Without naming schools, as to not break the rules on this side of the forum, what are your thoughts on teaching in India?
What about any differences between cities? Say Mumbai vs New Delhi Vs Bangalore? General quality of schools (without naming names) in each one of these cities?
Any thoughts on savings potential for a teaching couple in India, each one with say a 45K USD per year salary (not taxed)? Any significant difference in potential savings between the three previously mentioned cities?
Thanks
Teaching in india
Response
Of course there are ITs that India is just their fetish. If your getting western coin and a standard OSH package and you live off the economy, than India can have great saving potential. The students tend to be extremely spoiled, and many ISs are run like a business where the parents are the client, and the client is always right. Grade manipulation isnt uncommon. As long as your fine with the had boobing and your in it for you and not making the world a better place or be a crusader of academic integrity you should be fine.
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Heliotrope
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Re: Teaching in india
There are schools in India that don't fit PsyGuy's description, the best one probably being a school associated with the American Embassy in New Delhi, where only a small minority of the students is Indian.
Same goes for an American School in Bombay (Mumbai), and an American IS in Chennai, although at these the percentage host country students is higher than in Delhi.
However, read up about living in India before deciding, because the air pollution is terrible in most of the bigger cities (New Delhi will cost you a few years of your life), and many people describe Indian cities as disturbingly dirty. I know two teachers who broke contract to get out of Bangalore for example.
Others might love it though.
Have a read here: https://www.talesmag.com/real-post-reports/india and elsewhere.
Same goes for an American School in Bombay (Mumbai), and an American IS in Chennai, although at these the percentage host country students is higher than in Delhi.
However, read up about living in India before deciding, because the air pollution is terrible in most of the bigger cities (New Delhi will cost you a few years of your life), and many people describe Indian cities as disturbingly dirty. I know two teachers who broke contract to get out of Bangalore for example.
Others might love it though.
Have a read here: https://www.talesmag.com/real-post-reports/india and elsewhere.
Discussion
I dont disagree with @Heliotrope , there are always exceptions, but @Heliotrope has identified a very small number of exceptions compared to the many many more where my description is accurate. Its comparing the elite/1st tier (very small) with the 3rd tier (very large).
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chemteacher101
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Re: Teaching in india
@Heliotrope
Too bad this forum does not allow for direct messaging. If you don't mind, can you share a bit more about what you've heard regarding Bangalore? One school there seems to have several postings and resource-wide it looks like it has a nice campus. What was it that drove them out of Bangalore? City or school?
Too bad this forum does not allow for direct messaging. If you don't mind, can you share a bit more about what you've heard regarding Bangalore? One school there seems to have several postings and resource-wide it looks like it has a nice campus. What was it that drove them out of Bangalore? City or school?
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Heliotrope
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Re: Teaching in india
It was definitely the city.
The absolutely worst thing in Bangalore is apparently the traffic, and they also complained about trash being (almost) everywhere.
Also, the female teacher was sexually harassed (in the city, not at school!), and she didn't feel safe there after that.
The school (CIS) was actually very decent, and they would have stayed longer if it had been in a different city/country.
The absolutely worst thing in Bangalore is apparently the traffic, and they also complained about trash being (almost) everywhere.
Also, the female teacher was sexually harassed (in the city, not at school!), and she didn't feel safe there after that.
The school (CIS) was actually very decent, and they would have stayed longer if it had been in a different city/country.
Re: Teaching in india
I work in Bangalore, in a school that is 11 years old, a nice campus, lots of resources. the school is growing, that is the reason behind most of the jobs openings.
Yes, traffic tends to make you stay at home, and pollution can be bad (and no visible political goals to fight it, unfortunately!).
Just like in any country, saving depends on lifestyle, and in a bigger city: more opportunities to spend... nothing new!
I find a bit disturbing the comments implying that a school with a high rate of local students is seen as not as good as one with mainly expats. Not all locals are spoiled brats, just like not all expat are academically focused with open minds. It all depends on the school culture, the school management and teachers.
Yes, traffic tends to make you stay at home, and pollution can be bad (and no visible political goals to fight it, unfortunately!).
Just like in any country, saving depends on lifestyle, and in a bigger city: more opportunities to spend... nothing new!
I find a bit disturbing the comments implying that a school with a high rate of local students is seen as not as good as one with mainly expats. Not all locals are spoiled brats, just like not all expat are academically focused with open minds. It all depends on the school culture, the school management and teachers.
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Heliotrope
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Re: Teaching in india
wherenext wrote:
> I find a bit disturbing the comments implying that a school with a high
> rate of local students is seen as not as good as one with mainly expats.
> Not all locals are spoiled brats, just like not all expat are academically
> focused with open minds. It all depends on the school culture, the school
> management and teachers.
No need to be disturbed.
I mentioned the percentage of local students because it happens to be a factor in the decision making process for quite a few international teachers, probably because there is quite often a correlation between the quality of an international school and the percentage of local students, just as there is one between teacher retention rate and an IS being for-profit or not-for-profit school.
If you look at which schools are described as tier 1 by ITs, you'll find that the vast majority is not-for-profit with a generally low percentage of local students.
But you are right, that doesn't mean that all local students are spoiled brats, and that all schools with a high percentage of local students are bad schools. The local students can be great, and the school can be as well. I've worked at one of those.
> I find a bit disturbing the comments implying that a school with a high
> rate of local students is seen as not as good as one with mainly expats.
> Not all locals are spoiled brats, just like not all expat are academically
> focused with open minds. It all depends on the school culture, the school
> management and teachers.
No need to be disturbed.
I mentioned the percentage of local students because it happens to be a factor in the decision making process for quite a few international teachers, probably because there is quite often a correlation between the quality of an international school and the percentage of local students, just as there is one between teacher retention rate and an IS being for-profit or not-for-profit school.
If you look at which schools are described as tier 1 by ITs, you'll find that the vast majority is not-for-profit with a generally low percentage of local students.
But you are right, that doesn't mean that all local students are spoiled brats, and that all schools with a high percentage of local students are bad schools. The local students can be great, and the school can be as well. I've worked at one of those.
Discussion
I tend to agree with @Heliotrope, while not all students are spoiled there are expected, valid and accurate correlations between IS quality and demographics of the origination of the student population.