Connections with bilingual/international schools

[dfox]

Hello. New to the board. My wife and I are relocating to Chile (deciding between the Valparaiso area or Puerto Montt) in August. I'm a USA certified teacher for high school/secondary (economics/history) who has been teaching internationally for the past 5 years. I was wondering if anyone had any connections with bilingual/international schools in either the Valparaiso or Puerto Montt areas as I am trying to find an available teaching position for the next school year, or do you think it would be easier to find a job on the ground once we arrive. Thanks in advance for your help!

[nwdiver]

Arriving in August, you will have until the new year starts in March to find work........can you teach in Spanish? If not the choices in those two places are much less than Santiago and getting a job in your field is difficult......look up the list of British Schools, most are in Santiago, and send them your resume, see if any reply.....

Also get your credentials certified before you move down.

[Donnybrook]

Most schools in Chile are not bilingual although some do intensive teaching in English with the first school years. This varies in quality. The Mackay school in Reñaca (Viña del Mar) is a member of the British Schools in Chile but no subjects are taught in English in the older primary children or secondary school. Viña is right next to Valparaiso but Reñaca is the far side of Viña. No idea about Puerto Montt but the situation is likely to be similar.

[Putenio]

History and economics are normally taught in Spanish, even in bilingual schools, and there is a 2018 change in the junior and senior year - history as optional - on a nationwide level.

In addition, the Ministry of Education has been personally inspecting all of the credentials of all of the teachers in private schools in 2018 (they have always done the same for public schools). They started doing more intense inspections in 2017, and it has escalated beyond credentials and normal paperwork into architectural plans, building design, and safety. Other areas of concern are requirements for teachers to pass trainings in recognizing and responding to abuse, the standard CPR class, etc - there is a growing list to be up to date. I've had private bilingual school reports from Santiago, Concepcion, and saw first hand in Puerto Montt - so the game is changing, and getting all your degrees in order is a requirement.

They may look at you as an English teacher, so a teaching degree + an ESL cert may still work (if all the docs are in legal order, and if the inspector doesn't get fussy).

At the American School there is a high school history teacher who is mid-career and has won national awards:

https://www.soychile.cl/Puerto-Montt/So ... lidad.aspx

German School, Patagonia, British, and Pumahue are in similar situations - small teams, low turnover.

I don't know the Concepcion market as well now but the specialization proves problematic.


My two cents.

[tiagoabner]

I know for a fact that Grange at Santiago recruit all year to fill vacant positions. You may want to check their website.

[nwdiver]

I know for a fact that Grange at Santiago recruit all year to fill vacant positions. You may want to check their website.

He wants the coast or the south, I also think he has a better chance in Metro......

[dfox]

Thanks everyone for your help. Good advice about Santiago being the better option, but I think we are kind of set on not moving to a massively large city. We definitely aren't urbanites. Most schools websites don't really have a lot of hiring information on there, so I think the best course of action is to just get on the ground and start making relationships & get in front of people face-to-face. I have a pretty good track record of teaching internationally so I feel like if I get a foot in the door that I can break through.