After teaching in the classroom for twelve years and taking a several year break for career and  family reasons, I decided to try my hand at substitute teaching in Florida. When I made the decision to substitute I was nervous about handling groups of students I’d never met, but I quickly found strategies to keep me sane and keep the students on track.

Another effective strategy is to use my blackberry for music that is soothing during worktime. It’s unusual to most kids and they generally like it. I also try to figure out what reward system their teacher uses, ie cards, stickers, stamp. This way I can remind the students of the fact they will be rewarded if they have apporopriate behavior. If they chose to act out then they pull a card or don’t receive a positive stamp in their homework notebook at the end of the day.

I enjoy working with Middle School and do much of my subbing there. The most effective strategy I’ve found is to treat the students with respect. They are not children and the respond well to being treated like the young adults they are. Right up front I clearly state my expectations and the rewards they will receive for being respectful and productive. My best reward tip with Middle School is to offer them the use of their Ipod or music player when all work has been completed satisfactorily. Teens love music and this reward keeps them focused and also keeps things calm if there is extra time after the lesson.

If I do have a problem student, and occassionally I do, I nip it in the bud early. I never back them in a proverbial corner. If they are being unruly I give them options: you can sit down in your area and continue working quietly or if you need to you can move over here where it’s quieter.  if you can’t do either of those then I will have to send you to the grade level house. Here in my subsitute district each grade level has a grade level house (room) and students go there for discipine and issues. Most importantly, I follow through. If I give them a chance and they continue to mess it up then I have them escorted to the grade level house. Being clear, giving them options and following through are key with Middle School students. What I’ve found in most cases is nipping it in the bud makes everyone else realize you mean business and they step up and cooperate the rest of the period.

If you are a teacher looking to add some adventure and globe trotting experience to your resume then International Teacher Supply might be an option for you. International Teacher Supply is a member of ECIS and hires teachers to fill short and long term substitute positions in established international schools around the world. Positions can last from six weeks to several months. Host schools provide flights, health insurance and a teacher salary.

The International Teacher Supply website states, ” You will not lose money on an IST posting! You will be able to live well, travel and or save money! The international school will pay for transportation to and from the posting and may subsidise accommodation costs. Some schools also pay a cost of living allowance.” To apply for positions through International Teacher Supply applicants fill out an online application and pay a one time fee of 35 GBP, which is $54.19 according to the latest conversions. Applicants  are expected to have two years of full time teaching experience and go through a screening and interview process before being hired by IST.

As a former international teacher, I particularly like this short term teaching option  because it allows me the flexibility to work and travel overseas without committing to a typical one or two year teaching contract. It also allows me to explore countries and locations I’d like to visit but might not otherwise consider for a long term contract. This type of short term work would be ideal for teachers  who have a very flexible lifestyle,  those who work from home or who are global nomads looking to make some additional money while continuing their global adventures.

Related Readings: Teach to Travel, International Teaching Jobs, and Extreme Teaching: What’s in Your Bomb Bag?

Photo Credit: Isaf Media

Sign up to save the world and left feeling like a chump after seeing your first paycheck from the local school district? Here’s an alternative way to maximize the perks of your career choice. It only requires a sense of adventure.

If you haven’t considered overseas teaching and the bargain travel opportunities it offers, perhaps it’s time you started looking into it. Here are just a few of the benefits you can generally expect from a quality international posting:

· Round trip air fare once a year

· Paid, furnished housing and utilities

· Small to moderate shipping allowance

· Affordable regional travel from your posted location

· Tax free salary

· Opportunities for highly paid on-the-side tutoring

How much can you expect to make? It varies by school and by region. Certain parts of the world are known for lower salaries it’s true, but it isn’t unheard of to snag a reasonable salary at a particular school. On the other hand, certain areas are reputed to pay much higher, with the odd school paying less than you might expect. Some strategies to start searching for an overseas post?

· Job fairs. Several take place each year in various parts of the world. A popular one here in the states is the annual event at the University of Northern Iowa.

· Classified ads. There are many places to find current opportunities with this approach as well. TIE-online,Serious Teachers,and the ESL Caféare a few places to start.

· Service organizations. The Peace Corps is likely the most well known one, but there are others out there to explore.

· Placement services. Head hunters are hardly unique to education, but a fair sized niche industry has evolved here as well, particularly for East Asia and parts of the Middle East. Posting a “position wanted” ad on serious teachers will likely net you several calls, and of course International School Services has been around forever.

Are there details to consider before hopping on a plane to the other side of the world? Absolutely . And you will definitely want to ask around for references and other information any school offering you a position. The important thing to remember is, if you are truly interested, you can do it. Others have managed successfully and so will you if you decide to take the plunge. Who says you can’t see the world on a teacher’s salary?

Photo Credit: Nattu

Looking for an extra employment resource for overseas classroom positions? Here’s one I tried out when we were on the road for a few months, with rather decent results.

The web site? SeriousTeachers.Com.The premise? Simply post your profile and resume for free. Schools and head hunters who are also registered get to post job openings that you can respond to individually, and they will also approach you if you have qualifications or interests in your profile that meet the types of jobs they offer. The first contact will be through email, and then you’ll progress from there, depending on how great the match is.

As with any type of resource like this, you will want to do your part to ask around the circuit about a particular school, ask for other teachers for school quality references, etc. However, I have to say that I consistently got serious offers, although none that were quite the right fit for me at the time. There was even one that was from a school where some good friends of ours used to work, so they were able to provide references to both the school and us. How cool is that?

If you are looking for a place to start exploring your options without a huge initial cash outlay, Serious Teachers could be for you. Have a success story about the site, or any other type of experience you feel people should know about? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below.

Photo Credit: Angela 7 Dreams