I’m a New Zealand-trained secondary school English teacher. I’ve lived in NZ ever since I was four, when my family moved here from mainland China. I would like to teach English or Humanities in Taiwan. I have a BA/LLB from the University of Auckland and did my PGDip in Secondary Teaching there too. I also have a TEFL certificate. My main reason for wanting to move to Taiwan is to improve my Mandarin, immerse myself in the culture and learn about my heritage. A decent salary would be nice, but I’d rather have more time to see Taiwan and the rest of Asia. Would I be better off working in a public school or a private one? Should I apply at universities or is that just a waste of time, given that I do not have a Masters or PhD? Does anyone know of schools that won’t discriminate on the basis of my non-Western appearance? I am would also consider working for an NGO or an organisation where I could make use of my other skills/interests in the writing, digital marketing, law and research.
Also, I was wondering how bad the earthquakes are… I am quite anxious about them. It’s the main reason I’d prefer to work in Taipei, as I hear more buildings are reinforced there? I wouldn’t mind living in a smaller city/being closer to the mountains though - I enjoy hiking
Potentially deadly. Not as deadly as typhoons, though. Icon should be able to give you the low-down.
Work-wise, if you’re a qualified teacher with teaching experience you should be applying for international schools before leaving NZ. Universities are a no go without a post grad degree.
Most international/american type schools do not discriminate if you’re qualified. My school has several teachers from Asian backgrounds. If you are a state qualified teacher with a BEd, you will have no problem finding a job.
As long as you have a New Zealand passport and a teacher’s license, you can work in a public school! If you prefer you can work directly with the MOE to find a placement, but Teach Taiwan is a helpful agency too–free, walks you through the process, provides ongoing support if you need it. Let me know if you’d like more info, @roguearrows. Here’s their facebook: Teach Taiwan