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International schools are slowly acquiring global recognition; creating opportunities for many of their students, both expat children and, increasingly, local children to gain places at some of the most respected universities around the world. It is partly for this reason which lets the number of international schools to dramatically grow. It has, in fact, more than doubled in the past 10 years to its current total of 5,374 schools.

 

European teaching jobs and teaching jobs in the rest of the world are expected to continue. ISC Research, the organisation that studies developments in the international schools market, claim that the number of international schools is expected to proliferate to 8,000 in the next 5 years. This means an increasing and constant call for teaching staff. The biggest challenge for the entire market is to keep finding good calibre teachers.

 

International schools have gained admiration on a global-scale due to the quality of teaching that is provided. The challenge is to keep finding experienced, passionate, capable teachers who are also interested in working overseas. Teachers who do choose to work in international schools end up staying much longer than they initially planned because they have fallen in love with the experience. It’s not just because of the opportunity to travel and to experience life in other countries, it’s also the opportunities for professional enhancement, the development of teaching skills, and the experiences obtained from working with children and teachers from many different countries.

 

Here are some of the comments from teachers who have worked in in teaching jobs overseas for a number of years:

Dominic Crompton is the present deputy Headteacher at Skilts special school in Redditch, but taught primary in Bogota, Colombia, at the Colegio Anglo Colombiano School. He says: “Without doubt, it’s an experience I would recommend to anyone. Either professionally or personally, it is impossible not to bring something back that is of immense value. If you are returning with experience of developing curriculum, international links, and with leadership, you then become professionally employable.

 

Jeff Burt, taught physics to secondary children at Brent International School in the Philippines, then at the British International School in Istanbul, Turkey and is currently in Sri Lanka at the Overseas School of Colombo. He resides there with his two teenage daughters and wife. He says, “Looking back, the whole experience of teaching internationally has been amazing.” ”I have had the chance to teach American and Australian style curriculum, International Baccalaureate (IB) and International GSCE (IGSCE). You have to be prepared to adjust to new content and assessment styles, as well as look at your teaching methodology. The IB programs compared to the National Curriculum for England and Wales are very different because it can be quite demanding at first until you realize that it is very exciting to teach. Add this to the fact that it has a significantly positive effect on your professional growth.”

 

An Australian teacher who formerly taught primary music in Sri Lanka, Michael Wainwright is now teaching in Germany. Wainwright says, ”The varying environment can be quite stimulating, including the colleagues and students around you when one is teaching overseas. It is a very amazing opportunity that I would highly advise to any teacher who is adventurous enough. You’re expanding your knowledge, teaching different people in different ways, and you’re expanding your understanding of the world and your cultural perspective. It’s also a huge confidence builder. It really does allow you to find out more about yourself.”

The opportunity of a teaching job abroad is something no-one forgets

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