http://www.english-schools.org/USA/ gives a list of international schools in the USA - I'm guessing these schools would value your experience. You say your husband is a British citizen - is he a teacher - the "British" schools on the list might suit him. It is a big step - UK teachers working abroad can live like kings and queens whether they are earning a fraction of a UK salary, the same salary in a cheap country, and a tax free salary plus benefits at one of the better paying overseas schools can mean effectivley double what they earn at home plus cheap living. I imagine it's pretty much the same story for US teachers. But what you do have over those that never ventured overseas is the knowledge that your move "home" to the states doesn't necessarily have to be forever. Teachers salaries aren't great anywhere (except Switzerland and maybe some other exceptional places) but two salaries is enough to live on and have some fun - and it doesn't have to be forever!!!

If you venture anywhere near the SABIS or chew the fat schools don't even touch the bargepole. No really, don't!

Will it change that much? "Show me the pounds" becomes "show me the dollars". The rest depends on personal situations - it will favour some and deter others, depending on financial obligations.

Just be nice. Email, phone, press your face against the window of my classroom or whatever. Just be nice, that'll do. Gifts are great - everybody loves gifts.

Interesting. I've done 5 gigs overseas and had housing for the duration of the x years contract with 4 of those. Every job that I turned down alos offered it. The exception was a school in, yes, Egypt - not one of the top schools I must add, that all provide housing for the duration of the contracted period.

I would guess the reason for posting a year later is no to burn bridges. Yep, I'd figured all that out about when they pay your housing up to and realised it is "stated in the contract". That was not my point.

So where exactly are you supposed to live while you see out your contract before moving on in August or September for your next job. If a contract includes housing or an allowance surely it should be for the duration of the contract. If you are talking supply/cover/substitute work then that's a different story but if you hire staff overseas for a contract of x years then the housing should be for the same duration. This isn't rocket science - and the small print means very little - anyone who employs me and then tries to take advantage of me will be directed to the "small print" of my CV that indicates that I accept contracts at shools that treat me with a level of respect in keeping with the standards of the profession. Every school is different as is every expat deal but the employer, like the employee, is surely bound to fulfil certain duties.

It's the AUC - American University of Cairo. Also there's a newer GUC (German but in English) and BUE (British University in Egypt). Don't know how they compare in terms of standards though. CAC is indeed probably the best school for your son in terms of facilities, location, student body, curriculum and treatment of students and teachers - avoid the other "American" schools and maybe consider two of the British schools (BISC and NCBIS).

Yep, it's all true. Bottom of the bottom tier. Stick it out a better job will surface.

Suit or jacket and tie is the norm. That's what 99% of job seekers will wear and the vast majority of the recruiters.

Add the following South American schools:

Top tier:

St Nicholas
St Pauls - both "British" IB schools in Sao Paulo with very good packages, P more established, N more in tune with things

Middle tier:

The Grange, Santiago, Chile - pretty good hard currency equivalent cash but Chile relatively expensiv, occasional bizarre management decision
Markham College, Lima, Peru - great lifestyle, good school

Yeh I agree there's always a balance to be struck. It's not about throwing money at it. There are schools that pay the big bucks but fail to deliver on other fronts. But the priority should always be the staff (from highly paid expat teachers to low paid maintenance staff and cleaners). The package should be as good as it can be to attract the best. It should also, along with the environment, be good enough to retain the best. Staff should always come first because they are a schools greatest resource and should be valued as such.

No, if I am on the management/board my first priority is my staff because if you get that right the rest follows. Teaching might be a vocation (and it is for me) but my job is most definitely not a vocation. Treat your staff right just like you would in any field and they will look after the rest of it.

British School of Manila pays tons more (and did before the dollar fell) so it's got little to do with the tuition they can charge or the nature of the country. BSM, ISKL, SAS, JIS all pay well because they understand why they should.

"If the retention of teacher is high and they are attracting candidates that they are satisfied with, why should they have higher salaries?" - I think this question answers itself. There are many very good gigs in schools that don't pay so well but many of them can and should pay better - it usually comes down to sound financial management. As a boss you first priority should never ever be the student or the institution it should be your colleagues just like it would be if you were the boss of a profit making company, a hospital, a military unit, a brothel or anything else.

Many of us have worked at big payers and small payers and yes you are right to say we shouldn't judge them on this basis. But this doesn't answer why ISM pays so little when it could pay much more. It will always recruit good teachers as much as the big payers do but it could pay more if it could be bothered which perhaps is the point. The good teacher that is not thinking about money will go but the one who is a good teacher with a money need will not and that is the rub for some and the school in question. Good school, good benefits, good money for Manila but bad compared to the rest in the region. Mystifying indeed why it pays so low but a good gig all the same.

No, it's not the top paying school in the country - the British School of Manila pays tons more and is one of the best payers in South East Asia. Solution - don't apply and don't go if money's the be all and end all. JIS is probably the best payer in terms of cost of living and saving potential in the region. The best Singapore schools pay very well but it is relatively much more expensive to live there. On the plus side, Manila is very very cheap for most things, the school is good and incredibly well resourced and does in fact pay very well when you add up all the benefits, cost of living, quality of life and saving potential.