..It’s no secret that some so-called “International Schools” were created with the sole intent to financially capitalize on parents seeking a quality International education for their children. As such, these schools don’t focus on educational standards, but need only lily-white Western faces, and not much more, to complete the facade. No educator should naively end up in one of these schools.
..The problem is, not all web sites allow teachers to tell the honest truth about such schools and post only pollyanna-ish, glowing Comments rather than full Reviews. This may sound harsh, but know this: ISR hosts thousands of honest, up-front School Reviews. Those teachers who have been abused relate, in candid terms, how they were deceived and taken advantage of by unscrupulous School recruiters hiring unsuspecting candidates in order to bilk families out of millions of tuition dollars.
..Don’t get the wrong idea — There are wonderful schools out there and ISR can help you pinpoint the right school for you. We highly recommend you stay safe and consult ISR’s 10,000+ candid, in-depth School Reviews before YOUR next career move. Not a member yet? Take a Tour of ISR
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ISR Discussion Boards 
I have worked at schools that garnered multiple negative reviews on ISR. It was interesting because their reviews were simply “axe to grind” however there were real substantial issues with the school that were not addressed in their reviews. Their reviews were simply petty complaints based on their own inability to understand that not everyplace is like Kansas. It is true with every forum that people with a complaint are more likely to write than those with a compliment. Analysis of the review must be conducted. “Bad administration” is not useful. However, “I haven’t been paid in two months” or “veteran teachers refuse to help out the new teachers” is evidence that must be investigated.
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ISR is a fantastic tool that allows teachers to do their homework before accepting offers. To all schools out there, teachers’ tend to take some negative comments with a grain of salt, meaning we know there are not up to standard teachers who may have an axe to grind. Secondly, the way a school responds to negative comments says a lot. Do they blame the person for unprofessional ism? Do they see it as an opportunity to fix some of their policies and procedures? Do they say, things sometimes don’t work out between employers and employees and let’s move on?
No one expects schools, particularly third tier to be perfect, but just as a teacher is expected to take criticism and improve, so to should some schools, and some teachers should not be surprised when that school they sign up to ends up being a mega profit making machine.
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ISR is needed and before joining a school, do your homework through ISR. There is no smoke without fire.
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ISR is great for distinguishing patterns. Are there disgruntled people who overinflate or are the cause of bad situations? Absolutely. I wouldn’t disqualify a school based on one or a few negative posts. But when a school has multiple negative posts that note specific deficiencies and patterns, it is very useful to have that information before deciding whether or not to accept a position.
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Thank God for ISR. While there are some excellent international schools out there, unfortunately it appears that there are also many appalling ones with bad management and low standards that cheat their students. Serious and professional teachers want to avoid these schools. I recently heard of a teacher who was physically assaulted by another staff member and management took no action…something that would be an automatic firing offence. Incidents like this need to be posted on ISR and teachers warned about the school. ISR alerts teachers about potential problems at schools enabling them to ask probing questions if they interview. Information is power, especially in the teaching profession. Well done ISR.
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I’ve been a member of ISR for over ten years. I’ve watched them grow and evolve. Other sites, imitators, have come along and I think with the same intention as some of these schools that are only in it for the money. I will bet money that ISR takes flack and legal challenges because of what teachers say about them. It’s reassuring to me that I can tell the truth about my school and stay anonymous. If it wasn’t for that I know my school would have me prosecuted when in reality they should be prosecuted for breaking the teachers contracts and issuing new ones after we got here. I’ve spelled it all out very clearly in my review so other teachers can stay clear of this place. I depend on ISR. It’s the best review site I know of. Thanks you guys. Keep up the great work!!
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Totally agree with the previous comments. I completed 3 years international teaching in Qatar. My husband and I are both very experienced teachers within the primary and secondary sector. We had very specific reasons for taking up a post in this region as my husband is from a nearby country in the Middle East and had a close family member who was ill. There was no possibility of international teaching in my husband’s country because of political reasons.This post enabled us to travel there more easily during breaks.We knew that we would spend 3 years there if all went well as we had family commitments in the UK after that period.
During those years, we managed well within the school mainly due to the fact that we are dedicated and enjoy teaching and to some extent that was respected.
Our school was large and not run for profit but we witnessed ruthless treatment of many colleagues. The old adage – ‘ if your face doesn’t fit…’ comes to mind. Like any large school, we met many different people. Some went into management with little experience and then exploited their positions – a sure sign of insecurity. Others treated the opportunity as a learning experience. The worst type were people who assumed a new identity – the expat bore.They criticised everything about the UK – all was dire at home including the children who were disobedient and disruptive. I have taught in deprived and more affluent areas within the UK and like most teachers experienced a myriad of personalities in a classroom. After all surely that is life in many classroom in many countries.
There is much to think about when there are so many changes in education but a black and white view on children being wonderful in international schools and others as badly behaved is surely not realistic.
This contributors to this site portrayed our international school accurately and often with humour. Nevertheless, it was not for the faint hearted. We finished our 3 year posting relatively unscathed but that was certainly not the experience of many others around us and in neighbouring schools.
My advice would be to
take heed of the contributors to this site. There may be the occasional renegade who is out to get revenge unjustly but most are honest warnings to others.
By the way , we returned to the UK two years ago, took up posts at home [Scotland] and are extremely happy with our learners who present the usual challenges. So onward and upward! Good luck to those who are seeking international posts.
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Features of western-education systems include collaboration, respect, open discussion and very, very high standards of PD. So what motivates some of us to venture into systems/ schools where this culture is quite foreign? Simple adventure, the genuine wish to make a difference, to work (collaboratively) in a unique environment/ different country in order to make a sustainable difference to the standard of education ? ISR reviews and its two forums span this range of experiences.
Inevitably, many teachers will disappointed. Even when the school has met its contractual obligations with housing, timely salaries and reimbursements, the leadership hierarchy is usually alien from where you came from. Most of the time you will just be the hired service personnel for someone else’s idea of a school. Your carefully organised files will be binned or deleted upon your departure. There will be no handover to your successor because no one cares, or even understands why this is important. Basically, you are just completely replaceable and exploitable.
After 4 experiences in international schools over 25 years (at least two of these places had elements of ‘idealism’; perhaps my comment would be different if I had worked in a non-profit education environment) I will never again offer my services (teaching or non-teaching) to a school or consortium which has had even one negative review on ISR. This is because it takes courage for any teacher to reflect on their experience sufficiently to post them on-line. I have also found where I have had direct experience of some of these places that have been reviewed, the comments match my experience and ring true.
In my opinion, membership of ISR is a valuable investment for any teacher considering joining the ‘cowboy country’ that much international education represents.
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I have found negative comments on ISR about schools and admin to be correct over the years. I confirm them either by talking to friends at those schools or in one case, at my own peril I took a job at the school and found out the comments had been so true. That was a devastating experience with many bad long lasting effects.
Now if a school has a bad comment I steer clear unless a friend working at that school can tell me a different story.
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I rely on ISR and agree it is a valuable resource. I am troubled by an upstart site. The “comments” they host are often in direct contrast to the reviews I read on ISR. I have worked at two of the reviewed schools and can tell you that the information On ISR paints an accurate picture of these schools. What I find particularly troubling is that web sites that don’t let teachers tell the truth about their schools are setting other teachers up for a miserable time. I would ask the other site to refund my money but it’s just not worth the trouble.
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ISR is an incredibly valuable resource. People who say it is just a place for grumpy teachers to “grind the axe” have accommodated themselves to the business model of education.
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