I get 480 mins a week, but as above, the day is longer, by about 45 mins, we have to run at least 1 activity a week, and we have (minimum) 4 meetings a week. It's still a lot more time though.

Having had a 1-year old in Kenya (Nairobi specifically), and knowing of a great deal of other teachers who have done similar, I can assure you that the likelihood of them getting killed or kidnapped is not likely. Of course, it could happen, but it is not likely, as suggested. Having said that, it's also not easy. My husband is Kenyan, so we frequently return there, and travel to quite remote locations. I'd be lying if I said I was totally relaxed about this - it does cause me some anxiety when we're hours away from any hospitals as I worry about what would happen if my daughter required urgent medical care. That's only when we are in the middle of nowhere, though. The positives - beautiful scenery, amazing wildlife, very friendly, the natural world right on your doorstep. The negatives - terrible traffic/roads/cars, security (cars searched when going to shopping centres, huge security gates, etc), frequent power cuts (sometimes lasting for days), hard to find neighbouring children to play with. Hope that helps.

You're right in saying it's a bit vague ;) Different countries have different visa requirements, different shortages in the workplace, different rules about spouses working, etc. For example, I'm in Singapore. There is a list on the Ministry of Manpower's website that specifies industries which are in need of employees, and people coming here can see if their skillset would make them more eligible for a visa. Spouses (on a dependents pass) can readily apply for jobs, and the company employing them then apply for a Letter of Consent for them to work. However, the government has recently been pushing for local hires, so has made this more complicated (there are ratios of local hire/expat hire that must be adhered to, and people on a dependents pass now have a much harder time setting up their own business). But this is just one country. Maybe the better way to approach it is to look for countries where your spouses current qualifications would be in demand?

Our maths is done discreetly but with it's own bubble planner. It will have it's own central idea and then three focus concepts (usually form, function, and one other). We make links where relevant but would never force links where they don't exist.

How young do you mean by young? I've worked with English curriculum, IPC and PYP, mainly with children aged 7 and under. From your post, it sounds that you want to focus on learning objectives for specific curriculum areas separately. Have I got that right? In that case, you want to avoid PYP and IPC. Both take a topic-based approach to these objectives (though PYP purists will disembowel me for saying PYP is a topic-based curriculum - I know it's concept-based, but you do tend to be given an overarching 'topic' to work within). Personally, I think IPC is great for younger children as it deals in more concrete than abstract thought. The strong focus is on teaching skills. I do enjoy teaching PYP, but with a focus more on the learner profile and attitudes rather than the concepts. The English curriculum used to be very separate subjects, but I don't know if it is now.

I think it depends on a lot of different things. I worked at a start up with a "good name" behind it. I was told they were expecting to open with 350 students, when we arrived there was only 35...from 2 years of age to 16! Still, we were positive and saw the school slowly grow. Not just in students, but in buildings - it was nowhere near finished when we arrived. There were also very, very few resources (for the first few weeks no photocopiers, printers, coloured paper, reading books, etc) which was a great challenge professionally but could be frustrating. Setting up a new school is hard work, but exciting if you're working under competent leadership and have full support of the "good name" behind it. If you don't have these two things, it can turn into a nightmare. I have other friends who have worked at start up schools with good leadership and had a great experience. One other thing to consider, when moving to a start up school you have to discover everything about the local area by yourself, there's no-one there to offer good advice about estate agents to avoid, where to buy decent cars, etc. That was an element of it that I hadn't considered before. I love a good explore, and was happy to discover local markets, restaurants, etc by myself. But for big, pricier things, it would have been handy to have a few people who knew what they were talking about.

I have a trailing Kenyan spouse so I'm in similar boat. We moved on from Kenya last August. The fact that you are married, and not just partners, is good news as visa issues tend to arise not from their nationality but from not being married. However, Psyguy is right, and some countries are put off by having to explore different visa options. When I started applying for jobs last August (my first time looking with hubby in tow), I had a lot less interest than I've had previously. This could be because there are more people out there job hunting now, or because of my situation. I'm positive that, in some cases, having the trailing spouse (plus we have a young daughter) played a part. However, I secured 4 interviews and was offered 2 positions, both in good schools (not the best, but good) in desirable locations. I contacted both schools that rejected me after interview and asked if the family situation was part of the reason, and they both said no and explained their choice. Whether what they said was true or not I'll never know, but I'm actually exceedingly happy with the job I have so it all worked out for the best.

Money-wise, we manage but we're frugal. I always made sure, at interview, that I asked about the possibility of managing on the salary, and if there were others in the same situation at the school. It happens that there are quite a few where I work now, so I knew it could be done. We're managing to save a small amount right now, and know that our current job/country cannot be permanent.

One other thing to consider. Life as a trailing hubby can be lonely, more so than being a trailing wife, as there are very few others like you. Especially when you add in the different nationality and everything that comes along with that. My husband has luckily managed to find employment, and is slowly building up his own friendship network. Our story has a happy ending :) Be confident, and be honest about your position.

Am happy to answer any other questions you have :)

I wouldn't say the ESL experience counts for nothing. It goes to show you can handle living and working abroad, which is a massive bonus in your favour. I did a similar route to yourself, and got in at a Tier 2 school on my first jump into ISs. I'd consider adding Malaysia to your list - it's growing massively in the IS market, and whilst you probably won't get in at the top straight away, you could get a job at one of the newer schools, do a bit of networking and work your way up. In terms of beefing up your CV, get some IT credentials. Become Google Educator certified if you can. Attend the Google Education summit. Become familiar with different educational apps, and consider how you could use different websites. A lot of schools are getting heavily tech-ed up! Good luck!

COuld you use excessbaggage.com? Although I've read negatives, I experienced only good things...and they were MILES cheaper than anyone else. You might have too much stuff, but still worth checking out. Also, Crown can be reasonable (though the service is very dependant on where you are located).

I'm in SIngapore now. I'm on a higher salary than you've been offered, but have a spouse and child dependants, so my outgoings are higher in that area. http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/ will give you the best idea of what you will be paying for rent - have a nosey around different areas and see what you will get for your money. Other expenses to consider - unless you have quite a big chunk stockpiled somewhere, initial costs when moving in to an apartment are high. 2 months rent deposit, 1 months rent in advance, and very likely 1 month rent to the agent. Our school loaned us the deposit money, so that's another bit of salary gone. Also check health insurance. Packages offered by schools aren't always the best and you may want to pay to top up. Also, consider the lifestyle you want. We don't go out much, and take 2 hols around Asia each year, staying in cheap places. If you're happy with that, then yes, you can save money. If you want to really enjoy the nightlife etc, then your money will be eaten up in no time. Yes, groceries are not that expensive if you're happy with local produce (fruit and veg are cheap, as is fish, meat is reasonable, cheese is very expensive, as are other imported goods). In all honesty, it's alcohol that kills our budget each month :)

I thought I posted a comment here already, but can't find it so must have been having a particularly dozy day. Was going to sing the praises of Singapore with kids. Having lived in several countries in the region, this one stands out a mile to me for ease. Even on days where my 2 year old does "nothing", that means she's been swimming, gone to the playground, had scooter races with her buddies, been for play dates...all without leaving the condo. Yes, SIngapore is expensive - I am the only earner in our house right now and we are very careful with our money. Having said that, we still employ a live-in helper, which makes life so much easier. There are free playgrounds all over - wet/dry, indoor/outdoor, aimed at all ages of children. There's also a plethora of paid activities and groups to go to. Restaurants, I find, are very family friendly, always providing appropriate cutlery, high chairs, etc, and there are many with play areas. Transport can be difficult with a stroller, but that's my only real gripe. I'm happy to provide more info if you have questions.

I applied to the school when it was first opening. The Principal sent out what appeared to be a blanket email to everyone who sent in an application. Personally, I found the email rude and disrespectful. I withdrew my application, the Principal asked me why, and I explained my feelings. If the same person is still Principal, I wouldn't consider applying.

I know several people who currently worked or have previously worked at the school. All seem to have had a great experience, and often extend contracts.

Hi Schmedz,

I just started in a PYP school. They are very big on using the right jargon, and wouldn't like being referred to as skills-based. It's concept-based. It took me ages to get the lingo right, I couldn't stop saying "topic" or "theme", instead of UOI...all these are big no-nos. Just saying so that you can mention such things in letters of application :)

We have specialists come to our planning meetings to ensure it's integrated...though some topics..ahem, whoops UOIs, lend themselves more easily to different areas. I find it not prescriptive at all, if anything I've never had more freedom in terms of what I can do in the classroom. The IPC, on the other hand, is prescriptive and skills-based (though I was very happy working with it, in all honesty).

Hope that helps :)

Hi Callin,

I taught IPC for a fair few years and really enjoyed it (compared to English NC). We had trainers come out to our schools and run workshops, but I never heard of any online courses (this was 2 years ago, things may have changed). If you want to know some general concepts/strategies, I'm happy to share. If you're looking to get into an IPC school it can be useful to know some of the lingo and ideas.

Hope that helps.