Search found 120 matches

by Lastname_Z
Tue Oct 31, 2017 5:02 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Where Should I Aim?
Replies: 21
Views: 29770

Re: Where Should I Aim?

Well I understand that but I’m looking for a specific number. Am I a lost cause already in the eyes of higher tiers? I’d also like to think that I’ve spent a lot of time developing myself professionally while in the lower tier (even took online courses).
by Lastname_Z
Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:54 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Where Should I Aim?
Replies: 21
Views: 29770

Re: Where Should I Aim?

shadowjack wrote:
> Schools expect you to keep moving up over the years. I would do 2-3 years
> at a tier 3, then look to move to a tier 2 for 4 -5 years, if it is good,
> or 2-3 years if it isn't great and then apply to tier 1 and 2. You never
> know what might happen. The worst thing is to stay at the tier 3 level for
> a long period of time - the question then becomes what is it about you that
> prevented you from moving up and why should a school hire you.

On that note, what's considered too long in Tier 3. I've been in it for about 4 years (partially due to lack of researching my options/being content for now). Does being in Tier 3 for 4-5 years make one damaged goods? I'd be hoping to move on to a better tier at some point.
by Lastname_Z
Wed Oct 18, 2017 7:45 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Changing teaching genre to ESL
Replies: 4
Views: 9160

Re: Changing teaching genre to ESL

mamava wrote:
> I have a TOEFL certificate and it would not prepare me for teaching EAL in
> an international school. You will definitely need more comprehensive EAL
> training.
>
> I think because there are so many EAL/teaching English opportunities around
> the world, there may be some idea that EAL doesn't require the same level
> of expertise or pedagogy as other subjects. Any decent school will look
> for an educational background and experience, just like any other subject,
> and they don't have to scrape the bottom of the barrel. If you are really
> interested in EAL, get the good training so you can be effective--not just
> with students, but as a support system for teachers as well.

Honestly, any motivated, driven teacher that has taught their subjects at the lowest tiers has gotten experience in ELL. Most of the kids in the lowest tier schools (in Asia) are locals (therefore ELL). They are also lower-level English speakers (the higher ones are in tier 2 or higher schools). Couple that with some formal education and you have experience + education that matches EAL teaching.
by Lastname_Z
Thu Oct 05, 2017 1:59 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: What is your greatest motivator and biggest regret?
Replies: 15
Views: 30989

Re: What is your greatest motivator and biggest regret?

Motivator: Savings, Classroom Freedom, Travelling/Experiencing other cultures

Regrets: None at the moment (it's a short career so far)
by Lastname_Z
Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:12 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Long Term Planning
Replies: 10
Views: 17552

Re: Long Term Planning

This is just my limited experience, but I've noticed that a lot of librarians at ISs are people that studied to be librarians, not teachers who want out of the classroom. It seems that there's more movement from teachers to counselling (and sometimes back to teaching) rather than teaching to library.
by Lastname_Z
Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:57 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: All the single ladies
Replies: 14
Views: 28443

Re: All the single ladies

Big cities in China like Shanghai or Beijing have MASSIVE amounts of expats due to the amount of multinational corporations and international schools. You would have no trouble.
by Lastname_Z
Wed May 24, 2017 9:03 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: How much do you make tutoring???
Replies: 12
Views: 28371

Re: How much do you make tutoring???

When I did do it.

Wuhan, China. 500 RMB per hour. I had to pay the cost to get there though (30 rmb cab ride).

I gave it up at the end though. I made enough money to survive without that. It's either a weekend where I have to make sure I don't go crazy because I have to tutor the next morning or I'm working late on top of what I already have to do as a teacher.
by Lastname_Z
Mon May 22, 2017 5:04 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: When to Stay?
Replies: 15
Views: 28304

Re: When to Stay?

So are there any good rules for how many two-year contracts one can see out before recruiters see that as a red flag? 2? 3?
by Lastname_Z
Wed May 03, 2017 8:30 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Negativity in the workplace
Replies: 85
Views: 138484

Re: Negativity in the workplace

Cooldude wrote:
> If it is only a 3rd tier school, presumably the salary and benefits aren't
> that great anyway. Why not look for a better school and move on. A few
> negative and nasty people can make life hell. I had two of them in the
> small secondary department of my last school and left because of them. They
> were allowed to poison the students with negative remarks, deliberately
> undermined anything that my department did and the spineless jellyfish of a
> 'principal' did nothing. I could see it wouldn't change. After leaving, I
> felt like a weight had been lifted and began to enjoy life again and I'm
> now at a school with more professional colleagues who don't run round
> trying to stab me in the back and a secure principal.Should have left
> sooner. Life is too short for nastiness and trust me, the students will
> know all about it.

Actually salary and benefits are great despite it being a third tier school. A lot of people at this school have probably stayed for more than two years because of it. Just wanted to make that correction.

It's only my first year so I haven't had the chance to do two years. I guess the main reason I'd want to stay past two years (if I do) would be because I like the idea of being at the front of changes happening (maybe even having a leadership role in some changes) rather than at the back of them (coming into a school where changes have happened without my input).
by Lastname_Z
Tue Apr 25, 2017 7:00 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Negativity in the workplace
Replies: 85
Views: 138484

Negativity in the workplace

Big idea: How do you cope with negativity in the workplace?

I feel like this is something that is experienced no matter what tier of teaching you are in.

I'm not at a great school. I'll say that much. It's a third tier. I make it work and I'm happy. However, the administration is making changes that I feel in the long term could be positive. Short term: there will be issues and some of those have to do with the administrator implementing them all at once rather than staggering the change.

My problem is that there is just so much negativity around what's happening in the school. I am content to just do a great job in my classroom, contribute through my extra curricular and go about my day. However, the negative attitude towards everything has really been getting to me lately.

How do seasoned teachers cope with this?
by Lastname_Z
Fri Apr 21, 2017 1:17 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Visa Issues
Replies: 5
Views: 11294

Re: Visa Issues

What PsyGuy said. In general, I always use my parent's address in my home country for any sort of visa stuff. You should do the same.

The more simple and straightforward your life looks on formal documentation, the less issues you will run into.

Another idea: Could you not apply for a conventional tourist visa (which can be acquired online without any hassle) and change it to a work visa while you're there?
by Lastname_Z
Thu Apr 20, 2017 12:50 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: International teaching from Development Context
Replies: 14
Views: 33602

Re: International teaching from Development Context

Look into Rising Academies. They write curriculum for schools in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

http://www.risingacademies.com

I applied to be a curriculum writer for them, but they weren't hiring for my subject area at the time.
by Lastname_Z
Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:25 am
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Exiting Singapore?
Replies: 19
Views: 46277

Re: Exiting Singapore?

In Asia an economic downturn is only an issue for schools that cater to expats. Schools that have a large amount of local students or only cater to local students don't have any issues. You don't see any third-tier schools in China worrying about an economic downturn because they are doing fine. It's only the first-tier/second-tier schools serving expats that worry about this.
by Lastname_Z
Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:55 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Living in Shanghai
Replies: 20
Views: 40813

Re: Living in Shanghai

With housing covered (which is the biggest expense) and after tax then that's a pretty good salary. Shanghai nightlife is really good, but also really pricey so if you indulge too much then saving can be an issue. In general, however, travelling and saving is very possible.
by Lastname_Z
Tue Apr 04, 2017 6:52 pm
Forum: Forum 1. From Questions About ISS & Search to Anything and Everything About International Teaching
Topic: Brexit and IT
Replies: 14
Views: 37332

Re: Brexit and IT

shadylane wrote:
> Lastname_Z wrote:
> > I'm not sure having an EU passport is really that much of a benefit
> > (speaking as an EU passport holder and getting my EU passport before I did
> > my research). There are a lot of top schools in the EU countries that only
> > accept non-EU passport holders (Best example is the American School of
> > Warsaw).
>
> Which is interesting, as although they say no EU passport holders on Search, they
> also claim to have 3 UK teachers and 30 host country teachers on staff. That makes at
> least 33 EU passport holders . .

And they all are paid like a local Polish person, which is a pretty terrible salary. The non-EU passport holders are most likely paid more.