You’re Never Too Old to Start a New Life Teaching Abroad

If you thought you’d left it too late to go and work abroad as a teacher you’d be wrong.  Teaching positions in international schools around the world are taken by those of all ages and from all walks of life; you even come across expatriate husbands and wives working in the same school sometimes.  So, if you’re a teaching couple or you have a family with school-age children you can still consider the options and opportunities that teaching abroad brings.

In other words, you’re never too old to start a new life teaching abroad – and this is the message we’re bringing to you today from Rudi Powell who, as he approached retirement from his science teaching post in the UK, went to work abroad as an international teacher for a complete change of scene.

If you’re seeking inspiration and some top tips on finding the right post and teaching position, read on to discover how choosing to become an international teacher could be a very positive and life enhancing move.

As stated, despite what many people may think, it’s not always fresh faced graduate teachers who head abroad for jobs and life-changing experiences.  More and more pre and even post-retirement teachers and school leaders are grabbing fixed-term international school contracts to finish off their teaching days with a flourish.

Take Rudi Powell for an example, he taught science at a school in Penarth near Cardiff in South Wales for 35 years before heading off to the Vienna International School in Austria.

“I had been walking along those same Penarth streets, to and from work, for quite a few years and felt I could do with a change.  Six weeks later I was a city dweller and working at a school that takes students from over 80 nationalities taught through the medium of English, all preparing for the IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma!  It really was that quick.

“I had worked in a very successful school in Penarth and this experience was very useful in my new school, where students were also highly motivated and disciplined.  Some students came to the school with little or no English but within months they appeared to overcome this and make remarkable progress.  I had never previously worked with the IB Diploma, a programme that is used in international schools around the world, but it is similar to A-level in standard - though broader with more scope for special options and projects.”

Rudi’s advice to other older teachers who think that they have missed out on the chance of working overseas is: “Go for it!  There are so many opportunities.  I would however advise anyone considering this option to find out more about the school, location, conditions, teaching duties and accommodation.  This is where the advice I received from Andrew, [Andrew Wigford at Teachers International Consultancy], with his teaching experience, contacts and first hand knowledge was so useful.

“I would certainly do it again.  It was a great experience: the new challenge, the school and the city…although my right shoulder continues to remind me that, at 60, I should really have given the VIS science department’s ski weekend in the Alps a miss!”

Since giving this interview Rudi has moved on to a short-term post at the Rotterdam International School to broaden his experiences abroad even further.

Rudi is one of 230,000 teachers from all over the world teaching in over 5,300 international schools around the globe, where English is the primary language of instruction and teachers teach their skilled subjects.

“English-speaking teachers with good experience are especially highly valued,” says Andrew Wigford, director of Teachers International Consultancy which specialise in recruiting teachers for international schools.  “Many teachers don’t know that there are short-term contracts and long-term supply opportunities as well as the more typical two or three year contracts available, and many people just presume it’s something that only young, single teachers do.  We have helped teaching couples find jobs in the same school, we’ve worked with families with children of all ages move abroad with great success, and we’re seeing more and more teachers and school leaders who have twenty or more years of teaching experience behind them now wanting to grab the chance of teaching abroad while the opportunity still exists for them.  International teaching really is suitable for any age and any level of experience,” says Andrew.

That’s where a specialist recruitment organisation like TIC can make a difference; because it works with individual candidates to find a job that suits their particular needs.  “We know many of the schools, we’ve visited them and have an understanding of their working environment.  We often have a good sense of the accommodation and lifestyle situations of their staff,” continues Andrew.  “That means that we can match up very specifically, the right school for the right candidate.  That can make a big difference.”

Andrew offers the following pertinent advice for all teachers considering international placement: -

• Work through a reputable organisation when searching for foreign teaching positions.  There are a few unscrupulous owners in some schools who do not take the appropriate procedures to ensure that foreign teachers have the correct visa back-up, health and safety coverage, or suitable accommodation.  Teachers have been known to find themselves left to their own devices a long way from home.  So working with an established organisation to oversee your placement will give you the security you need.

• Make sure that the organisation helping you with your appointment selection works with accredited international schools, or personally vets non-accredited schools in advance of your interview.

• Ensure that the organisation you work through cross-checks all your terms and conditions once an appointment is offered to give you the peace of mind you need when taking up a new foreign post.

• Work with an organisation which is experienced at recruiting for the international market as they will be able to give you all the advice and expert support that you need.

For more information about working in international schools visit Teachers International Consultancy’s website or give them a call on 02920-212083 – what are you waiting for?