Today I talked to 5-6 people about their career paths in education. I joined Facebook networking groups for Asian educators and also started a few LinkedIn conversations with people who had previously worked abroad. Here are some of the things I’ve gathered:

• A lot of people don’t choose to stay in international education unless they go back to the states and get a graduate degree and/or teaching certificate. I spoke with a few people who ended up staying to teach in the states. One of them had been in Korea for 6 years, but told himself that he wanted to settle down before he was 30. He now works at a charter school teaching Kindergarten in CA. He used to be a substitute teacher, then got his teaching license and started a MAT, which his school subsidizes. Another educator is planning to do a second Fulbright in Korea, but is also enrolled in an online MA for international educational policy and development. She wants to move back to Asia eventually, but isn’t sure she’ll be able to go back to Korea this year. She studied for 4 years in China through NYU. She seems really knowledgeable about the field, but doesn’t want to be directly in a classroom forever. One woman was planning to teach for just 1 year in Korea, but ended up spending 8 years abroad in Korea and Japan. Now she transitioned to work in agriculture abroad. Educators never really seem to have a set career path.
• A few teachers who got their credentials stateside offered other viewpoints. Most went directly through a MAT program, but a few were substitute teachers who then got their teaching license. Grad school is good, but the loans that come with it aren’t. There aren’t many MATs that are fully-funded except for at some Ivy Leagues.
• I added a few alternative teacher programs on the resources tab of this site. But the acceptance rates vary. I think I would want to do one that provides help with getting a MAT/MEd over one that just leads to teacher certification. Unless I decide to change career paths altogether, having a MAT would increase my salary substantially in the States. The alternative certification process would really depend on where I wanted to live in the states, though. Although there are teacher reciprocity agreements across states, there are various tests that some states require you to take when you transfer there. Honestly, I don’t have one specific place I’d want to live right now. I think it would depend on where I could find a support system.
• The small minority of people who stay in Korea while they get certified are usually the ones who have permanent residency visas. This meant it was easier for them to be an intern/student teach without having to worry about being employed for a visa. The certification costs for that path are around $6,000 though. Would it be cheaper than going back to the states and getting certified? I’m not sure. This wouldn’t lead to a MA either, so if I wanted to pursue that it would be more.

If I want to change career paths, I can’t imagine doing it while in Korea. I would have only had experience in the education sphere there. I guess we’ll see how I like it and go from there. The high need areas of certification in the States are Special Education and English Language Learners. Much to think about. If I wanted to get certified as a high school teacher, that may open doors in working with nonprofits later down the line. But I could also just be certified in k-8 and do volunteer work on the side. The burnout rate is so high for nonprofits and teachers though. Ah!! I like talking to people about their journey because it makes me realize that everyone is kind of figuring it out as they go. This isn’t true for everyone, but for most people I’ve spoken with in nonprofit, advocacy, or education, their roles change so frequently. Sometimes it’s because of location, sometimes it’s about the people they meet, and sometimes it’s just about their financial goals long-term.

I’m going to work more on the API nonprofit’s website today and then maybe submit a few drawings to an independent Asian American journal. In some ways I have too much time on my hands to figure out what to do. I miss structure and having a set schedule. On the other hand, I really have to set a schedule for myself now. Tomorrow I have a meeting with someone who works in student affairs at Cornell University. I feel like I’m just trying so desperately to figure out what I should do. I know there is no “right” decision, but there are definitely ones that would offer a more stable future. What makes me happy?