
Meet Dr. Spilchuk…
Online Teacher Consultant
Dr. Barbara Spilchuk offers assistance, advice and advocacy for international teachers caught in difficult situations abroad. She can be contacted through the link at the bottom of this page. She invites teachers who need assistance to contact her. She would also appreciate hearing from teachers who already have navigated through difficult International teaching situations so that she can continue to learn in order to help others who request her assistance.
Dr. Spilchuk has taught at a Canadian University in the areas of “Teaching, Ethics and the Law”, Classroom Management Practices and Language Learning. Dr. Spilchuk has been a teacher, principal and director both abroad and in Canada. She also does contract work in ESL/EFL and in other curriculum areas for educational institutions both in Canada and abroad through her business, EMP Consulting. For more about Dr. Spilchuk please search Barbara Spilchuk on Google or Yahoo.
Disclaimer: As with any service, the results of your contact with Dr. Spilchuk may vary for a variety of reasons. When you contact and engage the services of Dr. Spilchuk you therefore agree to accept full responsibility for your decision to contact her, and for any and all results of that contact and her advice. You also agree that ISR Inc. may post your letter on International Schools Review with names, dates, schools and all identifying data changed to protect your identity – unless you tell us differently in advance of posting. In the case that you incur any damage, real or perceived, as a result of the posting of your letter, you agree to hold Dr. Spilchuk and International Schools Review.com harmless.
Articles & Columns by Dr. Spilchuk
A Case of Docked Pay
March
Waiting to Hear Back from Schools
February
A Story of Deportation – Working as a Local-Hire in Kuwait Without a Work Visa
Crisis at International School Lusaka, Zambia
April
Note: The letters from Neil Sookoo (school director) to Dr. Spilchuk that comprised the April, 2013 column have been removed. Mr. Sookoo erroneously claimed to have collected money from Guangzhou Nanhu International School through third-party mediation in China. In fact, there was no settlement and the school did not pay any funds to this individual. Mr. Sookoo did, however, pay funds to the school for what he terms “payment for the medical insurance policy,” while the school classifies his payment as a penalty for early termination of contract. ISR regrets this error.
Would You Sacrifice Your Overseas Career?
May
No Teacher Should Have to Go Through This (Member only article)
April
Evacuated From Libya With No Support
My Contract Prevents Changing Schools
March
Old Guys Looking for Positions
Still Waiting for the Actual Contract Details!
January
Interview With Dr. Spilchuk – Advice for Job Seekers
October
Should I be paid while waiting for my visa?
September
My experience at my overseas school was the most difficult of my professional career
July
When should the pay period begin?
Educator in Abu Dhabi Faces Charges
March
Recruiter Tells Father it’s Difficult to Visit Daughter at Gulf International School Kuwait (members only)
February
Breaking-Up Overseas
TIE (The International Educator) Adopts New Policy & Reverses Blackballing of Teacher Who Broke Contract in Sudan (members only)
November
International School Stuttgart Accused of Unethical Conduct by Educator (members only)
September
I’ve Been Fired – Can You Help?
August
How Can I Contribute to the Success of International Education
July
My Lebanese School Blackballed Me In The U.S
Dr. Spilchuk to Present ISR Cases at Paris International Education Conference
June
Dear ISR Readers – A note from Dr. Spilchuk
January
Should I go to the conference and accept a position while waiting to hear from the school I really want to hear from
Major recruiting agency offers advice to teachers on breaking contracts
November
Sudan holds teacher for naming teddy bear “Mohammed”.
October
I was unfairly dismissed because of my race. They gave me a 24 hour notice
September
Director of Al-Bayan Bilingual, Dr. Brian McCauly, Expresses Concerns About ISR Web Site.
August
Emotions Flair Over Kuwaiti Schools
An Administrator and a Teacher with Opposite Opinions about Kuwait Incident.
July
Should I Be Concerned About My Own Job Safety
June
Is Accepting a Position by eMail Legally Binding?
May
My Kids are Not Happy at Abu Dhabi International School
April
Please Help Me Choose a Good School
February
Should I Reveal My Health Condition?
Should We Tell Our School We’re Breaking Contract?
November
My School Has Been Shafting Foreign Teachers
August
Vicious Gossip, Intolerance, and Clique-Building
July
Blamed for Something I Did Not Do.
June
Teachers that Don’t Show Up
May
Picking the Right School from a Distance
April
Short Money on Your Paycheck?
March
A Stalking Situation.
February
Mental Health
January
Black Balling.
Resigning your position
Detained in Kuwait
Katherine Phillips had been barred from leaving Kuwait by a powerful parent who put a retaliatory travel ban on her. (members only)
August 2007
School Breaks Verbal Promise. Teacher Loses Job (members only)
September 2007
Unfairly Fired in Mexico City
Ann Infante, school counselor, barred from school & office by school administration. (members only)