I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as if I were putting you down. I wrote this while my homeroom class was requesting to watch 'The Shining' for their Halloween festival, so I was in a Jack Nicholson frame of mind! You're right, this is absolutely the place to ask questions. I know I do.
Either way though, please don't break contract if you really want to work at a tier one school. Two years will go by before you know it and then you'll have a shot at a school you're really interested in. Others have given you good advice about tutoring to make extra income. Completing your contract will make you look GOOD and then you'll be able to put that school behind you forever. Think about it.
Thinking about breaking contract...
I know, all of the advice that I received is excellent and ultimately correct. I think I was just feeling exhausted, under-appreciated, and under-paid when I wrote it. I was also feeling tempted because some of my "top schools" have positions in my position, and there is no guarantee that will be the case when I do leave.
To be really competitive at a Tier I school, I will probably have to stay here for 3-5 years, because this is the position that I want to stay in. This is my 1st year of teaching high school, and although I have several years of middle school under my belt. If I want to stay in my current HS position, at a Tier I school, they will want to see that I have been successful at it for several years.
So again, thanks all for the sound advice. I will continue to do my best and hope somebody notices after 3 or 5 years. :)
To be really competitive at a Tier I school, I will probably have to stay here for 3-5 years, because this is the position that I want to stay in. This is my 1st year of teaching high school, and although I have several years of middle school under my belt. If I want to stay in my current HS position, at a Tier I school, they will want to see that I have been successful at it for several years.
So again, thanks all for the sound advice. I will continue to do my best and hope somebody notices after 3 or 5 years. :)
I don't work for an IS, I work for DoDEA and we have contracts as well. I would not hire someone that broke their contract for the reasons that you stated. Sorry, and not to sound cruel, but that's a you problem, not a school problem.
On the other hand I would hire a teacher that broke a contract if they had to return home to care for a sick loved one, or for their own health reasons had to head back to their country to receive care that may not be available to them in their area.
Life is tough and your choice is a tough one. I would weigh all of the risk before bailing out. You're almost half way through this year so look at it this way, you've only got 1 and half more years to put up with these things before you can look elsewhere.
And as another poster said, start looking for way for you to make more money.
On the other hand I would hire a teacher that broke a contract if they had to return home to care for a sick loved one, or for their own health reasons had to head back to their country to receive care that may not be available to them in their area.
Life is tough and your choice is a tough one. I would weigh all of the risk before bailing out. You're almost half way through this year so look at it this way, you've only got 1 and half more years to put up with these things before you can look elsewhere.
And as another poster said, start looking for way for you to make more money.
Discussion
What do you mean "half way" thou their contract. Assuming they started in August, this is October!!! That's less then 2 months into a 2 year contract. They probably aren't even through their probationary period yet. It's possible they could apply and get an offer before the current job and school is even a line item on their résumé. Even if you assume they get the offer in January, that's still far from half way.
Yes, mstaller, do listen to PsyGuy, who apparently has worked in every country in the world, even though he job hops every single year, yet has somehow managed to score a "junior administrator" job in Texas. Wait, no. Sorry. Denmark.
Also, be sure to ask him about that time his supposed school in Denmark sent him to Search Sydney undercover to interview potential candidates in the lobby.
mstaller, please take the advice of teachers actually working at international schools.
Also, be sure to ask him about that time his supposed school in Denmark sent him to Search Sydney undercover to interview potential candidates in the lobby.
mstaller, please take the advice of teachers actually working at international schools.
Reply
The more you move the more you see and I value my anonymity. She doesn't have to ask, she can search for the post here on the forum. All your personal attacks aside, QSIs school in Italy does not provide housing.
stay
If you break...you will probably (70/30) end up in a worse place. Period. If you stay you will have a much better chance at finding a better school. Relax. Figure out your money issues and do a good job. Then get a healthy start and acheive your goals. It is only Oct. and you are talking about leaving already. Hold fast. Things will get better...
But Psych guy is also right. Do what you have to do. These schools operate how they like and teachers have no recourse, no union, etc. They want a free market but not when it goes the other way. How come it is always the teachers who are the ones whose ethics are questioned when they make business decisions just like the schools do?
I do however think it will be hard to explain away that -1 yr broke contract-experience.
But Psych guy is also right. Do what you have to do. These schools operate how they like and teachers have no recourse, no union, etc. They want a free market but not when it goes the other way. How come it is always the teachers who are the ones whose ethics are questioned when they make business decisions just like the schools do?
I do however think it will be hard to explain away that -1 yr broke contract-experience.
I would very much like to break contract, but I decided I won't. It won't hurt me to stay here for the full two years. I'll become nearly fluent in Portuguese (I'm already able to converse fairly well after fewer than 3 months here). I will likely be in a much better living situation next year, one where I can surf every weekend very easily.
I think I could land a good job at a good school if I decided to leave, but I also want to teach internationally for the next ten to fifteen years, before I retire, and I want to have a very good record.
It sounds cliche--while you can't change the situation you are in, you can change your attitude about it. Do what you need to do to be happy, but beware of landing in another situation where you will immediately be unhappy again.
I think I could land a good job at a good school if I decided to leave, but I also want to teach internationally for the next ten to fifteen years, before I retire, and I want to have a very good record.
It sounds cliche--while you can't change the situation you are in, you can change your attitude about it. Do what you need to do to be happy, but beware of landing in another situation where you will immediately be unhappy again.
good choice
I hope it works out for you. Hang in there. Believe me. There are horrible schools out there and you aint in one of them it appears. Look at the positives and work to improve yourself where you are at. In your caase it will pay off and you will acheive your goals.
Comment
I think you made the right decision, really if you were in a horrible school, you wouldn't be asking if you should stay or go, you'd be asking how to minimize the damage when you leave and are applying to those other schools.
Follow the other posters advice about making more money, many teachers can and do supplement their income with private lessons and tutoring. The only real limit is how much time your willing to put into it. I know one teacher in Japan, a music teacher who teaches 60 hours a week, he makes almost 3 times what his coworkers do.
Lastly, I know you don't see it, but consider that how your feeling probably shows through to some degree at school/work. Admins are pretty good at reading people, so really finding what makes you happy about your current school and work will help a lot. You don't want the end of the year to come and be told "it's not working out" or the end of your contract come and your reference turns out to be neutral, or anything other then positive.
Follow the other posters advice about making more money, many teachers can and do supplement their income with private lessons and tutoring. The only real limit is how much time your willing to put into it. I know one teacher in Japan, a music teacher who teaches 60 hours a week, he makes almost 3 times what his coworkers do.
Lastly, I know you don't see it, but consider that how your feeling probably shows through to some degree at school/work. Admins are pretty good at reading people, so really finding what makes you happy about your current school and work will help a lot. You don't want the end of the year to come and be told "it's not working out" or the end of your contract come and your reference turns out to be neutral, or anything other then positive.
I definitely believe that you should honor your contract, but for the sake of discussion...I know at least 3 people that broke their contracts this year for a variety of reasons. It basically boiled down to life is too short to be unhappy. 2 of them traded up to better international schools (but not Tier 1) and the other went home without penalty for health reasons.
-
stellalocal
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:21 am
I know a number of people that have broken contracts, most usually find another job before leaving.
Some have done a runner without any notice, others have given plenty of notice eg. January time for the following academic year. All have managed to continue their careers.
Those that gave their notice in January were not penalised in anyway, they left with their full salary, gratuity and flights etc. However, they may have been lucky as they were at decent enough schools.
It is early days now though, it's always difficult starting at a new place and you have to give it a bit of time. If you're desperate to leave in January as problems are still not sorted it would not be the end of the world to give in your notice.
Some have done a runner without any notice, others have given plenty of notice eg. January time for the following academic year. All have managed to continue their careers.
Those that gave their notice in January were not penalised in anyway, they left with their full salary, gratuity and flights etc. However, they may have been lucky as they were at decent enough schools.
It is early days now though, it's always difficult starting at a new place and you have to give it a bit of time. If you're desperate to leave in January as problems are still not sorted it would not be the end of the world to give in your notice.
Hi something I noticed "straight out of uni" and posts about over preparing means the op is a new or unqualified teacher? And wants to break contract after a year and go to a top tier school? Lucky to have a job!
Please correct me if wrong but post has unqualified/just got piece of paper qualified all over it and working at a school with either no support or the OP simply isn't listening to feedback to adapt lessons to the needs of the learners.
Please correct me if wrong but post has unqualified/just got piece of paper qualified all over it and working at a school with either no support or the OP simply isn't listening to feedback to adapt lessons to the needs of the learners.
Hang in there
I am in my 10th year of teaching overseas in 4 very different schools and locations. Each place having a unique set of challenges none of which I could have ever anticipated. My guess is if you skid out of one contract/challenge you are surely going to walk into another one. It is just the nature of the gig. Stick it out. You say you are in a tier one school (I don't really believe in the tier system) but if that is what you believe, you have it pretty good, and it may not get any better. If you continue to move away looking for the "ultimate" you will be moving around forever.