Subject teaching without teaching certificate?

[Zev]

I am in the middle of looking for a teaching job for the Fall (somewhat delayed because I'm waiting for an FBI background check). I taught ESL for a number of years in China before. However, this time around I am looking at subject teaching at the middle/high school level as well. I've noticed that while a lot of these jobs ask for an education degree or a teaching certificate, some seem to ask only for the usual base qualifications of a Bachelor's degree and two years of teaching experience (sometimes they ask that the degree is in your teaching field). For example, there are quite a few new openings on Chinajoblist.com under "International Schools" for science/history teaching positions that do not seem to ask for a certificate, but still pay a lot more than ESL positions.

 

So here's my situation: I have a B.A. in History and over two years of ESL teaching experience. I also focused on Biology and other sciences as a student and for a year of employment after that, so I am fully comfortable teaching Biology and have a record of related coursework on my transcripts. I have neither TEFL nor U.S. teaching certification of any kind (I am actively looking at enrolling in a TEFL-type course during the summer, however). Is it feasible for me to be trying for History/Biology teaching jobs, or are these better-paying teaching fields dominated by teachers with more credentials than I have?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.