The International Schools Review Forum

We are a teaching couple with 2 school aged children and a 2 year old. We both have 7 yrs of teaching experience, 3 of those teaching PYP. What are our chances of landing a good job in Asia, considering our third child will also be attending the school in a couple of years?

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We did it with three kids in school. Offered to pay for 1 and then ended up doing work in kind for the school. Had an amazing experience, so as Ichiro says, "go for it"!

I take it your both primary (elementary) school teachers? If thats the case i dont think you'd be successful, and I can understand you wanting to get a heads up before investing significant resources in a job search.

Their are just a lot of primary school teachers out there, and everyone seems to either have a primary qualification, or has a spouse who is, so there isnt a lot of "high needs" demand for primary.

The reality is you would be a very, very expensive hire, as a family and youd be competing against one another for positions. You'd basically need a school with two primary positions available, and most schools like to save their primary positions for high needs teaching couples (where one teacher teaches math/science). It would be a pretty hard sell to a school to justify that level of expense.

I'm not trying to say its hopless, its certainly possible, and many people on this forum will have stories about how they did it or knew someone who did, but realistically you have an steep upward battle.

Not all great news but thanks for your replies. Does anybody know of any decent schools in Asia who may be more accommodating and supportive of teachers with three kids? We ARE really keen to make a move overseas to teach in an international setting.

Give QSI a look they seem to not restrict on the number of dependents.

ISKL in Malaysia allows two children per teacher.

A couple strategies:

1) Go for separate schools. If you limit yourself too big metro cities, its possible for the two of you since you teach in the same field, to work at different schools. Which would maximize your benefits and income.

2) Consider (at least for one of you) of teaching ESL at a university or language school. Which pays better the subbing, and tutor, and provides similar benefits.

3) Economize, most school housing doesnt have apartments that big (especially in China), so you might look at negotiation a housing allowance, and then finding lower cost (maybe not as convenient housing). Understand a lot of things are cheaper in China then in western countries, so if you focus on living off the economy, and footing some of the expenses (like some of the airfare and fewer tuition waivers) yourself you may be more competitive.

We have four children and have taught at numerous overseas schools, although the most receiving benefits at one time was three at our school and a college aged daughter who received health insurance and round trip ticket to see us once yearly. Everything depends on how well you seem to "fit" what the school is looking for, not only positions but personality, etc. My husband taught elementary and the schools we were at tried to maintain an even ratio of male and female elementary teachers, so he was (perhaps I'm biased here) a hot item. These were all excellent, non profit international schools also, many a diplomat's child, etc. Things are changing in this regard, I realize, but I know several families currently teaching with three school age children in top international schools. If you are in the US, you can go to a recruiting fair without resigning current positions, so why not try for your dream? Don't rule out the Middle East. We loved being on a compound with recreational facilities and on site daycare at the school with time ranged for nursing the baby - mandated by Saudi law!