GDTL & Alice Smith School

I have always wanted to stick a DipEd on top of my Honours Degree - in my opinion its a great qualification to have. I rekon you can teach anywhere in the world. I assume we will be on the Expat train for a while I figured that when we moved here, it would be a great opportunity to study.

I had two 'issues' - [1] Would I study correspondence or here in a Malaysian based University, [2] What age did I want to teach - the course is broken up into Primary, Middle and Secondary.

When we came over here last year, I had a look around at different Universities and the programs they offered. I am really glad I had a chat to Scotts (Nates boss) wife - she is a teacher in an International School. The advice was to rather get qualified from an Australian University as it would make it a little easier getting into an International school to teach. I must admit it was a bit tricky finding a University that (1) had distance learning for the course I wanted to do, and (2) would allow me to do the practical part of the degree not in Australia.  After loads of emails, calls and a bit of frustration, I found one! I am now enrolled at The University of Southern Queensland's Graduate Diploma of Teaching. There is only one real drama, but I can work with it! When if I ever want to teach back in Australia, I have to do a few more units and do some prac at an Australian school. Thats doable I think!

The second 'issue' - what age to teach! I do love the little ones! They are so very cute. I have enrolled be able to teach Secondary School. Mainly because the subject that I LOVE is Geography, and I would love to teach that subject. So it kinda made the decision for me... little ones don't really do specific subjects - they just play right? ;-)

I am off to the Alice Smith School for an interview with the Principal on Thursday. Its a British school and one of the oldest International schools in Malaysia. I need someone where I can do the 75 days prac... he sounds rather intimidating. Its a little strange - most schools would welcome and extra pair of FREE hands. I am putting it down to the fact that a teachers assistant in high school isn't really a helpful thing - more of a ball ache really maybe? Who knows!

So we will see. Ill keep you posted!