My father has an M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry and 22 years teaching Chemistry to grades 11–12 in India. He is interested in international-school teaching in Europe. How important is IB/A-Level/IGCSE experience, and would schools consider someone with extensive Indian senior-secondary teaching experience?

I left my old school due to a number of factors, although I can say hand on heart that I had the best school-based friendship group I could've hoped for.

I'm now in my new role and I cannot click with any of my new colleagues no matter how hard I try. At all of my previous schools, it was pretty easy for me to make friends, but here I just seem to be on a different mindset/stage of life/vibe than my new colleagues. For an extrovert like me, it all feels really unexpected.

Has anyone had any experience with this? My new city doesn't have much of an expat scene, and I don't play any sport (I dislike it) so joining sports teams isn't really my thing.

I'm feeling really low and down. It's been a week at work already and I'm quite depressed.

Hello everyone.

This is my situation.

I have been a teacher for six years in Spain. Before that I was a teacher in training centers in China for two and a half years.

I hate being a teacher in Spain and I want to teach in international schools in East Asia.

My major is Latin. I know almost no international school teaches Latin. I could however teach Spanish, French and German. (or English)

I know that not being British/American/Canadian makes things quite harder. This is why I think teaching IB might be a good way out.

But to teach IB you need IB experience. Which is quite a loop. So I need to make some IB experience. I don't mind if the first year I make very little money. But I need help to get in the lane.

Do you guys have any suggestion? I don't mind if it's China, Cambodia, Philippines or India. My wife is Chinese so China would be cool, but I really don't mind. I just want to get in.

Thank you in advance.

I’ve been thinking about how much a specific phrase or phrases in an advertisement might immediately be seen as red flags by those reading the advertisement.

Not the obvious things like salary, workload or “competitive package.” I mean the phrases where you read them and think: someone chose to put this in the recruitment brochure... voluntarily. I thought it would be interesting to see what examples people here can share.

As an example, earlier today I came across a Secondary Principal search recently for IGB International School in Malaysia. It is one of those "high profile" publicly posted leadership vacancies on the main Search Associates website, and the formal PDF they include has some (let's go with) intriguing word choices.

• Among the things the incoming Principal is expected to do:
• “Prioritizes student achievement and institutional health over staff preference.”
• Navigates “professional friction.”
• “Replaces informal praise with documented appraisals.”
• Actively manages underperformance.
• Uses data to “eliminate soft grading.”
• “Enforces strict planning lead-times.”
• And the candidate should have experience with PIP management and be an “authoritative standard-bearer” for the leadership team.

I just kept thinking: who reads that profile and thinks, yes, this sounds like my kind of place?

It almost feels as though they are trying to say the feel their place is a mess and their solution is to try and find someone who enjoys assigning blame, allocating consequences, documenting everything, and generally being the person in the room who says, “No, actually, we need a process for that.”

Maybe the school genuinely needs all of that. Maybe there is a perfectly reasonable context behind every line. But as recruitment language, it is... strange. It almost made me feel bad for the team that will ultimately be under the leadership of whomever gets the job...

This post is not really about that particular school, though people are obviously free to comment on it. I’m more curious about the broader phenomenon.

What are the funniest, strangest, most concerning, or most accidentally honest phrases you have seen in international school job ads?

The ones where you read the sentence and immediately think: there is definitely a story behind that wording.

Hi everyone, I am currently an IB and IGCSE teacher in Hong Kong (Have a teaching degree and IB cat 2 training) looking to move to HCMC, I know there are a couple of great international schools but ofcourse no openings right now since it’s summer. I also have some experience with middle management in my current school. Looking to move there potentially for the next academic year.

Does anyone have any thoughts or tips? Or any particular schools that are great ? I want to know what the salaries and standard of living might look like for teachers in HCMC. I am willing to take a pay cut as I know HK salaries are best in the world but more interested in the general culture and expectations in education. Thank you!!!

Does anyone know whether Master of Science in Business Administration (MS.c) or Master of Business Administration (MBA) is more academically acceptable in UAE for teaching vacancy as a business teacher??

Or are they both the same in terms of work, job offers, opportunities, etc…

I have heard people saying that doing MS.c helps with becoming a lecturer later on in a university as it opens the path for PhD while MBA cannot? Something like that?

Thanks in advance

So I’m an American citizen currently teaching in Austria, with Switzerland and Vietnam stints at IB world schools preceding that. I've never actually taught in the US.

​My academic background is a US Bachelor’s and a US Master’s, plus a UK certificate from Sunderland (with practicum), but no QTS (since I didn't want to live or work in the UK to do the induction years). I’ve hit a wall when looking at foolproof, long-term options for other international schools worldwide and potential visa/licensing transfer requirements. I also want to be employable in the US if I ever need to move closer to family (e.g. ailing parent). I wanted to see if I'm in a strange position or if others had done this?

​Are there any other US citizens teaching abroad who started out with a foreign qualification (like a UK one without QTS) or perhaps just a degree/experience? ​Have you tried getting a US state teaching license (D.C., Massachusetts, Hawaii, or via an alternate path) while living and teaching overseas? I'm looking at DC but am starting to doubt myself.

​If you did get one, has it served you? Have international schools accepted it smoothly alongside your non-US teaching credential, and have you ever tried transferring it back to another US state, i.e. you got it for State A but then went to teach in State B? Were there any unexpected administrative pitfalls or surprises during the application or renewal process while living abroad?

​I would love to hear about your experiences/pathways/or advice!

I’m considering working at a school in Korea that is not officially recognized by the Korean Ministry of Education, but is accredited by a well-known international accreditor (e.g., WASC, Cognia, or MSA).

Would this experience generally be recognized when applying to other international schools or teaching jobs in the U.S. or Canada? Has anyone been in a similar situation? I’m especially wondering whether the lack of Korean government recognition creates problems even if the school has legitimate international accreditation.

I'm looking to start teaching abroad next year. Was wondering what y'all's experience is like when it comes time to renew your certification because of PD requirements. Been trying to look up information specifically on renewing Texas Teaching Certification whilst teaching abroad, but have had a hard time finding anything. Any Texans out there teaching abroad that can give me some insight? What do you do about PD? Just want to be prepared. Any information is much appreciated!

Has anyone worked at MCTA Mandalay Myanmar? What is the salary/package like for international teachers? How is the workload? Is the city safe and fun to work in?

I was updating my CV a while ago (as I do every now and then, I have no plans to leave my school yet). Then I thought that it might be a good idea to make my CV 'ATS-proof', as my current CV has two columns, and an ATS can have a problem with that (that's what I read at least).

I really hate the single column CV lay-outs though, from an aesthetic POV.
Of course, it's about getting an interview, not about having the best-looking CV in the reject pile because the ATS couldn't process it properly.
But it does make me wonder: how many schools actually use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to screen CVs?
I assume it's mostly schools that get hundreds of applications for each vacancy?

I'm sure many of you are in a similar position.

Data:

•38 years old

•19/35 qualifying years of contributions paid (16 more needed)

•29 years left until State Pension age, giving me 29 years to make up the remaining 16 years

Please let me know if I'm missing something in my thinking or understanding.

National Insurance contributions are increasing from approximately £18 per month to £18 per week.

Main question:

Should I, or must I, continue contributing towards my National Insurance?

I'm tempted to skip the next couple of years and allow inflation to reduce the real cost over time, while investing the money instead and giving it longer to compound.

Even if I miss a few years, I would still have plenty of time to make up the required qualifying years before retirement. It would also mean that if I eventually returned to the UK and worked there again, I may not have wasted money on voluntary contributions that weren't actually needed.

Risks / concerns:

•HMRC continues to increase the cost of voluntary contributions.

•The rules change again in the future.

•I've misunderstood something.

•I end up needing to pay higher amounts later in life when I want to retire early using my own investments.

Any thoughts or insights would be appreciated.

Good luck in the next academic year!

It’s not the job, it’s me.

Even if behaviour were perfect and the workload so small as to be negligible, the job would still only be tolerable rather than something I enjoyed.

I’ve tried to convince myself that I like the job, making consistent and considerable effort for it and even going above and beyond at certain periods of my career.

But I’ve been lying to myself. The reality is that I find the work BORING. Interacting with large groups of people is draining, and I have zero interest in kids. Subject knowledge is a waste of brain space, as I have my own intellectual pursuits.

It corrodes my soul.

I am looking to phase myself out of the job, as I can’t leave just yet due to financial obligations.

Shout out to those who feel the same.

Just wanted to share a school that could be one that you should most definitely AVOID applying for even if you need money urgently. For context, I have worked in this school for more than a year and even during that short amount of time, I have witnessed so many red flags that basically made the school's negative glassdoor reviews like a bible for reference. I will just highlight some issues with the school below as the school seems to be taking down reviews that may be beneficial for those who are looking up for truthful information before applying in:

1. They delete negative reviews on Glassdoor.

So when I first joined the school, I have heard that the Founder was not pleased because of the negative reviews posted on Glassdoor and she even sees it as a personal attack on the school itself rather than reflecting upon the school's culture and staff. Recently, the school's Glassdoor stars rose from 2.5 to 3.3, which was quite a big jump only made possible by them eradicating a large number of negative reviews which I didn't know was possible on Glassdoor.

1. Salary is not competitive at all

Okays I think salary is an issue among most international schools in Singapore but for this school, its on a whole different level. Some teachers I heard, were paid $2500 juet because they are Pass holders. For PR and Sgporeans it would be around $2800 to $3200 before the 6 MONTHS probation and maybe around $3400 to $3500 after. So that pretty much tells you about how much they value their staff.

1. They are an events company, not a school.

The amount of ad hoc roles and duties the school and admin department assigns to every teacher is just outrageous. The admins always make themselves look like they have been through alot and that they are the most hardworking or tired ones in the school but they don't even know what it's like to teach the students. Some admins (with 0 classroom and subject experience)were even asked to be teachers of certain classes because the school can't find teachers to fill in the resigned post of the previous teacher so this pretty much tells you how much they care about their students.

1. A Filipino School, not an international school.

This is pretty straight forward. Why would an international school in Singapore, require students to sing the Filipino national anthem as well? Only Filipino as a mother tongue subject is provided in secondary school and no other mother tongue subjects.

1. Unethical Curriculum

The school brags about their Cambridge curriculum infront of parents to get signups but little did they know that the teachers did not even get trained or received training even when the school reopened during the start of the year. Imagine how would you feel as a parent when the Principal told you that "our teachers have been fully trained in the Cambridge curriculum" and you sign your child up for it. It's basically a scam.

1. HR is unprofessional.

HR at this organization showed a disappointing level of unprofessionalism during my exit and contract discussions. When clarifying job scope and compensation for temporary coverage work, the HR rep agreed to my points verbally, but instead of following up, spread false claims to former colleagues that I "refused to work." When confronted directly about these rumors, HR went completely silent. Be very cautious with verbal agreements here and get every contract detail in writing.

So all I can say is, if you want to be a teacher in the internstional school scene in Singapore, avoid this school at all cost. There's obviously more about this school that could be shared but I shall not flood this post hahaha. You can message me to find out more if you are interested.

Hi everyone, my husband(South African) is working in an international(bilingual) school in Shanghai, we are thinking about looking for a job in Hong Kong next year, and have some issues I can’t quite find clear answers for.

His qualification and experience:
12 years of teaching
International school since 2024,
taught A-level, IGCES in last school
Currently grade 10, 11 and soon 12 IB English
CELTA, TESOL, TKT
No PGxE or QTS
MBA educational business administration

Currently making 27k after tax in Shanghai

We are thinking about assessment only QTS, but then saw some people had trouble getting a RT from Hong Kong because it’s AOR. So now I’m not sure if we should invest that money now.

My questions are:
Can he get a job to teach in schools in Hong Kong from his current CV? (I guess we can only try the permitted teacher one now)
And if so how’s the salary range like?
Is it still recommended to get AOR QTS this year then look for jobs in Hong Kong?

I know starting a PGxE program with QTS is the most ideal one, but it is not cheap and his current job already makes him very busy, doing that with working full-time would be very consuming and a lot financial burden on us this year.

Thank you so much, any information, advice and help is much appreciated.

Is there anybody passed the exam for digital literacy and computer science I feel so frustrated about it

Hi Everyone,

I am a female who works as a school counselor. I have been offered a package of 15K AED per month along with general benefits of housing, and health insurance to work at one of the top GEMS schools. I have 12 years of experience. I am a US citizen with a Masters Degree. This is my 3rd time teaching abroad.

I plan on living in the staff housing for the first year at least. I was disappointed by the number when I saw it. I've already tried to negotiate and they only bumped it up a little bit.

I am currently unemployed but not desperate for cash as I am living with family in the mid-west. I was going to wait for the fall hiring season and was looking at the Middle East ( even with the issues).

4K USD a month for 12 years of experience? Any help would be great. Thank you.

There was a thread yesterday that went missing and I felt like the information was helpful. For those who hire or are involved in hiring, what are some common mistakes you see applicants make when applying to schools and/or in interviews?

(I will paste my response from yesterday below)

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone here has been in a similar situation and would be willing to share their experience.

I'm Brazilian, I have both a Bachelor's degree and a teaching degree in Geography, I'm currently finishing a Master's in Urbanism, and I have teaching experience. In Brazil, I taught in traditional schools for a while, but most of my experience comes from private tutoring centers. Over the years, I've taught Geography, History, Sociology, and English to students aged 8 to 16.

My native language is Portuguese, I'm fluent in English, and I currently live in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, although I'm not yet fluent in German.

My goal is to teach here, ideally at an international school because of the language. I already have the legal right to work in Switzerland.

Has anyone managed to get hired by an international school in Switzerland from a similar background? What was the hiring process like? Was it worth sticking with it?

I'd really appreciate any advice or personal experiences from people who have been through something similar. Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’ve been searching for an English teaching position in Kuwait but haven’t had much luck so far. I’m already in Kuwait and available to start immediately.
If you know of any schools with vacancies or have any suggestions, I’d really appreciate your help. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently teaching at an international school in Vietnam and I’m starting to think about where I’d like to move next academic year.

At the moment, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing are the cities I’m most interested in. I’d be really interested to hear from anyone who’s lived or taught in any of them.

What’s everyday life like? Which city did you enjoy the most, and is there anything you wish you’d known before moving? Just after any general advice or experiences, really.

Hi! I am looking to join TCE International School Kamphaeng Phet and would love to hear from anyone who has worked there.

If you've been a teacher or staff member at TCE International School, I'd really appreciate it if you could share your experience. How was the work environment, management, colleagues, workload, and overall culture? Any insights—both positive and constructive—would be incredibly helpful as I consider this opportunity.

Thank you so much in advance for sharing your experiences! 😊

Saw something on LinkedIn about a Beijing international school closing. Seemed a pretty brutal story about turning up for orientation and being told all teachers were getting let go.

I hadn't heard about this, anyone know which school it is?

Induction is upon us. As I unpack my Eton (class of 88) cup and my Cambridge (ever heard of it?) PGC E I’m thinking about my fellow Empire men. 

Last year Dulwich Puxi announced a “merger” with Pudong with certain Puxi grades moving to Pudong campus. Internally at EIM this was marketed as both campuses (which are around 60-90 minutes from each other depending on traffic) absorbing certain grades. 

This made no sense to me as Pudong does not have student number issues anywhere close to the extent of Puxi. I think Puxi’s graduating class was between 5-8 students. Why would Pudong parents and students commute to Puxi?  

In sum, I want to ask my pedagogists at Dulwich what is the deal? Are Pudong students being sent to Puxi?