The International Schools Review Forum

Hello! can anyone offer me information about the alphabet school in Saigon? I have a second interview with the head this week. Any personal experiences that can be shared?

Also as a fairly new candidate to the international market what kind of questions can I expect to be asked? The Skype interview is an hour long and I have already had one with the head of Primary. I was asked the usual questions; behaviour, classroom management, assessment, EAL provision, strengths, weaknesses, good lesson, what I would bring to the school, extra curricular activities. Do you think these questions will be repeated or should I expect some thing different? I am currently teaching in the middle east.

Many Thanks in advance : :D

[quote="Katron"]Hello! can anyone offer me information about the alphabet school in Saigon? I have a second interview with the head this week. Any personal experiences that can be shared?

Also as a fairly new candidate to the international market what kind of questions can I expect to be asked? The Skype interview is an hour long and I have already had one with the head of Primary. I was asked the usual questions; behaviour, classroom management, assessment, EAL provision, strengths, weaknesses, good lesson, what I would bring to the school, extra curricular activities. Do you think these questions will be repeated or should I expect some thing different? I am currently teaching in the middle east.

Many Thanks in advance : :D[/quote]

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Do you mean ACG? It's ok to use real names here (unless there really is an Alphabet School).

I have no personal knowledge of what you may be asked by that head. From experience though, if the 2nd interview is with the head, it is often more about are you a good fit for the school, team, country etc.

If it is that type of interview they may talk about performance review policies, benefits or even salary if they are prepared to make you an offer.

I could be way off though.

Ive never heard of the school, but it doesnt sound like a very reputable one, I cant imagine they would be anything better then a tier 2 school.

Wrldtrvlr123 is on point here. Usually heads arent that familiar with any specific subject well enough to really ask content related questions. By the time your too the second interview its pretty much about what kind of fit you would be with the schools culture and environment. It will probably be a lot more like a casual conversation, then an "interview".

They will most likely introduce if not outright discuss contract specifics, such as salary, allowances, benefits, work hours, etc. Youd be better prepared going into it, knowing how much your worth, and what your deal breakers are.

ABC international school? I have a mate that's been there a few years n is happy enough.

[quote="stellalocal"]ABC international school? I have a mate that's been there a few years n is happy enough.[/quote]
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Oh! That would make more sense, but they are not a Search school (and hadn't heard of them before).

The Alphabet School would be ABC. It's a British International School - they tend to hire outside of the whole international job fair circuit, much like the other British schools in the region. It's not a bad school, but definitely not the place to stay for a long time. If you are a Brit, then it's a good place to start. If you are from anywhere else, I would continue searching.

You are new to this business, right. Here is some of the best advice you will ever receive: don't ever listen to PsyGuy - full stop.

If its described as "not a place to stay long", thats usually a pretty strong indicator that the school is actually a bad school.

I know a number of people working at different British schools in HCMC, they've all been there at least 3-4 years. And they're all v happy. None of them are in Vietnam to earn big money, that's not why you become a teacher. They all enjoy a good life though and a decent work life balance.

I agree that Vietnam is a wonderful place. However, there is a big difference between the British international schools in town (ABC and the British International School).

ABC has a reputation for labeling their schools as whatever curriculum the local expats think they want ie "Australian" in one school, "British" in another, "Singaporean" in a third. They aren't necessarily any of those.

If they aren't a Search school that might tell you something about them. A friend of mine who used to work there, says the owner is the dodgiest guy on the planet, or words to that effect (and perhaps a bit less polite).

[quote="relaxedjkt"]
If they aren't a Search school that might tell you something about them. [/quote]

I don't get that comment. Are you suggesting that any decent school would go through Search? I'm not sure that's necessarily true of British schools.

Most of the British schools in this region do not go through Search - and some of them are excellent. You will have to go through the TES or directly through the school websites.

Cheers.

Search has some pretty low standards of all the agencies, there are some really horrible schools that recruit with Search. Search has about 400 IB schools in its database, and outside the USA there are just over 2000 IB schools, thats a lot of school not using Search. There are a number of schools that really dont HAVE to use recruiters including Search anyway. ASIJ and ISB (Beijing, Bangkok, Brussels) dont need to use an agency. They could fill their vacancies using just their own HR department.
Many British schools recruit over TIE and COIS

Well, firstly, I said it's NOT really a British school (the owner is Singaporean if that helps), and secondly, if EVEN Search won't handle it, what does that tell you?

Clear enough?

[quote="relaxedjkt"]Well, firstly, I said it's NOT really a British school (the owner is Singaporean if that helps), and secondly, if EVEN Search won't handle it, what does that tell you?

Clear enough?[/quote]

Nope, not really.
Many (most?) international schools have owners from the area of the school. Many are run as businesses. The point is, if it is following a British curriculum it's classed as a 'British' school, and they often don't go through Search. Are you suggesting that the other 'British' schools around the world are run by the British government?