How Nate Howard Leapt Across Continents and Into Teaching 

Nate Howard’s journey into teaching wasn’t a conventional one. With an engineering background and experience in renewable energy, he had built a solid career in the U.S. But something was missing. Looking for a new challenge and adventure, he set his sights on education — a decision that would take him from small-town America to living side-by-side with nearly 25 million other people in Shanghai, China. 

Now, as a TEACH-NOW candidate at Moreland University, Howard is preparing for his first year as a grade 8 science teacher at a bilingual school. While some international teachers find positions without getting teacher certifications, Howard was determined to approach education with the same level of preparation and professionalism that he had applied in engineering. 

“I kind of didn’t really feel right about [teaching without certification],” Howard said. “I’ve only been a student in the classroom up until now, [and] as a student, I would want someone up in front of the classroom that has the tools and the know-how of how to teach properly.” 

A Passion for Science and a Call to Teach 

Howard has always been enthusiastic about science, especially physics and math, which led him to his initial engineering career in the renewable energy sector. But after several years in the field, he began to feel like he wasn’t being challenged anymore. 

“I feel like the passion that I had for that career slowly dwindled out as soon as I started feeling like I had learned most of it,” Howard recalled. “It was almost like there was nothing to learn anymore after you show up to work and you don’t have many surprises.” 

So, Howard started exploring work options for career changers, specifically searching for opportunities outside of the U.S. The itch for a profession that would give him new problems to solve on a daily basis eventually led Howard to teaching, where he can share his love for science with young learners. 

Making the Leap from the U.S. to China

Howard made two major life changes at the same time: moving abroad and launching a teaching career. After landing in Shanghai, he wasted no time. Howard quickly learned about Moreland from his friends and secured a teaching internship. 

Despite being new to leading a classroom environment, Howard quickly realized that his analytical and problem-solving skills from engineering translated well into education, noting that working with diverse learners also allowed him to use some of his newly acquired skills and opened doors to more employment opportunities. 

“That’s where I’ve gotten a lot of my hands-on experience and I’ve been able to apply some of the stuff I’ve learned at Moreland University in the classroom,” Howard said. “Being able to show a school that I have some at least some entry-level teaching experience at the internship, I was able to get the…Grade 8 science [role] at the bilingual school.”

The Value of Moreland’s Global Network 

One of the benefits of choosing Moreland was the worldwide network Howard landed in as part of TEACH-NOW‘s global cohort model. Sharing classes with both veteran educators and those new to the profession from various countries has given him a glimpse of different teaching perspectives and approaches. Plus, it has also given him built-in support and study partners. 

“The second or third week, there was an assignment both myself and a cohort member were struggling with,” Howard remembered. “Even though we’re halfway across the globe from each other, we were able to find a time that worked [to] jump on a 30-minute call and brainstorm about the assignment.” 

Understanding that this isn’t the experience in every online learning program, Howard added, “It’s always nice in a school setting to feel like everyone in your classroom is kind of rooting for each other.” 

Embracing International Teaching 

Living and teaching in Shanghai has been an eye-opening experience for Howard. Coming from a small town, he’s been struck by the independence and maturity of his students, who often navigate the city’s metro system independently before their teenage years. Working at a bilingual school and interacting with students whose parents sometimes have different nationalities and backgrounds has led to many insightful conversations, as well. 

“Being able to talk to an 11- or 12-year-old that’s already been to triple the amount of countries that I’ve been to also just kind of shows a maturity level and a lot of interesting experiences that you wouldn’t expect to come from such a young child.” 

Advice for Aspiring International Teachers 

For those dreaming of starting an international teaching career similar to the one he transitioned into from another profession, Howard emphasizes the importance of networking. 

“What I’ve found just from networking and talking to people is that a lot of people are also looking to see you succeed,” he said. “It’s not easy to get started teaching if you don’t have a lot of experience, especially internationally, so just getting to know people, getting to hear other people’s experiences…you can listen to those people, but your path is going to be your own, so take in a lot of information… Being able to hear what’s been successful for other people and what wasn’t so successful is definitely going to help you.” 

Attending job fairs and making connections, even if you don’t have much teaching experience, is another strategy Howard recommends, noting that making contacts and following up with them may not get you a job interview immediately, but that one good conversation can open doors later. 

A Bright Future in Teaching 

Looking ahead, Howard sees the teaching certificate Moreland has prepared him to earn becoming the “staple” of his resume, even with his plans to add more credentials and science-specific certifications. Given the number of people he’s connected with who recognize Moreland’s standing in the international education landscape, Howard also plans to continue networking with the Moreland community once he completes his program. 

“I think the prestige that Moreland carries is going to be something that helps propel me 10-15 years into my teaching profession,” Howard said. “Talking to people and mentioning that I went through Moreland University, I think, is going to connect me to them [and] a whole bunch of opportunities down the line.” 

For now, though, Howard is excited for the new challenges and growth ahead of him as he becomes a fully certified teacher. 

“I’m very, very happy that I’ve gotten that passion again for trying to perfect a new craft, and I feel like in teaching…is going to be continuously changing. You, yourself, are going to be changing,” Howard said optimistically. “I just feel like teaching is the profession where you can just continuously try and be better [with] each lesson.” 

Moreland Supports Career Changers on the Path to Teaching 

Between making the bold decision to move to another country and pivoting to another line of work, Howard’s story is proof that it’s possible to become a teacher in just about any circumstances. If you are considering a transition into education or want to grow your teaching practice with an advanced degree, Moreland is ready to support you with our 100% online 9-month TEACH-NOW Teacher Certificate Preparation Program and 12-month master’s degree programs. You can complete your no-cost application in less than 15 minutes and take the next step in your teaching journey today. 

To hear more about Howard’s story, check out the on-demand webinar Change Careers and Become an International Educator. For more information about becoming a teacher, download our complimentary resource, A Career Changer’s Guide to Becoming a Teacher!