Just a thought... had you considered teaching at University while doing your PGCE or GradDipEd, and living overseas? There are dozens of American, Australian and British Universities that have 'International' campuses, who are often looking for good teachers in their classrooms, especially in ESL. Perhaps, if you know where you would like to go, you could get a job in a Uni there, and make some connections with the schools in the city directly? That way, when you are perhaps half way through your degree, you could apply for jobs at the school, and their personal knowledge of you could get you across the line? Worth considering, as sometimes the most obvious route is not the best one.

I also mention GradDipEd from Australia because Australian universities offer such qualifications which are internationally recognised and, even for international students, the course fees are considerably cheaper than the UK. Worth a look.

Good luck!

1. Best food....Thai, hands down. I still remember a duck salad that blew my mind.
2. Strangest food - Dog in Vietnam. For the record, it's disgusting. Don't do it.
3. Best beer - Don't drink beer, but did try an awesome homemade Sake in Japan.
4. Best festival - Holi in India. Beating up blokes with a sari is cool... the colourful stuff is just a bonus.
5. Best vacation - An Elephant Sanctuary in Laos. Very humbling living beside a massive, majestic beast for a week.

Perhaps its changed (at least I hope so), but when I was there they only gave a maximum of 8 weeks holiday for the year. You could choose which holidays you take them in, but the remainder of the school holiday time you had to come in and 'pretend' to work. Most people just surfed the internet and listened to music all day, or watched a DVD. The Viet staff sleep for a solid two hours each day to pass the time.

I understand technology is better now, but I can't directly comment on it. It used to depend on the campus and city. All are different, and have different priorities. The thing about Vietnam is that technology is almost always out of date in schools and poorly maintained, i f it is maintained at all. Lots of viruses, lots of pirated software, lots of things that 'not work today. Try tomorrow'. When I was there they refused to pay for Office, so we had to use generic stuff that didn't always work. Either that or pirate software. SIS is entirely for profit, and they don't want to waste those precious profits on educational/technology equipment.

I am looking at Simprug. What do you know? :)
Thanks!

Hey all
Does anyone have any info on this school? I can't find anything besides their website. Thank you in advance!

We have about 300 kids in our school. There is one tiny music room which is difficult to fit all the kids into, let alone instruments. They actually got a data projector this year, after waiting 3 years while the more "important" subjects got them first. We have a school musical in elementary, but the music teacher is not involved. An elementary teacher gets paid to do it, and no, I am not joking. No musical or events in secondary. We have one music teacher for the entire school.

Our art lab is bigger, but half of it is used to store equipment and supplies which are quite good (because they are cheap to buy here), to the actual table/work area for the kids is really small. They have a big screen tv, but it is permanently broken. We have one art teacher for the entire school.

We have no dance or drama teacher or facilities. The music teacher and PE teachers are expected to help with that, when needed, or it is just ignored.

Overall the school and the staff have a very poor attitude to Creative Arts programmes. They feel that its a chance to dump their kids in another room so they get release time, and for management the only reason the arts are kept is so they can get accreditation.

I did my 2 years there a while back. A nightmare of a management, with no room for being human. Word on the street in Hanoi is that, of the 25 odd staff at the High school here this year, all but two are leaving. Ouch.

Generally, though, the following still stands:
- You have to clock in and out. You are a number, not a professional, so don't expect to be treated like one.
- Ask about holidays. Don't assume you get the same as the kids - you don't.
- Principals are underexperienced and often downright incompetent. Their position depends on keeping Ricky Tan, the owner, happy, so don't expect them to ever go in to bat for you when you have problems.
- 25+ students in each class.
- Generally underexperienced teachers. At least now they are actually hiring qualified teachers, but only because the Viet government demands it for visa purposes. The good ones will often break contract, and will never stay beyond 2 years.

There are several reviews on ISR, and I keep meaning to write one so will try to do that soon. I say, if you are strong, and know how to keep your mouth firmly shut and suck up to management, you will be fine. A good foot in the door school to start in the international circuit and see what the bad schools look like, but if you are a seasoned professional you will despise it.

Western Europe, eh? No thanks. I am in Southeast Asia now, and the vast majority of my colleagues wouldn't even consider Europe because it's so expensive, myself included. Many of them are 50+ and have been working in international schools for many years, with no thought of heading to Europe at all. I would guess psyguy, that Europe is native home for you, probably Northern Europe, so maybe you are understandably a little biased? :wink: Too cold for me, I'm afraid, but I am a cold weather wimp... 8)

Oh, and late 40's ain't too old, by a long shot. We have several staff members at my school who are in their late 50's and beyond, moving to very nice schools this year, thank you very much. Seems their experience is still valuable in the international circuit, especially in senior positions.

So, back to the question... anyone know anything specific about this place? Anyone actually worked there or up the road? I am looking for a positive change, as SE Asia might be the place to be to earn money, but money is not what I went into teaching for. If I wanted to be rich, I would have stayed in professional singing. :D

No review on ISR, and seemingly no mention on forum. Anyone worked there or have some good insights into this place (besides the ubiquitous psyguy)? They seem to have a lot ov vacancies to fill. Thank you!