..Thanks to the many teachers who post in-depth School Reviews to ISR, we’re all well aware of which schools treat teachers right and which schools stoop to despicably low practices. The good news is, the majority of International Schools honor their Contracts and look out for their teachers!
..In schools that are focused on the well-being of their staff, Parent-Teacher Associations and faculty representatives to the Board are commonplace and give voice to teachers’ concerns. In many Reviews, teachers report that their PTA is quite effective. School Boards can also be beneficial when it comes to looking out for teachers. Embassies can be an ally.
..There are, however, schools that have banned Parent-Teacher Associations, and often times, school Boards are composed of local parents, many of whom will not speak out in defense of teachers for fear of retribution from an influential school owner. Reviews show that embassies may also be hesitant to get involved in looking out for teachers, even when Contracts have not been honored. This is probably because embassy employees need a place to school their children and don’t want to make waves.
..Ultimately, how teachers are treated appears to boil down to the attitude of a school owner and the Head of School. If an owner is driven by profits at all cost, and sees education as strictly a business, teachers suffer. At such schools, the only one looking out for teachers are the teachers themselves.
..International Schools are not static entities. They are regularly bought and sold, or taken over, by large management companies. This makes it important that you keep current on behind-the-scene dealings at schools you may be interested in. A change in management can mean no one is looking out for teachers, or hopefully, quite the opposite.
..ISR asks: Is YOUR school looking out for International Educators? Do you have a Parent/Teacher organization? Is it effective? Is the school Board responsive to teachers’ input? Could you depend on your embassy in a legal dispute, if needed? Or, is it every teacher for him/herself? If your school has banned Teacher Councils or Parent/Teacher organizations, ISR is a good place to spread the word!
Please scroll down to Comment
Please stick to the topic: Feel free to name your school. This Blog is expressly for sharing information on what schools are doing to look out for teachers. If you wish to otherwise Review your school, please submit a School Review.
ISR Discussion Boards 