As International Educators we leave our home countries to immerse ourselves in new, exotic lands & to enjoy the unique opportunity of teaching students from many cultures. Of the 6 schools in which I taught, 4 were outstanding examples of what the International teaching experience should be. Unfortunately, 2 of the 6 were such utter disasters they nearly destroyed my desire to pursue a career in International education. We all want to avoid such schools!
It’s truly upsetting to hear about educators being taken advantage of by supposed ‘entrepreneurs’ who have disguised their get-rich plans to look like an International school. At International Schools Review we strive to make your recruiting efforts successful by helping you steer clear of these schools. We do this by hosting in-depth & candid reviews of International schools around the globe. As recounted in many of the 6500+ Reviews we host, most International schools are wonderfully enriching, but care needs to be taken to avoid those that are not.
Yes, ISR has been accused of hosting Reviews written by merely “disgruntled” teachers. But, when dozens+ of such Reviews exist for a particular school, we can no longer question the validity of the claims. As we’ve seen time and again, taking a Pollyanna-ish approach to researching schools can be detrimental to your career & personal safety.
ISR encourages you to do your homework & thoroughly research any school you may be considering. We invite you to visit our Members’ Area to read what teachers have to say about their experiences in an uncensored, up-front & candid way. We also invite you to Share with colleagues your personal approach to safe International school recruiting. How do YOU insure your experience will be a positive one?
ISR Discussion Boards 
It really is unfortunate that business people are opening schools with their top intention being to make money. This makes it so that we as teachers have to be careful that we don’t end up working to put money in someone’s pocket at the expense of our own sense of ethics and the students’ right to an education.
I have been an ISR member for 7 years now and have found the information on the site to be invaluable. I’ve noticed that some other sites don’t allow us to relate problems at the school or our individual problems with admin, etc. This is unfortunate because knowing how many books are in the library or how big the sports field is really tells me nothing about what I really need to know before I pursue a position.
I use ISR and then search Google for any other information I can find. I also try to find the names of a few teachers at the school on Linked in or Facebook and write them in order to try and find out what’s really going on. Just believing what the director or principal has to say is not a good idea, unless it’s a school that has a bunch of good reviews on ISR and other places on the web.
I once had a very big suspicion that I was being lied to at an interview. Once at the school my worst fears came true. I left at the end of the year. I felt no obligation to stick it out after being lied to. If you find yourself deceived, just leave. The more of us that do that the faster these dollar oriented schools will realize they need to up their game to become a real school. Good luck to everyone this recruiting season.
LikeLike
While in university I planned on teaching abroad. I taught in my country of origin for several years to gain experience. Three years before moving abroad, I began doing my research. TIE, ISR, ECIS, I read everything I could find. I understood that as an international educator, I had no union, guild or association to protect, negotiate, or arbitrate for me. After three years of research, I chose a fledgling IB school in a remote region of China. The best decision I have ever made.
My advise to potential international educators is, do your homework. Be prepared to enter an educational culture vastly different from your own. Most importantly, focus on your students. I read reviews that complain about shopping, night life, etc. Really? Is that why one engages in international education? To get a good deal at the bazaar?
I respect our profession so much. I believe that our job is the most important job in the history of humankind. I have been teaching abroad for almost a decade and sent my students to some of the top universities in the world. The thrill of assisting a student to attain her or his dream of study abroad keeps every year teeming with possibility. Beyond that, I have to say that helping a person to become what they are going to become is the greatest honor.
LikeLike