The International Schools Review Forum

Hi All,

I have read many of the posts, as I am considering applying for a teaching position to a few International schools for the 2011-2012 year.

Here are my qualifications:

Bachelors in Education
Masters in Early Childhood Education
Teaching Certificate
Graduate with honors with each degree.

I taught 1st grade for 5 years, and switched to the Pre-K program, which I have been leading and developing for the past 4 years. This was done at a prestigious private school in the U.S.

I do not have any formal teaching experience Internationally, but I have spent extended periods of time in Guatemala, Romania, Russia, and India.

I have a husband, and 2 young children, but we are looking to expand our horizons, and possibly relocate to Singapore, Thailand, or China.

The biggest confusion I have is the application process and getting noticed. Whether this needs to be done via a job fair, or apply through the website. I also don't know if I should spend time applying to British schools, or schools where the IB is important, as I have no experience with this.

Also, are teachers with equivalent experience paid the same at each grade level? Grade 6 teacher is paid the same as a Kindergarten or Pre-K teacher with the same degree/experience?

Thanks.

K

You should have no problem getting a job. Is your husband a teacher as well? That makes a huge difference.

If you have experience teaching and have travelled or lived internationally, than that will help a lot. Some schools (especially American International ones) always seem to hire teachers straight from the US without any experience internationally. Others really go after international ones.

There is no difference in pay between teachers at different levels that I have ever heard of and I've been overseas 10 years. Salary is usually based on years experience + education.

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Thanks for the responses so far.

The big thing is, we won't be inclined to move unless the school fit is perfect. This would have to include the quality of school, package etc.

It comes with the territory, versus just going at it by myself.

My husband is a doctor, and has been thinking about getting a work permit, as he has a friend in Singapore that recently moved there to work. It also seems that getting one is not too difficult providing you have a skill they want in the country.

I don't mind going to a job fair, even for an in person interview for a top flight school, but after reading may of the posts I am hoping for a school in the caliber of Singapore American School, or the International School Bangkok, but who isn't right?

I just don't want to miss the open season at any of the schools when positions are made available.

[quote="caligirl"]Thanks for the responses so far.

The big thing is, we won't be inclined to move unless the school fit is perfect. This would have to include the quality of school, package etc.

It comes with the territory, versus just going at it by myself.

My husband is a doctor, and has been thinking about getting a work permit, as he has a friend in Singapore that recently moved there to work. It also seems that getting one is not too difficult providing you have a skill they want in the country.

I don't mind going to a job fair, even for an in person interview for a top flight school, but after reading may of the posts I am hoping for a school in the caliber of Singapore American School, or the International School Bangkok, but who isn't right?

I just don't want to miss the open season at any of the schools when positions are made available.[/quote]

Since your husband is a doctor, he won't have any trouble practicing in countries such as China, Singapore or Thailand. All good choices. There are SOS clinics in all of those places and they hire foreign doctors. Other countries are more difficult for him to practice like Malaysia where they have strict rules for working visas in that it can't take a job away from a qualified national. There shouldn't be too many places like that anyway.

Don't be too quick to judge SAS and ISB as "top flight schools". In my opinion, they are vastly overrated. This coming from friends who have taught there. Yes the package is good but the teaching philosophy isn't. For me, and forgive me for saying this, far too "american" and less international. However, you might find that works for you at the start of your career since you are coming from the states. It is definitely worth checking out smaller and lesser known schools. UWC (although pretty big) in Singapore and NIST in Bangkok are fantastic schools too.