Well, I did, so yes! I was in an international school, not a local one.

I can recommend Village Camps very highly. They do adventurous trips in Switzerland, France, England and China.
http://www.villagecamps.com/
My school has used them for 6 years now and they always provide an excellent experience.
Phone and have a chat with Nick Tranter in Switzerland.

Cheers finedude, still looking....

I'm with Sid.

@pauljorg
I didn't just drift in off the street, you know? I transitioned into teaching IB as an 8 year teacher and head of department, with 6 years teaching A levels in my subject area. If you have your kids in a good school, they should be taught by credentialed and experienced teachers who essentially CAN TEACH and teach very well. Staff are also interviewed personally for ethos and fit. Teaching IB is a great ambition for many teachers as schools do not employ you lightly. The best schools are highly sought after, and can pick and choose.

If the school is charging you a ton of money and NOT hiring properly qualified staff and NOT seeking accreditation from a reputable agency then look for another school. Check that the school is a not-for-profit and that is has accreditation from WASC/IBO/NEASC etc. If you are unhappy with a teacher, go and talk to them.

On a slightly sour grapes note......that old adage about everyone knowing what teachers do because they went to school seems to hold true. People in jobs other than teaching learn new things all the time - new computer systems, new policies, new government requirements, new carbon-neutral regulations...They may only have an afternoon, or a few days training to get their heads around it, then it's straight on to implementation. They haven't reinvented the wheel, or themselves from the ground up. They don't walk back into their office new born. It's the same with teachers, they can still teach, they just need to incorporate adjustments. Why do you think, Mr Jorg, that we are somehow making your kids pay the price for our careers?

Your kids are at the centre of our universe, whatever we are teaching.

Yeah, I'm with Fine Dude. Bit drastic to go all the way back to Canada. If you like the international life, then find a school who will give you the opportunity to learn on the job and go to workshops. You can take online training too, just to show your enthusiasm and commitment! This will help you get a job in an IB school.

It's called an Administrative Deportation. JIS finished yesterday, and most folks were flying out then or today or tomorrow anyway. There's no note made in the passport, no force or compulsion offered, and no strictures about returning to the country. The people concerned simply fly home, reapply and come back in the new term with new visas. Whilst it doesn't happen all the time, it happens quite regularly when some swivel-eyed lunatic wants to apply a bit of political pressure. Periodically, this type of face-saving ire is directed at diplomatic staff too, often those associated with the Australian embassy as the nearest western power to lash out at.
So doesn't the education ministry look cool now? "Yes, we deported 20 teachers! This has really helped the situation!"
In fact, some good is already coming out of this horrible situation. Indonesia is talking about the fact that child abuse happens, as it happens everywhere. It is estimated that approximately 1 in 100 males have these proclivities and whilst many do not act upon them, some do. They are always there, sadly, and as teachers we must always have this at the backs of our minds. The best defence against these predators is dialogue between ourselves and with our children.
JIS is still a fantastic school, and still will be when term starts up in August. It has educated thousands of Indonesians who will go on to fulfill important roles in Indonesian society. Short term political and religious agendas will not be allowed to seriously impact this contribution. I wish them well after such an awful tragedy.
I hope that the "HUGE implication" for all international schools, not just Indonesian ones, are improved systems for the detection of sexual predators and the protection of our students. I know for a fact that the majority of international schools are doing just that - looking at their own systems and taking advice on how best to go forward.

It's silly season in Jakarta. General elections and Ramadan. Those with the biggest mouths and axes to grind, with political and religious agendas and who want to bash the west have come up with their usual nonsense.
Changing the names and hassling ex-pats over visa issues are par for the course.
If you look carefully, MOST schools all around the world are obliged to teach religion.
Apparently this problem, as the OP said, is fairly perennial.

We did it in 5 so you could do it in 10. Hook up with someone working for one of the Education City universities and you'd do it faster cos they get paid even more money than teachers for doing strikingly less work.
And apply for one of the meaningless MYP jobs going like AoI co-ordinator, or TIF or some such nonsense and you can laze around all day and not even teach any classes. The MYP people at the IB don't know what the @#$@ they're doing so you needn't.
And you wouldn't really be selling out, and quite a lot of people actually like Doha.

Qatar Academy

If I am recruiting I go all out and join everything, ISS, TIE, the works. However, we only opted for the Search fair. Obviously, one has one's targets, but if the net is spread wide then keeping an open mind is easier when unexpected options present themselves.

Yeah, the kid thing's a kicker.......you can have an allowance to send them to other schools though. It's a GREAT benefit.
Personally, I think they might snap you up.

Does your school health insurance last until the end of your contract? Interested to know. i.e. if your contract expires on July 31st, does your health insurance cover you until that time.

Hi All
Anyone know a good school that needs an experienced business/finance manager? PM me if you know of any openings.
Thanks
Cheery

I once complained to my director as some well meaning person in the school sent round misleading ads about the British pension system devised by a similar company, and trying to scare people into opting into this sort of rubbish.
However, my school doesn't force us into anything and the person who sent the info around was just trying to be helpful.
Yup, you are right. Those companies are shite and prey on people they think are ignorant of investment practises.
They are legal, and they do resemble many UK style investments, but they are still shite.
Totally with you on this one.