Five great reasons to teach abroad in an international school
TIC Asia-based Consultant Tim Creber gives his top 5 reasons to teach overseas.
"The decision to work overseas in an international school can be a daunting one. In 1990, I decided to ‘give it a go’ and accepted a Head of English post in Dubai. Twenty-five years later, my only regret is that I didn’t make the move earlier!” says former international school teacher and leader Tim Creber. Here are Tim’s five top reasons to teach in an international school:
1. Teachers are valued and appreciated
You’ll find that, in general, students and parents greatly respect education and teachers in international schools. The students are mostly hard-working and achieve high exam results, while discipline problems tend to be infrequent and low key.
2. Financial benefits
Salaries are typically good and in some countries e.g. the Middle East, may be tax-free. Benefits can be excellent with most international schools outside Europe covering many of the costs of your accommodation, medical insurance and travel home; allowing you to save much of your income. At TIC, your recruitment consultant can often negotiate salary and benefits on your behalf.
3. Excellent career prospects
Because many international school teachers move from one country to another every few years, positions within international schools can change often and opportunities for promotion can occur frequently. Developing the skills of working with English second language children, with international curricula, and alongside a cohort of skilled teachers from a range of countries is also highly valued by international schools, as well as national schools when you return home.
4. Extensive travel opportunities
There are plenty of travel possibilities when teaching in an international school. Whether it’s a long holiday or a short break, travel between countries in Asia, the Middle East and Europe is easy, and it’s very much a typical part of the international school culture. While working in schools in Asia, I and my family enjoyed many fantastic trips to such places as Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Burma, Singapore, Hong Kong and more!
5. Sunshine!
One thing I definitely don’t miss is month after month of miserable and unpredictable British weather! Of course the weather will depend on where you go, but year-long sunshine has definitely been a plus for me! The only hard part is deciding which T-shirt to wear by the pool!
Look out in next week’s TIC Blog for Tim’s top five considerations when preparing for a move overseas.
Tim Creber is TIC’s Asia consultant. He’s based in Chiang Mai in Thailand.
If you would like to find out more about what life is like as a teacher working abroad, visit our Teacher Interviews section to hear first hand accounts of people's experiences. If you would like to start you adventure, take a look at our Vacancies page and see what suits you!
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