Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone had any experience in doing an iPGCE while based in Cambodia.
I have personally had very little teaching experience, 6 months or so volunteering in the countryside back in 2003, and about 8 months teaching English and History in Phnom Penh in 2005.
Since that time I have been working in tourism, and while for the past number of years I have known that I would like to try getting into teaching with the ability to gain experience and (slowly) move up the ladder, and pay scale. Due to the current and near term state of the tourism industry it's finally time I pulled my finger out and started seriously looking for a "proper career".
So I have been looking at the PGCE (international) offered by the likes of the University of Nottingham. This is an online course, with limited face to face interaction with tutors, all done online now because of Covid.
The biggest obstacle I am encountering to this is that you need to be in a school environment already, which I am not. While I understand that this is not the best time to be looking for a volunteer teaching assistant placement or the like, I was just wondering if anybody had experience of doing something similar under "normal" circumstances.
Are international schools in Phnom Penh, or elsewhere in Cambodia open to volunteer teacher assistants? I guess asking at schools at the perceived lower end of the spectrum may be better as they might be more willing to accept someone in my position. Although I see no harm in enquiring and getting knocked back by some of the better schools or could this hamper my options further down the road if I was to apply after gaining suitable qualifications and experience? Obviously I know that in the current climate everything school wise is up in the air, but any feedback from anybody who has gone this route would be very beneficial.
Just for information I am 38 years old and hold a 1st class honours degree in psychology, with one of my focuses being on child development.
Thanks for any help or information