Search found 25 matches

by StereoTyped
Wed Jan 16, 2019 9:08 pm
Forum: Forum 2. Ask Recruiting Questions, Share Information. What's on Your Mind?
Topic: Ichiro examples
Replies: 19
Views: 37830

Re: Ichiro examples

WOW - this is the first I've ever heard of an 'Ichiro' and now I'm a thousand percent more grateful that I didn't have to attend a job fair this year, haha. I don't know whether to laugh or just sit here and shake my head.

In any case, good luck everyone with your search - hope everyone is finding success!
by StereoTyped
Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:30 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Being good looking vs ugly
Replies: 16
Views: 20464

Re: Being good looking vs ugly

@wrldtrvlr123 Good call pointing out the opposite side of the coin. I know there is some research out there that shows correlations between attractiveness and success, but have any of you ever found the opposite to also be true at times?
Perhaps if the hiring managers feel THREATENED by the attractive appearance of a candidate? That's a very real thing as well.

Also, if you put (what society deems as) an attractive person in the SAME attire as (what society deems to be) an unattractive person, the attractive person will often be judged and scrutinised more harshly and it will typically be viewed as more inappropriate. A bit of a tangent, but relevant.

Maybe these circumstances happen less frequently, but they still definitely happen.

Best to just have a winning personality and hope for the best, I guess.
by StereoTyped
Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:43 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Quality of Life - Explain?
Replies: 6
Views: 8456

Re: Response

PsyGuy wrote:
> Well I really dont want to write a book, but okay, sure. First, its not
> strictly "quality of life" its quality of 'lifestyle". From
> the position of lifestyle, the EU is much more conducive to a relaxed
> lifestyle, surrounded by history, and architecture and culture. Where you
> relax at a corner cafe, over looking the corso. In Asia, everyone is
> living to work, and that creates a lot of energy. That relaxed Euro
> lifestyle is a lot more appealing as ITs get older, where the energy of
> places like HK, etc, are more appealing to younger ITs who want that city
> that never sleeps lifestyle.
> Second, theres a logistical issue of language, in the WE, natives study and
> learn English reasonably well, even if they choose not to use it. Which is
> much less common in Asia, where you see a much higher language barrier,
> this can get frustrating where relatively simple tasks need to be planed
> activities, because you only have access when the institution provides an
> English speaker. I dont need a whole lot of Japanese linguistic ability to
> buy an iced coffee at a conbini store, I pick the one I want (the price in
> yen in labeled in the cooler) I go to the register, I place my SUICA card
> on the IC reader and we exchange arrigatos, but I would never try to
> accomplish something even remotely important at the ward office at any
> counter that wasnt the foreign services counter, and someone was speaking
> English. In Germany Id have a lot fewer problems, just about anyone at the
> government building has passable enough English, for example.
> Third, the WE is much less foreign, ever see a first time IT to China use
> an Asian toilet (the squat toilets), I bet coin they lose their wallet,
> phone or end up with wet slacks. You just find things more familiar in the
> WE.
> Fourth, the WE has been so hyper romanticized by the media, that ITs
> actually project those characteristics on the environment. Its not entirely
> unique to the WE, there are a lot of disillusioned expats to Japan every
> year that learn that JP life isnt like an anime or manga.
>
> Infrastructure I would actually give to Asia, trying to get a repair person
> especially from the city to your flat/apartment somewhere like Italy can
> take weeks. In Asia things tend to work, and work well, and when they dont
> they are lightning fast by western standards to fix them. Your water heater
> goes out in the WE and it can take days to replace or repair, a week or
> more if they need to order a part. In Asia, somewhere like SG, or HK, of
> JP, I call or text the property manager, and a repair person may be there
> before I leave for the day minutes later, and it will be fixed before I
> even get home that afternoon, and was probably repaired before lunch, and
> if it asnt they would be so embarrassed, they would offer either the
> bathroom in a vacant unit, or a pass for an athletic center nearby, or
> accommodate a shower in their own home and probably set out tea and light
> snacks, and likely dinner, and Id hear nothing but apologies the whole
> time, they would be truly embarrassed. Getting my DSL connected in Italy
> took a couple months.


Thank-you, this helps me understand a little better the types of things people are talking about, as I feel I've had an amazing 'quality of life' in Asia!
by StereoTyped
Sun Dec 02, 2018 5:54 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Quality of Life - Explain?
Replies: 6
Views: 8456

Quality of Life - Explain?

I hear a lot of people talk about quality of life. They compare Asia with Europe, in particular. People say that they want to choose Europe over Asia, even though the pay is often less, because they are prioritising quality of life.

I imagine quality of life in many European countries is better than that of many Asian countries... but can someone explain to me how quality of life in major European cities would be better than that of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul, or several other major Asian cities where there is great infrastructure? I know there are specific differences, but I'm curious as to what makes the quality of life better in Europe than these places for some people.

Thanks!
by StereoTyped
Wed Nov 28, 2018 8:21 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Salary Gaps
Replies: 8
Views: 9828

Re: Salary Gaps

Wait... is it common practice that heads of school get a bonus for increasing enrolment?? :-/
by StereoTyped
Sun Mar 30, 2014 5:30 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Why can't we "just teach"?
Replies: 15
Views: 18877

Re: Why can't we "just teach"?

It really and truly depends on which school you end up at. They are all different and nobody can say that the things you mentioned are nonexistent in international schools based on a few experiences of his/her own. You actually described my current (overseas) school perfectly, with the exception of the merit-based pay scale. But I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up going in that direction either given the extreme data-driven culture!
by StereoTyped
Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:42 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Interview question
Replies: 12
Views: 14513

Re: Interview question

Wow, kudos to you for even playing ball. I think I would automatically lose respect for a school if they asked me to do that.
Hope you got an offer and that it's the position you want!
by StereoTyped
Sun Feb 23, 2014 1:52 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Great European Schools
Replies: 2
Views: 4720

Great European Schools

Hey,

Can anybody who has worked in Europe give me some insights into the top European schools to work at in terms of:
1.) Pay and savings potential
2.) Location (is the school located in or near an interesting/safe city that has lots to do?)
3.) School culture/climate
4.) Professional opportunities
5.) Admin transparency
6.) Staff morale
7.) Travel opportunities
8.) Benefits
etc.

Eastern or Western Europe... doesn't matter! TIA!
by StereoTyped
Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:38 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Standardized Testing and the PYP
Replies: 4
Views: 7864

I'm well aware of what both are.

My question has more to do with if the two are compatible, and the amount of emphasis placed on standardized testing in international schools. I've heard that standardized tests such as MAP are not promoted by the IB. I can think of so many reasons why that would/should be the case. But, I guess it depends on how the results are being utilized.
by StereoTyped
Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:52 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Standardized Testing and the PYP
Replies: 4
Views: 7864

Standardized Testing and the PYP

Hi all,

What are your thoughts on MAP/standardized testing and the PYP? Can the two mesh together or are they incompatible? Do any of your schools use MAP and/or other standardized tests? If yes, how much emphasis do they place on it?
by StereoTyped
Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:33 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: How long will you teach abroad?
Replies: 35
Views: 41753

I love life overseas. I'm pretty sure I could do this forever. Being away from family is not TOO big of an issue for me as there's Skype, I'm able to go home once a year, and some of my family members visit me from time to time too.

Some of you have mentioned being able to invest in the future (retirement) as one of the benefits of teaching abroad. For me, that is the one pitfall. In my home country, I was paying into a pension with each paycheck and a significant chunk of the money I made was also automatically put into retirement savings. I didn't 'net' as much there, but with the deductions taken into account I was technically making just as much or more than I am overseas.
I know that this means I need to be responsible for putting the money away on my own terms, but I think we all know that's easier said than done! So, for me, retirement/future planning is the biggest con of being overseas.

Other than that, I am so happy I made the leap!
by StereoTyped
Sun May 26, 2013 6:33 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Taking Leave
Replies: 11
Views: 14450

[quote="sid"]A reasonable amount of time is whatever you agreed to when you signed your contract.
Or it's a number that you determined in advance of recruiting, and you didn't accept any offer with a lower number.
Honestly, maternity is such a personal thing, and there are so many different cultural norms, I don't think there is a standard number. You need to decide for yourself what you need.
But please don't blame the school if their number is lower than yours. All schools are different, and unless they actively lied to you at recruiting, it is your responsibility to ask the question before you sign. (As it is your responsibility to ask all questions which are important to you personally. It is not the school's responsibility to guess which of 713 possible questions are the 21 which matter most to you.)[/quote]

Thanks for your incredibly UNHELPFUL response, Sid. I'm not an idiot, I'm aware that I have signed a contract and am now responsible for whatever repercussions that might have. I get it. You clearly missed the point of my question which was simply to get a comparison between schools.

To everyone else, thanks for your HELPFUL responses! Appreciated!
by StereoTyped
Sat May 18, 2013 9:55 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Taking Leave
Replies: 11
Views: 14450

Taking Leave

Dear all,

Frist year on international school circuit. What would you say is a reasonable amount of time for maternity leave?

What do your schools offer in this regard?

Thanks!
by StereoTyped
Wed Jun 27, 2012 11:23 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Have been lurking, thought it was time to ask a ?
Replies: 9
Views: 11750

Don't be discouraged. One of the things my husband and I have going for us is that we are both teachers with no kids (and we both have quite good teachable subject areas)... but at the same time we're also both young and do not have much experience - no IB experience whatsoever. Yet, we managed to get offers at a decent international school for our first posting just by being persistent. We didn't even attend any fairs or sign up with a recruiting agency. We e-mailed every single school we were interested in and applied to all of those that had online application systems. We preferred Asia as well but weren't picky. We had about 3 or 4 opportunities arise just by doing this, but decided to interview for only one. Fairs are probably a harder sell because there are often so many qualified candidates gathered together in one spot, but we contacted a few schools at just the right time, apparently, and that worked out in our favour despite not being the MOST marketable due to our relative inexperience.
So don't give up!
by StereoTyped
Fri Jun 15, 2012 4:15 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Just for fun...
Replies: 15
Views: 20632

1. Best overseas food- Thai, Korean (I love kimchi)
2. Strangest overseas food- Cuttlefish chips. I will be the first to admit I am NOT an adventurous foodie.
3. Best beer/spirits-Austria
4. Best festival/event-Korean protests
5. Best place you went for vacation while overseas- Chiang Mai & Railay, Thailand