Why I Didn’t Want to Go to Moreland

With two parents who were teachers, I have been in classrooms my whole life. I had been teaching in classrooms across Asia and Europe for more than 10 years by the time I started to consider a professional license. 

 I had a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in business. I had a decade of standing in front of students and teaching. 

So, to be completely honest? I didn’t want to go to Moreland University. I was above it. 

There was simply nothing new for me to learn. I knew how to teach effectively. However, I was running into a professional brick wall. Despite my experience, my degrees and my dead certainty I was capable, I couldn’t secure a job at any of the top-tier international schools because I lacked one specific credential: a government-issued teaching license. 

Begrudgingly, I enrolled in the TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program  to check a box. I viewed it as a 9-month hurdle so I could get back to doing what I was already doing, just in a more professional role. 

I was wrong.

Overcoming the Brick Wall in My Teaching Career 

If you have taught internationally, you probably know the feeling of loving your job but knowing that something needs to change. You see your peers getting better salary packages and more acknowledgement from administrators because they have a teaching license. 

I realized that if I wanted to turn my passion for education into a sustainable, long-term career — one that would allow me to keep traveling internationally and experiencing new cultures — I needed to formalize my credentials. I chose Moreland primarily because it allowed me to finish my educator preparation program 100% online in under a year while working full-time. 

I was still skeptical, but by the end of those 9 months, I had a completely different philosophy on education. 

What the Program Taught Me 

About 2 months into TEACH-NOW, I found myself asking, “Why didn’t I do this years ago?” 

It wasn’t just about the piece of paper anymore. The program was actually making me a better teacher as it highlighted where I was wasting time and energy and showed me how to be more effective. 

The biggest surprise for me was the module on classroom management. 

As a big, loud person, I naturally taught in a big, loud way. It worked to an extent, but it was exhausting. I would go home at the end of the day with a headache, feeling completely drained. 

Moreland’s instructors taught me techniques to control a classroom with actions rather than volume. I learned to be expressive in a softer way. Suddenly, my students were having a better experience, and I was going home with energy left for myself and no headaches. 

That module alone was worth the entire cost of tuition. 

But the curriculum and format also helped me become better at working with others. 

When I first saw collaboration was a focus of TEACH-NOW, I immediately heard “group work” and had flashbacks to college projects where I put in all the effort while everyone else slacked off, so I wasn’t looking forward to it. But again, I was wrong. The global cohort model turned out to be one of the best parts of the whole program because I was collaborating with and learning from working educators from all over the world. We were sharing perspectives from Tokyo, Europe, and the U.S., building a genuine professional network. 

Years later, I still talk to people from my cohort. I’ve even had cohort members reach out to tell me about job openings at their schools because they knew my work ethic from our time together as candidates at Moreland. It was a level of community building that I wasn’t expecting, but I’m glad I got to experience.

The True Value of a U.S. Teaching License 

Looking back, the value of getting my U.S. teaching license went beyond just a salary bump or seeming more qualified on paper for higher-level positions, even though those benefits are certainly nice. 

If you are living and working internationally, you spend the majority of your day at school. Having a U.S. teaching license allows you to have a better professional experience, better work-life balance, and the career stability you deserve.

Many top-tier international job fairs won’t even interview you without one. At the end of the day, having a U.S. teaching license is the difference between having a “job” abroad and having a “career” abroad. 

Don’t Wait for the Brick Wall 

My experience with Moreland was so transformative that, after completing TEACH-NOW, I began working as an admissions representative for the university because I believed in its mission so much. I’m no longer in the classroom, but I get to guide other teachers through the same journey I took.

I waited until I hit a brick wall to get certified. You don’t have to make that mistake. 

Whether you are a brand-new teacher or a veteran with a decade of experience like I was, there is always room to grow. A U.S. teaching license validates your expertise and empowers you to be the best version of yourself in the classroom. 

Ready to take the next step in your professional journey? Complete your 100% free application to one of Moreland’s 9-month teacher certification or 12-month master’s degree programs and start making teaching your career instead of just a job.