Some of your choices are: American, British, Canadian and
independent
international schools, US Dept. of Defense Schools, Christian schools,
corporate / company schools, foreign private and public schools.
Most International Schools are PreK-12/ K-12 private entities. They serve the
needs of the expatriate, business and diplomatic communities in their countries. A typical
international school will have teachers from a dozen nationalities! The
international schools are located in virtually every country, some big cities
have several international schools of various flavors and caliber (American or
British international, IB World Schools, etc.) Usually, these
schools employ a North American or UK curriculum, sometimes a blend of the two;
with the IBO programmes being the most popular in the recent years.
In addition
there are US Department of Defense School (DoDEA) in 14 foreign countries.
The DoDEA also recruits many support personnel ― secretaries, office workers,
technicians. The British Ministry of Defense (MOD) also operates a network of
overseas schools. Since no Canadian overseas bases exist any more, all Canadian
international schools are private.
What subject areas are in demand?
Educators are
needed in most subject areas and all grade levels:
- English
- ESL (ELL, EAL, EFL)
- Mathematics
- General Science
- Social Studies
- Geography
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Physics
- History
- Biology
- Business
- Drama
- Music
- ICT
- Art
- PE / Health
- Learning Support
- Modern Foreign languages (MLF) - French, Spanish, German, Chinese
- Classroom / Homeroom Teachers
ALSO:
- Special Education Teachers
- Language and Speech Pathologists
- Counselors (Guidance and College)
- Librarians
- Principals
- School Nurses
- Activities Coordinators
- Athletics Directors
- Directors of Sports
- Curriculum Coordinators
- Assistant Principals
- Houseparents (boarding) and other positions.
People who want
to teach English also have a wide range of options, including private language
schools and English academies, summer schools, private tutoring, etc.Generally, if
you are a certified teacher (administrator, psychologist, librarian, etc.) you
will have more options and better contracts. Your best strategy will be to
research schools (not countries!) and target specific employers of your choice. When you
research a potential employer, pay attention to the following:
Curriculum
Type: For example, if your qualifications and experience are related to the US
school system, a school that employs a British National Curriculum (NC) will
not be your best option.
Fortunately,
most international schools have switched to the IB curriculum, which eliminates
the differences. Once you are hired, the IB training is usually provided
by the school.
Accreditation:
you will want your prospective school to be accredited by one of the
major international organization. Why is it important? Because
accreditation guarantees that your employer is not a cowboy school! Those who
neglect to do their homework are more likely to end up working for a
questionable employer under an illegal contract.
Students: the
schools that hire many local students are very different from those who serve
the international diplomatic and expatriate communities.
Ownership: most
international schools are non-profit organizations governed by an elected
School Board. Whatever money they make they spend it on teacher salaries and
school development. For-profit proprietary schools may differ, depending
on the owner's policies. Some may offer even better conditions than non-profits
but it's more common to operate them as commercial ventures.
Size and
location: urban or rural
Facilities:
campus information, accommodation options, etc.
Your success or failure depends on a few factors.
Surprisingly, your teaching ability is not the most important one. Over the years,
we have seen many brilliant teachers who were not very successful in finding
positions that matched their potential. We have also
met mediocre individuals who have no problem landing new lucrative
contracts, year after year. This discrepancy led us to the conclusion:
Many good teachers are not good at
self-promotion:
Most good
teachers focus primarily on teaching, underestimating the importance of
job-related information and recruiting skills. Many excellent
teachers find themselves at a disadvantage in comparison to those who
concentrate their efforts on establishing contacts, maintaining connections and
developing their negotiating skills — irrespective of their teaching ability. This is
especially true for the international teaching market where you are not
represented by any union. You are on your own and can rely only on yourself. For many
educators, the real problem is in shifting their attention from teaching to
developing their job hunting skills and learning the recruitment
"know-how." There are about
35,000 American, Australian, NZ, British and Canadian teachers working overseas
right now. They change schools and countries every 2-5 years, moving from
Athens to Rome, Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro and so on. These are
rewarding positions, with established K-12 international schools, offering
comfortable tax-free packages. The family atmosphere of many of these schools
create outstanding conditions for professional growth. Are you interested? Break free from
the old rut Are you tired
of never receiving a response to your job inquiries? Do you feel overwhelmed
and undervalued? Your work unappreciated? Well, these days are over! Don't allow
false assumptions to remain a roadblock between you and your dream job. Break
free from the old rut. The opportunities are abundant and many schools are
dying to hear from you.
Discover the
win-win approach to overseas contracts. Your new life is about to begin!
Step One: Clearing False Assumptions
I’m too old . .
.
I’m too young . . .
I'm overqualified . . .
I’ve no experience . . .
They told me I couldn’t . . .
They told me I wasn't supposed to . . .
I’m too young . . .
I'm overqualified . . .
I’ve no experience . . .
They told me I couldn’t . . .
They told me I wasn't supposed to . . .
Challenge your assumptions to envision reality. Strip
away those “I’m not enoughs.” Step into that place where you are enough.
It is here, it is now. Claim it. Teaching in a
public school is not for everyone. I have a strong personality but I am a bad
policeman. If you prefer teaching to maintaining discipline then an overseas
school is a better place for you. If you expect
interest and respect from your students and their parents, instead of
indifference and hostility, then teaching overseas is for you.
Live tax-free :
What is even more important, you enjoy free housing /utilities, round trip
airfare, health/life insurance package, settling-in allowance, baggage
allowance, pension plans, bonuses, etc.A lot of
opportunities open for you when you are not under the pressure of taxes,
insurance, car payments, mortgages, etc. People usually
ask, "How much am I going to make?" The right question is, "How
much am I going to save?"
It is quite
common to save 40-50 % of your salary living a very comfortable lifestyle. It
gives you the sense of freedom you'll never have at home. Of course,
there are many low-paying positions where the main compensation is an exciting
experience. However, the most lucrative teaching jobs are also overseas. The personal
aspect is clear. Most single people either get married or find partners after
some time overseas. In one year you
will have more personal encounters than in your whole life at home. Unless you
are a complete bore or a couch potato, you will make tons of friends.
A Word to
Singles:
The community of expatriates or simply people enjoying a few years
overseas is a diverse group of single, married, divorced, or family-oriented
individuals from many countries and backgrounds. I never thought I would get
married and had planned to work my way around the world. The so-called
'isolation' of being in a strange environment often brings people of similar
languages together, the group-oriented cultures of other countries demand
mutual outings, the family atmosphere of many international schools brings
people closer, the list of wonderful ways to meet people is endless. Being
single is a good reason to pursue employment overseas!
A Word to the
Shy and Retiring Teachers out there : Are you short on social graces? Are you
tongue-tied at cocktail parties? Don't fret because your new life awaits you!
Say good-bye to your shy social ways because in your new environment, no one
will know your past. You'll be able to start over to become the person you want
to be. Don't think that an exciting life overseas is only for extroverts. There
are innumerable opportunities overseas for you to come out of your shell and
live a vastly different lifestyle. You may even become the life of the party!
So let's get on with it!
KEEP VISITING THIS BLOG. OVERSEAS VACANCIES ARE IN THE OFFING.
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