recently i was offered a few different jobs. i was down to two choices. one school offered a fairly good package with great resources and boasted of their kids entering into top universities. the other school the package was not as good (although it is very fair package) and academic standards were not as high and their resources and facilities were not as good as the other school. but this school had happy teachers, the staff did not suffer from a huge turnover and had a very family feel to the staff (as i've heard from friends of teachers who work there)...the other school on the other hand had teachers coming and going quite frequently (although i know this isn't uncommon in international schools..)
which would you choose? my decision is already made but i wanted to know what others would do.

is it worth it to join search now to look for a job beginning in august?

Thanks psyguy your info is always so helpful.
Here's another questions for those who are experienced international school teachers - i read on one of the other posts that some people had really flashy resumes that were different.

the resumes i sent out were just regular resumes with no flashy bits. i'm sure that putting in an effort to create something that stands out will capture some attention but how much effect does that have on a school wanting an interview with you?

any ideas?

i'm wondering...does my current status as a substitute teacher a disadvantage for me? would the principals or recruiters be put off by that status even with 10 years of successful full-time classroom experience?

i may be on the same boat as you missy. i don't have a lot of international teaching experience but i have a few years of teaching experience. in terms of jobs, there are always jobs because of change of circumstances - someone having a baby, someone's husband moving overseas etc. i've gotten jobs because of those so i don't think that we should lose hope. :) i also assume that 'changing of the mind' happens a bit more in the international school scene so here's me keeping my fingers crossed...

i too appreciate the update even though i'm not at the fairs.

i also wanted to know if newbie means new to international teaching or just teaching in general.

i've taught for the last 10 years in new zealand at the primary level. i guess my selling point would be that i have a lot of experience with using technology in the classroom and since my experience is in new zealand 'inquiry learning' and 'curriculum integration' (as it is in many schools now) were quite an integral part of teaching along with differentiated learning

i have been subbing for a year at different international schools but i'm seeking a permanent classroom position for the coming year.

i've usually done pretty well at interviews and always got the job that i wanted after an interview but i'm not hearing back from the international schools i applied to. i'm just wondering if it's because the job fairs are not finished or if it's because i applied online or there are just too many candidates like me. :(

Hi,
I applied to a couple of schools in KOrea but I applied just a week ago. I know that a lot of international schools start hiring - even in December so I wanted to know what my chances are in getting a job. The schools i applied to had no deadline and their jobs were still posted on their website whch is why i applied.

also, I'm sure this question has been asked several times but what is the timeline (on average) of them contacting you from your date of application to request for an interview?

lastly, i applied on the website. would i have a better chance of getting a job if i go to a job fair? just thinking about next year if i don't get a job this year.

thanks so much!

Thanks so much for that info. it's really helpful. i will keep a look out for churches while i'm there. :)

Sorry about this....I might be moving to Mumbai and am checking out different info..but I was wondering if anyone knew of any good Christian churches in Mumbai. The google search does not bring up any churches that look legitimate. I'm not to picky about denominations but just to give you an idea, I've attended baptist churches, pentecostal churches etc.

Again, sorry for bringing this up on this site. I just don't know where else to go. I am an international school teacher and will be looking into schools as well soon.....so any info on good international schools in Mumbai would be helpful. It seems that they have quite a few....

The schools are both in the same country. The first school's salary is very low compared to other int'l schools in the same country. But the salary is still reasonable if I compare it to the local salary standards and I can live on it no problem as a single person.

My other concern was if I wanted to switch to a better paying school after two years, would that bring down my chances of getting a decent salary in the next school. Would they expect to pay me a lower salary than someone with similar experience and qualifications because my previous salary was so low?

I'm in a bit of a dilemma here and wanted to throw this question out ther to see what other teachers think.

I've got a choice between two schools:
School 1: Absolutely lovely school atmosphere and the school's mission statement completely matches my educational philosophy. I've had two interviews and the interviewers were both very kind and inviting. Generally very good feedback from parents - from numerous reviews of the school (both first and second hand reviews) But the catch is low pay.. The teachers seem pretty happy but generally are at the school for the atmosphere and the school's mission statement than the pay
School 2: Atmosphere is not bad but not great either. General review from teachers is that the school has some administrative problems and are finally settling down a little bit but the residue of the previous years of admin muck ups seem to be still there. The upside - much better pay than the first school.


Which school would you choose? Your thoughts would be much appreciated. I am almost losing my sleep over this decision.

Hi,
I have had quite a lot of job hunting experience and in my experience, schools contact the references only if they are very interested in you. However, I think that your references should be prepared to receive a few phone calls or to fill out a few forms - they are a nuisance but if they agreed to be your reference I'd assume that they were prepared to do that.

I am currently looking for a job overseas again (I'm a bit of a nomad and love going overseas) and I've got about five people who have agreed to be my reference. I haven't put all of their names down obviously but I warned them of the possible phone calls and forms. But I am going to give a proper thank you with a gift or something because it is something extra that they've agreed to do as a friend.

Hi Maya,
I have not taught at an international school but I've been a school teacher for over 10 years and also am a product of the international school system. I did attend few of the very highly regarded ones and I have had all sort of accents from British, Scottish, Kiwi and American 'Southern' accent.

If you are certified with a few years of experience, I can't imagine a school not hiring you just because of your accent. May be in an elementary school children might have a harder time deciphering an accent but if you've already had years of successful experience, I can't imagine your accent to be that bad.

Anway, good luck and hopefully you will find a school that would be the best fit for you.

Can anyone tell me a little about teaching at Hong Kong Academy and Hong Lok Yuen International School?

Also, are there any teachers who, like me, was searching for a job in April/May/June and was successful in getting a job for the August of the same year? I started my job hunt a little late (April) and was wondering if I have hope or if I should give up until Jan of next year.

Thanks all!