TIC Blog - 28th January 2014

Published on 28th January, 2014 by Owen Richards. Published in For Candidates / TIC News / TIC Social

Welcome to the TIC Blog! January has been Moscow month for the TIC office, with visits, a newsletter and new teachers all heading to the Russian capital.

Andrew and Jo head to Moscow

TIC Director Andrew Wigford and Recruitment Consultant Joanne Hattam travelled to Moscow this week to visit the British International Schools of Moscow. The school is split into 9 campuses, to allow smaller class sizes. Andrew says:

“They differ in size and facilities but are all thriving centres of learning. First we visited the relatively new building of school 9 which has a lovely gym and theatre. Then at school 4, we saw the brand new school building under construction, which will double its size.

“The teachers we met seem very happy with their working conditions and can save quite a lot of money from their salary. There are good, affordable apartments close to the school and the teachers seem to have active social lives. We’ve discovered that there are lots of things to do in Moscow! Many teachers take advantage of expat clubs and also socialise with teachers from other campuses.”

From Russia, with love

We’ve been hearing back from some of our teachers currently working in Moscow, Cheryl Maglietta and Jeff Schawrtje. Here’s what they have said about their time there so far:

“So far things out in Russia are going well, it is quite a change from where I taught in Peru but it's all part of the experience (a positive one at that). The weather is now cold with lots of wind and snow but luckily I've packed my warm Canadian clothes.

“As the school is a relatively new school they are working on moving the school forward so to help them I've initiated a social project at a local orphanage with the help of one of my students. I have more than 50% of Secondary students interested in making regular visits to the orphanage! I'm also working on organizing a ski trip during our February vacation to Switzerland. So needless to say, I've been keeping myself rather busy. As for the school, it's a small school with lovely students and friendly staff. The parents so far have been really supportive especially of my initiatives.”
- Jeff Schwartje

“Things have been really good here since arriving.  I've taught overseas before, so this wasn't really a huge culture shock for me.  That being said, I've never worked with a school that has been so helpful in getting me settled.  From picking me up at the airport and arranging a hotel until my flat was secured, to reimbursing me straight away for all the expenses I incurred to come to Russia.  It's been an amazing experience; in fact, I would highly recommend this school to anyone applying for a position in the future. 

“School life itself has also been a great experience.  My co-workers and fellow teachers have been so helpful in helping me adjust to the curriculum and how things are done at the school. Plus I only have 11 kids in my class, which has been a real treat!”
- Cheryl Maglietta

TIC newsletter out now

Don’t forget, the latest issue of our monthly newsletter In Touch with TIC is now available to download! It’s filled with fascinating content, including:

• Interview with Bryan Sparkes, Recruitment Consultant and former Executive Headteacher of the British International School of Moscow.
• Article on the 13,000+ expats in the InterNations Moscow community and special offer for TIC teachers.
• Insight into the fantastic Edron Academy in Mexico.
• Case study with NQT Ben Brown about his experience in Doha, Qatar.

You can download the latest issue of In Touch with TIC now: TIC Newsletter January 2014 - Moscow (2MB)

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Owen Richards

Owen works in media relations and marketing. His main focus is working with the press on features about teachers who have moved overseas to teach internationally.