Sometimes I think all this information actually makes it harder knowing what to do. When I first came overseas I happily applied anywhere and when I got offered a job with a decent salary I just accepted it and considered it a new adventure. At interviews you'd get talking to others about the 'best' schools to get into, but that was about it. Now, with all these forums I do often find myself overthinking things, asking myself is that just some bitter teacher, an admin hyping the school up, a troll etc.

Good luck, hopefully you both get something good.

Ultimately the teachers are still good and professional teachers, they've not been the happiest this year but they're still doing their jobs well. I think it would be fine for your daughter, and like I say with a new crowd of teachers coming in, that haven't been affected by the changes this year, I would have thought morale would pick up.

I was still considering applying, despite being advised against, but got a job elsewhere.

Re. the music post, that was just a random one I chose, I don't know if it actually changed this year. It was basically just a case of a new head coming in and taking positions of responsibility away from staff and making them reapply for them. It was odd because it was early in the year and so contracts had been signed and staff still had to be paid the full amount even if losing their post. Maybe it was just a Head trying to make their mark. As for the blog, well who knows what was going on in her head there, I never read it so don't know how bad it was, I just know what I heard from staff a couple of months ago. Hopefully someone will come on and clear things up for you. I did see a couple of posts on TES but they disappeared pretty swiftly.

The primary school has had some problems this year. I was considering applying there as I'd always known of it as a good school, but was advised against it by a current member of staff.

The problem, from what I was told, has been with the new primary head. She's upset a lot of staff members, taking away leadership posts and making people reapply for them, which was all a bit odd as this was done mid year. She also had some bizarre online blog in which she was complaining about staff members. Staff morale has been low and quite a few people were leaving. Saying all that, as a new member of staff you wouldn't necessarily feel it as much as an old member, what difference would it make to you in September if the Head of Music had changed this year? It's not your friends involved, you'd be new and with a new crowd.

From what I heard the governors are aware of the problems and have been trying to work things out.

Like I say it always had a good reputation, it just seems to be going through a rocky patch this year.

[quote="Mathman"]A teacher buddy is only really helpful to find western conveniences, and their favorite watering hole. [/quote]

Often quite handy to know.

[quote="Mathman"]We paid local rateson our rent ... So my advise is to suck up to the local teachers ASAP.[/quote]

Always good to get on with local staff especially if they're willing to show you around and help out.

[quote="RobSg"] Taxis are quite cheap and all have meter, and the drivers are pretty honest.

[/quote]

Not sure about that, don't go trusting the meters. I had a couple recently with well dodgy meters. The most ridiculous being the 20,000 dong journey which came in at 480,000. I think some companies are more reputable than others. You'll no doubt be told which to use/avoid when you get there depending on whether you want fun and games or a stress free journey.

[quote="PsyGuy"]On the other end of the helpfulness scale, towards the actually helpful side, they could provide you with an actual professional to find an apartment.[/quote]

They may well do that. Since when does having a teacher buddy mean no agent? How would you find the apartments without an agent, wander the streets aimlessly knocking on doors and asking? In my experience the school lines up agents and the teacher buddy tags along to give advice as they have some idea of what you'll need/want.

It's helpful if the school put you in touch with teachers before you move out there, they'll be able to recommend things to ship/leave behind. Schools often email out 'guides' to their school/area too with handy hints in.

[quote="PsyGuy"]Because having done it before in the past, Im pretty confident that a teacher is not the best qualified individual to act as someones property agent or relocation specialist.[/quote]

Who said anything about them taking the role of the agent? They are there to assist the new member of staff, ask the questions they don't know to ask, point out there's a mosque at the back of the building, a 30 min walk to the bus/metro etc.

doubtful, I agree, the fact that the school is offering to support you with this is good, it would be easy for them just to let you go it alone and many do.

The point being made was in response to psyguy's shock that a teacher would be assisting the OP with their move (despite having done it himself, so I don't know why he was surprised). It's generally done to offer support with the move not to replace the agent. Of course there are good agents out there, but there are also not so good, and they are after the best possible deal. As a new person in a new country you are open to being ripped off so it makes sense to have someone offering some guidance. It's not always going to be a help though, you could end up with psyguy who just encourages you to go with the first place so he can get home.

[quote="augustus"][quote="PsyGuy"] An HR rep. or teacher buddy helps the new teacher negotiate with the agent/landlord. It is in the agent's best interest to have you pay higher rent.[/quote]

Yes, I think this is exactly the reason for the buddy system. Teacher's are more likely to be supportive of a colleague and be honest with them about what they should haggle over, eg. rent, getting new furniture etc. The agent isn't going to recommend anything to someone new to a country who might just think that's the standard/cost of flats s/he should expect. The agent is going to get what he can and that can include taking advantage of new people in the country who are keen to find a home.

The school I was at generally had teachers that would assist in the areas they were already living and therefore knew about.

[quote="PsyGuy"]They are having a "teacher", not an HR rep. play housing/apartment realtor?[/quote]

I would guess the teacher is acting like a 'buddy'. At one of my schools teachers used to volunteer to assist new staff in finding apartments. It involved advising on locations in which to live and sometimes we'd join them for a day/afternoon of viewings (with the agent) and point out any possible issues. It was basically for support and guidance not to find the apartment. HR were also meant to help, but they often weren't really interested, they just wanted the new staff in apartments as quickly as possible.

[quote="Mathman"]I have learnt how to read the 'interested' but seeing if there is better (or cheaper in my case). They keep you on the hook until they do find someone. Some are honest about it, and some will give a different reason, but say they need time to consider. I decided to not wait for a tier one school and took up a decent school trying to improve.

@Stella some of these Christian schools are moderate, and some are fanatical. A school tried to convert me to Jesuit......So it depends.[/quote]

Oh, now that would drive me mad. Can't be doing with people forcing their beliefs on me.

Hopefully MrsPepper has other applications in at the moment. If this one works out then great, but I wouldn't give up searching for a job until a contract has been signed.

[quote="PsyGuy"]when a school mentions religion, its usually them being PC about it. What they are looking for is fellow fanatics, that are going to help serve the koolaid.
.[/quote]

I had an interview with a very Christian school in the past, when asked about my own religion I was totally honest and said I wasn't at all religious. Still got offered the job.

I think this school sounds like many others out there, they're not quite sure if they want you at the moment (maybe there's a first/second choice still deciding whether to accept) so they're keeping you hanging. If they decide not to offer the job they may use your answer as a reason (if they decide to give one).

Good luck

For the cost of shipping you could often have just bought new stuff, depending on what it is you're shipping. Also, watch out for fees that aren't included even if you pay for door to door, in the UK this often included 'terminal handling charges' which can add an extra few hundred dollars. In Egypt my school helped us to collect our things and clear customs, so it's well worth checking out what support you'll get.

Definitely check with your school whether the allowance is only paid on production of receipts, if it's just a cash allowance then you might be as well off using it to buy new stuff and making the most of a good airline with decent baggage allowance.

[quote="tdaley26"]anyone else have info on this school, I have interviewed twice with them over the past week and I think I may be offered a spot in the next day or two. I need to know what to ask, what to look out for etc.[/quote]

The guy I know in Shanghai (primary) has no problems there. Says it can be hard work and the parents can be demanding but I think that's common anywhere. Which one are you thinking of? Speaking to him it sounded like many other international schools, they might make decisions you're not happy with but it's easy enough to get on and do your job. And the money's decent enough. I've heard similar things about Hong Kong but there's not so much team teaching there.

[quote="wrldtrvlr123"][quote="wrldtrvlr123"][quote="PsyGuy"]When your reading the forum your seeing post times reflected based on your own time zone. I'm 5/6 hours ahead of the east coast (depending on DST). So what looks like 1am to you is already morning for me.[/quote]
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8:18 PM Beijing, China

TESTING TESTING TESTING[/quote]

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Interesting. So the Forum time is set to GMT +4? Why? Is admin hiding out in Baku, or Moscow?

And at least one incriminating piece of evidence againt Psyguy deflected, if not deflated.

I suppose he could still be somewhere, writing his overseas teaching fantasies by the light of bare bulb in a basement apartment in Texas.[/quote]

No idea how it decides on timezone now. I'm always GMT. As for the times of psyguy's posts, I was assuming people were taking timezones into consideration, I can't be bothered to check though.