How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Illiane_Blues

How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by Illiane_Blues »

For those of you who have been, or still are, at their dream school: how long did you stay there, or how long do you think you will stay?
How long does it take before you feel the itch to leave, when the school is everything you're looking for, and why exactly do you leave?
Smoko
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Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:41 am

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by Smoko »

I'm at my 'dream school'. I imagine I'll be here for the foreseeable future (or until something major happens that pisses me off too much).

Ultimately it comes down to what you're looking for as a teacher vs what the school can offer. Both of those can change over time, so if one (or both) of those factors change too much then it's time to move on.
Heliotrope
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Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:48 am

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by Heliotrope »

Ever since I've been doing research on international schools I've had an unchanged shortlist of 5 dream schools. Not very original choices, all schools that are on a lot of ITs lists. After having been employed at various schools at various tiers in various regions I'm currently teaching at one of these five.
Luckily it did not disappoint and there's basically nothing that I would like to see changed at the school (well, my classroom a few steps closer to the staff washroom perhaps), so just like @Smoko I'll be here for the foreseeable future.
However, I can imagine that at some point I will want a change, both of school and city. Not because something is wrong, but just because a new school and city might be interesting. Not better, just different. Perhaps around the 10 year mark?
sid
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Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by sid »

Until something, or some combination of things, changes too much.
It’s happened to me. I was in a place I could have stayed indefinitely, but over time it changed. It was no longer what I signed up for.
I’ve been lucky enough to find a second such place. Fingers crossed.
fine dude
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:12 pm
Location: SE Asia

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by fine dude »

It also depends on the local situation. If the dream school is not in a first-world country, rapidly changing social and political equations can make one to think beyond pay check and benefits. China, The Philippines, and Thailand are cases in point. Also, change of school management can have a significant impact. I have friends who wanted to retire in Bangkok, but the pollution, scams, and sleaze finally got to them. Same with parts of Eastern Europe. It all depends one one's priorities.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

I will probably retire out from here, there are only a few places I would consider leaving for.

If you have the itch to leave for whatever reason than it doesnt sound like your dream IS anymore. You lave because you see happiness somewhere else.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by shadowjack »

For me it was 8 years, 3 principals, and two directors. The second director was the one who made me go, "Yeah, time to leave." Many others stayed, but I just couldn't. I was in a position where I answered to the director and it just made me shake my head and leave.
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

Comment

Post by PsyGuy »

Its really telling how small changes can change your dream IS to your nightmare IS.
Illiane_Blues

Re: Response

Post by Illiane_Blues »

> If you have the itch to leave for whatever reason than it doesnt sound like
> your dream IS anymore. You lave because you see happiness somewhere else.

Yes of course, that goes without saying.
My question is how long it took for teachers to start feeling this itch, even at schools that they have considered dream schools and where everything is pretty much perfect.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Comment

Post by PsyGuy »

::Looking around for @Sid::
How long is a piece of string?
Illiane_Blues

Re: Comment

Post by Illiane_Blues »

PsyGuy wrote:
> ::Looking around for @Sid::
> How long is a piece of string?

Just interested in personal experiences.
Of course I know there's no absolute number that is true for every teacher.
Heliotrope
Posts: 1167
Joined: Sun May 13, 2018 1:48 am

Re: Comment

Post by Heliotrope »

Illiane_Blues wrote:
> Just interested in personal experiences.
> Of course I know there's no absolute number that is true for every teacher.

I can't say how long I'll be at my current (dream) school as I don't feel the itch to leave yet, and it might be a long time before I do.
But the school is on many teachers' short list, so I can tell you after how many years some of my colleagues left, and chances are it was one of their dream schools as well.

There's a group of teachers who leave after (or just before) having kids, because they want to move back home to be near family, but these are not too relevant for your question, since the number of years at the school is irrelevant.

Most of the departing teachers leave after 10-12 years.

Some leave before then because they can move into a leadership position at another school, and some move before then to go back home and live close to their ageing parents, quite often after their parents have had some health scare.

A sizeable group stays longer, sometimes a lot longer.

Most teachers that get hired will have been at at least 4 or 5 other school but the occasional IT here that has only 2 or 3 other ISs under their belt will sometimes leave just to experience a different kind of school (different size, different curriculum, etc.), and the younger they are the more likely that they will sometimes leave because they want to be on a different continent, although we get very few of those.
JustSayGo
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Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2020 12:31 am

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by JustSayGo »

Troll posting removed by admin
Illiane_Blues

Re: Comment

Post by Illiane_Blues »

12 years is what I heard from friends that are at their 'dream school' so that sounds about right.
Thanks for the reply!
buffalofan
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Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:08 pm

Re: How long do you stay at your 'dream school'?

Post by buffalofan »

I believe it was the great philosopher, Mike Tyson, who said "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth".

That works well when talking about planning for a long stay at your dream school. You can plan all you want, but there will eventually be a change of leadership, be it principal or whoever you are required to report to. And if you don't get on with that new person, or they are just plain terrible at being a principal, it will be like a punch in the mouth. You could maybe eek out 1 more school year if this happens, but any longer and you are risking your sanity, and possibly your career.
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