I too joined Search this year and found a job independently a month later. After informing my associate of the good news he/she replied in an email as follows:

"[W]e will "freeze" your registration fee payment so that you will have no re-registration fee to pay, when you come back for your next spell of job-hunting, in the future."

It appears there is some inconsistency here.

Considered the number one IB school in Bangkok. No actual figures but pays more than the other.

Located downtown; would suit if you like to be located in the heart of it. Some of my students visited last week for a university fair. They had good things to say.

I teach Language A in both programmes. I have also taught one year of DP only because I requested to come out of MYP, which in my previous school was not well run. MYP has many detractors but my personal experience has taught me it's the implementation rather than the 'framework' itself than makes or breaks it.

I prefer DP, the students are maturer and most of them soon realise during the first month or so of the programme that the MYP honeymoon is over, the real work has begun.

The subject guides for the three current language A courses in DP contain much more of a structured course than the MYP language A course. I find this useful, but with this come more restrictions, choice of studied texts is one.

There are also greater pressures in DP during internal and external assessment times, this is because grades are externally examined and/or moderated by IB examiners. I know some teachers who like MYP simply because they write the exams and they grade them, and guess what? All students pass and no problems for anyone (apart from the DP teachers who get clueless students down the line!)

Ultimately, I want to focus on DP as it opens up far more job opportunities than MYP. Take a look at the number of schools offering the DP over the MYP, for me, this equates to more career choices down the line.

My friend left BIS Phuket last summer, he was taking home over twice that, plus housing.

He still complained about the high cost of living on the island.

Looks as if we have moved from 'Best school' to 'Best package' already.

I agree with the comments about the American bias here and how that may not translate as the 'best school' for some teachers.

Continuing with the Bangkok theme, ISB, for me personally wouldn't be the best school there, due to its location and national bias, it's an American school at the end of the day, whether it teaches the IB diploma or not.

Personally I would prefer NIST, as I've spent all my, albeit short, IS career, at IB world schools and want to stay that way. I also love the lower end of Sukhumvit road where the school's located.

But we all knew that 'best' is subjective before replying to the thread, so keep the game going!

I'd play it safe and ditch the jim jams sid

I'm at a school in Bangkok now that allows teachers to concentrate on student learning rather than focusing on looking the part.

I usually wear a batik, short sleeved shirt, beige chinos, a pair of Camper's - smart casual.

School justifies it by stating it wants its teachers to feel comfortable at work. It's refreshing.

JIS isn't far from 'downtown', it just takes a lot of time to get any where in JKT.

This is why the package isn't everything. In JKT JIS may have the best package in terms of salary and perks (bungalow retreat etc.) but it's still JKT.

NIST may be only considered 2nd tier but you'll have a hell of a better time in BKK for less than the money you would in JKT!

COIS is worth a look too.

Good and bad can be found in most things. That's all I want to say about the posts on this 'forum'. Let's not forget the etymology of the word, and the rights of the individual to say and to listen to what he or she chooses.

PG has been called a troll on more than a few occasions, I personally think he is more of a personality who likes the last/definitive word. I however am starting to have my suspicions about a more recent poster to this forum. Or maybe there are desperate as well as skeptical teachers in this world.

[quote="PsyGuy"]More and more schools are providing airfare and travel only at the beginning and end of contract. Annual flight allowances are disappearing.[/quote]

I'm starting at a new school next week and I've only got fares at the beginning and end of contract.

After the initial 2 year contract it's annual contracts, again with fares at beginning and end, so I have to wait until then if I want to be flown home every year.

If a vacancy was between you and another candidate with no experience of working/teaching in an IB environment, then I'd say YES, you are at an advantage.

If however, it was between you and an experienced IB teacher, then I would imagine the teaching experience would favour the other candidate.

Could be a whole host of reasons, can you be more specific, i.e. which country?

Some countries, like Thailand, don't actually have 'work visas' as such, you must obtain a non-immigrant visa outside the country, which is converted to a work permit once here.

If the employer is ok about your employment history, why do you think the embassy would have an issue with you?

I'm an English, English teacher and therefore write using the British system. I don't however work in a British system school so tell my students to use whatever system they prefer, just stay consistent.

Although I'm aware English did originate in the British Isles, we no longer 'own' it so I consider all forms of English to be equally valid, I just find my form 'better' for me.

I went to an IB conference earlier this year at a Christian IB school. My first breakout session was cancelled so I went to a TOK workshop instead, as I also teach this subject.The facilitator, as well as teaching TOK at the school, teaches bible studies. I was concerned about this but let it go.

A little into the session however he informed the group that the traditional TOK diagram, which has the Knower at its centre was flawed, God, in his opinion should be at the centre of learning. That was too much for me. Everyone is entitled to their own views but the IB has the learner at the centre of all four programmes (the Knower in it's TOK subject), if that is something you cannot accept I told him, then he really is teaching in the wrong educational system.

Religious belief systems can drive a school's ethos and values but I think they should not be in conflict with the values of the education system, which they have chosen to adopt and follow.