Personally I wouldn't be skeptical of long stays.
I'd be more inclined to be skeptical of unchecked ambition.
I've known people to make the jumps to Head of School within 10 years, and I've known people to take much longer. The latter have done better in my experience.
There is so much to learn in admin... It would be far too easy to rise above your ability. A longer preparation time could mean a better chance that you're actually ready for the new responsibilities. Or it could mean you were best suited where you were. So hard to tell, and so hard to speak in absolutes.
Admin Advancement
Psyguy - from your past posts, I gather that you are in your 1st year of your 1st admin position in Northern Europe at a regional (local) school. This is as an IB coordinator. At my past schools, this position would be a step below assistant principal status.
Before then, you spent a short time in Italy (maybe 1 or 2 years) as a teacher and before then have worked in Japan and Egypt (well, somewhere in the Middle East, which I understand was not all that much fun.)
You have also posted about working in Hong Kong (I think – but, maybe not as a teacher).
I have experience of being in two of the uber schools that often get mentioned in this forum as being Tier 1. I have also worked at a proprietary school in China, as well as one of the better regarded schools in China.
In that time, no one was hired for any type of admin position at those schools – even the proprietary one - who had a history of short stays in previous positions.
In fact, I can't think of a teacher I worked with at any of these schools who had worked for so many different schools in such a short time frame.
Maybe one – and she recalled to me how many heads referred to her as a “teacher touristâ€
Before then, you spent a short time in Italy (maybe 1 or 2 years) as a teacher and before then have worked in Japan and Egypt (well, somewhere in the Middle East, which I understand was not all that much fun.)
You have also posted about working in Hong Kong (I think – but, maybe not as a teacher).
I have experience of being in two of the uber schools that often get mentioned in this forum as being Tier 1. I have also worked at a proprietary school in China, as well as one of the better regarded schools in China.
In that time, no one was hired for any type of admin position at those schools – even the proprietary one - who had a history of short stays in previous positions.
In fact, I can't think of a teacher I worked with at any of these schools who had worked for so many different schools in such a short time frame.
Maybe one – and she recalled to me how many heads referred to her as a “teacher touristâ€
Update
Overseasvet2 advice is really sticking with me the most. The board wants what would take 3 years done in 1 year, and it doesn't make sense to take a position I can't be realistically successful, with a board that's going to tie my hands one way or another.
[quote="WeDoDude"]Interesting, Hallier. What kind of person would inflate their resume on an Internet message board meant to assist teachers with making informed decisions about their lives? [/quote]
I'm not sure. He definitely attracts a fair bit of attention!
Whether Psyguy is actually mulling offers to be a Head from one school, or a teacher at a Tier 1 school, is hard to believe.
Mainly because it is late May - that's an awfully late time in the process to be leaving your job (in May, no less!) and a crazily late time to be hiring a head of school. And any Tier 1 school I have been associated with is rarely hiring in late May.
Having said all that, his scenario is still possible.
You can resign late in the piece in Europe, some utterly dysfunctional schools do hire heads 4 weeks out from the end of the school year etc etc, some teachers do post on message boards in the middle of the night ...
I replied simply because I thought some folks might be interested in my observations about the employability of people who bounce around from school to school to school - whether they are teachers or admin.
From personal experience, it is a career killer.
I'd be interested to hear other people's point of view on that issue.
I am not talking about breaking contract, more leaving at the end of each 1 or 2 year contract, so that you quickly amass a long list of past employers.
How can that be explained at job interviews etc?
What's more, if you want to be a senior admin at a credible school, then your resume is read by the teachers and school community who are usually able to ask you questions in a public forum. How would you explain that to them?
In my experience, the occasional short stay is defensible; however, it needs to be augmented with some lengthy stays where you actually contribute something tangible to the school.
I'm not sure. He definitely attracts a fair bit of attention!
Whether Psyguy is actually mulling offers to be a Head from one school, or a teacher at a Tier 1 school, is hard to believe.
Mainly because it is late May - that's an awfully late time in the process to be leaving your job (in May, no less!) and a crazily late time to be hiring a head of school. And any Tier 1 school I have been associated with is rarely hiring in late May.
Having said all that, his scenario is still possible.
You can resign late in the piece in Europe, some utterly dysfunctional schools do hire heads 4 weeks out from the end of the school year etc etc, some teachers do post on message boards in the middle of the night ...
I replied simply because I thought some folks might be interested in my observations about the employability of people who bounce around from school to school to school - whether they are teachers or admin.
From personal experience, it is a career killer.
I'd be interested to hear other people's point of view on that issue.
I am not talking about breaking contract, more leaving at the end of each 1 or 2 year contract, so that you quickly amass a long list of past employers.
How can that be explained at job interviews etc?
What's more, if you want to be a senior admin at a credible school, then your resume is read by the teachers and school community who are usually able to ask you questions in a public forum. How would you explain that to them?
In my experience, the occasional short stay is defensible; however, it needs to be augmented with some lengthy stays where you actually contribute something tangible to the school.
Dont agree
The head position is an entirely dysfunctional 3rd tier school, but its still head. The tier one school in Brazil has a medical leave replacement. Our deadline for renewing our contracts is June 1 (and this is in europe).
At this time of year the sun doesnt really set until after 10pm and rises before 5. It really messes up my sleep schedule. If i cant fall asleep by midnight, theres no use going to sleep for me.
I havent had a problem with bouncing around with my resume. Then again ive been at this 8 years and havent worked at an elite school yet, some tier 1 mostly tier 2 schools, and one horrible tier 3 school in egypt. I dont see it as a career killer in my experience, in my experience actually the opposite is true, and its more an expectation. Generally international teachers in my experience take about 6 years and 3 changes before they settle down. They start at a tier 3 school or a tier 2 school in a undesirable place. Then for their second contract they move up a tier to school in the same region or over to a more desirable region at the same tier. For their third contract they are finally in a place to move up to an elite school in the same region (where they want to be) or over to a tier school in the place (region) they want to be. Its about a 6 year process, once their they tend to get comfortable, until an elite school vacancy opens up in one of the REALLY plush places. Somewhere they can see themselves retire out from.
Ive usually found that your either: 1) happy where you are, 2) moving up, or 3) going home. When i see the educators who have been at the same school "happy" for 5+ years its usually because they are content with the region, and lifestyle, the school, what there teaching, or they have family attachments.obligations that keep them there.
At this time of year the sun doesnt really set until after 10pm and rises before 5. It really messes up my sleep schedule. If i cant fall asleep by midnight, theres no use going to sleep for me.
I havent had a problem with bouncing around with my resume. Then again ive been at this 8 years and havent worked at an elite school yet, some tier 1 mostly tier 2 schools, and one horrible tier 3 school in egypt. I dont see it as a career killer in my experience, in my experience actually the opposite is true, and its more an expectation. Generally international teachers in my experience take about 6 years and 3 changes before they settle down. They start at a tier 3 school or a tier 2 school in a undesirable place. Then for their second contract they move up a tier to school in the same region or over to a more desirable region at the same tier. For their third contract they are finally in a place to move up to an elite school in the same region (where they want to be) or over to a tier school in the place (region) they want to be. Its about a 6 year process, once their they tend to get comfortable, until an elite school vacancy opens up in one of the REALLY plush places. Somewhere they can see themselves retire out from.
Ive usually found that your either: 1) happy where you are, 2) moving up, or 3) going home. When i see the educators who have been at the same school "happy" for 5+ years its usually because they are content with the region, and lifestyle, the school, what there teaching, or they have family attachments.obligations that keep them there.