A school where the admin respects teachers' voices, good PD, motivated students, collaborative culture, low taxes, inexpensive housing, high quality and school-paid medicare, local employment opportunities for teachers' spouses, annual flights, vibrant local culture, decent travel opportunities, and of course, sunshine with less humidity.

Singapore American has the best overall package (including stipends, allowances, retirement, medical, and generous leave).

@shadylane
"among others" should mean something more than UWCs and apart from a handful of middle eastern countries (where the pay packages are not so stellar, Aramco being an exception), tax-free salary is non-existent.

Thanks, Sid, Taylor, and Shad.

What are some good international schools that offer tenure to its teachers?

Thank you.

Agree with Nomads. United World Colleges, among others, do a pretty good job in providing a well-rounded education.

A tier 2 school for Singapore, pay is not so bad but health insurance could be worrisome. Some teachers (with kids) I know working there opted for a private provider and paid premiums mostly out of their pockets.
They strongly prefer teachers who can actively contribute to activities and sport and they basically admit almost every student. So, it is a for-profit school without any doubt.

I have seen colleagues at my former schools in Europe move to both ISB and WAB mostly for financial reasons. They were either single or couples with no kids.
A few years at any of these schools should put you in the top league as both are well recognised globally. ISB is slightly more cutting-edge, thanks to Tarek Razik's leadership.

@lookingforlefty
Sorry to hear about your denial. UWCSEA looks for teachers who can contribute to the school life at many levels, including very strong contributions to student projects, service trips abroad, weekend activities etc. So, if one wants an 8 to 5 job, it's not a good fit. One has to embrace the school philosophy, big-time. Some teachers burn out easily and leave after two to three years.
Work days are much more hectic than other international schools due to commitments outside the classroom.

So, the goal should be not getting to an elite / selective school, but whether it fits your personality, lifestyle, and preferences. One will work VERY hard being a teacher, mentor, coach, advisor, pastor etc. at UWCSEA.

The UWCs in the UK, Italy, Norway and Bosnia and Herzegovina are well established, whereas those in the Netherlands, Germany are new.
All those UWCs which rely solely on patrons' donations don't pay so well and at the same time, their tuition is minimal. The pay at UWCSEA is good simply because they charge a high tuition.

Good luck with your search. They have one in Hong Kong, too.

How about looking at Tier 2 schools in Korea, Japan, China or tier 1 schools in Vietnam? Email the schools directly.
You can find a few here: http://www.internations.org/seoul-expat ... -schools-2

Due to local labor laws, European schools have late timelines. Not the same for asian schools, where labor protection is minimal especially if you are in private sector. As a result, Asian school admin is more authoritarian in a sense. So, they can make up and 'play' with timelines.
A few European schools offer monetary incentives to teachers notifying early in the year. So, you might see a few early vacancies in some schools.
I'd be looking at major European school websites in addition to relying on the associate. No harm in attending London fair. A good chance to get hired by European schools.

If it's UWCSEA, the interviewee pool is fairly large and they usually take more than two weeks to let you know the outcome of your first interview. However, if you are a superstar teacher, might take less than that.
Not sure about Tanglin, though.

@nathan61

I worked at 4 elite schools in Europe and Asia and I have never experienced / heard about the 'wiggle' you are talking about.
When these schools attract the best in teaching and spoiled for choice, why do they have to pay more?
It's like being hired by UWCSEA or Zurich IS and asking for a higher salary than quoted. Ain't gonna happen.

Established and accredited schools have a standard salary scale. They place you based on years of accredited teaching experience in the post-certification period. Cram school / EAL teaching doesn't count.
Having said that, if you have been unfairly placed despite having all the experience and certifications, you should simply send an email to the school head explaining why you deserve a better pay. It's as simple as that.

Pay at tier 2/3 and unaccredited schools is a whole different story. Their pay is based on many unethical and silly factors.

I agree with the previous posters. If you want to flat out beat the competition, become an IB examiner or at least show evidence of top notch results consistently, be it on IB or AP exams and have parents and admin vouch for you through those references.

Activity-wise, you just need to again show evidence of sticking-around school, be it MUN or Yearbook. You should prove that you are not one of those teachers who is waiting to jump out of the school gate when the clock hits 4. Commitment to learning and walking the talk an extra mile, both inside and outside the classroom is what it takes.

When your school head picks up that phone and tells your prospective employer what a great loss it would be to let you go and he or she wished that you really stayed back, you can say you hit that final nail on the coffin really hard.