Hi,
I was wondering if there are more teachers than available international teaching jobs out there ?
Here are some questions:
1) Are there less positions available ?
2) Are international schools offering contracts that offer less benefits than
in previous years ?
I keep reading on ISR reviews that schools are doing this more and more to their teachers.
3) Are there more and more poorly managed international schools out there ?
In the end, I am worried/stressed out.
Here I am debating whether to continue teaching overseas because it can be so so hard to know if one has chosen a "good" school.
It is tiring to pack several suitcases, fly half way around the world and risk landing in a school where the working environment may or may not be goodl. These days it seems like this is the risk one has to take.
I'm also feeling it is harder to find a good teaching position overseas as everyone wants (of course) to teach at the more reputable schools!
And it seems like there are less of them ?
Am I wrong ?
If I decide to stay permanently in the USA, the idea of teaching totally looses its appeal as I got into the profession in the 1st place because I enjoy being overseas! (Small class sizes, international community, culture, travel, etc...)
Maybe I got into this profession fort the wrong reasons (opportunity to travel, international setting) ?
The only fact I am certain of is that if I stay in the USA I will have to switch careers which probably means investing in college for more training (and at my age I am unsure I am motivated to do that!).
Arghhhhh- anybody else having questions/doubts about where the whole international school teaching profession is headed these days
and feeling caught in the middle between making the decision to stay in this career or move on ?
Just wondering if it's just me.....
Is it just me or are there no jobs right now ?
Jobs
[i]1) Are there less positions available ?[/i]
It's too early to say; schools usually don't require teachers to sign contracts before late November. They may post tentative openings in October, but in September the market always looks dry. I would say the number of positions might be different than prior years because of the economy right now; if people are in good jobs, I'd wager they'd stay there rather than risk moving on.
[i]2) Are international schools offering contracts that offer less benefits than
in previous years ?I keep reading on ISR reviews that schools are doing this more and more to their teachers.[/i]
It's hard to say; again, with the economy, I would imagine proprietary schools would be cutting benefits. There are also schools that phase in new benefits for new hires.
[i]3) Are there more and more poorly managed international schools out there ? [/i]
I believe so, simply because the number of schools has grown so astronomically that there is a shortage of good administrators. Look at it this way: when I first went abroad in 2000, there were hardly any international schools in China. Now there are dozens! Beside the lack of good administration, I've always been biased against proprietary schools, because I've seen, more often than not, that profit comes before education.
I sympathize with your dilemma, because I was there back in 1999-2000, and it was a hard decision to move overseas. When I left, I told myself, "This is just for two years." This is now my eleventh year. Yes, bad things can happen, but so can good things.
It's too early to say; schools usually don't require teachers to sign contracts before late November. They may post tentative openings in October, but in September the market always looks dry. I would say the number of positions might be different than prior years because of the economy right now; if people are in good jobs, I'd wager they'd stay there rather than risk moving on.
[i]2) Are international schools offering contracts that offer less benefits than
in previous years ?I keep reading on ISR reviews that schools are doing this more and more to their teachers.[/i]
It's hard to say; again, with the economy, I would imagine proprietary schools would be cutting benefits. There are also schools that phase in new benefits for new hires.
[i]3) Are there more and more poorly managed international schools out there ? [/i]
I believe so, simply because the number of schools has grown so astronomically that there is a shortage of good administrators. Look at it this way: when I first went abroad in 2000, there were hardly any international schools in China. Now there are dozens! Beside the lack of good administration, I've always been biased against proprietary schools, because I've seen, more often than not, that profit comes before education.
I sympathize with your dilemma, because I was there back in 1999-2000, and it was a hard decision to move overseas. When I left, I told myself, "This is just for two years." This is now my eleventh year. Yes, bad things can happen, but so can good things.
I was hesitant too....
I have been in and out of the international circuit for 10 years now. I had a stint overseas in 3 countries and then went back to the US for 5 years. I am now back overseas for just over 2 years.
I am 38. I left the US for my first teaching gig when I was 27. I am a single woman.
I was just recruited last year to a VERY good school. I have done my time in not so good schools. However, all of them have been rewarding in one way or another. It's the nature of the beast.
You could very well end up at a not-so-nice school. Do your research and try to get into a good school; However, there are still good smaller "unpopular" schools out there. There are also some pretty bad schools where you can end up saying you had the time of your life. Who knows?? It's all a part of the game. We all go through this.
I think if you go to the fairs, you will figure out a good match and be better informed of what you'll be in for (hopefully). We all go through this when we take on a new job in a new country. We obsess over how our life may be there.
The nerves of picking up and leaving everything familiar, we all understand. It's hard to weigh the known with the unknown.
My experience at the job fair in Bangkok was wonderful! An investment I will never regret. I just made an extended holiday of it. If you're spending loads of $$ to get there (Europe to Asia), may as well make the most of it! There were loads of jobs in my field (SpEd) and I felt very satisfied with the whole experience.
The deceiving thing about the fairs is the uncertainty of openings. Most will be posted in December. This is so much earlier than it was 10 years ago! Thank you, technology LOL When you get to the fair, openings will be added and deleted. Again, nature of the beast.
There are plenty of jobs to be had. I think your bigest dilemma is whether to go to a January fair or a February fair.
OK....I have rambled on enough...
Best Wishes....
I am 38. I left the US for my first teaching gig when I was 27. I am a single woman.
I was just recruited last year to a VERY good school. I have done my time in not so good schools. However, all of them have been rewarding in one way or another. It's the nature of the beast.
You could very well end up at a not-so-nice school. Do your research and try to get into a good school; However, there are still good smaller "unpopular" schools out there. There are also some pretty bad schools where you can end up saying you had the time of your life. Who knows?? It's all a part of the game. We all go through this.
I think if you go to the fairs, you will figure out a good match and be better informed of what you'll be in for (hopefully). We all go through this when we take on a new job in a new country. We obsess over how our life may be there.
The nerves of picking up and leaving everything familiar, we all understand. It's hard to weigh the known with the unknown.
My experience at the job fair in Bangkok was wonderful! An investment I will never regret. I just made an extended holiday of it. If you're spending loads of $$ to get there (Europe to Asia), may as well make the most of it! There were loads of jobs in my field (SpEd) and I felt very satisfied with the whole experience.
The deceiving thing about the fairs is the uncertainty of openings. Most will be posted in December. This is so much earlier than it was 10 years ago! Thank you, technology LOL When you get to the fair, openings will be added and deleted. Again, nature of the beast.
There are plenty of jobs to be had. I think your bigest dilemma is whether to go to a January fair or a February fair.
OK....I have rambled on enough...
Best Wishes....
-
wrldtrvlr123
- Posts: 1173
- Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
- Location: Japan
It's all you
It's just you, Missy. But as someone said, it's natural to have anxieties, or to even seesaw back and forth from despair to a fantasy about teaching at the top school of your choice and saving most of your generous salary.
My wife and I had been back in the states for two years and were desperate to get back overseas and often debated how hard or easy it would be. In the end, we both were offered positions with great schools/packages in China (without even attending a job fair!).
So, do your research, prepare as best you can, send out a lot of CV's and attend a fair if you need to. There will be a ton of jobs at good schools.
My wife and I had been back in the states for two years and were desperate to get back overseas and often debated how hard or easy it would be. In the end, we both were offered positions with great schools/packages in China (without even attending a job fair!).
So, do your research, prepare as best you can, send out a lot of CV's and attend a fair if you need to. There will be a ton of jobs at good schools.
Bangkok job fair
for those of you who have attended job fairs, can you attend without being affiliated with an agency such as ISS or SA? Can you just show up?