Please name some rural/remote schools worth looking into

MAtwater
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Please name some rural/remote schools worth looking into

Post by MAtwater »

I am really flexible about which country I go to, but I would like to work away from big cities. This narrows my search considerably, so I'm turning to you all to help me in my search. In my online searches, I've come across a couple of Indian boarding schools (-, Woodstock) but haven't found much else. I'm also willing to go to a remote place (somewhere I saw a mining-based community accesible only by helicopter that had a school).

My main aims are to be relatively free from pollution, have access to open spaces (ag and/or wildlands) and to know a smaller community. I'm certified in several areas, have graduate degrees, have 9 years middle school and high school experience, and have lived (and sometimes taught) in challenging locations.

Any ideas out there? Has anyone taught in a boarding school?
PsyGuy
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Hard to help

Post by PsyGuy »

I understand what your looking for, but your going to need to narrow it down a little more. One problem is that international schools grow and flourish where there are international or affluent communities to support them. There isnt much reason for an international school in the middle of nowhere if there arent any students.
Most of the schools your inferring too are basically company schools (such as Saudi Armco). That said you need to focus more on a region. A couple preliminary suggestions:

1) Id try QSI (www.qsi.org), I have issues with them, I wouldnt work for them, but they have some projects/schools that are in very remote locations with only a handful of students.

2) You need to look more at the municipal schools in a particular area. These are a countries public school system, and in a remote area, its likely to be the only real education system in the region. Google an area and use municipal or public school.

What would you like to know about boarding schools?
heyteach
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Post by heyteach »

I taught for many years on an Indian reservation and those were certainly the best years of my career (and maybe even life). It was a lot more third world than a lot of places I've traveled/worked in overseas.

BIA schools are sometimes boarding schools, sometimes "contract" or day schools. The place I taught was a regular school district, subject to the state board of ed; it just happened to be on a reservation.

There are a lot of schools on reservations. If you're looking for remote, look at the Navajo or Hualapai rezzes in AZ (the Nav is also in NM), or some of the Sioux schools in the Dakotas.
MAtwater
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Post by MAtwater »

Thanks for your thoughts....I'll look into QSI. Do you know of any agencies that place teachers into "off the beaten path" schools?

Regarding boarding schools, I imagine one of the big challenges is maintaining boundaries between school and home life. Has anyone taught at a boarding school, done well, and enjoyed it?

And heyteach, you are a mindreader. My plan is to teach abroad for 5-10 years and return to the states to finish my career on an Indian Reservation. I have a strong affinity for those landscapes and people.

Please keep the ideas rollin'
PsyGuy
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IDK

Post by PsyGuy »

I have to confess i dont know of a recruiting agency that specializes in schools off the beaten path. Other then the Peace Corp. I know a number of agencies that specialize in placing teachers in low tier schools, but none that specialize in "extreme travel teaching".

Before i continue, im venturing outside my area of expertise. Have you thought of just doing the backpacker thing? I ask because some of these places outside corporate owned schools in mining, oil compounds, probably wouldnt even know how to "recruit" internationally, and most of them on very small budgets would probably think its a waste of money. Ive known several people that taught ESOL as a way to found their backpacking travel. I propose a similar approach, except your backpacking until you find a place you want to stay and teach. You could do it in south america, india, africa, asia, even the middle east if your really brave. IF it was me, id pick India or China. Not a lot of problems, big country, lots of small under developed under explored rural areas. You might end up teaching english more then anything.
upintheair
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Post by upintheair »

The Engelska Skolan schools in Sweden hire native English speakers to teach math and science. It's a series of 19 bilingual schools that emphasize English education. They are located in smaller communities/towns, as well as Stockholm.

Pay isn't great, and Swedish taxes are high, but if your priority is location, location, location and the great outdoors....

http://engelska.se/
heyteach
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Post by heyteach »

My next overseas gig will be at a Don Bosco school in the South Pacific. They will provide housing and a small stipend. There are Don Bosco schools all over the world in some pretty out of the way places. They are run by the Salesian order of Catholic missionaries. I'm neither Catholic nor religious but they were still interested in having me.
Eric
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Post by Eric »

Not sure how important salary is to you, but you might be interested in the International School of Sosua in the Dominican Republic. I had friends that taught there. It's located in a small town, has clean air, is near the ocean, lots of opportunities to get to know the local community, lots of tropical wilderness to explore, though limited after a while I would suppose as you are landlocked on an island....
However the salary is really low so keep that in mind.

I'm similar to you in wanting to teach in a small town/city/region. I hate big cities, but as previous posters have mentioned, most international schools, especially the big, stable, well-resourced ones, are in large cities.
eion_padraig
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Post by eion_padraig »

You didn't mention your nationality, but when I read what you were looking for I thought about native communities in Canada. My wife's parents were teachers in Northern Ontario when she was very young. It was a fly in community.

Many new teachers in Canada end up going to aboriginal communities to teach in order to find full time work. The pay is usually pretty good. I don't know how easy it is for someone who isn't Canadian, but you may want to look into it. My wife and I have considered it as an alternative to working overseas.
MAtwater
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Post by MAtwater »

Those are some great ideas. I am currently in Asia, and like where I am but I am starting to daydream about new horizons (which might also be in Asia). I do need to put away retirement money, so for the next decade or so I need to be able to save. If I'm at a US embassy-connected school, I will be able to buy back those years of service towards my state retirement (but I doubt that there are schools that are both rural and state-department funded). I appreciate all the responses, so even if they don't pay much keep those ideas flowing! It's all a balancing act, right? Definitely current quality of life is important, but I also don't want to end up destitute.

eion, I'll look into the Canadian schools too....I'm American, and I spent many hours looking at the Alaska bush schools, but decided I wanted to learn another language and be overseas first. It would be interesting to see if Canada might be another option for me.


Being on the outskirts of a big city is a compromise I might have to make....any thoughts about those schools?
stirdaddy
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Post by stirdaddy »

Not sure if this is your cup of tea, but Colegio Albania, in the Guajira province of Colombia -- it's an American/Int'l school where graduates can receive a US, Colombian, and/or IB diploma.

http://www.colegioalbania.edu.co/es/ind ... Itemid=392

It's located in the middle of bloody NOWHERE. Guajira is a very beautiful, sort of deserty province, right on the Caribbean. So why is there a school in BFE? Because the world's largest open-pit mine is located there, so the school services the children of all the rich locals and the international community working there.

Crap location, but apparently AMAZING benefits and pay... (why else would one want to work there?) I was told that teachers get free flights to Bogota anytime they want (obviously on weekends/holidays).

Anyways, if you want to work in BFE, that's a great option.

Source: I used to teach at a sister school in Colombia
liketotravel
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Post by liketotravel »

Colegio Albania is a hole and so is the walled town it's located in. The director is shady, lame, and dangerous all rolled into one. The pay is average for Colombia and the benefits like getting a plane ride out of hell every once in awhile is not worth it. The kids are not very nice, but I don't blame them as they grew up in a man made fishbowl in the middle of nowhere.

The only benefit is the Colombian staff who are very nice and helpful. The closest escapes are Valledupar or Santa Marta which are mas o menos three hours away.

My minimum price for working back there would be $300,000 a year plus a bottle of Jack a day to deal with the pain.

Source: I worked there a few years back and have many close friends still there.
PsyGuy
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Boldly Go

Post by PsyGuy »

I get the feeling that the best schools are going to be the ones no one else has really discovered yet.

Your not going to find a DOS assisted school off the beaten path. DOS schools are around consulates and embassies, or areas with a "significant US interest", that doesnt happen in the middle of nowhere with native/local communities.
higgsboson
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Post by higgsboson »

[quote = heyteach] There are a lot of schools on reservations. If you're looking for remote, look at the Navajo or Hualapai rezzes in AZ (the Nav is also in NM), or some of the Sioux schools in the Dakotas. [/quote]

Heyteach - I'd love to work on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma, especially up near North West Arkansas. Any ideas on finding a reservation job in that area?
heyteach
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Post by heyteach »

Of course you should find out the name of the rez in your target area, then check http://www.bie.edu/ for openings. There may also be public schools on a rez as well.
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