Empowering Young Minds: Zachary Hensley’s Global Teaching Experience
| by Alex Skov
For Zachary Hensley, teaching was not part of the original plan — let alone teaching in China.
Armed with a degree in adolescent psychology and a minor in business administration, Hensley graduated college and found work in the psychology field. While the roles he worked in were related to what he had studied, Hensley knew he wanted something different.
“Ultimately, I wanted a change,” Hensley said, “so that’s what brought me to China in the first place, and I’ve always wanted to try my hand at teaching primary year students.”
That’s not to say that he booked a flight halfway across the world without any kind of experience as an educator, though.
From Horseback Lessons to the International Classroom
Hensley’s first time teaching didn’t happen in a traditional classroom. In fact, it didn’t happen in a room at all.
“I took some time after high school and I was a horseback instructor for several years,” Hensley said. “So, I was teaching, right? But just in a different [environment], not in a classroom.”
As a horseback riding instructor, Hensley instructed children on the fundamentals of riding and caring for the animals. This early exposure to teaching sparked a desire to combine two interests.
“Whenever I went back to school, I already had it in my mind that I wanted to be in education, and so that’s why I didn’t want to be an English major or an education major, Hensley said. “I wanted to do something with psychology because I was also extremely interested in that.”
And just like that, child psychology became a logical undergraduate degree to pursue, especially because Hensley knew he wanted to gain real-world working experience outside the classroom before earning his U.S. teaching license.
Fast forward and Hensley would find himself completing the preparation courses and exams for that same U.S. teaching license on another continent.
Building a Career in China
Like many international teachers, Hensley packed his bags and accepted a job teaching at a training center in China where he could gain hands-on classroom experience without a traditional teaching credential.
“The training school option was a fantastic thing for me to do and that’s why I ultimately came to China with a one- or two-year plan just teach there and then ultimately go back to America and start figuring out what I needed to do to become a full-time teacher there,” Hensley said.
However, what he initially planned as a short stint changed into something more. Hensley fell in love with being immersed in a new culture as he spent more time in China. He grew professionally, moving from the training center to work at an international school. He also grew personally, meeting and marrying his wife, then planning out a life together.
Taking the Next Steps
Sometimes opportunities come from the places you least expect them, but sometimes they come from nearby. As Hensley learned the ins and outs of teaching in China, one of his coworkers namedropped a program that would help steer both of their careers in the future.
“He was [enrolled at] Moreland at the time,” Hensley said. “He was talking about the program and he had nothing but good things to say about it.”
The pair worked together for two years, and he watched his colleague — who Hensley notes was already a good teacher — level up his teaching abilities.
“You could see the growth that he had,” Hensley said. “You [could] see real applicable data or proof that the program is making somebody better.”
Impressed with his colleague’s results but understanding that the effort you put into a program also makes a difference in what you get from it, Hensley enrolled in the Master’s in Education program with a specialization in teaching multilingual learners in 2024.
Hensley particularly valued the program’s flexibility and collaborative approach from his fellow candidates and faculty alike.
“Dr. Beal was great. She made it a student-centered class, which is really fun because what we aim to do as teachers is kind of give students more agency over their learning,” Hensley said.

Juggling Work, Life, and Education
Balancing a full-time teaching career with graduate studies is no small feat, especially in a different country than the one you grew up in. Hensley was dedicated, though, and used the boundaries that he knew worked for him to develop a rhythm to completing his coursework.
“I can’t stay up all night. I can’t cram. I can’t do any of that,” he said.
By prioritizing his tasks and creating a study schedule, Hensley found that he had plenty of time to take care of his responsibilities in dedicated chunks of time. This wound up being a great strategy since Moreland’s programs are designed for about 12-15 hours of coursework per week — manageable for working professionals like busy teachers.
“I thought overall [it] was a very, very nice program — very rigorous, but also understanding that we also have a lot of other responsibilities as adults,” Hensley said, “and the programs never felt like busywork.”
The Rewards of International Teaching
For Hensley, teaching internationally has been an incredibly rewarding experience. He’s witnessed the impact that education can have firsthand, particularly when helping students overcome language barriers.
“Seeing children that are in that silent period start open up and actively engage in lessons as a foundation of English — that feels fantastic,” he noted.

Embracing the Value of Feedback
As Hensley prepares to begin his clinical experience as a student teacher, he is eager to receive feedback from mentors and peers.
“I love observations,” he said. “It is so beneficial to have another set of eyes on you. I’m very excited to have people watch my class and give criticism and make it better.”
Hensley’s enthusiasm for receiving feedback on his teaching practice reflects what he feels should be a shared attitude between teachers and students.
“I think that we always tell our students to have growth mindsets, right? But we really should have that for ourselves, as well,” he said.
One of Hensley’s next opportunities for growth will come in the fall when he starts a new position as a grade one homeroom teacher at a different international school where he’ll be reunited with the same coworker who first told him about Moreland.
As it turns out, having a U.S. teaching credential included in his M.Ed. program immediately paid off for Hensley, who notes that his new school offers “dramatically” higher pay for teachers with a U.S. teaching license.
Why Choose Moreland?
Whether you’re looking to transition into teaching, enhance your qualifications, or embark on an international teaching career like Zachary Hensley, Moreland’s 100% online TEACH-NOW Teacher Certificate Preparation Program and master’s degree programs can help you achieve your goals.
Apply to Moreland today (at no cost) to start your teaching journey. Together, we can help turn your passion for education into a fulfilling career — no matter where in the world it takes you.