Sid, if I may ask since you are a recruiter; regarding sounding "pompous", would that necessarily be bad? The reason I ask is I have been working on my CV using a different "layout" than the traditional one, and I was planning on using a term similar to "MYP specialist" (along with a list of the supporting facts for this including multiple roles regarding specific elements of the MYP curriculum at my school, being a Workshop leader and having done other work directly for the IB). I understand the idea of the school looking at this and concluding I know my stuff, but thought having a title such as "MYP specialist" as one of the headlines in my CV might get recruiters' attention...

To grumpy: some schools do value experience in other IB programs, but many will put you in the "no experience" group if your experience is not in the same IB program of the position you are applying to (which is unfortunate as any prior IB experience can be useful in some level). Regarding levels or categories, unfortunately coordinators can sign up teachers in any level (you are not actually required to have been to a "category 2" training to attend a "category 3" training). This sometimes leads in experienced teachers attending a category 3 training only to find out that most of the attendees are new to IB and the workshop ends up being aimed at these teachers, thus making the training not as useful as it could be.

You will most likely get multiple answers. I'll give you my personal opinion having worked for over 6 years in IB schools and being actively involved with the IB (I do workshop leading).

I don't think you should call yourself an "IB specialist" unless you've been to several trainings (and by several I mean having completed levels 1, 2 and 3) and also unless these trainings were not only on your subject (say Math) but also on IB related "stuff" (say Interdisciplinary planning or Personal Project for example).

That being said, having at least a category 1 training on your subject is valuable since IB schools are required have at least 1 person per department trained, and have to show the IB evidence of them supporting the implementation of the program, including having people trained. This basically means that hiring a teacher with IB training is not only a matter of them knowing you know how the program works, but also a monetary matter as they will not have any immediate expenses training you...

As a side note: if you are trying to work at MYP level (for example), having had PYP training or DP training is up to a certain point irrelevant. Yes, they are related in some way, but schools want you to have experience in whatever program you will actually teach (and again, there's the requirement they have of having people in specific programs to be trained in those specific programs). Furthermore, a self-granted title like "IB specialist", "IB-expert" or similar will not necessarily be taken seriously unless you have the experience (say having attended an IB Academy or being an IB examiner).

Now, just saying that you have had "official IB training" would probably be fine (but I would be specific and say you have had "official DP" training for example, as again, you need to show you have had training in whatever program you are planning to be part of).

I'll add a bit from my perspective (I teach at MYP level and have been doing so for over 6 years). At least from the MYP perspective I think that there might be a "potential" value added for experienced teachers in the sense of avoiding the "cultural shock" that the MYP and criteria-based assessment is for most teachers new to the MYP...

Just search around this very forum and will find tons of threads about how many people hate the MYP. I'm on of the few weird people that like it, but I learned to like it. Most people new to the MYP have a fairly significant cultural shock with it. Some overcome it, some just switch to a different school as soon as possible and never again take an MYP position... I think that at least at MYP level, that may be one of the reasons to "prefer" people with MYP experience; they know what they are getting into...

What looks differently in the classroom? I won't go there really, but there are things that maybe somewhat unique at the MYP that makes good sense to look for people who already know how to deal with them (organizing a sample that will be sent to moderation for example)...

I don't know much about that to be honest. I actually just noticed you had previously asked about Anglo and I can tell you (which should be similar I guess) expats at the Anglo are paid enough to afford rent in a good (not great but absolutely good) apartments, and live quite comfortably (many expats eat out in good restaurants A LOT, . a lot and travel a lot). Regarding Nueva Granada: a lot of the children at that school are sons and daughters of expats, diplomats, etc... There are many Colombians there as well, but it has a way more American school feel than any of the other schools in Colombia...

Whether they get a stipend for starting up, how much for rent, etc. (at the Nueva Granada), I don't really know....

It's a high end, private, American school in Bogota. I worked at a different school for a while but have friends who worked there. The school has been around for a while. It's more a bilingual school (and really run like an American school) than an International school. There are many expats in Bogota (working at that school, Nogales, Anglo Colombiano, English school, Victoria school, just to name a few). Whether it pays more or less than the others, I have no idea but if you are in Search or ISS I suppose you could compare. Geographically speaking, it is located in a very upscale neighborhood in Bogota.

Hope this helps.

I know it by a close friend. It is a well-respected IB school in Bogota (although the Anglo has a slightly better reputation). It is in the north part of the city, but still in the city (most high-end private schools in Bogota are in the outskirts). It is fairly similar to other private bilingual schools in Bogota (students don't have monetary issues if you will, discipline might be tough or not depending on your teaching style, most kids are Colombian, etc.). All in all is a good school to work at (but if you are thinking of Bogota I would try to get something at the Anglo if I were you).

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[quote="heyteach"]It's so common for teachers to move on after their initial contracts, I wouldn't worry about it. Of course you should move on if the school you're at is no good, but I do hope you didn't already sign a contract to stay a third year.[/quote]

Oh no, we haven't!

Would you say it's Ok to just stay for the initial contract, even if this is our first experience internationally?

As someone new in international teaching (currently working in south east Asia), I find myself wondering if leaving my current school once my initial 2-year contract finishes is a bad idea...

I have heard both people saying it's not a problem, as well as people saying that if we (my wife is a teacher too) don't stay one more year, potential employers might think that we are "unstable"or maybe that we did not adapt ourselves to living abroad....

Our main concern (interestingly enough) is not living abroad (which we have enjoyed very VERY much), but that our particular school is just terrible and we are not sure we would be able to stay one more year without going insane...

I appreciate any feedback on personal experiences you've had... Have you left after the initial contract and found it hard to get hired after that? Has anyone here been told that working only for 2 years at a place creates doubts in potential employers?