It is possible for someone with little to no experience to get a job at a tier 1 school. It doesn't happen often but it does happen. Every school I have worked in I have seen it happen. Usually with positions that are hard to fill but sometimes just because the teacher wowed the admin.

Shekou international school would be tier one as far as package and school are concerned. The fact that your friend got a job but didn't get a visa proves my point but shows that the admin don't know the rules of the area. I don't know the Canadian international school of China (maybe Hong Kong?) but the reason for her not being hired could be that the admin didn't want the whole family working at the school or they found a better candidate or god knows what else...

There is nothing wrong with starting at a Tier 2 or 3 school. There is nothing wrong with liking it and staying there. I have friends who have spent their entire careers at a Tier2/3 school with no intention of moving and others who go from one Tier 3 school to the next because they have ideas about where they want to live or interview poorly..

My point... again... was simply for the OP to do a fair since they already paid the fee. As can be seen from other posts SA has a lot of schools not Tier 1. If they don't get something that interests them then go the psyguy route. The advantages are that they can to experience a fair, meet some people, 0 and see what is there. Once the labour laws of the EU start to kick in they can try that route with their leg up on the competition with their passport situation.

I wish them luck.

I've lived in both countries. I say do China. It's more interesting and great for travel and exploration.

You're fired up PsyGuy... if that is your real name...

As I said... I agree with you... I would advise them that sense they have paid the money... why not try their luck...? I would... if something good didn't come up in the winter then wait until the EU schools post those vacancies. That being said they will be rolling the dice either way. Good luck you two.

You're education and experience should give you a good shot at a good school. Obviously this is predicated on how well you interview and if there is a match for you and your husband at a school/country you want to go to.

Good luck.

My former teaching partner moved to UWCSEA. The school places a lot of emphasis on service. They have service coordinators at all levels. You work 6 of 8 blocks. They do try to keep you at one grade level now. If you are hired as a MS science teacher you will, most likely, be teaching one grade level, occasionally two. You are expected to do extra-curricular every term. 8pm might be pushing it. You definitely work more there then at SAS.

At most top schools you teach 5 of 8 and are expected to do one extracurricular a year. So it is more.

Hi guys,

I have been overseas awhile and have been hired several different ways and the one psyguy gives good advice but the one thing I disagree with him on is the quitting both the agencies. You've already paid for SA so keep it. If it is close or not too expensive why wouldn't you go to a fair? It isn't going to hurt and sometimes you can 'Wow!' someone in an interview. I have been at several tier 1 schools where couples were hired with little to no experience because they talked the talk and the admin ate it up. It can happen. It happened to me with 2 years experience and I got a job at a tier 1 school in Germany. Not trying to give you false hope but why not try.

TP is right. ASH has the better package. A certain percentage of your salary there is tax free for the first 10 years. Many people buy a house as mortgages can be as expensive as renting. ISA is a nice campus. Package is okay but if there is a housing allowance it is a new thing as they didn't 7-8 years ago.

Germany is a great place to live. Germans value nature. You can see where the tax dollars go. I loved living there.

Taxes can be a bit overwhelming but the schools provide a living wage. If you are careful you can save but there is so much to see in that area of the world. They also usually have great pension plans if you stick around long enough.

FrankfurtIS
MunichIS
HamburgIS
are the top 3.

Smaller schools are Bonn, Dusseldorf, Franconian, Dresden...

Am I missing one?

The first thing is to do is the most difficult. Don't panic. It's early and stuff comes up all the time.

You have access to the search site... start looking there.

Then get on the net and go to every school you might be interested in going to and check their employment section. Send an email with a resume.

You've been doing it for 7 years... put the word out to friends that you are looking who have moved on that you need work. Ask if they know of people in other schools who could help you.

Jobs come up and I have known very few (read none) good teachers who did not get a decent job when they put their names out there.

Good luck.

I feel a lot dumber after reading... sorry skimming, most of these posts. I was actually hoping for a fair diary and instead got this pseudo-intellectual argument. Come on class... ON TASK!

The pay isn't great but will do for the two years you are tax free then most people leave. There is no retirement plan, no housing stipend, and the health plan is crap. Morale wasn't good three years ago but might be better now but with the constant turnover and the local employees feeling like they don't get what the expats get there is bound to be bad feeling. It's a good starter school.

DAA is for profit and has a pretty high turn over. It should be a distant second choice for American options in Dubai.

Frankfurt IS, Munich IS, IS Brussels, American School Hague, AIS Vienna, IS Geneva, and the Zurich schools are some of the top ones. All are in Western Europe and the standard of living is amazing. You do pay taxes and don't have housing though. As for admin and morale... that changes so often you'd have to find someone in each school to know.

The package at ASD is lower then at ACS Abu Dhabi but they do offer a COLA. Housing is unfurnished and not in the most desirable location for singles. It is also small for families. They have a generous moving in allowance. The cost of living in Dubai is high. Food is expensive. Going out is expensive. Gas is cheap.