Overseas American Schools and Overseas British Schools

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 abroad, but it is not usually a requirement.

One thing that teachers should check before submitting their resume to an international school is how the school has labelled the year levels. A school following the American system will be K-12. This means that a British teacher will need to 'translate' their experience from year levels to grade levels - and vice versa.

The general rule is that British schools run from Reception through to Year 13 and American schools run from Kindergarten through to Grade 12.

British teachers subtract '1' and call it a 'grade'.

American teachers add '1' and call it a 'year'.

Recruiting Timeline for International Teachers and International Schools

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!

Is An Overseas Teacher An Indentured Servant?

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 the contract early if some unexpected catastrophe should occur.

Breaking your contract (leaving the school before the contractual period runs out) should only be done as a last resort because it can seriously hinder your efforts to land another teaching job abroad. The community of international teachers is a very small one and word will spread if you break your contract without a good reason.

Most international school directors are reasonable people who are experienced international teachers and recognise that there are occasionally circumstances that force you to break contract.

Such circumstances may include:

* A critical change in the political situation in the host country which changes the level of safety for foreign workers.

* The health status of a close relative at home or one of your dependents changes and you need to go home.

In these circumstances your best course of action is to approach the school’s director and discuss your options. By approaching the director and negotiating a timeline for your departure you will preserve your reputation as a good employee and receive a good reference. Most likely you will be expected to work out a period of notice in line with the country’s employment laws and you are likely to lose your bonus and repatriation benefits.

Where is the Best Place to Teach Overseas

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 Help
Teachers 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 cost of child care too, particularly in home child care.

When you teach abroad you can choose to live and work in a country where you will be able to afford a nanny. Many international teachers with children employ nannies, especially in South East Asia where the cost of living is very low, and as a consequence, local salaries are low too.

Where is the Best Place to Teach Overseas

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 Activities
Choosing 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 teach overseas, or take up new ones. Many international teachers move to regions that allow them to indulge themselves in this way.

If you ski, then Europe and Korea are options you may consider. You can teach in Vienna for example and take a train to the slopes for the weekend.

Divers tend to look for international schools in Thailand or the Philippines. Thailand currently has many more international schools than the Philippines, so you are more likely to find a teaching job there.

Because most international schools are situated in urban or suburban areas, there is usually a wealth of activities you can take part in. While living in Bangkok I have attended Indian musical evenings organized by the Indian Embassy, attended numerous balls, learnt how to ride a horse and taken numerous dancing lessons in many different styles. My colleagues are more adventurous than I, they run in marathons, compete in triathlons, mountain bike, dive, play golf, and the list goes on.

To find out if you will be able to continue your hobbies in different countries you can search on the internet or check out the ‘activities’ section of the relevant Lonely Planet Guide.

Where is the Best Place to Teach Overseas

International School Recruiting Fair Tips

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 interested in, do so, then go along for the interview practice. One result of this is that you could find out a school you really didn't think was your cup of tea turns out to be perfect for you!

Another result of using this interview strategy is if one of these schools that aren't on your hit list the only school that offers you a contract (and I'm sure this won't be the case) then working for a slightly undesirable school for a year or two will at least get your foot in the door of international teaching and make it easier to geta great job next time around.

One last thing... in preparation for the international teaching job fair I attended in Bangkok this month, I took a friend out to lunch and quizzed her about interview questions. I was going for the same kind of job that she currently does in my school. I found that it really helped me get my head around what I wanted to say at the interviews. And a good idea of what recruiters were looking to hear from me!

International School Recruiting Fair Tips

Networking Tips for International Teaching Job Fairs

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 have no trouble at job fairs.

I think you'll find that if you screw up the courage to say something simple like "Hi, what position are you interested in?" when you're standing in the lines at the sign up session you'll see what I mean.

Teachers love to talk, just give them an opportunity and you'll be networking your way through the job fair.

Networking opportunities can be found in the candidates lounge, in the corridors while you're waiting for an interview appointment, in the lifts on the way to an interview appointment and if you lurk around the candidates mailboxes you'll find a steady flow of overseas teachers too.

Networking Tips for International Teaching Job Fairs

Benefits of Signing up with an International Teaching Job Fair Organisation

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 the fair organiser. You can often feel somewhat reassured that the schools have been vetted prior to your interview and subsequent hiring.

2. Many international teaching job fair organisers require schools to complete a questionnaire that will give you information that you may not find on their website and it's not appropriate to ask about at interview - the benefits package for example, or the number of local students in the school. The information in this questionnaire is usually made accessible to candidates through an online database, so international teachers can search for countries or vacancies they are interested in. You can access this information and contact schools that interest you, without having to actually attend the job fair.

Access to this information can give you an edge over other candidates because you will know more about the school and can contact recruiters with prior knowledge.

3. When you attend the job fair you will have access to people who are already teaching overseas and may know about teaching at the very schools which interest you. Take the time to talk to the other candidates, find out where they are from and where they are going. You'll be amazed at what you can learn about the different international schools.

Learn more about international teaching job fair organisers...

The job fair organisers also vet the overseas teacher candidates. If you aren't accepted to attend a job fair it does not mean you are not a desirable candidate. There are alternative job hunting strategies you can use to find a teaching job abroad.

Learn how you can land your own teaching job abroad using my proven strategies and job hunting techniques.

Teaching Overseas with Children

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 getting an international education. Essentially your children will not only benefit from expanded horizons themselves, but they’ll be getting a private education too! Teaching overseas is not for the faint-hearted, but the risks of making a poor decision can be managed.

One thing to consider is:

Learning difficulties and learning support
If your child has learning difficulties don’t try and hide it from the school because you’re worried that the situation will affect your employability. If it does, you probably don’t want to work there, and you surely don’t want your child going to school there! Learning support departments are becoming more common in the better schools, and as a consequence there’s a raised awareness of special education and supporting children with difficulties. To find out whether learning support is available at a school you’re thinking of applying to work at, check their website for a list of departments or a list of staff. If there is no mention of learning support provision, either ask the school directly or have a friend email the school, pretend to be a prospective parent and ask for you.

FAQ - Will I make more money teaching overseas?

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 different opinions on how much is enough, don’t we?

You should do your homework because just as individual teachers needs are vary, so do international school packages and the cost of living in different countries. It is possible to make loads and loads and put your investment portfolio on the map (or cover the map with your travels! Or both?), but it really depends where you go.

Western Europe doesn’t have the same potential for earning that the Middle East or South East Asia has, but you’ll still make enough to live reasonably. Even in Western Europe, some schools pay better than others, and Eastern Europe is a whole other set of conditions again because of the low cost of living.

Go into teaching in an international school with your eyes-wide-open and you will end up having a fabulous and lucrative experience.

FAQ - Where can I teach overseas?

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 first question is… just about anywhere!

One way you can find out whether there’s an international school where you’d like to work is to ‘Google it’. I simply typed in ‘international school Bangkok” and up popped a whole page of listings.

Of course this isn’t the way to go about landing your new teaching job abroad, but you can certainly check out how many schools are available in the destinations you’re interested in.

Teaching overseas is an awesome opportunity to restore your enthusiasm for education. You can find overseas teaching vacancies online for free. Knowing how to make the best use of those vacancy postings in order to maximise your chance of securing a coveted overseast teaching job? Well, that's where my expertise lie... I've refined my strategy into the one-stop, all-you'll-ever-need, international teaching guide.

Where can I teach overseas?

Want a Private Education for your Children but You Cannot Afford It?

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 know that there are over 4000 international schools worldwide, all requiring teachers to staff them, many of them offering excellent quality private education.

Picking a school that suits both your children’s needs and yours can be challenging, but it is possible. In a recent interview I conducted with international teachers, Maggie Hos-McGrane, an international teacher of 19 years experience said that after she had completed her research she’d found only 30 of the more than 4000 international schools suited both her and her children. If you have children, here are some things you should consider when applying for teaching posts abroad in international schools.

Is the school out to make a profit?
There are a number of different kinds of international schools to choose from, some are run by a board and are not designed to make a profit, and others are run by an individual or company in order to make a profit. Some are supported by companies or embassies, the list goes on...

As a teacher you will be concerned that the school’s educational philosophy matches your own. As a parent you want to insure that your children’s education is the priority of the school, rather than the amount of money spent on educational materials and the effect that will have on the school’s owner’s profit.

There are some directors or owners of international schools that may be more interested in the financial benefits of running a school than the education benefits to the students. Be aware, both as a prospective employee and as a parent.

Is the school accredited, or a member of an appropriate association?
International schools can become accredited by an organization that sets educational and operational standards for international education institutions. One such organization is the Council of International Schools (CIS). In order for an international school to become accredited by CIS, they must go through a rigorous appraisal process which looks at the staff and management, the facilities and, the quality of teaching and learning in the school.

If an international school is accredited, then you can be confident that the quality of education provided by the school is high. Most schools that are accredited by an organization like CIS advertise their status on their webpage, brochures and stationery. Keep an eye out for logos and such. These will let you know which organisations have a relationship with the school.

Other organizations that offer accreditation for international schools are NEASC, COBISEC, ISCIS and the Association of Christian Schools International, to name a few.

How many students are in the school?
This is particularly of concern for parents of high school aged children as the number of students in a school may affect the number of subject choices offered at higher levels. For example, if there are only 30 students in the graduating class, then the school will have to limit the number of subjects being offered to make it cost effective. For example, a small school may not have the numbers of students to run both business studies and economics. Or may not have the numbers to run maths higher, maths standard and maths studies. This can often affect profit and non-profit making schools alike.

Additionally, the number of students in the school can affect the number and type of extra curricular activities offered, and therefore your child’s opportunities to experience team sports and other activities that are usually run after school.

When a school has a large number of students, this can also mean that the school is more likely to have a well-stocked library, well equipped laboratories, up-to-date computer equipment and outdoor activity areas. This is usually true of larger schools simply because there is a larger pot of money to fund these facilities from.

On the other hand a school that has thousands of students, while usually offering a wide variety of subjects and activities for students, can often be an anonymous place for children. It is up to you to decide what a good balance is for you and your family.

Which curricula does the school subscribe to?
There are international schools abroad that offer what is essentially a national curriculum. In fact, in the case of many British schools abroad, it’s even called the National Curriculum.

You can find international schools that are running the national curriculum from America, Britian, Australia, Canada, France (usually taught in French), and so on. Securing a teaching contract in an international school that offers the national curriculum that you and your children are used to will help ease the transition. However, you are not limited by the curricula that you have taught in the past, international schools are generally looking for good teachers and realize that we can adapt and teach any curriculum.

When you are looking for a good school for your children, you may run up against some curricula that you haven’t come across before. For example, there is the school wide system offered by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). The IBO offers the Primary Years Programme up to Year 6, the Middle Years Programme from Years 7 to 11, and the Diploma Years Programme for Years 12 and 13.

Which examinations will your children be working towards?
There are a number of examinations available for international school students, and you will need to understand the options before making any decisions about accepting an employment contract.

I mentioned the IBO previously as being a school wide programme. However many schools adopt bits and pieces of the programme. You may find that an international school offers the Diploma for the upper two years but offers the British IGCSE for Years 10 and 11. IGCSE is an examination based qualification, and the IBO Middle Years Programme has no formal examination assessment, students get a certificate and a record of achievement. Some international schools have a mix and match attitude to the curricula offered.

International schools that run national curricula tend to prepare students for the related national exams. American schools overseas run a mixture of state curricula and AP courses.

I am primarily concerned with helping teachers get teaching jobs in international schools. Here I have listed just a few of the factors you’ll need to consider if you are interested to get a private education for your children by teaching overseas. While I don’t have any children of my own, many of my colleagues do, and they believe that the education their children are receiving abroad is better than what they could get back home, wherever home may be.

You can find out more about the benefits to teaching overseas and the pitfalls that await the unknowing newcomer by listening to Overseas Teachers Talk, a collection of interviews with experienced international educators.

7 teachers = 50+ years experience and every corner of the globe.

Teaching Overseas

EARCOS, EARCOS, EARCOS!

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 mainly information literacy and information technology workshops. Wow, there's an awful lot I didn't know.

I've learnt about Wikis, more about using podcasts in education, how to construct eye-catching handouts that students are going to want to read and so much more.

I think the most exciting thing I've seen in the last two days is just what people are doing with podcasts to enhance good teaching practice. I know I've written a little bit about podcasts before, but I only scratched the surface of the great things you can do with Podcasts. I'm going to be looking into it further, and you can see what I post on my squidoo site dedicated to podcasting for educational purposes.

Another thing that has surprised me about the EARCOS conference is the number of people that have come from schools that aren't international schools. Now, you might have noticed that I promote teaching in international schools as the only kind of teaching institution in which you should be teaching, but even if teaching overseas isn't for you, you can attend the professional development conferences that we do. It's all good quality stuff.

Teaching Overseas Professional Development

Did you get a chance to check out the EARCOS website?

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 notebook for taking notes and a couple of postcards. Sweet!

I've looked into the speakers and have marked in the conference logbook all the sessions I would like to attend. Luckily nothing on Saturday morning interests me, so I don't have to be in there until lunch time on Saturday. There are a number of sessions that will contribute to my professional development as a teacher, and a number of sessions that deal with issues particular to teaching in an international school, as well as subject specific workshops.

I'll let you know how it goes...

Teaching Overseas Professional Development

EARCOS - East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools

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 say the school will be closed for two days so that we can attend the conference. I'm looking forward to a number of the presentations. To see what professional development is available in the Asian region for international school teachers check out the EARCOS website.

Something Peculiar about this Time of Year at an International School...

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 thinking of going and buying a new one... but one of my colleagues is selling one! Cheap too!

Last year I treated myself to a water cooler which I love! I used to keep a water jug in the fridge, but when you're living in 34 degrees C, I tell you a water cooler is a must.

When you've secured your teaching contract overseas, you might want to ask to have your email address put on the school circulation list. Then you can see if there is anything the leaving teachers are selling that might suit you. The year I came here, I was sent this kind of information and could have furnished a whole apartment out of the stuff being sold.

You might not be into second-hand stuff, I'm a little wary of it myself, but some of the stuff being sold is of great quality! And only used for 2 or 3 years!

Teaching Overseas

From the Horse's Mouth, to use a cliche

I recently interviewed an experienced recruiter from a leading international school, here's just one piece of advice from him...

When you read vacancy advertisements for international teaching posts. Don't assume that you won't get the job just because they're asking for applicants with a Master's Degree and you don't have one.

'Nothing ventured, nothing gained' is the response I got when I asked about this in the interview. Regardless of whether you exactly match what the school is asking for, you should submit your application pack.

International schools are looking for great teachers, and that doesn't always mean years spent getting academic qualifications!

You can check out this interview and 7 more in Overseas Teachers Talk - an Interview Series with International Teachers.

Do you travel much? Do you want to travel more?

As an international teacher I only teach around 185 days in a year. That means I have around 12 complete weeks vacation each year. I'm not counting long weekends here either!

So, I guess you could say that I travel loads! I've just bought new luggage tags for my back pack that I'm really excited about. I'm sure you're wondering how anyone can get excited about luggage tags! Well, these are bag tags like no other!

You see, Globalbagtag provides worldwide 24 hour protection for my luggage using the internet. And it's not just your luggage that's protected, Globalbagtags protect your home from thieves as well.

Your address isn't on the tags, your address is held on the Globalbagtag database and is only accessible to airport security and airlines via a secure internet website. Random thieves cannot check out your luggage tags then go and rob your house while you are away on a trip.

Does this sound good to you? I was so impressed with the idea that I bought myself a set. I haven't travelled with them yet, but they're on my bags ready for my next trip. They're pretty stylish too!

Just think, when you secure yourself a contract teaching overseas, you can inform Globalbagtags of your new address and start travelling right away, with complete peace of mind!

That's what I'm doing...

Teaching in a Muslim country.

There are over 4000 international schools worldwide. Many of them are located in countries where the official religion is Muslim. In light of recent events, this may put some teachers off from applying for teachng positions in these countries. I hope this article will shed some light on what your life would be like living in a Muslim country.

You would probably be expected to follow the Arab calendar for holy days and holidays. The people I know who have taught in Muslim countries have worked 5 days a week, but the weekend was always either Thursday and Friday or Friday and Saturday. Additionally schools are usually shut for a short holiday to celebrate Ramadan.

Depending on how strictly a country follows the teaching of the Koran, families where the main income earner is a female may not be able to find teaching positions. This is because some Muslim countries have work permit regulations that preclude women from being ‘head of the household’. In these countries, teaching couples are welcomed.

In most countries men and women will be expected to dress modestly. For women, this may mean wearing a head covering, or it may simply mean being covered from shoulder to knee.

You may be expected to live in a compound. This will mean that you and your family will live in a gated community with other expatriate families. This can often work out very well for families as there will be other children to play with and the very nature of a gated community should afford parents some piece of mind with regards to a child’s safety.

Teaching in a Muslim country is a personal choice. You should ensure that you know what cultural differences you will experience before you sign a contract. One source for researching culture shock and the differences between what you're used to and what you can expect in a new country are the Culture Shock! Guides.

It's a small world! Surrounded by flying objects!

This afternoon I am busy putting together study notes on communication technology for my senior students.

It suddenly occurred to me that there are loads of little (or not so little) satellites in geosynchronous orbit around the world with the job of making it possible for me to use international direct dial (IDD) to phone home.

I phone home a lot!

Since I've been teaching abroad I've noticed a lot of changes in communication technology. When I first started 10 years ago, I didn't know anything about email. I wrote and sent postcards (real ones, not electronic!) and letters. Then I moved onto sending my parents faxes. I am so impatient I couldn't wait for 3 weeks for the letters to get home to NZ.

In my recent interview series, Overseas Teacher Talk, quite a number of the international teachers I interviewed mentioned that a drawback to living overseas is the distance you are from your family. But with all the options for communication there are around today, you can be as close or as far as you like! I probably talk to my family more when I'm living abroad than I did when I was living in NZ. And I make a real effort to stay in touch with my friends too.

I love email, but when I travel, I still send postcards.