Will an IB school hire me without training?

Bill contacted me with this question and I’m including it (with his permission) and my answer because I think it’s relevant to getting your recruitment campaign off the ground and chugging along ‘full steam ahead’:

Dear Kelly,

I just purchased your book online and am looking forward to reading it. One question before I get started: I have been teaching literature for 10 years at the high school level. Currently, I have taken a year off to complete my M.A. in English and a Latin certification. I really want to teach overseas, and specifically in an I.B. school. Will an I.B. school hire me without the I.B. training? Can I get training now?

Sincerely,
Bill

... My answer...

Hi Bill, thank you for your email.

In answer to your question, you can most certainly get hired by a school that offers the IB curriculum without any IB training. Generally international schools are looking for good teachers who are qualified and can offer instruction in English.

I do not think you need to search out IB training prior to getting a job, most IB schools will send you to conferences and training sessions in your first year to get you up to speed.

In order to become more familiar with the I.B. programmes you should look at the IBO website pages I have listed in my book for MYP and DYP. This will help you get an idea of:
· the structure of the programmes
· how your subject fits into the curriculum as a whole
· the unique aspects of the IB curriculum.

If you're looking to do some training prior to looking for a job teaching abroad, then TEFL or ESL in the Mainstream is always seen as a great resource for teachers who are teaching in a multi-lingual environment.

Hope this has helped!
Kelly