tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70516905421706366752012-01-09T11:15:44.683-08:00Learn all about teaching overseas from someone who is doing it right now. Kelly Blackwell is an international teacher with more than 11 years experience teaching overseas.Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.comBlogger1181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-44857347446876341992008-11-01T00:46:00.000-07:002008-11-01T01:01:35.988-07:00

Teaching abroad is a fantastic opportunity to explore the world, teach well-behaved students and earn a generous and often tax-free salary. But it is not all a bed of roses, there are some drawbacks. One major drawback is being so far away from family if something goes wrong. However, this concern should not stop you from moving your teaching career abroad. There are some steps you can take to

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-85986015918946692912008-10-12T20:42:00.000-07:002008-10-12T20:44:57.973-07:00

Are you facing a personal financial crisis that seems endless and unsolvable? Find a teaching job abroad and go from the bottom of the financial food chain to the top.When you are struggling to make ends meet a radical change in your life is called for. It is a fact that teachers are not well paid, but international teachers working in international schools receive good salaries and most

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-24574585545324849382008-08-27T19:24:00.000-07:002008-08-27T19:31:17.796-07:00

Overseas American schools and overseas British schools are usually international schools that run American or British curriculae but are hosted in a foreign country.International teachers applying to international schools can work in either British or American international schools without having trained in those countries. If you have experience in these curriculae it can be easier to get hired

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-36784576125554192882008-08-25T17:08:00.000-07:002008-08-25T17:16:39.210-07:00

Teaching abroad can be a great experience for you if you're the one teaching, but it can be a bit less fantastic if you are a non-teaching spouse or partner unable to find a job in your new location.Sometimes it is possible for an international school to employ a partner or spouse with no teaching qualifications when the host country's employment laws allow this. However, some countries require

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-38574956697175762372008-06-01T19:10:00.000-07:002008-06-01T19:20:59.242-07:00

You may not realise but there can be a big difference between teaching abroad with a dependent spouse and being a teaching couple abroad.A teaching couple is where both partners are teachers working for the school. A dependent spouse is where one of the partners is not a teacher and not working at the school.Some international schools have a two level system of benefits. One for single teachers

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-85645707984324984122008-05-27T20:31:00.000-07:002008-05-27T20:34:09.963-07:00

There are many opportunities for teaching English abroad that are open to anybody who is able to speak English fluently. Whether you have a teaching degree or a certificate in English language teaching you can find work almost anywhere in the world.International schools are elementary, middle and high schools for expatriate children whose families live abroad. There are international schools that

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-12536623357449054522008-05-25T23:52:00.000-07:002008-05-25T23:53:39.421-07:00

Teaching positions in private language schools are easy to secure. English language tuition is a growth business in many areas of the world, in particular in Eastern Europe and throughout Asia.In order to teach English in a private language school you need to be able to speak English fluently and have a certificate from either Trinity or RSA CELTA. These courses are around 4 weeks long and can

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-67832249971956091012008-03-16T22:58:00.000-07:002008-03-16T23:01:32.553-07:00

It has been a very successful international school recruiting season for both myself and my readers, and it's only half over.I have received about a dozen emails from people telling me that they've found teaching jobs abroad in exciting places.I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your emails and congratulate you on your success!

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-61157662359987564702008-03-13T01:09:00.000-07:002008-03-13T01:19:09.344-07:00

Teaching Overseas involves moving your entire family to another country and this can be very stressful.The first step is to get the shipping companies (get at least two quotes) in to do a survey of your shipping requirements.This making an appointment with a representative of the shipping company to come to your house. You then take them around your house and show them what you're taking with you

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-11886956905694533592008-03-03T19:42:00.000-08:002008-03-03T19:48:17.731-08:00

Securing your teaching job overseas is the first step in your journey. Next comes the packing and moving part. The logistics of moving abroad are particular to where you are moving from and where you are moving to but there are some things you need to decide regardless of these specifics.One of the things you need to do is check the climate where you are going and make decisions about what

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-80059198823971647812008-02-06T19:44:00.000-08:002008-02-06T19:48:35.535-08:00

International Teaching Job Fairs can be stressful but they are one of the most efficient ways to land yourself a teaching job abroad. Find out more about how to successfully land your own teaching job abroad by attending an International Teaching Job Fair here...

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-52256264616517940252008-02-05T19:48:00.000-08:002008-02-05T19:58:54.496-08:00

This is a report I published in 2006 about the international school recruiting timeline. It's a timeless article with great information for any first-time teacher looking for a teaching job abroad. Download your copy of this two page report now!

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-52377974647488107872008-02-03T23:33:00.000-08:002008-02-03T23:52:24.955-08:00

Recently Ilja posted a comment on one of my blogposts asking a question about applying for overseas teaching jobs as a teaching couple. Here's the comment:Hi Kelly,Thanks for all your information.A question about teaching couples: when we send our application in, would you recommend we send TWO separate cover letters, or do we combine it into one letter with two resumes attached?My husband and I

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-25510894954333832542008-02-03T21:41:00.000-08:002008-02-03T21:43:44.078-08:00

Here’s how to make the right choices to protect yourself when signing an employment contract for a teaching job abroad. * Make sure that you receive a contract which states in writing all the employment conditions and benefits you and the recruiter agreed upon during the interview. Do not accept a verbal assurance because there is no come-back if the recruiter does not deliver. If the contract

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-53837475232453020892008-02-02T23:06:00.000-08:002008-02-02T23:08:52.935-08:00

You may be holding back form seriously seeking an overseas teaching contract because you are afraid of getting trapped abroad. This rarely happens. When teaching abroad you will be expected to sign an employment contract covering 1-2 years and in return you will receive a plethora of benefits and the unique experiences the come with working abroad. But this does not mean you are powerless to end

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-29574059091159475912008-01-30T02:23:00.000-08:002008-01-30T02:27:21.345-08:00

Each country has a culture and charm of its own. When choosing where the best place to teach overseas is for you, you may want to consider what effect living in a particular country will have on your lifestyle. Domestic HelpTeachers with children will find that living in a country which has a lower cost of living than at home will discover that the lower cost of living carries across into the

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-20929403724222592782008-01-27T00:15:00.000-08:002008-01-27T00:17:55.281-08:00

Where is the best place to teach overseas? It is hard to decide where to go when you look at the scope of unique and exciting experiences that are available in the different regions around the world.Leisure ActivitiesChoosing the best place to teach overseas may be tied up in the kinds of things you like to do outside of work. You can continue many of your favorite leisure activities while you

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-84375222333781055732008-01-22T02:10:00.000-08:002008-01-22T02:16:35.443-08:00

If you're just starting out as an international teacher - here are some tips to help you at you first international school recruiting fair...You need to be picky about where you go and teach overseas, but you don't really need to be picky regarding which international schools you interview with because practice makes perfect.If you can get interviews with schools that you're not sure you're

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-42557005614913466122008-01-21T05:31:00.000-08:002008-01-21T05:43:12.563-08:00

The sign up session is the most important part of the fair because this is where you convince recruiters to interview you - but it's also a dynamite opportunity to network and find out information from other international teachers. Networking at a teacher recruitment fair is really easy because we all have something in common. Maybe you are like me, I'm not comfortable talking to strangers, but I

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-23219025128436269752008-01-17T18:57:00.000-08:002008-01-17T19:15:15.012-08:00

New technique guarantees you 'wow' international school recruiters at overseas teaching job fair signup sessions!I developed this technique only recently and tested it at the recent Search international school recruiting fair I attended. It definitely got the attention of recruiters and helped me stand out from the crowd!At the fair I was offered FOUR overseas teaching contracts and had a hard

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-82828332965849653342008-01-14T18:20:00.000-08:002008-01-14T19:51:19.587-08:00

The benefits of signing up with an international teaching job fair organisation may not be immediately apparent and you may balk at the cost of registration and the cost of attending the fair itself (transport, accomodation, time off work), but the benefits can often far outweigh the cost...1. Often the schools who are invited to attend an international school recruiting fair are pre-selected by

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-36449263873472691502008-01-10T20:50:00.000-08:002008-01-10T21:02:54.264-08:00

One thing to watch out for when you are signing an overseas teaching contract is that you are going to be paid for a full 12 months in the year, rather than the 10 months you'll be working.Getting paid for only 10 months of your year teaching is not a common practice in international schools but it does happen and it could have devastating result on your family's fincances if you are not

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-38509886802985156622008-01-09T03:32:00.000-08:002008-01-09T03:42:23.192-08:00

When you are looking for a teaching job overseas, you will quickly realise that many schools offer a moving allowance as a benefit. These moving allowances can often be quite generous. If you are thinking of using your moving allowance to move you pet abroad with you it is important that you check this with the international school first. Some schools will not allow you to use your moving

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-69988766078240268822008-01-04T21:32:00.000-08:002008-01-04T21:41:22.010-08:00

I found a very informative article online this week about teaching overseas for the experienced teacher. There seems to be more and more age discrimination apparent in the teaching profession and people are either moving overseas to escape it... or moving home!It's difficult to know what effect your age will have on your job hunt, but you can make some pretty good judgements of where to try and

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-28404868456508291872008-01-03T04:32:00.000-08:002008-01-03T04:36:18.064-08:00

Teaching couples are very popular with international school recruiters for many reasons but the main one is that couples can often work out cheaper to hire in the long run.Whether you are married or not you can look for jobs as a teaching couple, most schools do not discriminate against couples who do not have a marriage certificate. An obvious exception is schools in the Middle East. It is very

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-83977397731518081522008-01-01T23:28:00.000-08:002008-01-01T23:30:58.509-08:00

When looking for a teaching job abroad as a couple, there are several options open to you:You can look for suitable teaching vacancies in international schools that will suit both you and your partner’s teaching skills. This will involve finding schools that have vacancies for both of you, a task that is easier at the beginning of the recruiting season because schools have yet to fill their

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-14812556982416680132007-12-30T01:03:00.000-08:002007-12-30T01:10:18.546-08:00

Reporting from Laos...In my experience of teaching in northern hemisphere schools, the Christmas break can be very short and come at the end of a really long term...When you are teaching overseas at an international school you'll often find that you get an extended Christmas break, even if you live in a non-Christian country. This is because the school community (that is, the paying clients)

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-78425367564616367082007-12-19T21:25:00.000-08:002007-12-19T21:39:48.914-08:00

Getting you feet wet with the Fulbright International Teacher Exchange is a great way to break into teaching overseas.With the Fulbright Teacher Exchange program you can trade places with a teacher in another country for anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 months.Exchanging you job with another international teacher is a lot less complicated than taking on a contract at an international school for 1-2

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-13614246585218294352007-12-18T21:24:00.000-08:002007-12-18T22:08:53.977-08:00

If you're looking for a teaching job overseas then you've probably checked out the international teaching job fair organisers...There are a number of international teacher recruitment fairs held around the globe, but they may not be convenient to you, so you may have decided not to sign up with any of them.This is a mistake!Many international schools looking to employ overseas teachers list their

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-24861137659252258192007-12-16T22:38:00.000-08:002007-12-16T22:40:38.412-08:00

You will need to be prepared with a mechanism to quickly and easily turn down interview requests because the chances are you will be invited to interview with schools that you have no interest in teaching for.One way to prepare for this contingency is to prepare ‘thanks but no thanks’ notes ahead of the job fair. You can then fill in the blanks on the refusal letter and either pass it on to the

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-19211227052992713962007-12-14T03:48:00.001-08:002007-12-14T03:49:25.463-08:00

You will be surprised at the number of teaching job interviews you will be invited to attend at an international recruitment job fair. You may be worried because you have sent out your resume to all the recruiters on the job fair organizer’s list of schools that have vacancies in your teaching area and yet you have received no responses, or only automated responses.Trust me, this is not a problem

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-82338042289728940152007-12-13T05:25:00.000-08:002007-12-13T05:28:41.579-08:00

December marks the start of the recruiting season for teaching jobs overseas with the first job fair being held in December in Sydney, Australia.If you haven't already sent in your application to Search Associates, CIS or ISS, you need to do it right away!Get all the insider information you need to kick start your international teaching career today!

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-68856393423425558372007-11-27T22:21:00.000-08:002007-11-27T22:27:43.727-08:00

I've been teaching abroad for 11 years, and one of the questions other teachers are always asking me is... are you making any money??My answer is always that it depends on where in the world I choose to go and teach.For the last 3 years I've been in Asia, one of the best paying regions worldwide. And today I realised that since the summer I'd let my pay build up in my bank account a wee bit.When

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-16826636872020600352007-11-21T20:14:00.000-08:002007-11-21T20:20:24.051-08:00

The recruiting season for international schools has started and is heating up as I write this.I've just checked the TES website and there are 315 job ads in the teaching abroad section. Last week there were under 300, so you need to be checking the site once a week.Usually the new jobs are listed first so you won't need to look through the whole 315 ads each week!!!Check it out now and secure

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-44809089749615732582007-11-04T00:32:00.000-07:002007-11-04T00:35:41.884-07:00

Check the international teaching job fair organiser’s website the evening before the sign up session for changes in vacancies.International school vacancies are fluid and can change from day to day, especially once the job fairs start. When you go into the sign up session take with you an up-to-date list of schools with suitable vacancies. This will enable you to line up in the lines that are

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-5354213368162553702007-10-29T18:22:00.000-07:002007-10-29T18:29:26.798-07:00

Do you have children who are heavily involved in extra curricular activities? Are you concerned that moving your teaching career overseas could result in them missing out?Here's how you can assess what each prospective new job teaching abroad can offer you and your child in terms of sports, music, drama, etc.Smaller international schools may be a pleasant change from working in a national public

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-20463009673866629312007-10-21T21:36:00.000-07:002007-10-21T21:40:33.777-07:00

Teaching overseas when you have children can involve a lot more consideration than if you don't have a family to consider. One thing you need to inquire about when you are looking at an international school abroad is what languages they offer students.Most schools will offer a number of foreign languages for your child to learn. If your child has already been learning a language, you may want to

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-15240559871018657092007-10-11T07:46:00.000-07:002007-10-11T07:49:55.083-07:00

Teaching abroad is an opportunity to expand your horizons and enhance your resume with the view to advancing up the career ladder. But, if you have a family, making sure you’ve got all the information you can find will help you find the best position for your whole family.There are many international teachers who love the lifestyle and are of the opinion that their children are the better for

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-4246539585238781092007-10-07T23:07:00.000-07:002007-10-07T23:21:56.486-07:00

When you are sending your teaching application to international school recruiters via email you will want to attach your resume, a photo, your teaching philosophy, etc. But here is where you run into a problem...Many email clients restrict the size of the attachments allowed into people’s inboxes. And while you want to attach the elements of your application pack to support you email, you also

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-27489732791550988942007-10-02T20:38:00.000-07:002007-10-02T20:45:29.936-07:00

We are so used to firing off emails to our friends and colleagues that poor grammar, spelling and layout has become habit.Now, I'm not knocking informal email ettiquette at all, and I'm as guilty as the rest of being very casual and relaxed in my attitude to paragraphing and using capital letters in my emails.But this is not acceptable in an email that you send to an international school

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-40806066076939581552007-09-26T23:43:00.000-07:002007-09-26T23:47:30.352-07:00

Do you have one of those email clients that strips out the pictures automatically... for security reasons? I do, which means that any fancy colours, pictures or formatting is completely lost on me.If international school recruiters have an email client that strips all the coding out of your emails, then your email is going to start looking very unprofessional!So, what should you do?Send your

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-71566495734078466982007-09-22T03:58:00.000-07:002007-09-22T04:05:46.122-07:00

How many emails to you get in a day? Around recruiting time, international school recruiters get inundated with hundreds of emails from hopeful teaching applicants - in addition to what they are already getting.When you send in your application pack by email with all you documents attached, your goal is not only to get your email opened and read, you also want the recruiter to open your documents

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-88200434291558347682007-09-16T06:44:00.000-07:002007-09-16T06:52:36.221-07:00

International schools come in many different shapes and sizes. There are American schools, British schools, IB schools, Department of Defence schools, privately run schools and non-profit schools, to name a few.One distinction teachers looking for a job overseas should be aware of is that of locally run versus foreign run schools. Being aware of this one difference can ensure that you sign an

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-89312552000776845132007-09-08T03:01:00.000-07:002007-09-08T03:05:14.578-07:00

Bill contacted me with this question and I’m including it (with his permission) and my answer because I think it’s relevant to getting your recruitment campaign off the ground and chugging along ‘full steam ahead’:Dear Kelly,I just purchased your book online and am looking forward to reading it. One question before I get started: I have been teaching literature for 10 years at the high school

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-3559435441600605272007-09-05T21:47:00.001-07:002007-09-05T22:00:42.779-07:00

Teaching overseas is a great way to improve the conditions you face at work every day. Especially if you land a job teaching in Asia!Asian countries in particular have a culture of respecting teachers, which makes teaching here an infinitely more pleasant experience than teaching at home.In Thailand Thursday is teachers' day and many schools hold an assembly at the beginning of the school year to

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-10454547894036521972007-09-01T00:42:00.000-07:002007-09-01T00:52:32.457-07:00

Every year since arriving in Bangkok I have made a point to attend some of the shows that are held at the Thailand Cultural Centre in Bangkok.This year is no different, next month the Bangkok Intenational Festival of Dance and Music will kick off again and I've got tickets for 4 fantastic shows. I've also got a ticket for Cats in November, not everyone's cup of tea I know, but I love cheesy

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-53743438726556394272007-08-29T22:29:00.000-07:002007-08-29T22:45:22.099-07:00

A friend of mine who has been teaching abroad for several years now is always talking about going home... Not because she doesn't like teaching overseas, it's more like, she wants to psych herself up for it, because she thinks the time will eventually come.This week she sent me a link to an article in the New York Times called With Turnover High, Schools Fight for Teachers. This is great news for

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-21312615639485400152007-08-21T20:20:00.000-07:002007-08-21T20:37:04.282-07:00

My parents will tell you that there's been a number of occasions when I've phoned them at unreasonable hours, usually in the dead of night. I've found the easiest way to find out the time in another country. Check this out! Time Zone Check is the ultimate website for checking when to phone someone abroad.It's graphical and the selected location moves as you draw your mouse across the mapIt shows

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-55476191369873057462007-08-15T00:53:00.000-07:002007-08-15T00:59:39.032-07:00

Something that's always on my mind when I'm moving to a new teaching job abroad is... Will I make enough money?One of the best ways to judge that is figuring out how much it's going to cost you to live there, and I've found this handy little tool to help you with that!Now, the International City Cost Guide is aimed at TEFL teachers, but it'll work just the same for you.You can find it at TEFL.com

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-55379194315604606622007-08-13T03:42:00.000-07:002007-08-13T03:48:15.479-07:00

Recently a UK newspaper published a story called "The best international schools around the world" which included a list of schools abroad that were recommended by 'word of mouth'.While this may not be a list that many international teachers would agree with, it's a starting point to see what schools are available for parents, and makes interesting for teachers who are looking to teach

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-20841931467918668202007-08-08T21:13:00.000-07:002007-08-08T21:27:31.265-07:00

I recently interviewed an American teacher who launched her career in international schools after a year spent teaching the British National Curriculum at a grammar school just west of London.Since then Junie has gone on to teach in 3 international schools in 2 countries that offered the UK curriculum. She has now spent more time teaching the British curriculum than the American one she

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-18318523282740562152007-08-05T04:42:00.000-07:002007-08-05T04:43:16.359-07:00

Currently there is a shortage of experienced teachers to fill key jobs in the United Kingdom. This could be your opportunity to springboard your teaching career into the international school sector.If you are looking at getting yourself a teaching job abroad at an international school but have not yet been able to land a contract, you could sneak your way in through the back door.In nearly every

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-34041072705130252322007-06-06T20:13:00.000-07:002007-06-06T20:23:12.285-07:00

NO MORE!!When you're teaching overseas you do not need to be cut off from news and events at home. Provided your favourite sources have websites you can get access. But there's a new technology that you should be looking for that will have the news delivered to you whenever the website is updated.This is an RSS feed. You subscribe to a website (and it's usually free) and then when the content is

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-84502473744290870662007-06-05T19:07:00.000-07:002007-06-05T19:10:52.340-07:00

The job market for Overseas Teaching Jobs is a competitive one. Leverage the experience you already have by putting together a targeted resume that reflects your strengths.International school recruiters are looking for teachers that have experience with multilingual or multicultural classes, but have you pointed this out on your resume? Make it clear that you have worked with students from

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-9161994355224799402007-06-03T23:07:00.000-07:002007-06-03T23:09:09.812-07:00

Finally you will start to see the funny side of it all and most of the things that made you angry during the frustration stage will either cause you to laugh or you’ll be able to shrug your shoulders and pass it off as being a feature of your new home. When you’re in this stage of the cycle you’ll begin to remember your old home without your rose-coloured glasses again.You may wonder how I can

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-73385439711059097962007-05-29T08:05:00.000-07:002007-05-29T08:09:30.767-07:00

Recognising culture shock for what it is and acknowledging which stage you’re in is the first step to lessening the grip it has on you.For example, if you suddenly feel like you hate your new teaching job because of how hard it is to make the purchasing department understand what it is you’re trying to order, recognising that this as an effect of culture shock can help you adjust your behaviour

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-88259269644843665872007-05-28T00:35:00.000-07:002007-05-28T00:38:11.168-07:00

Culture shock is the term used to describe how people feel when they are exposed to an unfamiliar culture or way of life, and the feeling of disorientation and separateness they experience. It’s a condition that every teacher working overseas feels in varying degrees, whether they’re new to teaching abroad or old hands at it.Luckily culture shock follows a fairly predictable cycle and there are a

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-54574712449173582062007-05-24T01:13:00.000-07:002007-05-24T01:22:48.893-07:00

When you're applying for a teaching job abroad, you have to have a killer application pack to sell yourself to the international school recruiter as being the best possible choice to fill the post they've got.A big part of your teaching application pack is your referees and recommendation letters.Some experts on resumes recommend that you do not include referees in your resume. I disagree and

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-1509502718779784552007-05-23T06:31:00.000-07:002007-05-23T06:33:34.648-07:00

Information for NZ, Australia, the UK and the USAIn NZ you can get a copy of your Criminal Record from the Ministry of Justice by contacting the Privacy Unit of the Ministry of Justice in Wellington.In the USA you can get a ‘Criminal Record Check’ from the local police. This will only cover the state in which you live, so if you’ve lived in a number of different states in recent time, then you

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-2151095144604434052007-05-21T22:37:00.000-07:002007-05-21T22:40:02.344-07:00

Make sure that your teaching career isn’t brought to an abrupt end because you’re unable to prove you haven’t got any convictions that would make you a danger to children. Here’s why you MUST get a police clearance certificate when you teach abroad…Police clearance certificates are as important to international teachers as their passports. Why? Without a police clearance certificate many

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-68640115271864139622007-05-20T00:45:00.000-07:002007-05-20T01:04:06.631-07:00

Your application pack is the first opportunity you'll get to 'wow' an international school recruiter. And your teaching resume is a pivotal part of your application pack.If your resume is not flawless, it's going to get thrown into the trash can along with an estimated 95% of resumes received by recruiters. You cannot afford to have any grammar or spelling mistakes in your resume because the

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-59438238886361749672007-05-17T01:59:00.000-07:002007-05-17T02:03:08.931-07:00

Teaching at an international school is an opportunity to put your qualifications to great use.You’ll be able to support yourself, often having more left over at the end of the month than you would at home, and travel extensively to exotic destinations you’ve only ever dreamed about.And guess what?Internationals school principals have been discussing an expected shortage of international teachers!

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-60065385922155602072007-05-14T22:42:00.000-07:002007-05-20T01:05:48.686-07:00

Yes you can!You may have some trouble finding a job if you’re a single parent with more than a couple of children, or something similar, simply because the recruiters know you probably won’t be able to manage financially on a single teacher’s salary and allowances.Contracts for overseas hired teachers often include such perks as free tuition for your children (often limited to two, but not always

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-20218549401069110182007-05-14T03:58:00.000-07:002007-05-14T04:04:05.472-07:00

This all depends on what kind of credentials and experience you already have.If you don’t already have some kind of teaching qualification, then you probably don’t have any other option, if you want to teach in an international school. With a TEFL certificate you can teach the English as a Second Language classes that are offered at most schools catering to expatriate children.Based on my

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-18386341061697266452007-05-12T04:08:00.000-07:002007-05-12T04:19:14.418-07:00

3. Can I get a special ed teaching job overseas?There is currently a huge demand for qualified special education teachers in international schools. So yes! Just this January a (special ed) colleague of mine went to an international teaching job fair and the schools were lining up to employ her... But she could only fill one of the many positions she was offered.To find which schools are looking

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-27355489393082277532007-05-10T19:53:00.000-07:002007-05-10T19:59:48.936-07:00

2. Will I make enough money teaching overseas to live on? What if the cost of living is high?These are all legitimate questions about moving your teaching career abroad, and you should seek to answer them before you make any life-changing decisions. I get asked these questions all the time, here's my answer...Exactly how much money is enough? This is a hard one to answer because we all have

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-80889431127132311502007-05-09T07:49:00.000-07:002007-05-09T07:58:06.210-07:00

Ever since I wrote my book The Complete Guide to Securing a Job at an International School I’ve been inundated with questions about teaching overseas. I’ve selected the most frequently asked ones to answer for you here…1. Where can I teach overseas? How can I find vacancies?There are over 4000 international schools of varying sizes worldwide and all of them need teachers. So the answer to the

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-72903100859939469132007-05-07T21:55:00.000-07:002007-05-07T22:04:48.309-07:00

Wherever you go you build relationships. Just because you're leaving your old home for your new home teaching overseas, doesn't mean you have to sever ties with the people you're leaving behind.10. Email addresses, mailing addresses and phone numbers of the friends and colleagues you’re leaving behindI also took the leaving cards I received from friends and colleagues. You may be tempted to pack

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-9535021550488468122007-05-07T00:26:00.000-07:002007-05-07T00:31:10.370-07:00

For 8 of the last 10 years I've been doing supplementary work to boost my salary so that I could afford to have a good lifestyle. I even took on extra work whilst I was teaching overseas, but that was all before I started teaching at an international school...Learn ways to supplement your teaching income at 5 Ways for Teachers to Make Extra Money, or secure a job at an international school and

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-60724747515019490792007-05-04T20:07:00.000-07:002007-05-04T20:22:54.102-07:00

You've got a contract, you've packed up all your stuff and you're boarding the plane. Congratulations! You're on your way to an exciting new life. So, what do you know about your new home??9. A guide book, culture shock bookGet a guide book! And perhaps even more importantly, get the Culture Shock book for your destination. Find out why people are bowing to you, or why no one blows their nose in

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-71041925169907114812007-05-03T07:19:00.000-07:002007-05-03T07:22:03.508-07:00

Whether your children are excited about your new teaching job overseas or not, you have to plan for their move as well as your own. Most importantly you need to take a copy of...8. Your children’s school recordsYour children will probably be attending the same school where you’ll be working. Take all their reports and transcripts with you so that you can ensure they get placed in the correct

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-61098610232633495992007-05-01T21:15:00.000-07:002007-05-01T21:22:49.943-07:00

It would be a nightmare to get to a foreign country and realize you don’t actually have the phone number or address of the school that’s supposed to be employing you, don’t you think? So #7 on my list of things you really, really need to take with you when you move overseas to take up your new teaching job is...7. Contact details of the school, a copy of your teaching contract and a copy of all

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-26348060153222961402007-04-30T08:17:00.000-07:002007-04-30T08:23:07.943-07:00

I'm sure you're addicted to your car and the convenience of driving everywhere. You shouldn't take for granted that you'll be able to drive legally where ever you end up moving to... or that you'll need to drive at all!6. International Driver’s LicenseAn international driver’s license is not a new license and doesn’t require you to take a driving test. It’s a document that you use abroad to make

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-65718329335474016132007-04-29T02:03:00.000-07:002007-04-29T02:08:35.545-07:00

It's probably safe to say that you have all your important numbers on-hand, and could easily find them in an emergency. This is something we tend to take for granted in our lives. But when we move our whole life abroad, we can lose sight of the important stuff in among all the minutae of details.5. Emergency numbersYou probably won't be taking your whole filing cabinet with you when you move

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-39419650629640242552007-04-26T23:22:00.000-07:002007-04-26T23:28:05.260-07:00

If you've been living in a developed country all your life, you have probably been innoculated against TB, Polio, Tetanus, etc. But are your vaccinations up-to-date? When was the last time you had, say, an Oral Polio Booster?4. Vaccinations and a vaccination certificateYou are going to be living and working abroad, which means that you’ll be exposed to all sorts of new organisms. Check with your

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-43704708076390547972007-04-26T08:54:00.000-07:002007-04-26T09:11:32.086-07:00

Even if you're as healthy as a horse, you still need to take your medical records with you when you take up your teaching post overseas.Why? Because it gives any physician treating you for the first time a head start... Be prepared as Sir Baden Powell would say:3. Medical records and adequate supplies of medicationsAnyone in your family that has an ongoing medical condition should request a copy

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-58542468934620793872007-04-24T22:09:00.000-07:002007-04-24T22:15:07.007-07:00

Going abroad is exciting, but when you're moving your whole life abroad for a considerable number of months, there are some things you can't afford to leave at home, under any circumstances.This is the second installment of my 'Moving On Out – Top Ten Things To Take With You When You Move To Your New Teaching Job Abroad' series.2. Original documents that prove who you are and what you

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-52000479579141304272007-04-24T01:27:00.000-07:002007-04-24T01:29:42.744-07:00

Once you’ve secured your new teaching job abroad, you’ll probably have several months to get yourself organized before taking up the post. Here are the top ten things you need to take with you when you move overseas. Read this now as some of these can take time to prepare properly!1. Passport (valid for at least the length of your contract)You may think this is an obvious one considering we’re

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-67122885424221426502007-04-23T06:02:00.000-07:002007-04-23T06:10:55.335-07:00

Private Board-Run International SchoolsLet’s face it, most international schools are going to be private. What reason would any country’s government have to run a special school for foreign children? I can think of a few and none of them are particularly good!And so, you’re going to be stuck with a private school. But this doesn’t have to be a bad thing.Private board-run international schools are

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-62455454636259414452007-04-22T01:25:00.000-07:002007-04-25T21:02:05.069-07:00

I started using this very easy to learn technique to create a letterhead several years ago when I couldn't remember whose address went at the top of a business letter I was writing!Now I simply create a letterhead with my name and contact details. It gets over the problem of remembering the correct formatting rules, and it looks really professional. Also, it's a great way to brand yourself and

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-18968965952719903212007-04-19T19:56:00.000-07:002007-04-19T20:07:06.250-07:00

Today is the last day for the seniors who graduate this year. They have negotiated the pranks they are allowed to play with the senior management and here's a picture of the one that has directly affected me... They are spot on in what they've accused me of, it looks like they really have been listening to me! They are also announcing a 'joke of the hour' over the public announcement system,

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-60137362065592905022007-04-18T05:11:00.000-07:002007-04-18T05:15:28.849-07:00

When securing a teaching job overseas is your goal, the competition will be high. There are many teachers out there who want to join the international school teaching circuit.You need to be one cut ahead of the rest in order to succeed in your goal. Learn more about how to secure that dream position from someone who has been there and done that...ME!Learn more...The Complete Guide to Teaching

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-28593463202383118452007-04-15T03:13:00.000-07:002007-04-15T03:20:55.351-07:00

If you want to be really prepared for your job interview and ensure that you land your dream job Download the Complete Interview Guide Now

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-8519454848173437972007-04-14T06:53:00.001-07:002007-04-14T06:56:40.175-07:00

I am sitting in the lobby of a hotel in Singapore right now, across from my parents.Finally, after 10 years of living and teaching overseas I have managed to meet up with my parents for a holiday together abroad.In fact, this year I'm going to be spoiled because they are coming over to Thailand in a month to spend some time with me.So, this post is short, I just wanted you to know what I was up

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-18189799290895436582007-04-12T05:48:00.000-07:002007-04-12T05:56:42.891-07:00

Many teaching couples don't teach in the same school for personal reasons. If you're a teaching couple who would like to move your teaching careers overseas, then don't be put off by the thought of having to teach in the same school as your partner.If you teach different levels, for example one of you is elementary trained and one high school, then you have very little to worry about as most

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-92197040250430156882007-04-09T06:13:00.000-07:002007-04-09T06:28:31.365-07:00

Does that sound arrogant? I certainly didn't mean to be, but I am teaching overseas and think everyone else who has teaching credentials should be doing the same. Even if that does mean increased competition for my next international teaching position!It's Easter this weekend, and I've got the next 10 days off. Yep, that's right! No going into school for me until Tuesday 17th! I'm spending 5 days

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-74386147004997749282007-04-07T05:43:00.000-07:002007-04-07T05:52:26.329-07:00

Military SchoolsA US Department of Defense school is a school that is attached to a military base abroad. The Department of Defense is responsible for providing education for school aged dependents of all military and civilian employees who are required to live abroad in order to carry out their jobs.There are over 100 US Department of Defense schools in Europe, and at when I was researching this

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-69970643774601460352007-04-06T08:15:00.000-07:002007-04-06T08:22:48.378-07:00

English Speaking ‘International’ SchoolsSome schools do not do a very good job of being an international school, rather they should be called English Speaking Schools. In fact, many schools springing up in the Middle East do call themselves just that because most of the students are local, for example the Dubai English Speaking School.The majority of the student body at an international school

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-39462386543904904502007-04-04T02:07:00.000-07:002007-04-04T02:15:35.107-07:00

Private International SchoolsPrivate international schools are essentially businesses with directors who are focussed on making a profit. There is a considerable amount of money to be made in providing private education in areas where the supply is less than demanded. This is the Economic law of supply and demand. For teachers wanting to teach overseas, private international schools can be a

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-37135473900173910132007-04-02T21:01:00.000-07:002007-04-04T21:45:52.364-07:00

This month's newsletter has information to assist you in choosing a school that will offer your children an excellent education, as well as a being a good professional move for yourself.It also has my second installment on Podcasting to Enhance Teaching and Learning, along with some other great advice about keeping your personal information secure on the internet.As I've been talking about making

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-24765009897337360282007-03-30T08:23:00.000-07:002007-04-01T18:21:17.223-07:00

You need to teach overseas! Pick a country, any country, and there will be at least one international school there. International Schools offer private education for expatriate’s children worldwide. And, while most of the parents have to pay school fees, one of the conditions nearly always included in the contracts of international teachers is free education for the teachers’ children.Did you

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-23975713419843976282007-03-30T03:37:00.000-07:002007-04-01T18:22:37.836-07:00

I'll admit that I wasn't all that happy when the administrators at my school told me I had to go to the EARCOS conference. I thought I would find a better use of my time, I do have an assignment to write for my professional development course that I have yet to start! But I take it all back...I have been attending workshops for the last two days, and I've learnt quite a lot. I've been attending

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-36987421612971805062007-03-28T00:55:00.001-07:002007-04-01T18:23:34.779-07:00

I received my conference pack today. Because my school is sending so many delegates, we were able to get the conference packs delivered today, a day early. This means we don't have to go in tomorrow and queue with all the other delegates.Don't you just love all the goodies you get in a conference pack? I received a clipboard covered in Thai silk, a traditional woven bag, a 'leather' bound

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-86231756874891819612007-03-25T20:33:00.000-07:002007-03-25T20:42:01.738-07:00

EARCOS is all about collaboration and professional development for the international teaching community.Every year they run a conference which is heavily attended by teaching professionals in the region. This year it's being held in Bangkok and the entire teaching staff from my school is going, including all the teaching assistants from the Elementary School! That's nearly 180 people.Needless to

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-63155044311720942202007-03-25T06:12:00.000-07:002007-03-25T06:34:13.798-07:00

This weekend I've been to the Kwai Horse Camp. An amazing place just outside of Kanchanaburi (of Bridge over the River Kwai fame) run by two lovely ladies of 91 and 89. I went with my friend Maggie from school and her daughter. We stayed in a wooden bungalow modelled on a traditional Thai house. We had bedrooms upstairs, and a bathroom to share. Downstairs there was an open patio where I spent a

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-70887552003154071482007-03-22T22:35:00.000-07:002007-03-22T22:38:20.640-07:00

One of my colleagues, who obviously has way too much time on his hands, sent me this link for a search engine with a difference. Check it out next time, it's much more fun than Google!Ms Dewey

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-75541168150235839022007-03-22T00:25:00.000-07:002007-03-22T00:33:42.302-07:00

It's heating up again in Thailand. It's regularly in the 30s C. Yesterday evening I went to a night market. It was lovely and cool, comparatively speaking. I had a lovely time looking around and finding some bargains. It's almost like life in Thailand has no closing time.I'm a little sad that the night market is being demolished in two weeks, sadly the powers that be think we need a new shopping

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-92127455130356993032007-03-21T01:06:00.000-07:002007-04-01T18:24:22.937-07:00

I feel like a vulture picking over the bones of my colleagues.Pretty raw picture, I know, and it's not stopping me from buying up all of my colleagues stuff!This is the time of year when teachers who are moving onto a new international school are looking at selling off the stuff they don't want to take with them. I have managed to score a new rattan bookshelf. I'm really quite excited as I was

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-36916987623008216752007-03-17T02:16:00.000-07:002007-03-17T02:50:25.363-07:00

I want to apologise for being selfish and not sharing this little gadget with you before... I have no excuse as I use it everytime I'm on the internet and would find my internet activities difficult without it. "What are you talking about?" you say...I'm talking about Roboform2Go, a little piece of software that encrypts and stores all your passwords for you. Then when you need to log in to your

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7051690542170636675.post-6625180458161560922007-03-15T07:27:00.001-07:002007-03-15T07:35:13.319-07:00

I have just returned from viewing the Senior Musical at my school. This year they chose to do FAME, a real memory tweeker for me. I grew up watching FAME on tv every week. They were very true to the music of the time, well, except for the rapping of the lead character.It was funny seeing the students play characters who were teachers. I wonder which teachers they used as inspiration for their

Kelly Blackwellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09123780431453493474noreply@blogger.com0