My question centers on the likelihood of obtaining a junior level admin appointment at a Tier II or even Tier I with no international experience, but a good deal of experience stateside.
I am currently an IB Coordinator (MYP and DP) in a robust program (450 students and growing). I also facilitate the AP Program at our school. I have been doing this for three years and have program review and WASC accred. experience. Prior to coordination, I taught Humanities in both the MYP and DP and would be open to a partial return to the classroom.
My wife is an IB Maths teacher with experience in MYP and DP. She is also an instructional coach with our district helping teachers develop curriculum and assessments.
Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Another Admin Advancement Scenario
When I think about the international schools where I have worked, IB coordinator positions have tended to be filled internally.
If by Tier 1,2 we are thinking about IB schools such as Western Academy Beijing, New Int School Thailand etc, I would think there would be a lot of teachers within those schools who would be competing hard for a promotion to admin.
Having said that, you and your wife are an attractive package deal.
It may be the case that you need to do a 3 year stint in a smaller school first to get into the system.
All the best - as I said, on paper, you and your wife make a very good team.
If by Tier 1,2 we are thinking about IB schools such as Western Academy Beijing, New Int School Thailand etc, I would think there would be a lot of teachers within those schools who would be competing hard for a promotion to admin.
Having said that, you and your wife are an attractive package deal.
It may be the case that you need to do a 3 year stint in a smaller school first to get into the system.
All the best - as I said, on paper, you and your wife make a very good team.
Depends
An elite school no. They usually advance/recruit internally. A tier 1 school maybe (depends on region), it would most likely have to be a real American school with an IB program, which would be the best case scenario. A tier 2 school is very realistic, and you will find 3rd tier schools that willsnap you in a heart beat.
Search Associates has a leadership fair in early November, if thats what your looking for. Its not to late now actually, there are a number of IB/Academic coordinator positions still out there.
I would add that as a couple you would be highly marketable, and even an AP position would be realistic for you.
Search Associates has a leadership fair in early November, if thats what your looking for. Its not to late now actually, there are a number of IB/Academic coordinator positions still out there.
I would add that as a couple you would be highly marketable, and even an AP position would be realistic for you.
Last edited by PsyGuy on Wed May 23, 2012 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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overseasvet2
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You sound like a couple who would be sought after. WAB hired externally last year for IB coordinator and schools will in order to get the best candidate. It's a high stakes position - the only downside is that people can sometimes stay in those positions forever, especially in the desirable locations. Good luck!
As a couple you're very attractive. Expect to get good teaching offers from good schools.
For junior admin positions, it's harder to predict. Even Tier 1 schools recruit from outside sometimes, usually not because they don't have talent on staff, but because they recognize that sometimes fresh blood/fresh perspectives are needed. In those cases, they usually want someone who's been on the international circuit and can bring the benefit of knowledge of other schools/other ways of doing things, but even so you have a chance.
But if you get hired as a teaching couple, prove yourself, and wait, you too could in a couple of years become one of those internal promotions.
For junior admin positions, it's harder to predict. Even Tier 1 schools recruit from outside sometimes, usually not because they don't have talent on staff, but because they recognize that sometimes fresh blood/fresh perspectives are needed. In those cases, they usually want someone who's been on the international circuit and can bring the benefit of knowledge of other schools/other ways of doing things, but even so you have a chance.
But if you get hired as a teaching couple, prove yourself, and wait, you too could in a couple of years become one of those internal promotions.
Thank you for the perspectives. It is certainly that I do not like my current position, but after 10 years at the same school, I am thinking a change might be good in the near to medium future.
Is the same story true for Assistant Principal positions? I may have an opportunity at my current school to "move up" to an AP position in the next few years.
Thanks again for the viewpoints.
Is the same story true for Assistant Principal positions? I may have an opportunity at my current school to "move up" to an AP position in the next few years.
Thanks again for the viewpoints.
Better
I think your chances are better for a AP position, simply on the basis that there are more of them in a certain school. At some school the IB coordinator is either an AP or a HOD position. To give you a run down of an international school hierarchy for top to bottom:
1) The Owner or Board: In a non profit you find a board of some type. In municipal schools some kind of commission or board. In a for profit school its either an individual or family owner.
2) The "head": historically short for headmaster or headmistress, but a more modern term is head of school or director, commissioner. This is equivalent to the superintendent in the USA. Sometimes they might be called the principal.They report to the board/owner, and are the primary person who has hiring/firing authority.
3) Principal: Usually 1 for primary and secondary. In Ib school you may find 3, one for PYP, MYP, DIP. Sometimes referred to as coordinators or even directors. They may also be the one responsible for hiring or firing. The distinction is that they provide GENERAL administrative tasks.
4) Assistant Principals: Also called Coordinators, Vice Principals and sometimes "Deans". They typically focus on a specific element of school administration. You might have a SEN (Special Educational Needs) coordinator, academic coordinator, student services coordinator, IB coordinator, etc. There distinction though is that they perform SPECIFIC administrative functions.
5) Coordinators: These are administrative support positions, and might include curriculum coordinators, ESL coordinator, special education coordinator, the librarian, IT coordinator, counselor, nurse, etc.
6) Department Heads: or HODs, also called department chairs. these are usually senior faculty positions, and have a reduced teaching load, but still primarily teach.
7) Faculty: There are the teachers and interns.
A school usually only has one IB coordinator, but several to many assistant principals. Usually the head and principals make up the "Senior" admin group, and the assistant principals and coordinators make up the "Junior" admin group. Together they may be called the "leadership" team.
My school is a municipal school, at the top down it goes:
I) Commission for Education and Child Services: A publicly elected commissioner who appoints commission members.
II) Director of Education: Overseas all schools in our municipality. Basically the Superintendent. They hire/fire all administrators.
III) Principals: We have three of them, one each for PYP, MYP, and DIP. They run each section of the school, and hire/fire all faculty.
IV) Coordinators: These are our Assistant Principal positions. We have 4: Academic Coordinator, Student Services Coordinator, Special Needs Coordinator.
V) Professional Staff: This includes the Counselor, Librarian, IT Coordinator and Business Manager.
VI) Faculty: These are our Teachers, Senior Teachers, and Training Teachers (Interns). We dont have formal HOD's, as all of our departments are pretty small, and MYP/DIP doesnt collaborate.
Our Coordinators and professional staff comprise the junior admin group, and our principals and director the Senior admin group, though our director is rarely if ever seen involved in day to day school operations.
A school usually only has one IB coordinator, but several to many assistant principals, being as how there are more postions your chances are better for an AP position then IB coordinator position. At non IB schools the position is usually called the Academic Coordinator.
1) The Owner or Board: In a non profit you find a board of some type. In municipal schools some kind of commission or board. In a for profit school its either an individual or family owner.
2) The "head": historically short for headmaster or headmistress, but a more modern term is head of school or director, commissioner. This is equivalent to the superintendent in the USA. Sometimes they might be called the principal.They report to the board/owner, and are the primary person who has hiring/firing authority.
3) Principal: Usually 1 for primary and secondary. In Ib school you may find 3, one for PYP, MYP, DIP. Sometimes referred to as coordinators or even directors. They may also be the one responsible for hiring or firing. The distinction is that they provide GENERAL administrative tasks.
4) Assistant Principals: Also called Coordinators, Vice Principals and sometimes "Deans". They typically focus on a specific element of school administration. You might have a SEN (Special Educational Needs) coordinator, academic coordinator, student services coordinator, IB coordinator, etc. There distinction though is that they perform SPECIFIC administrative functions.
5) Coordinators: These are administrative support positions, and might include curriculum coordinators, ESL coordinator, special education coordinator, the librarian, IT coordinator, counselor, nurse, etc.
6) Department Heads: or HODs, also called department chairs. these are usually senior faculty positions, and have a reduced teaching load, but still primarily teach.
7) Faculty: There are the teachers and interns.
A school usually only has one IB coordinator, but several to many assistant principals. Usually the head and principals make up the "Senior" admin group, and the assistant principals and coordinators make up the "Junior" admin group. Together they may be called the "leadership" team.
My school is a municipal school, at the top down it goes:
I) Commission for Education and Child Services: A publicly elected commissioner who appoints commission members.
II) Director of Education: Overseas all schools in our municipality. Basically the Superintendent. They hire/fire all administrators.
III) Principals: We have three of them, one each for PYP, MYP, and DIP. They run each section of the school, and hire/fire all faculty.
IV) Coordinators: These are our Assistant Principal positions. We have 4: Academic Coordinator, Student Services Coordinator, Special Needs Coordinator.
V) Professional Staff: This includes the Counselor, Librarian, IT Coordinator and Business Manager.
VI) Faculty: These are our Teachers, Senior Teachers, and Training Teachers (Interns). We dont have formal HOD's, as all of our departments are pretty small, and MYP/DIP doesnt collaborate.
Our Coordinators and professional staff comprise the junior admin group, and our principals and director the Senior admin group, though our director is rarely if ever seen involved in day to day school operations.
A school usually only has one IB coordinator, but several to many assistant principals, being as how there are more postions your chances are better for an AP position then IB coordinator position. At non IB schools the position is usually called the Academic Coordinator.