Before you sign on the dotted line you’ll want
to get the answers to these questions
about an International School

1. How does the director and the board of this international school treat the faculty?
Are administrative decisions that directly affect faculty and staff based on fair evaluations of a situation and with the academic integrity of the school and welfare of everyone in mind? Or, are the needs of faculty, staff and students neglected with administrative decisions based strictly on a desire to make money? You’ll want to avoid the “for profit” international schools that put you and education last and the owner’s pocketbook first. This type of information about an international school isn’t usually spelled out at an interview. Teachers reveal this information in International Schools Review.

2. What’s the general attitude of the faculty at this international school ? 
Is the faculty at this international school a cohesive group that works well together or is this international school a hot bed of gossip and back stabbing? Working with a group of teachers that exchange ideas and move forward as a group can be the most rewarding experience of your teaching career. Getting stuck in a quagmire of people exercising their personal agendas can be the most frustrating experience. International schools have personalities that come out after you’ve been there for a while. Getting the inside word from teachers already teaching at a particular international school is information well worth having. Our international school reviews bring you that information.

3. Is this international school an academic institution with high academic standards or is it made up of kids from wealthy host families essentially paying for grades? 
Getting trapped at an international school where everyone is supposed to get an “A” is a nightmare. If you’re new to the international circuit, and find yourself at such a school it may come as a surprise the first time a very wealthy parent addresses you as a servant paid to provide high grades to their over-indulged and under-motivated child. Worse yet, the administration may support this parent. On the other hand, landing at an international school with high academic integrity and a motivated student body is a dream job. Here the challenge becomes keeping the students challenged. What could be better? At such a school you grow professionally and get to experience the joys and satisfaction of teaching. You’ll surely want to see our international school reviews section to find out what type of school you may be getting involved in.

4. Is the director an educator and familiar with curriculum or is he/she essentially a business manager who has little interest in the academic functioning of the school? 
Teaching at an international school where all effort goes into outward appearances with little energy focused on academic standards is frustrating at best! Beautifully painted buildings and well kept grounds attract parents but are no substitute for a real international school. On the other hand, when a qualified director takes an interest in what is happening in the classrooms and keeps their finger on the educational pulse of the school they can help to initiate and guide programming and motivate teachers and students alike. You’ll want to know what other teachers have to say about a school you’re considering. Our international school reviews bring you that information.

5. What is the attitude of the local community towards foreigners? 
Do you feel uneasy and somewhat threatened while out in the community, or are you at ease and able to relax and enjoy yourself? Are you endlessly harassed by people begging for money or can you go just about your day as one of the crowd? Do the locals you meet get to know you because they actually take an interest in you, or are you just a trophy-friend for locals to flaunt? What’s it like day-to-day in a particular living situation is important to know and spelled out in our international school reviews section.

6. What are the travel opportunities like? 
Are there countries of interest to visit within a few hours flight? Some countries have airports that are easy to get through. Others have airports that are such disasters you need to employ someone from the travel agency to get you through the maze of red tape and on to the plane. Such an airport will make some people opt to avoid travel. This is not a good situation and something you sure don’t want to find about about first-hand. It’s better to read an international school review.

7. What is the level of technology at this international school? 
Is there a decent connection to the internet and does it work on a regular basis? Does thisinternational school have up-to-date equipment and software or is it masquerading as an international school with a computer program. Beyond the implications this has for the students, the internet is imperative for international teachers who want to keep in touch with family and friends and handle financial responsibilities such as banking and mortgage payments online. A poor connection that rarely works correctly can be unacceptable to many international teachers and this may not be revealed at the recruiting fair. It is revealed in an international school review.

8. Will you receive what was promised to you at the recruiting fair, both verbally and in writing? 
This applies to housing, health insurance, car usage, shipping allowance, assistance with visas, etc., etc. Once you land on foreign soil you have little recourse. Teachers reveal this important information in International Schools Review.

9. What is there to do on weekends and after school in the community? 
Some communities host a variety of culturally interesting things to do while others offer absolutely nothing and you spend your weekends wishing it were Monday morning. For many people a culturally dead area can be worse than a sentence. In some locations you can do everything there is to do during your first weekend. Now what?An in depth international school review will fill you on this sort of information.

10. Overall, how do teachers feel at the this international school? 
Are teachers happy and content and members of a solid school or are they frustrated and just sticking it out. Breaking a contract usually means being blackballed with the recruiting agencies. If teachers are fleeing a particular international school you’ll get that information in International Schools Review