It is difficult to stay positive.....

PsyGuy
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Inquiry

Post by PsyGuy »

The issue becomes not is IS experience superior to nothing but is the IS experience at the lower tiers superior to or preferred than continuing to teach domestically?
klooste
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:21 pm

Re: Inquiry

Post by klooste »

PsyGuy wrote:
> The issue becomes not is IS experience superior to nothing but is the IS
> experience at the lower tiers superior to or preferred than continuing to
> teach domestically?

Well if you can't get a job domestically, then I think IS experience becomes superior.

I think there are a few important things to consider when looking for a lower tier international schools:
1) is the school accredited?
2) does it receive regular inspection?

I have lots of friends who have moved on from my tier three Maple Leaf to better schools in China, or at least tier 2 IB schools.

In some cases, I think (and this is just an opinion), I think teaching abroad shows you are able to adapt to culture, and live in a different environment. I mean isn't the Beijing polliution a huge reason so many teachers are fleeing even great international schools (WAB, ISB)?
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

@klooste

Would the resources spent on an IS job search have been better allocated and successful had they been directed and focused on a domestic job search?

Accrediting doesnt mean very much Maple Leaf is accredited in BC, and theyre a bottom tier IS. There are BAD schools, real train wreck ISs that are accredited. Part of the issue is that accreditation/authorization review is generally 5 years, meaning a school really only has to polish off the binders and be on their toes once every four years.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: It is difficult to stay positive.....

Post by shadowjack »

OK guys back on topic. MizMorton IS employed with her spouse, they do have a backup plan, and why work ata crap school overseas just to be overseas?

Perhaps MM, you might start looking at next year and targetting specific schools early, and getting in touch with them very early in the season.

I know my school will be looking again - it is a great school in an out of the way place (but a funky OOTW place!)

shad
MizMorton
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Re: It is difficult to stay positive.....

Post by MizMorton »

shadowjack wrote:
> OK guys back on topic. MizMorton IS employed with her spouse, they do have
> a backup plan, and why work ata crap school overseas just to be overseas?

Honestly, because we want to travel and can't afford to now. If simply living in a foreign country constitutes traveling, I'm in. Even for just the minimum contract (our school has offered to hold our jobs for two years-- no joke, and yes, it's in writing). We are in a good place now, but we feel smothered by the monotony. We've been here 12 years, seen everything within a 200 mile radius, we want to use our passports, our brains are getting mushy. But teaching in the US means living paycheck to paycheck, so this is a good option. We also grew up overseas so we want to live abroad again as opposed to just vacation.

That said, I've gotten some fantastic, constructive PMs. Not rainbow-farting unicorn messages, just helpful information. So thank you so much to all of you who have written. And btw, this was Missy's topic originally, I just hijacked it with my big talky mouth.
PsyGuy
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Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@MizMorton

Admin/Recruiters do not like tourist teachers. I would look at your past interactions to see if you have let that information be known in your recruiting.
MizMorton
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Re: It is difficult to stay positive.....

Post by MizMorton »

No, I totally understand that. Our school's offer is our backup plan.
teachingagain1945
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Re: It is difficult to stay positive.....

Post by teachingagain1945 »

I had an administrator who said schools often want teachers to move on after 3 or 4 years as they get bored and complacent at the school. But I think he's wrong. Teachers staying a long time is good for a school, but if at any time they become complacent then it's time to go; whether that's after 3 years or 15 years.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@teachingagain1945

Your admin was making excuses.
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