in most cases, colleagues have a much better understanding of each other than the overwhelming majority of administrators. I am not talking about a blah blah letter but something significant that accurately describes your performance and contributions to the school.

Directors of 2nd and definitely 3rd tier schools are limited by their BOD, the parents and most importantly...the budget. Low tuition and local hires can prove huge obstacles to best practices. To make real change , you need the right staff regardless of who the director is...

What about letters from colleagues? Are these useless? What if we as teachers, all started including them in our applications? Maybe this is naive but for folks out there with bad administrators, it might be something worthwhile.

I thought ISR was a site for teachers? Sounds like a bunch of administrators trying to blow their own horns. Pretty uncool dialogue. Psych guy talks a lot of malarkey but I think his intention is to be blatantly truthful. Blogging allows for this. A free flow of information and dialogue.(I wonder why he is so into this site and perhaps he could focus more on his mental and physical health rather than spanking all day on this site.) However, he is clearly pro-teacher unlike many administrators who are on this site for reasons that may or may not be on the up and up. This is a site for teachers to protect themselves from BS administrators. Since we dont have a union or rights under the law in many cases, we are wide open to numerous abuses by unscrupulous administrators who would never make it in their home countries and would maybe be in jail some of them.

This is all subjective. Some so called 3rd tier schools that are properly managed can be the best places to work. It is all about having a good director who can set the tone and has the understanding and courage to do the right thing. Most administrators out there are phonies and can ruin any tier school. Playing politics, uptight, not supporting teachers, poor leadership is in my opinion rife at all levels in international education. Anywhere really...It is a giant epidemic of cowardly educators who dont have experience in any other arena other than int ed. so they think they can act and do as they please. Granted, I have never taught at a 1st tier school but I have been to many and seen them in action. I am what Psychguy would call a desperate teacher. But here is my take on this:

1st tier is North American staff and mostly North American students (North American can also include Brits, Aussies and Kiwis)

2nd tier mostly North American staff and local students

3rd tier most local staff and local students with a pattering of foreign hires

Compensation isnt a main criteria. Cost of living of host country, etc all come into play. And between all these levels are gray areas.

I hope it works out for you. Hang in there. Believe me. There are horrible schools out there and you aint in one of them it appears. Look at the positives and work to improve yourself where you are at. In your caase it will pay off and you will acheive your goals.

If you break...you will probably (70/30) end up in a worse place. Period. If you stay you will have a much better chance at finding a better school. Relax. Figure out your money issues and do a good job. Then get a healthy start and acheive your goals. It is only Oct. and you are talking about leaving already. Hold fast. Things will get better...

But Psych guy is also right. Do what you have to do. These schools operate how they like and teachers have no recourse, no union, etc. They want a free market but not when it goes the other way. How come it is always the teachers who are the ones whose ethics are questioned when they make business decisions just like the schools do?

I do however think it will be hard to explain away that -1 yr broke contract-experience.

Location vs school? If either are bad it will compromise a positive experience. Maybe the international school paradise lies in the in-between. Ok school, ...ok location, good leadership?

My dream job would be a 2nd tier school with a multi-national staff, multi-national students in an outdoors-like environment, in a relatively safe country with a decent salary. The biggest issue is having good leadership. Without a good director it doesnt matter where you land... it will suck. Good directors can bring in a ¨flavorful¨ staff. Euro schools are harder to save money and from what I can judge through my limited observations: folks there are uptight and presumptuous at best. There seems to be a kind of climate created by certain socio-cultural groups that range from phony to boring to insulting.

ISS, Carney, Sandoe, Search, joyjobs...what other places can we find jobs? How do folks get hired in China?

I am a 3rd tier director seeking 2nd tier directorship or principalship 1st tier? What should I do??

Kuwait is for mercenaries and that is all. Maybe 1 or 2 schools are academically viable but the rest are terrible. You can save money and travel but life is horrible and the entire Kuwaiti culture is corrupt by western standards. It is a place to make money and that is all. If you look at it any other way, you will be highly diappointed.

You sound to me regardless...on the upper top 30 % of teachers out there. Grad degree, experience, etc. Yes, administrators will discriminate based on your cost. Spread your net wide and see what comes up. The middle east is an option but unless you get a school with expat kids then I am not sure you d want your kids with the locals. Some Latin American schools can offer a decent standard of living. I think you will be OK however you have to get to work soon and get your resume out there and start getting offers. I think in your case it will be a matter of having to spend more time and effort in applying to positions thats all. Good luck but in your case make your luck.

@lifesnotosbad:

I have worked at a school that had done so. It didnt help matters. We lost some good students and created a negative environment in the school. To do this with staff or students must be justified. If there is a drug problem then you have to solve it. Testing is one way of doing it. There are other ways that are more efffective....EG. EDUCATION!! We are not police. If you are conducting testing to see if you have a problem, then you are a lousy administrator that doesnt know his kids or staff. It is also very expensive. I would argue it is never worth the price.

I have met numerous perverts and drunks and a few heavy drug users in international education but pedphiles have all been local staff. So far...