Copenhagen International School

[Taylor]

Hi everyone. I am trying to gather information about CIS. What is the teaching environment like? What is living in Copenhagen like (I am a single male in my early 30s)? Is there savings potential at all? I wasn't able to find much info in the reviews and blogs so I hope some of you may be able to help out. Cheers!

[PsyGuy]

Its a good school, tier 1 for the region and id argue a contender for the elite school. Very laid back atmosphere, and causal work environment. Everyone works well together and supports one another, they also know what their doing and while new comers will be welcomed and given advice, you will not be coddled or have your hand held. Administration can be described as aloof. They are very old school, and traditional.
Students are very bright and highly motivated by grades, they are very competitive with one another but they arent aggressive. In some aspects it can be hard to identify "problems" because "getting along" is very important.

CPH is a very metropolitan and cosmopolitan place to be. It is very cold but that doesnt keep people inside. They have a very active night life, and danes can hold their liqueur very well. probabley the biggest complaint for a single guy is that Danish woman have high standards and expectations, its not anywhere near as easy as it is in asia. Night life can also be a very big drain on your bank.

There really isnt any saving potential, when i left Denmark i had a little less then a $1000 from the year. Housing eats up a third of your salary and taxes another third, leaving a third left for everything else, and its hard to budget for saving from that and be entertained. The cold and long dreary winter does tend to sap your energy, and several times id planed on going out only to give up before even leaving my apartment.

[wrldtrvlr123]

[quote="PsyGuy"]They have a very active night life, and danes can hold their liqueur very well. probabley the biggest complaint for a single guy is that Danish woman have high standards and expectations, its not anywhere near as easy as it is in asia.
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Your honesty is both refreshing and amusing! :P

[Taylor]

PsyGuy thanks for your reply. Copenhagen is really intriguing to me, and that's awesome if the school is so well thought of. But, if there isn't much savings potential, then that's tough for me to look past. Anyone else have thoughts?

[pacificsurf619]

Its Western Europe - every WE thread will quickly remind you of the golden rule - you don't go to Western Europe to save money

[Walter]

"Administration can be described as aloof. They are very old school, and traditional."
He really has no idea. I know the Admin at this school and no one could call them aloof or old school or traditional.
Dave, please stop spreading lies and rumors and villifying people you have never met and have no knowledge of.

[hallier]

At the risk of slipping into a to and fro with Psyguy, long time readers of this forum will no doubt recall that it was pretty clearly established that PG did not used to work in Denmark (as statements he made about his school simply could not be true).

PG then posted, to paraphrase, that to maintain anonymity, although he had stated Denmark as his location, he was actually in "Northern Europe".

PG provides lots of interesting information about teaching internationally.

But I would take specific advice he provides about schools and their admin (such as folks being "aloof") with a large grain of salt.

[PsyGuy]

No we cant all be Walter, some of us (most of us) actually see admins from the other side of the desk with a (gasp) teachers perspective, which shockingly differs from that of a HOSs perspective.

Ive actually met the ENTIRE leadership team, and aloof isnt actually the word I initially came to mind but adapted after commented on from other teachers.

@hallier

I didnt choose Denmark "randomly". I didnt just open up a map, close my eyes and point to a spot with my finger. There is a reason I choose it.

@wrldtrvlr123

Well what can I say, I did way better in China, Japan and Singapore (in that order) then i did in Denmark.

@Taylor

The rule is you cant go to W/N europe for the saving potential. Taxes and a lack of housing allowance mean you live pay check to pay check. When it comes to financial factors you teach for the social/welfare benefits.

[Walter]

Dave, I take every claim you make with a shovelful of salt (not least the one that you were at ISS in Bangkok!), but the only reason I can think you ever met the leadership of CIS is that you were trying to get a job there. I can understand that you were upset if they blew you off, but really, with your track record of a school a year for the last eight, are you surprised?

[PsyGuy]

I feel the same way about you and as usual you dont know what you think you know.
take this post for instance, your actually arguing that NO ONE, ANYWHER could possible feel the leadership team is anything other then your POV.