Teaching at international schools... why not

Teaching at international schools... why not

The number of schools offering international programs
continues to grow in the country's major cities, particularly in
Jakarta.

The increase in the number of these world-class schools not
only offers parents a wide range of options to provide high-
quality education for their children, but also creates attractive
job opportunities for would-be teachers.

Teaching at international schools, with students of different
cultural backgrounds, can also be quite challenging. Are you are
interested in this particular job?. If so, you need to get the
answers to these questions (below) before applying for a job.
These tips are part of many useful tidbits provided by
International School Review on its website
www.internationalschoolsreview.com

How does the director and the board of this international school
treat the faculty?

Are administrative decisions that directly affect faculty and
staff based on fair evaluations of a situation and with the
academic integrity of the school and welfare of everyone in mind?
Or, are the needs of faculty, staff and students neglected, with
administrative decisions based strictly on a desire to make
money? You will want to avoid the "for-profit" international
schools that put you and education last and the owner's
pocketbook first. This type of information about an international
school is not usually spelled out in an interview.

What's the general attitude of the faculty at this international
school ?

Is the faculty at the international school a cohesive group
that works well together or is this international school a hotbed
of gossip and back-stabbing? Working with a group of teachers
that exchange ideas and move forward as a group can be the most
rewarding experience of one's teaching career.

Getting stuck in a quagmire of people exercising their
personal agendas can be the most frustrating experience.
International schools have personalities that come out after
you've been there for a while. Getting the inside word from
teachers already there is information well worth having.

Is the international school an academic institution with high
academic standards or is it made up of kids from wealthy families
essentially paying for grades?

Getting trapped at an international school where everyone is
supposed to get an "A" is a nightmare. If you are new to the
international circuit, and find yourself at such a school it may
come as a surprise the first time a very wealthy parent addresses
you as a servant paid to provide high grades to their over-
indulged and under-motivated child. Worse yet, the administration
may support this parent. On the other hand, landing at an
international school with high academic integrity and a motivated
student body is a dream job.

Here the challenge becomes keeping the students challenged.
What could be better? At such a school you grow professionally
and get to experience the joys and satisfaction of teaching.

Is the director an educator, and therefore familiar with
curriculum or is he/she essentially a business manager who has
little interest in the academic functioning of the school?

Teaching at an international school where all effort goes into
outward appearances with little energy focused on academic
standards is frustrating at best! Beautifully painted buildings
and well-kept grounds attract some parents, but are no substitute
for a real international school.

On the other hand, when a qualified director takes an interest
in what is happening in the classrooms and keeps their finger on
the educational pulse of the school they can help to initiate and
guide programming and motivate teachers and students alike. You
will want to know what other teachers have to say about a school
you are considering. Our international school reviews bring you
that information.

What is the attitude of the local community towards foreigners?

Do you feel uneasy and somewhat threatened while out in the
community, or are you at ease and able to relax and enjoy
yourself? Are you endlessly harassed by people begging for money
or can you efficiently go about your day as one of the crowd? Do
the locals you meet get to know you because they actually take an
interest in you, or are you just a trophy-friend for locals to
flaunt? What is it like day-to-day in a particular living
situation?

What is the level of technology at this international school?

Is there a decent connection to the internet and does it work
on a regular basis? Does this international school have up-to-
date equipment and software or is it masquerading as an
international school with a computer program.

Beyond the implications this has for the students, the
Internet is imperative for international teachers who want to
keep in touch with family and friends and handle financial
responsibilities such as banking and mortgage payments online. A
poor connection that rarely works correctly can be unacceptable
to many international teachers and this may not be revealed at
the recruiting fair.

What is there to do on weekends and after school in the
community?

Some communities host a variety of culturally interesting
things to do while others offer absolutely nothing and you spend
your weekends wishing it were Monday morning. For many people a
culturally dead area can be worse than a sentence. In some
locations you can do everything there is to do during your first
weekend. Link -- www.internationalschoolsreview.com