Discomfort due to culture shock
If a teacher has a better offer, or decides to resign on a mere whim
It is not appropriate to break a contract with very little notice, though they would have NO problem doing this to you.
1) Conflicts between you and individuals you work with. Resolve them! If it is your immediate superior and they are jerks…shut your door and hide!
2) Dissatisfaction with the country or people/students inside or outside the school…stick it out and leave when you have finished the contract!
3) Homesickness, loneliness….you’re the adult…learn to adapt…overseas isn’t for everyone!
4) Skipping out for a better, more lucrative deal elsewhere…you hurt good people because of your selfishness and lack of professionalism!
When you have not given advance warning and there will be no one to cover your classes. You need to think of the students first.
Being unhappy in the country, or school, homesickness
Unhappiness with school or location
General dissatisfaction
School wasn’t what you thought it was but the conditions of the contract are being met. You find out others are on a different pay scale contract from you – you thought it was OK when you signed! Don’t like the country after all (should have researched better). Got a better job offer. Your salary effectively drops because the currency in your home country fluctuates. The boss you like leaves.
With no notice or no reason explained
Unhappy with position, school, environment (give it a chance – you’re there for a “different” experience). It wasn’t what you expected.If your reasons for wanting to leave are personal, e.g. unable to settle in the country
You just don’t like the school, assignment or the country
I think it is inappropriate to break a contract if you’re unhappy with the school or country; mood swings can’t justify selfish behavior.
Don’t like the culture, owners, fellow teachers or students
Because it’s harder than you were expecting or you aren’t able to handle living overseas as well as you thought you would
Just leaving for the summer or winter break and not coming back is inappropriate but people do so out of fear of losing money.
There is no need to break a contract. In all my contracts there has been a clause stating that if I give three or four months notice, then I can get out of the contract.
When there are not professional reasons or merely personal feelings about the country, etc.
Once you are in, you should stay and fight.
The teacher is dissatisfied with the school or country for personal reasons. The teacher is homesick or missing friends/family. The teacher is finding the teaching assignment more challenging than anticipated. The teacher finds out about a more appealing or lucrative assignment available elsewhere. These are all poor reasons to break a contract.
On a whim, or if it is just inconvenient for one to fulfill the contract
If you haven’t tried to give a suitable amount of time to get used to a new country, the school is supportive and up-front, and if you just wanted a few months in a foreign land without the responsibilities
I believe in honoring a commitment.
It is inappropriate to break a contract when the school of employment has behaved above board and has, or is endeavoring to resolve issues affecting individuals or staff, in a prompt fashion.
1. One’s personal or teaching style differing from coworkers or superior 2. Inability to adjust to culture. This should have been well researched before signing the contract, if this is a possible issue.
I think it’s inappropriate to break a contract just because a better job comes along, as one teacher did last year. She left after 6 weeks and caused real hardship for students and the Admin team who had to find a replacement in October! I myself was hired because a teacher had broken her contract due to a family emergency. These things can’t be helped, but teachers undermine their reputation as professionals when they fail to return after a holiday and give the school no warning of their intentions. Bad form!
Change of heart, a better offer, whim reactions, dislike of colleagues or administration
1. A better offer comes up during the contract. 2. “Culture shock.” In some cases it’s best then that the teacher suffering from culture shock leaves. However, it’s often a phase and being prepared for it in the first place and being proactive helps get the individual get through it. 3. Ignorance. Didn’t think the job would be “like that.” You should have researched it before you came.
When you are simply fed up and frustrated
It is inappropriate to break a contract when the teacher is not happy with the city/country (if that was accurately described by the school). However, if the school is deliberately misrepresenting itself, then that is a different situation.
Unprepared for overseas challenges (not asking enough questions)
Under most contracts, teachers know what they are getting into, and there is no need to break a contract.
If you don’t like housing, admin, school, resources, classroom, schedule… every school has it faults.
I do not feel it is inappropriate. Teachers must consider teaching only a job and do what is right for them. If they do not do this, teachers will continually be taken advantage of and exploited.
Just to “move on”; to get a better position in another school nearby
You don’t like the culture or country…you need to stick it out and ride the storm. If you did improper research on where you were going… tough beans to you! The children and families are affected to a degree where their year in jeopardy or the organization cannot find a replacement within reason.
I believe that if someone is unhappy at the school, then staying or not being allowed out of their contract will not make them a better teacher.
Suck it up, stick it out, and move on. That’s what they invented booze for.
Minor changes in teaching load – changes in condition that could not be avoided and are compensated
You shouldn’t break a contract if you simply don’t like the school or the principal. My first school was horrible – by comparison, all other schools look great! The fact is, no matter how bad a school is, you owe it to your colleagues to stay. Your leaving will make it all that much worse for them.
You don’t like the food or the people of the country; you are not suited for the city where the school is; you have too much work, etc. Before you sign a contract, you should do the research and get your questions answered. If there is deceit involved, then you have every right to leave. Otherwise, you made a commitment; you need to follow through.
