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[surrealia]

Anyone here working at Hong Kong International School? What can you tell me about working there? Thanks in advance!

[Rooster_2006]

Well, I can't tell you about WORKING there, but I can tell you about GOING there!

I was a student there for three years (grades six to eight). It's an impressively-equipped school. They have a pool (with kayaks, and holy crap, KAYAK BATTLES) and a climbing wall. They have lots of computer technology (even way back in 2001 when I finished middle school) and even gave Cisco networking training to eighth graders. They do lots of cool field trips. When I was there, the 6th grade field trip was Macau, the 7th grade field trip was Xi'an, and the eighth grade one was to an outlying island to do Outward Bound. Then the high schoolers go on even more awesome elective field trips (like going to Nepal).

Most of the kids are super well-off -- either rich Chinese kids or western kids whose parents work at major corporations, with a few diplomat kids and others sprinkled in. In my opinion, the academics are only so-so, and may not have adequately prepared me for high school (especially math and science).

The languages offered in the middle school are Chinese, French, and Spanish. I found that to be a little bit weak, because they don't offer German or Japanese. That seems weak to me, especially for an expensive private school.

They also use money really, really frivolously, like when they bought my sister's entire class (probably almost 200 kids in elementary school) authentic-looking Civil War uniforms for some kind of theme day.

I'd imagine teachers are pretty well-paid. It's my recollection that a lot of teachers live in little houses/apartments right next to HKIS.

They don't seem to have to deal with as much liability crap as US schools. For example, when I had a web publishing class project to do on Tai Tam Tuk Village near the school, my computer teacher let me leave the school during class to go and interview residents. In a school in the US, GOOD LUCK with getting that kind of thing cleared.

Keep in mind that it's a Christian-themed school. Maybe it's okay even if you aren't Christian, but if you're an all-out Christian hater, I wouldn't recommend it.

Overall, I'd say the quality of students is very high -- my best friends in my entire academic career were probably made there. However, the school also has had its scandals. One incident that everyone knew about (at least when I went there) was how a former headmaster's daughter had been selling heroin, and the headmaster had to resign, and his daughter ended up in big trouble and in rehab.

If you teach there, it'll be AN EXPERIENCE, I can completely guarantee it. It's a legitimate place that appears to pay its teachers, or they wouldn't stick around for so long. They're from many different countries. There are lots of Americans, New Zealanders, Chinese, Canadians, and a few teachers from England and I remember one as being from Scotland (good old Mr. Hopkins).

[Rooster_2006]

Edited by poster.

[surrealia]

And a much delayed, Thank you. Sorry, but I don't check this site every day.

[Rooster_2006]

Ah, okay, good luck with HKIS, if that's what you choose. Maybe I'll see you there next time I drop in on my old teachers.