[Tsuwabuki]

I don't have certification. Everything but. In the United States, Certification is granted by state, and I hadn't decided which state I would teach in (Georgia or Texas) so I put certification off while I worked in politics. But it really isn't a big deal. At the absolute outside, certification only takes about three months, assuming you already have a BA/BS. Some will even waive a portion of that based on your experiences teaching (private schools often have wildly differing standards, and is not uncommon for someone who is testing the waters first to go to a private school, learn they love teaching, and then turn around for the certification to teach in public schools). Before the economy totally died and Dallas cut teachers, I was in negotiations to have my ALT experience count towards just such a waiver.

And I said it may not be possible. Now, it probably isn't. That's not a problem. If you have the drive you'll pick it up pretty quickly. Doing a year as an ALT isn't a bad way to spend a year. I'm not trying to convert you the Church of Teaching Unchained or anything. Just letting you (and others) know that if you take the job, even as a life experience, that is still a job. I have seen too many people come for the life experience and forget about the life experiences of the kids they're supposed to be positively impacting.