what to know about teaching at an international school

Guest blog past International Schoolhouse Customs |Recently edited and updated past Didactics Nomad

There are viii,000+ international schools dispersed throughout the earth, and 550+ are in Mainland china alone. In countries that take a lot of international schools, like China, you'll discover a number of schools that utilise American, British, or international curriculum (eastward.thou. DP, IPC, etc.).

In this commodity, we would like to highlight some pros and cons of working at an international school in Prc. Using the International School Community website's database, we found 103 international schools in Red china that have had comments submitted on them past members.

Finding out what life really looks like while teaching in an international school in China is the key to figuring out what you want to become out of your international job search.  Even if educational activity in China isn't your starting time choice, after learning near the international schoolhouse opportunities bachelor, you might reconsider.

It's likely that China is very dissimilar to your dwelling country, so it's important to keep an open listen and learn the ins and outs of living and working in a city in Cathay before making a decision.

Although in that location are many international schools in Shanghai, there's as well a huge number of them all over China.

Things to consider when looking for a teaching position in an international school overseas:

The School Building

Who wouldn't want to work in a state-of-the-art and purpose-built school building? In fact, many international schools in China practice have such a building, but just like in other countries, there's a wide range in the quality level of different campuses.

Newly built schools are often nicer than older schools, simply this is non always the case. Information technology's best to find reviews of the schoolhouse you're interested in or ask your recruiter to put you in touch with someone that currently works there to get their opinion on the campus and amenities.

If you are because working in Beijing, hither is a comment almost Tsinghua International School –

" The school building is on the Tsinghua campus. It's on the border of the Haidian district, a long ways from the more interesting parts of the city. The expanse effectually the campus is nice plenty; a typical Chinese cityscape. The grounds of the university campus vary from dainty, very collegiate, to rundown. The school itself is in a refurbished building. When I worked there, I was told the program was to build a new school somewhere, and the current school location will be turned over to the Chinese high schoolhouse. The remodeled floors for THIS are decent; cipher special, but clean and bright. At that place are but classrooms in the edifice. PE, and cafeteria are shared with the Chinese loftier school."

Here is another immediate account virtually a schoolhouse building in Shenzhen at Buena Vista Concordia International School –

"Beautiful, purpose-built schoolhouse in the Buena Vista area of Bao'an. All buildings in the residential/commercial surface area employ an American Southwest theme with brownish and orange being the principal color scheme. School has a full-indoor gymnasium, outdoor soccer pitch and rails, space for art and music, also every bit four large lab areas."

The Journey to Work

A big concern for anybody that works full-time is the length of the commute to piece of work and the available transportation options.Many international schools in Prc organize coaches that shuttle you from the area in which you live to your workplace. When looking for an international schoolhouse to work in, yous'll want to figure out where information technology'due south located compared to where you'd like to live, to brand sure that everything works out well in the end.

Hither is a comment near the location ofConcordia International Schoolhouse in Shanghai –

"The school's location is ideal. It only takes virtually 35 minutes to get to the airport. It'south as well close to the city centre. Nigh faculty and staff walk to school or ride a bicycle. Information technology probably takes virtually 10 minutes to walk to schoolhouse."

A coach in Shanghai

Another comment about the location ofGuangdong Land Garden School in Foshan –

"The campus is located in a very big residential community near the border of Foshan and Guangzhou. It takes most 2 hours to get from the schoolhouse gate to the center of Guangzhou if using buses, or virtually half that time if y'all accept a private driver. You will never find a normal metered taxi virtually the school. Information technology feels isolated and dull hither, and very few people here speak any English."

Some people desire to be right in the eye of the activeness almost other native English speakers, but some people desire to be in a more rural surface area. Yous'll notice international schools in both types of areas, you'll merely need to figure out which one you lot'd prefer to be in.

Hiring Policies

Hiring policies vary quite a bit betwixt international schools, and so y'all'll want to exist sure that y'all're getting yourself into a proficient situation.  Some international schools are actually strict on hiring qualified teachers with experience, and others are willing to hire teachers without the right certifications.

Here is what someone had to say about Xi'an Hi-Tech International School –

"Potential staff need to be professionally qualified in their ain dwelling house, preferably with public school work experience. The age limit is 55. Native speakers having taught in an IB school will receive priority. Those willing to exist trained will be also considered favorably."

In another part of China, here is a comment from a teacher who worked at Yew Chung International School in Shanghai –

"They rely a lot on hiring people who are recommended past electric current employees. You nonetheless go through the interview process, etc. My initial contact to the schoolhouse was through a connectedness I had to somebody already working here. Interviews are ordinarily long-distance phone calls or over Skype."

Expectations of Teaching Staff

Earlier taking a new job at an international school, you'll want to detect out what the workload is similar. Information technology'southward helpful to hear what the teachers are actually saying about their work/life balance.

At Western International Schoolhouse of Shanghai, 1 current teacher said –

"The workload is without a dubiousness loftier, but it can exist expected in such a competitive environs as Shanghai. WISS is involved in dozens of programs and activities concurrently at any given fourth dimension, which means a loftier workload for the teachers involved. Actress-curricular activities are a must so is 1 Saturday in the "Saturday Schoolhouse Program" per yr."

The master gate at Dulwich Higher Suzhou

Some other teacher who worked at Dulwich College Suzhou in Suzhou wrote –

"Very high expectations. Be prepared to work hard; long days, lots of meetings, evenings and Sat events. CCAs on a signal system but basically one each of the iii terms."

Salary Packages

No matter what type of school yous determine to piece of work in, there will be a fairly big range in salary packages offered. The boilerplate pay at international schools can commonly range anywhere in betwixt 15,000 – 35,000 RMB per month. Your qualifications and experience are the deciding factors every bit to which cease of the salary range you'll end up on. Though this is a large salary range, international schools often pay the best out of all types of schools.

You lot can look through positions that require a education license or degree in Teaching here, as this is where you'll make the near money.

If you're interested in any of the schools mentioned in this article, please contact united states at [email protected] to learn more!

For more than firsthand comments about working at international schools in China, check out the International School Community website.  We are the "go-to" website for up-to-engagement information nearly the life of international school educators.

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Source: https://www.teachingnomad.com/blog/teaching-abroad/teaching-at-international-schools-in-china-the-good-and-the-not-so-good/

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