (4.5 years), but KG and pre-KG (nursery) positions are usually filled by local wives, who often work for cheap on a local salary, but find the discount off school fees welcome. So it makes no sense to work in KG for a pittance if you are a qualified teacher who can work for a proper salary.

I have been sure to gain experience from KG (3.5 years) thru Year 6 (11.5 years) and then at secondary level as a Supply Teacher; to ensure that I will be experienced to fill pretty much any position that may be available in an International School due to maternity leave etc when I am in port. It's worth a try.

On top of my teaching degree, I have also done a TEFL Diploma, and am doing a Masters in Online Education... both of which are growing markets in education.

[One Sock]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

If you can be flexible about what you teach, a lot of teachers get jobs teaching English in other countries. Does it have to be Kindergarten?

It's the little ones, age 5 or so, that I like. I wouldn't think kids that little would be taking ESL classes. Therefore, it seems like my best bet would be American/British/Canadian international schools, or an English-speaking country like New Zealand.

The question is whether those schools would hire someone who doesn't intend to stay for at least several years. In my experience as a dirt-dweller working in the aircraft industry, employers won't hire someone who wants to work for a year then take a year off. They want a wage slave.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by One Sock

It's the little ones, age 5 or so, that I like. I wouldn't think kids that little would be taking ESL classes. Therefore, it seems like my best bet would be American/British/Canadian international schools, or an English-speaking country like New Zealand.

The question is whether those schools would hire someone who doesn't intend to stay for at least several years. In my experience as a dirt-dweller working in the aircraft industry, employers won't hire someone who wants to work for a year then take a year off. They want a wage slave.

which is precisely why i suggested travel companies-- temp staffers who staff travelling workers like nurses. if you are a licensed teacher you should be able to find that kind of company. that company will let you know what it is you need for working in what places and will help you find the jobs and help to smooth things for you in th e settling into those jobs.

[Aussiesuede]

Teachers are unionized in just about all of the developed world. Primary difference between Nursing and Teaching as a foreigner is there is a shortage of nurses in the majority of the world and an excess of teachers. So when a qualified nurse offers up their services, the potential employer is in the position of taking what he can get - so the nurse holds all the cards. The opposite is true of a teacher, and therefore a teacher isn't anywhere near as likely to find potential employers who will bend to their whim.

There are plenty of agencies which hire native English speakers to teach conversational speaking, but most of them require a contractual commitment. Teaching for a year and then leaving isn't necessarily of any major concern. The big issue is that the majority of these agencies primarily place in Asia, so finding the short term teaching gigs whilst traveling that part of the world should prove fairly easy. The remainder of the world? I'd say you've got your work cut out for ya. But as they say, give it the good ole collge try. Can't hurt!