We also heard through the grapevine how well the Middle East paid. Now 15 years wiser, we know that in reality that as a whole, the Far East pays much better. When we first recruited, we only wanted to go to Aramco. Now we're older and wiser and despite the salary, we've learned more about the contract, more about Saudi and a bit about the climate of the school. Today we would not go near the place. We want a dynamic school but are happy to be out of the craziness of top schools in Asia. I find the focus there is on padding administrator's resumes to the point that the focus on learning is lost and there is an insane pace. Can I keep up? You bet, but am at a point in my life where a 7 day work week does not appeal to me and I love being at a smaller school where I know everyone.

I'm at a smallish (600) school in the Middle East that has a wonderful atmosphere and people stay 5-6 years. I believe the key is to stick to schools with a truly international population. It doesn't matter the country, if your student body is primarily comprised of very wealthy children with a sense of entitlement, it's not a good teaching situation. There are plenty of those schools in Central and South America, too!

As others have stated, the key is finding the right fit for you and your family. You have to be savvy about those schoools that have atrocious reputations and keep networking.

I taught in public schools in Japan. They said I was there to model the English language. It was the easiest money I ever made but was bored out of my mind! If you want a serious educational career, you'll stick to what PsyGuy keeps referring to as "Tier 1" schools. It's all about what you want out of life. By the way, the school in Monterrey has an excellent reputation as a place for new teachers to get started. They provide a lot of PD and there are top schools who will hire anyone coming out of this school. You have to decide what your long term goals are and then strategically go for it. Good luck!

My friends lived in two places with school housing and pets were not an issue. In two places they found their own housing. It's all dependent on individual situations - since you feel so strongly, it's definately a question you need to ask in interviews! I know that as much as I'd love to go to England, it would kill me and stress out my pets to endure the long quarantine (which seems a bit antiquated).

Just realized this site has a blog in place about traveling with pets. You can find it at:
http://internationalschoolsreviewdiscus ... /#comments

I'd like to chime in on the pet issue. We acquired a pet at our first post and moved with her to three additional countries in three different regions of the world. It was a bit of a hassle and sometimes expensive but never an issue. All of the foreign hires coming in this year had pets. A non-issue for housing and traveling. A different couple we know moved with their cat from the US to South America to China to Thailand to the Middle East and back to the US. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.

I have to disagree with PsyGuy. IB experience is always a plus but not imperative. The key thing is to take on as many responsibilities as possible and get a "title" at the first opportunity. One of our teachers talked the school into changing his job title from Middle School Coordinator to Secondary Ass't Principal. He will be better poised to look for principal posts when he leaves. To go straight to an admin job it's probably best to look at smaller schools and less desirable posts; another option is to go to a very large school and to move your way up to a reasonable post and title. Also, network, network, network. PTC courses, while expensive, are great for this. Good luck!

I'd be very cautious about interviewing and signing a contract without being up front about a non-working spouse. This could make for a very bad start in your relationship with a school. Each country has its own laws and if you could lose the job if you cause legal problems for the school.

Having said this, many schools do accept teachers with dependents, especially if you teach in an area of need. If you're an elementary teacher or a social studies teacher, it's less likely.

Hang in there, you can find a school that's the right fit but I'd be as up front as possible. You may wish to save the info for the end of an interview - after you have convinced the school they need YOU! :)

I'd just like to reiterate that one has to read the posts with a grain of salt. I've seen posts for two schools where I worked that contained inaccurate information; the posters' voices came through loud and clear so I knew they had had their own issues with the administration. A school that is a good fit for one person might not be for another. It depends a lot on where you are in your life - are you looking for a school with mostly young singles? Do you have a family and want the school to take on more responsibility than just providing for your child's education?

If you can try and get info on the the schools with the best reputation in each country and concentrate on them, you should be fine. We've been to 4 top tier international schools and have enjoyed our experience at each one although each was very different. (I will say the first was simply the best in the city - not on par with the other 3!)

Don't expect things to be like home - be flexible and open minded and enjoy learning about the local culture and you'll be fine no matter where you land. I believe most teachers (and administrators) are in the business of doing their best for kids and if you can find a collegial experience in a nice country, it's win, win, win.

I have a couple of friends who teach in Holland. From what I understand, 30% of the salary is exempt from Dutch taxes for 10 years. The rest of the salary is taxed at local rate. By the way, they both still manage to save money and love it there.

It seems like Michigan may be like Iowa. Have renewed certificate 3 times while overseas. The 5 years can really slip away...take advantage of all college credit opportunities at conferences and in house PD. Online courses and summer PD opportunities at home also help. Do you know how much you need and how often?

It really only starts looking bad if you have a series of stays for just the length of the initial contract. I knew a great AD who went to about 5 schools and only stayed the 2 years. By the time he started searching for the 6th, schools hesitated to look at him. Life is short, if the situation is bad, get out. If it's good, don't be in a hurry to leave.