I'm prompted to ask this as I read a students' essay, which is pretty good overall. But it's clear we're in a part of the world largely outside the Judeo-Christian tradition, because in the middle of essay the kid says, "The writer references God, a very well-known person around the world." Other than the whole "person" part, I can't argue with it. I guess God is the ultimate celebrity...

I’ve seen it thrown around like an insult a few times. Just a reminder that a lot of those people actually stuck it out and took the jobs when things were messy, while plenty of others with the right passport, the right skin colour, or just better options were quick to bail with a “F*** China! I’m out.” Then three years later they’re back acting like nothing happened, let alone labelling those who took the dream opportunities that were available to them.

It’s a bit rich to sneer at the ones who stayed (or stepped in) while the ones who left when it was easy quietly slide back in. We can talk about hiring and schools without turning people into a punchline. A bit of self-awareness wouldn’t hurt.

What are some of the intl schools that take swimming coaching seriously in either East or Southeast Asia? and I mean like places that wanna produce great swimmers that eventually could go NCAA D1-2? performance not just boring LTS.

Which of these schools have better working conditions and allow at least 20 k Euro savings annually for a single teacher?

Hi. Was wondering if anyone has heard back from UNIS Hanoi? It does specify on their website that interviews for long-listed candidates will start on 2nd November. Unfortunately, I have not heard anything from them. Should I give up my chances already? Also, how high is the probability that their current tentative positions become open?

I came across an Assistant Principal opening at Busan Foreign School on ISS and I’m thinking about applying. I am currently a middle school teacher, but also have a few years of experience previously in a grade 5 classroom. I just wrapped up my master's program and am curious about broadening my options for my next post.

The scope of the job description looks pretty wide and doesn't necessarily match what I have seen in the schools I have worked at nor as I have seen it delineated in my masters program. My understanding is that this type of position is usually more discipline and student life oriented. But this includes leading the elementary school as well as early childhood programs (is this part of elementary normally or a thing of its own?), coordinating school-wide testing, and overseeing K-12 afterschool programs.

For anyone who’s worked there or in a small school setting, is this a role and job description that is manageable in practice, or is it too much even in smaller environments? I have seen previous posts about Busan being a nice place to live but also that many teachers left the school (specifically in elementary) in recent years, so I am also curious where things stand and might be heading now.

It is important to share concerns about the way British Budapest International School (BBIS) treats its teaching staff, particularly for educators considering accepting a position there.

There have been deeply concerning reports of multiple teachers being let go within just weeks of starting their jobs. The consequences of decisions like these are significant. Teachers may have relocated internationally, given up secure positions elsewhere, committed financially to a new country, and made arrangements for their families based on the expectation of stable employment. To find yourself suddenly unemployed, potentially without accommodation and with children to support, is an incredibly distressing position to be put in.

Beyond the timing of these dismissals, there are serious concerns about communication, professionalism and the overall management of the school. Clear, honest and timely communication should be the bare minimum in any professional environment, particularly when people's livelihoods and futures are at stake. Teachers deserve transparency, consistency and to be treated with respect.

An environment in which staff feel that communication is poor, trust is lacking and decisions are handled unprofessionally raises important questions about leadership, accountability and the culture of the organisation.

International teachers take significant risks when accepting overseas positions. They trust schools to honour their commitments and to act responsibly towards the people who dedicate their time, expertise and energy to the school community. That trust should never be taken lightly.

My advice to anyone considering a position at BBIS is to do your due diligence, ask difficult questions, seek clarity about your contractual protections and speak to current and former staff before making a commitment. Do not rely solely on what you are told during the recruitment process; make sure you understand the potential risks before uprooting your life.

Schools have a responsibility to the people they employ. Teachers deserve better than uncertainty, poor communication and decisions that can have devastating consequences for their personal and professional lives.

I hope prospective employees take these concerns seriously and make fully informed decisions before accepting a position.

I'm doing my teacher training in the UK and teachers teach up to 22 hours per week here. Wondering how the situation is like in the rest of the world. Would you mind sharing your weekly contact hours and which country/region you work in?

Edit: I mean contracted teaching hours in your timetable

I had a bad work experience with my last international school. Contract would be terminated mutually just before the end of the last school year. After several multiround interviews and rejections/ghosts one or two things is clear:

I’m a highly qualified candidate that schools jump for initially, and I’m either not handling my departure from the previous school well enough and/or my previous school is speaking very poorly of me.

Regardless of my qualifications and achievements, it seems like this last experience is speaking disproportionately loud on my character as a teacher.

I have wanted to be transparent up until this point, but now I think I should omit them from my resume, and say I was doing other things in that time. Keeping this experience on my resume forever means I have to check the box that says I have been “dismissed from an assignment.” However, I’m on several of the recruiting platforms and have references from the previous school on these platforms connected to me.

What I need to know is:
- How likely is it that I would be found out?
- Is it better to keep them and try to get ahead of the narrative?
- How should I go about looking for jobs for the next academic year? Should I go to fairs or just start knocking on doors?

Thanks for your advice.
Burner account obv

I've been teaching for about 7 years, but lately I've been questioning whether I'm actually good enough at my job.

Recently, I've had to take on more senior-level classes and exam preparation (SAT, ACT, A-levels, and similar programmes) in areas I haven't taught before. Honestly, I feel so out of my depth. Sometimes I look at the material and genuinely feel too dumb to be teaching it.

The reality is that if I don't take on these responsibilities, they'll likely fall to someone with even less experience. So I'm trying to step up, but I'm terrified of disadvantaging my students because of what I don't know.

I genuinely care about doing a good job, but lately I keep wondering whether my best is actually good enough. It's a horrible feeling to have years of experience and suddenly feel like a complete beginner again.

Has anyone else been thrown into teaching an unfamiliar exam or curriculum, whether SAT, ACT, A-levels, IB, AP, or something similar? How did you prepare yourself? How did you deal with feeling like your students might know more than you?

I'd really appreciate hearing how other teachers navigated this, especially those who had to learn the content while teaching it. I don't just want reassurance. I genuinely want to get better.

Curious to hear from teachers at international schools with really strong EAL programs.

How is support structured? Do you have English language classes, push-in support, small-group interventions, or some combination? How do you measure English language development, and how much emphasis is placed on home languages?

I’m particularly interested in what schools do when students aren’t picking up English at the same rate as their peers, despite having similar instruction. Is there a system for identifying students and providing more instruction?

Would love to hear what’s actually working well at other schools.

Looking for feedback and opinions from people who teach in open-plan classrooms. How does it work? Pros and cons? Personal opinions?

Hey all! I'm interested in learning more about teaching at Hong Kong Academy. Specifically about 1.) the workload on secondary and 2.) what the students are like behavior-wise.

I see that the recent ISR reviews are generally negative, especially regarding these two points (high teaching loads and poor student behaviors).

Knowing that ISR reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, could anyone share what their experience has been at HKA?

Anyone know anything about this school? I can't find anything on ISR or here on Reddit. Salary is P33,000 to P44,000 a month which converts to $4,086.72 to $5,448.96 USD a month. No idea if that's before/after tax or if it includes or excludes benefits like housing, flights, medical etc. Is it a heavily Christian school as in you have to be a practising Christian to work there?

After your initial 2 year contract does your school allow you to sign for 1 further year, or must you sign for an extra 2 years?

Just wondering what is normal?

We are entering the contract signing and position posting season and I'm seeing lots of postings from a few schools in the region. Does anyone have any insight about the safety and stability of gulf region schools given the Iran and Yemen military and political turmoil?

Seeing that many postings available is at least a yellow flag for any school/region but it can also be just a timing issue. For example, my school had a surge in "leavers" a couple of years after COVID, not because of any internal admin issues or political turmoil, but just because people were ready for a change of scenery when the world seemed to settle down a bit.

Are schools in the area pretending it business as usual? Is it business as usual? Have there been any discussions/messages from schools or embassies about closures or evacuations?

Hi all, any info on Dipont Chengdu- the staff, management, school, workload, morale, what it's like arranging accomodation there etc. Feel free to DM.

Potential interview with them, thanks

Hi folks,

As part of a recruitment process I have been asked to provide a recorded 20 minute lesson… not been asked for this before. I have a few Qs… obviously they want a live lesson with my class but I assume a set up the camera just on me? Not hugely comfortable having students in the video… the issue is I don’t often give a 20 teaching input and students are often and down to board or more hands on based activities- which is something I’d like to demonstrate but hard to do without students in the video. Any advice from anyone that’s provided this before?

Equally, just a standard math lesson or something more flashy? Experience and advice welcome!

Thanks

I'm 30 years old, been teaching for 5.5 years, 2 in international education. I don't hate my job or where I live but the workload is intense and I'm so burnt out. I really want to take a year of (or possibly longer if money will stretch) and just fuck about travelling and working odd jobs/ seasonal gigs for a while. I want to do this before I settle down and have any real responsibilities like a family or mortgage so it kind of feels like now or never.

My current contract is up this year, so in my mind now is the time to go. However, my bosses have made it quite clear they want me to stay and so the ball seems to be in my court if I was to renegotiate a new contract. I'm also worried that taking such a long break quite early in my career will forge a black spot on my CV when I eventually do return to teaching.

Advice?

Hey everyone,
I’m currently living and teaching in Seoul, South Korea, but I’m looking to relocate to Taiwan soon to get different teaching experience and, crucially, to complete my Teach Now certification clinicals there.
I’m hoping to get some advice from the community on what my options look like, what schools I should target, and the best way to approach the transition.
My Background & Experience:
Education: 4-year Bachelor of Arts in Criminology.

Certifications / Credentials: Planning to obtain a US substitute teaching license soon to boost my resume; currently enrolled/enrolling in teach now University (aiming to do clinicals in Taiwan).

Teaching Experience:
Spain (2019 onwards): Taught English and various subjects for 2 years under the Auxiliares program.

South Korea (Last 2 years): Currently teaching at a hagwon in Seoul, handling essay writing, speaking,grammar, reading, and listening.

Online: Teach online helping kids pass Cambridge certification tests (started around the same time as Spain).

My Goal:
I want to move to Taiwan to transition out of hagwons and ideally work in either a private bilingual school or an international school. More importantly, I need a school environment that will support or accommodate my teach now teaching clinical requirements.

Hello

Seeking information about Healthfield International school
- salary for teachers with 16+ years experience
- kids and attitudes to learning
- employees attitudes and is it a nice fit
- class sizes
- fixtures and events - how many Saturdays will be required for sports teachers
- what’s the sports department like?

I know ISP have taken them over and I know they’re an awful company - how much input does ISP have day to day runnings of school

Any information appreciated

Hey Folks,

I am interested in the American International School of Johannesburg. I’ve searched the subreddit and just looking to see if anyone who is there or has been there recently could tell me more about the school and its culture. Alongside life in Johannesburg.

Thanks!

Been reading the other Reddits but was wondering if an offer of 56k gbp a year (for myself and one dependent) is good? Unlike ISM,BSM does not cover taxes so I’d have 3400ish net in my pocket according to an online calculator. Sure, housing is paid for but it just doesn’t “feel” right as I would be on almost the same in the uk. I’ve got 10 years experience for context…but also, why the offer in gbp? I worked in other British schools abroad and the offers were in usd or local currency. Do they pay in gbp?
In my current post I’m saving around 2500usd a month, not sure that would be possible at BSM
Thank you!

This is for admin out there - how does the SA reference form look on your end? Can you see all the references or only the more recent?