Did you know that there are over 5,000 international schools in the world? They are in virtually every single nation you can think of – what’s more, as education is a business just like any other, the number of international schools grows each and every year. If you have a teaching qualification, this fact means that there is a huge opportunity out there for you to go and live abroad, work and discover a whole new life for yourself.
In these 5,000+ international schools there are over 192,000 English-speaking teachers including 60,000 British teachers. The staff turn around at each school is far higher than it is in the UK because teachers who work abroad often want to travel, work at different schools and many only commit to being away from home for a set number of years. Therefore, whilst for the rest of us the global financial crisis means that it can be hard to find work overseas now, if you’re a teacher, you’re in a uniquely advantaged situation.
So, what’s it like teaching abroad? If you want to go and work at an international school we can imagine that you may have a million questions about what it’s really like, so thanks to the Teachers International Consultancy (TIC), we have an international teacher case study for you. Janice Ireland has taught abroad in locations as varied as Kuwait, Libya and the Netherlands, and she is typical of those who make the very most of their time overseas because she gained so much from her international teaching experience.
Shelter Offshore: When did you start teaching abroad?
Janice Ireland: “I went to work at the Kuwait English School as a year 1 teacher in 1996 because I’d always been interested in teaching internationally. I knew a lot about international schools through my brother who was the Principal of a big international school in San Paulo. I knew I wanted to work in an international school and waited for what I thought was the right time with my children. Matthew, my son was in university at that time and Jessica, my daughter came with me and did her A levels in the same school as I worked.
“She absolutely loved it! Initially she didn’t want to go because of leaving her friends so we agreed we would do a three-month trial. Also, my school in Swansea was fantastic and gave me a one-year secondment so that I could go back if I wanted. It all helped to make the move much easier.”
SO: What was the experience of teaching in Kuwait like for you?
JI: “It was a completely different life for me there with many new experiences in my work. I was teaching children from all different cultures. The colleagues I worked with were from all over the world and there was a very strong bond between us all; several have become life-long friends. All international schools teach in English so language was never an issue for me. Working in such an environment made me much more internationally-minded. Until I actually worked in an international school I never fully appreciated what being internationally-minded really meant. When you live in a different culture and teach children from literally all over the world, it changes your complete outlook and the way you view your place in the world. After my first year teaching there I knew I wasn’t ready to go back.”
SO: So where did you go next and did you enjoy your time teaching abroad?
JI: “After completing her A levels Jessica, my daughter went to Sterling University in Scotland and I went to work in three other international schools; in Cairo for a year, then back to Kuwait to work in a different international school for two years, then to Libya for two years and finally to the Netherlands for three years before returning to Britain.
“Libya was very different to Kuwait; a completely different school with just 65 children so a very big transition from the huge schools of Kuwait. There were just 4 teachers in Libya and I taught a year 1 and 2 mix class of just 15 children. It was like working with a small family. The opportunities to travel in Libya were amazing; especially being able to go to places that tourists don’t go. I’ve never had such amazing opportunities, for example camping trips into the Sahara. On one occasion I went with the Twarig tribesmen out to the desert for six days without any other contact with human beings. It was incredible. I would never have had the guts to do things like this before going to work overseas; the whole experience has given me so much more confidence and a willingness to take risks. You take on a new, much more adventurous approach to life because you know you can always go back to the old life back home.
“After Libya I went to the International School of the Hague as Head of Lower School. ISH is a very respected international school and this was an excellent move for me. I made many lifelong friends there. I worked with children from over 75 different nationalities, many of whom didn’t speak English as a first language and the staff was completely international; the teachers came from all over the world.”
SO: How did you find working abroad as a single female in these different countries?
JI: “As a single woman it was fine wherever I went, although in Kuwait they didn’t understand me being a single mother with children; they couldn’t comprehend that concept! For me as a single working woman I cannot even compare the differences to life back home in Swansea and the unusual situations I’ve been faced with abroad. I’ve learnt how to stand up for myself. It’s been a really good thing for me.
“There were big expat populations in most places I lived and you do build up a big network of friends with your teaching colleagues. In both schools in Kuwait (the Kuwait English School and then the British School of Kuwait) the school populations were very big – both schools had over 2,000 children! So there was an enormous staff who were there to support you and share experiences with you. The sharing of experiences was excellent, not only from a social point of view but also in terms of sharing different teaching and learning styles and best practice. There were always lots of activities and social events organised and there was a great community feel – the school does become your family.”
SO: How has teaching abroad benefitted you and how has your international experience affected your family?
JI: “It’s been the best thing that could have happened for us all, even for Matthew who never actually lived abroad with me, because we spent quality time when we were together, not so much quantity time but really good quality time. Both Matthew and Jessica are much more internationally-minded because of this. They have both travelled more extensively as a result and experienced different countries not just from the perspective of a holiday-maker but from actually living there.
“For me it’s opened up so many new doors and changed me a lot as a person. One thing I have noticed since being back home, is that I really miss living and working around people from different cultures. A multi-cultural work environment opens your mind up to so many other possible ways of viewing situations, of considering the individual needs and situations of others, and of valuing differences.”
SO: Finally, what advice would you give to anyone thinking about going to live abroad and work as a teacher at an international school?
JI: “Well, I would absolutely recommend it! Not just for developing you professionally but also developing you personally. The people who work in international schools are incredibly positive, interesting, confident, independent people. They are really open, friendly and interested in you as a person. I think that’s the type of person who is attracted to working abroad and also you are dependent on each other for so many things because you have no family close at hand and so, as a result, you become more supportive and inclusive of others who are in the same situation.
“I never had one bad experience with all the people I worked with during my years in international teaching. Overall, the risks of going to work overseas are small and the experiences you gain totally outweigh any negatives. When you are looking for schools, make sure you do some good research about the school. Talk to someone who has worked there. Don’t believe everything you read on Internet forums; people usually write bad experiences there and you never know the whole story. Talk to people you can trust; who have worked in various international schools, who have good experience. I think it is also important to choose the right time to go. Don’t go abroad simply to run away from a relationship, you’ve got to really want to do it for the experience.”
Hopefully from Janice’s descriptions of her experiences of working abroad at international schools, you will be inspired to take the bold move to go and live abroad yourself. There is clearly much to gain from the experience – whether you just go on a year’s secondment from your current job, or whether you embrace the international lifestyle and become a seasoned expatriate! If you would like assistance with finding a suitable teaching post, Teachers International Consultancy (TIC) is the organisation that helps many teachers with their job search. TIC provides a free service for teachers, helping them to find the right job in the right international school. For advice on what to consider when thinking about teaching internationally visit their website or call 02920-212-083.
