It's a bit strange - they want someone to fill in for 3 months. Some emergency came up and they need someone right away. A contract is not guaranteed after the 3 months are up, but I am welcome to apply for a more permanent position.

It actually looks like it might be okay - I am available, and if I get hired by some other school I can leave after 3 months, just when other int'l schools are starting their academic years.

^What he said. You are probably not going to get anywhere with these schools without a teaching credential. Not to be mean, but the TEFL is not going to impress them very much. I have even filled out applications for international schools where it says "language school teaching does NOT count as experience".

Anyone know anything about this school? I found almost nothing on the web about them. Just had an email from the Deputy head for an interview request. Looked them up on SEARCH and the salary seems a bit low for Hong Kong (40k for 8 years + M.A.) - housing and the usual benefits are provided. Could one survive in HK on that salary? All students are host country students so not a real international school but could be good experience, especially since the school has acquired their IB status recently.

You might be able to get in somewhere in China. I have an interview with Dipont on Monday; not my first choice but it is still IB I believe. Thailand - forget it. I live here and most (if not all) the int'l schools have done their hiring.

I went to the March fair in Bangkok. Very low key. Had 5 interviews, but only 3 were interested. Most schools there were tier 2 or tier 3 schools. Most were from the Mid-East, a few were from China and I think 1 or 2 from Europe.

There are still positions open but it's slim. I have pretty much given up on SEARCH and look at TIE, TES, and school websites for openings.

Ubud, Lovina, a few nights in Kuta, and Gili Meno. Dirty smokers in our faces, people trying to aggressively sell us stuff, I think she'd be miserable to be honest.

Anyone have any info on this school? I have an offer from them. The interview went well and the principal seems like a great guy. It's not an IB school but they offered to let me teach IGCSE in the second year.

One of my only hesitations is my wife (or soon to be wife, to be more accurate). We just got back from Bali and she did not like Indonesia at all because of all the smokers and people constantly in our faces trying to sell us stuff. I will have to convince her that Jakarta is quite different.

Their website:

www.binabangsaschool.com

Definitely 2nd tier. Very British. I doubt they have any Americans/Canadians working there. They also do not hire locally; at least that's what their ad has said in the past. Interviews take place in London only. Probably around 100k for salary.

Thank you for your reply! They offered me the job but they wanted me to start in April which just wasn't possible for me. From reading the paid portion of this site it seems like most international schools have their problems. No school will be perfect. I'm relatively new to IB - I'm only trained in the current DP; no experience yet so I can't really be too picky. I still told them I'd be interested in an August start.

I have an interview with them tomorrow. Northeastern China...gonna be coooooold. Anyone know anything about them?

[quote="koda"]I am in California- and you have to do a BTSA program to get the clear credential... the preliminary credential is only good for 5 years, so most do the clear in the first 2 years of teaching- as BTSA is a 2 year program....though I've heard some districts will let you do it in a year.
[/quote]


I'm also from California - did they change the rules? I received my preliminary credential in 2002. I went overseas to teach almost immediately in various language schools and mid-tier international schools. In 2007 they told me that it was going to expire but I could take a few classes (online) and that would satisfy the requirements for the clear. Oh, and I also had to take a CPR course (also online). I now have a clear credential and just have to pay the fee to renew every five years. I never did BTSA.

Can't speak much to the school, but I spent a day in Medan on my way to Lake Toba. Not much to do; locals don't speak much English. There are a few malls. Most expats I think were like me, other travelers on their way to Toba or Aceh. There is an airport so it's very easy to get to other parts of Indonesia, plus Air Asia operates out of it with direct flights to KL and Phuket.

You might tell us which country you're going to, that way we'd be able to help you a bit more. When I went to Korea, it was very difficult to find western products. Things I remember bringing:

Medication
Coffee, grinder, and french press
Deodorant
Bandaids
Spices
Bed Sheets
Bath Towels
Cologne/Perfume
All important documents and copies

[quote="sweetpea"]it's for profit and run by Thais, which doesn't usually mesh well with a western-style education.[/quote]

Says it all right there. If it's run by Thais, then it's probably just a fancy gov't school that pays a bit more. Avoid this place like the plague.


[quote]There are some excellent international schools catering to locals in Bangkok that pay decently. Check out KIS, St. Andrews, St. Stephens, or Shrewsbury.[/quote]

KIS is top tier I think - it's an IB school that probably pays quite well. The others are mid-tier but still pay okay, however they are very competitive and you need to be very lucky even to get an interview. Bangkok is probably the most competitive city in Asia for international schools (although Hong Kong is close behind).

It opened last year in Bangna. Don't know much about it since the website only shows pictures of the facilities, not the students. I believe it's a lower-tier international school. It probably (and I'm only guessing here) pays around 60k baht a month. But there really isn't much info on the website - it says "international" but it may be mostly Thai.


If anyone has any solid info on this school, please let us know.

I applied last year and didn't hear anything. I spoke to Jackie Houghton at the fair but she said that they (like many schools) are looking for IB experienced teachers.

I also spoke to a few people who work there - they say that they really care about test scores and it is a very British school (apparently there are pictures of the Queen everywhere).