I am interested (in an abstract, curious sense) as to what possibilities foreign QTS may open up here, and what school teaching opportunities may still be open without it.
I recently talked to someone who said that if you have QTS from your “home” country, you can not only teach in elementary, junior and senior high schools here, but also in colleges/universities (i.e. the normal masters/Phd requirements are waived).
Conversely, I have heard of several people without QTS teaching in elementary, junior and senior high schools – I believe that this may be in specialised language centres within private schools. What are the regulations concerning this? Is there a distinction drawn between state and private schools, and between language centres and general classes?
As co-mod of the TEIT forum, I feel I should inform myself about this. The info could be helpful to others, too.
QTS will not get you a university post.
QTS is not at a level comparable to a masters. It is at a level comparable to a PGCE, or to a standard professional teaching license from most countries with a high education standard. I say that as a person qualified to teach in a primary school in Australia, for example, would not be trained enough to teach in a primary school in the UK. They’d be allowed in class, but they’d need to take extra courses to get to UK standards. Thats right!
QTS is Qualified Teacher Status. So it just means, in real terms, that you are a trained teacher, not just a person with a mouth from which English spews.
QTS will allow you to teach in elementary schools, but only if they are private. Same for junior and senior high. I don’t think anyone can legally teach in a public school in Taiwan, can they?
I have a QTS. Didn’t do me f&ck all in Taiwan except make me miserable. The problem with having a QTS is that it means you have what are known as ‘educational standards.’ In Taiwan the people who employ you dont appreciate those skills. The teachers you work with have no idea that these skills have any validity. (Dude, training isn’t important. Studies show blah blah blah…) Mostly it’s just this: educational enlightenment is depressing when in Taiwan.
So I personally wouldn’t bother getting one if I were you, unless you want to leave Taiwan and go and teach in a country where the kids come before the money (school ethos-wise). Anything else will just depress you. It would be like spending 7 years training to be a doctor, and then finding out at the end that all you really need to be a foreign doctor in Taiwan is a white coat and your own shiny shoes.
[quote=“TomHill”]QTS will not get you a university post.[/quote]Well, I thought that was a bit far-fetched when the guy told me.
[quote=“TomHill”]QTS will allow you to teach in elementary schools, but only if they are private. Same for junior and senior high. I don’t think anyone can legally teach in a public school in Taiwan, can they?[/quote]Interesting. I wonder whether QTS actually entitles people in any legal sense to teach in private schools, or whether it’s just something that some of those schools prefer.
And I also wonder about the legal status of “language centres” within private schools.
[quote=“joesax”][quote=“TomHill”]QTS will not get you a university post.[/quote]Well, I thought that was a bit far-fetched when the guy told me.
[quote=“TomHill”]QTS will allow you to teach in elementary schools, but only if they are private. Same for junior and senior high. I don’t think anyone can legally teach in a public school in Taiwan, can they?[/quote]Interesting. I wonder whether QTS actually entitles people in any legal sense to teach in private schools, or whether it’s just something that some of those schools prefer.
And I also wonder about the legal status of “language centres” within private schools.[/quote]
Yes, if you have a QTS then a private school can ‘legally’ employ you. You get a contract, and they get a bit of paper saying you are legit. It saves them the hassles of doing the ‘legally illegal’ route of employing big noses. And it makes the teacher feel secure. (But not ‘bomb-proof.’ You still aren;t as good as a CHEAP teacher.) As of July that also meant zero taxes for the teacher. If you work in a private elementary/junior/ senior private high without a recognized teachers certificate then you is 100% illegal.
[quote=“TomHill”][quote=“joesax”]Interesting. I wonder whether QTS actually entitles people in any legal sense to teach in private schools, or whether it’s just something that some of those schools prefer.
And I also wonder about the legal status of “language centres” within private schools.[/quote]
Yes, if you have a QTS then a private school can ‘legally’ employ you. You get a contract, and they get a bit of paper saying you are legit. It saves them the hassles of doing the ‘legally illegal’ route of employing big noses. And it makes the teacher feel secure. (But not ‘bomb-proof.’ You still aren;t as good as a CHEAP teacher.) As of July that also meant zero taxes for the teacher. If you work in a private elementary/junior/ senior private high without a recognized teachers certificate then you is 100% illegal.[/quote]That’s what I’ve always thought.
[quote=“joesax”][quote=“TomHill”][quote=“joesax”]Interesting. I wonder whether QTS actually entitles people in any legal sense to teach in private schools, or whether it’s just something that some of those schools prefer.
And I also wonder about the legal status of “language centres” within private schools.[/quote]
Yes, if you have a QTS then a private school can ‘legally’ employ you. You get a contract, and they get a bit of paper saying you are legit. It saves them the hassles of doing the ‘legally illegal’ route of employing big noses. And it makes the teacher feel secure. (But not ‘bomb-proof.’ You still aren;t as good as a CHEAP teacher.) As of July that also meant zero taxes for the teacher. If you work in a private elementary/junior/ senior private high without a recognized teachers certificate then you is 100% illegal.[/quote]That’s what I’ve always thought.
I wonder what Michael Turton meant by this:
He must have written that using a pen jammed up his butt.
What he must mean is that you can get a job in one of those schools if you can provide your own a.r.c. And in those cases the school doesn’t give a flying hoot how you got it. If you have a JFRV you can also legally work in 1.
Private schools like the ones we are talking about can only legally apply for, and give, ARC’s to people with a professional teaching cert. from their home country. They may or may not also ask for proof of working experience in the home country.
Everything else is not ‘legal’ in the eyes of the law!
[quote=“AAF”]My ARC states that I work at a government school.[/quote]Oh? Care to provide any details? Is it a state-funded school? What level? And are you at some kind of “language centre” affiliated to the school?
"Public Elementary School English Program in Taiwan!
[url=http://www.tesall.com/JobBoard/index.pl?noframes;read=9449]Base salary: $NT 60,000
Monthly Bonus: $NT 5,000
Overtime: $NT 600/hour
Regular time table: Mon-Fri 8am-3pm or 9am-4pm (not always teaching)
Lunch break: 12-1pm. 40 mins per class, 24 classes per week. No more than 100 hours per month.
3 week’s paid winter vacation (include Chinese New Year ). But in this period the 5,000 bonus will become 1,500.
Position secured before arrival!
Requirements:
Qualified by your local government or local body to be a *K-12 School Teacher. (Please kindly provide the proof)
*Native speakers
Stay in Taiwan till end of June 2006.
Patience and love for children.
Be punctual! Salary deducted if 5 mins late for class [/url]
I’m a man of few words, but I could get you into the program if you’re willing to move. PM me, if you’re interested. You could enrich both of us by so doing!
[quote=“AAF”]"Public Elementary School English Program in Taiwan!
[url=http://www.tesall.com/JobBoard/index.pl?noframes;read=9449]Base salary: $NT 60,000
Monthly Bonus: $NT 5,000
Overtime: $NT 600/hour
Regular time table: Mon-Fri 8am-3pm or 9am-4pm (not always teaching)
Lunch break: 12-1pm. 40 mins per class, 24 classes per week. No more than 100 hours per month.
3 week’s paid winter vacation (include Chinese New Year ). But in this period the 5,000 bonus will become 1,500.
Position secured before arrival!
Requirements:
Qualified by your local government or local body to be a *K-12 School Teacher. (Please kindly provide the proof)
*Native speakers
Stay in Taiwan till end of June 2006.
Patience and love for children.
Be punctual! Salary deducted if 5 mins late for class [/url][/quote]
I stand corrected. One may work in public elementary schools with a teaching cert from their home country.
