I couldn’t believe it, so checked online. You only need a bachelor’s in any subject. Costs $50 in some states.
These guys can work in the Taiwanese public school system with no teaching experience. Incredible!
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I was out and about today looking at schools, trying to get their numbers to make an appointment.(changed my mind of just walking in, strange big man=not a good idea imo) looked at Cram schools too but I’m a bit skeptical seeing alot of younger aged children (5 and younger) being taught by foreigners. I’ll keep pounding the pavement. Thanks guys 
Ps: tips on getting elementary school hr phone numbers without going to the physical school would be appreciated
google. Some are here.
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You need to walk in.
I’m getting a Far Flung Scot feeling here.
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I tried to walk in to 3 different cram schools and was spooked. They all seemed to not have a reception desk only classrooms where teachers where already in session, teaching very young children mind you.
Now I’m a bit more mindful of my surroundings then most because I’m taller and bigger than most. I don’t want to disrupt class or cause panic.
Or I’m being a baby 
You are coming at an odd time.
Schools are halfway into the first semester. Chances of finding a vacancy are low. Best time to look is a month before Chinese New Year for runners and around April for the next school year.
If you find a spot now it is most likely because a teacher couldn’t hack it and jumped ship. Which means you need to clean up after them and get their class running again mid semester, build a quick but solid management plan with the kids and shore up uneasy parents.
Good luck!
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Oooo okay, I can definently wait till Chinese new year, no problem. Rather not sit around twiddling my thumbs but I’m in it for the long game. I’ll keep trying. Thanks guys
Keep in mind if you do find a vacant spot at a private school right now, you have hit the negotiating jackpot.
The school will be pretty much desperate to shore up a hole in their teaching staff and that could land you a significantly higher starting salary. You just need to play your cards right.
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Let me know if you would like more info on working in public schools. I work for one of the companies that helps place people in public schools (Teach Taiwan) so I’d be happy to connect you with someone to chat about your options for the future.
As you and others have mentioned it would be really challenging to work in a public school without much teaching experience, which of course is why the interview process is much stricter than just verifying that you have a piece of paper saying you’re qualified to teach. But since you said you’re in it for the long game it might be a good option for you down the road as you gain confidence and experience. Just something to keep in mind!
Best of luck! I hope you’re able to find something that is a good fit for you soon.
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If you want to use the sub license, the only shot you really have is at a public school. I did this for a few years and I know plenty of other people who have done it. Cram schools don’t give a hoot if you have one or not. Public schools are generally desperate and can’t fill all the positions they have given the licensed teacher requirement, hence the sub license loophole.
These recent posts don’t have anything to do with this thread though, as this is about private schools. As for working at a private school on a sub license, it could be done, but it’s very unlikely, you’d have to build up some more experience and maybe even get an APRC. Or you could work at places that are absolutely horrid, like CICT.
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This isn’t true for all schools. Most international schools got wise to this scheme and require a full BEd in addition to being certified to teach in your home country
Not all private schools are international schools. Very few are. Private bilingual or just plain private schools far outnumber international schools.
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Legal requirements to teach at local private schools are same with public schools.
International schools follow to the regulations of their home country.
People said you have a better chance of securing a job in January. No one said you should sit back and “twiddle your thumbs.” Keep pounding that pavement, you never know. And what’s this malarkey about being too scared to drop in on places? Because you’re a big guy? Give me a break, dude. This world belongs to the brave and the bold. If someone freaks out because you’re a tall or big guy, you probably shouldn’t work there anyway, but I highly doubt that’ll happen or that’s something you should worry about. Get back out there and keep looking… it’s already November, so it’s possible some places are just starting to put feelers out for hires for the new semester.
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Big, tall, baby. Forgot to put the last part hahaha. Today I’ve gone in and started to talk to managers and reps. Just needed those good old kicks in my rear.
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This may be true, but it ignores the point. One only ever seen one guy get hired in all my years here with a substitute paper. I think it use to work. But in my experience at American schools, bilingual schools, and international schools :they all require proper credentials.
It is you true that you may be able to find some that don’t care, but that is not the norm anymore, in my experience.
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Yeah, surely they find out at interview stage. One hopes, at least.
Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the three Montessori elementary schools in Taipei? (Songshan and Xinyi)
http://taiwanmontessori.net/ (Taiwan International Montessori Experimental School) (songshan)
https://montessoritaipei.com/ (Taipei New World Montessori) (xinyi)
(Taipei Montessori International School 長華國際蒙特梭利教育) (There was a website, I can’t find it now, plus Forumosa won’t let me add more than 2 links) (songshan)
I’m especially curious about the two in Songshan that are within an 8 minute walking distance of each other. Both opened in 2017, and one’s website is only in Chinese (the one I can’t find now) while the other is only in English. Both claim to be “international” (does that word really mean anything beyond price = $$$$$ in TW?) and their names are quite similar. (Taiwan International Montessori Experimental School vs. Taipei Montessori International School)
What I would like to know is if they are all / if any are AMI Recognized (approved by AMI and 100% of teachers hold AMI diplomas), or if they are really just generic “traditional” private for-profit schools that are looking for AMI teachers and feature Montessori materials as an attraction? Does “certified teachers” mean AMI certified or just state licensed? (I’m speaking from experience from certain “Montessori” schools I’ve seen around Taiwan that genuinely have no connection to the Montessori method whatsoever.
I ask because I’m sick of working with unmotivated kids in public school who feel the only purpose of school (life) is writing down “A” “B” “C” or “豬” on pieces of paper. So, I’m thinking of getting AMI certification in order to learn how to be a teacher who can guide students to learn what they want to learn. I do not, however, want to spend the time and money (it’s a heck of a lot) only to find that I can’t actually effectively use the methods I learn in my classroom (were I to get a job at one of these above listed schools).
I also would like to know if anyone knows about how both these schools came to have so many age levels at once? Generally, Montessori needs to be introduced around age 3 or 4 and effective schools don’t typically accept students without prior experience after that age. If they immediately started with elementary (6-12) and added adolescent (12-18) programs within 2 years, what kind of prior Montessori experience could those incoming students have? Are the teachers able to foster the “love of learning” and whatnot in kids coming in after the “sensitive period”? How does classroom management work if their kids didn’t learn and have “grace and courtesy” reinforced since age 3?
I know there are other threads about Montessori, but they’re years old. If anyone can direct me to more recent information, (even better if you have first hand experience) on Montessori in Taipei, I’d appreciate it! Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Just found out about this organization in Taiwan:
Seems like a pretty good way to separate the wheat from the chaf in terms of private schools here. That is which ones actually cater to the foreign/expat community and the rest (like this) http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/02/20/2003639796
that are out to make a quick buck.
There are a lot of perfectly fine private schools I know of that aren’t on that list. Also, that site doesn’t provide any info but a list of schools and links to their websites. Also also, There are a heck of a lot of criticisms about probably every one of those schools that are on the list. They might be “more legit” in that they have boards and $$$$$, but that doesn’t say anything about their quality of education or school culture (good or bad).
I recently found out that a lot of smaller private (usually “experimental”/nontraditional) schools (like the ones that might be on the first floor of a gongyu and not in their own building) are actually “affiliated homeschools” and not “proper” schools. The founder of one “proper” private experimental elementary school went on about that at me for a good couple of minutes because she felt that it made them superior to a similar school down the street. This “proper” school is also on the first floor of a gongyu (like the similar “homeschool” down the street), but it not being a “homeschool” still somehow made it better. The more I listened to the founder and perspective parents, the more I realized ultra rich parents will soak up all kinds of nonsense to justify insanely high tuition (while having no clue what’s happening in the classroom).
The problem with schools with lots of money is that they have lawyers and the means to clean up anything that goes wrong. How many people call out Kang Chaio for hiring a team of people to post really nice things about it?
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