Job Discussion Forums

Veritas_Aequitas · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 88 Location: Jalisco, Mexico

Hello all,

I am curious if anyone has experience teaching for an International American or British school, and if so how does this experience compare to TEFL language schools in terms of pay, hours, visas, etc?

Thanks.

Regards,

VA

31 · Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 1797

In general you will find that working for International Schools and working in TEFL schools is completely different. IS generally speaking require qualifications that would allow you to teach in your own country and experience of teaching in your own country. A knowledge of the appropriate examination system if also ideal. The pay is better and things are also done legally in general. Turnover is low and the conditions are conducive to those wanting to stay long term. TEFL in language schools etc. suffers from the un/underqualified, low pay and conditions, high turnover and questionable legality.

I imagine that many longterm teflers would like to work in international schools for all of the above and because those with kids can get them into the same school for a fraction of the cost. Otherwise educating your kids if you are a tefler means not in an IS.

I for certain would work in an IS if I had the appropriate qualifications and experience. Of course there are bad IS but all things being equal they are better.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

International schools vary widely.

But, based on my own experience and that of a number of friends, you can expect:

1. A SLIGHTLY better salary and work schedule than TEFL schools.

2. Reimbursed airfare.

3. Snooty and authoritarian administration.

4. Having to be a visible white face for school functions--frequently outside of normal working hours.

5. They MAY pay for housing, give you a housing allowance or hit you with the Worst Case Scenario: living in an apartment on the school property with insufferably dirty, lazy, boorish and mean "roommates" who spend their hours outside of the classroom watching videos of offbrand movies from gringolandia and drinking themselves into a coma.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Chan · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 22

Other than teaching ESL to refugees as a volunteer, all of my teaching experiences abroad have been with international schools. My point is that I can�t compare the two, but I can tell you about my experiences in working in international schools.

As the other posters have said, you must be certified in your home country. Some schools even prefer that you have some working in a school in your country. However, this is not always the case.

Benefits are great or they have always been great in my experiences. I�ve never had to pay for airfare upfront although I�m sure some have. Actually, I just got my e-ticket to Dubai today! Salaries are generally tax-free and, on average, range from $25,000-$60,000 (USD). Some pay more and some pay less. It really just depends. I�ll give you two examples. The starting pay at Osaka International School in Japan starts at $42,000 and caps off at around $65,000 (USD). The salary at American School Foundation of Monterrey in Mexico is $35,350 to $52,650 (USD). These prices don�t include their other benefits like airfare and housing.

Furnished housing or a housing allowance is provided. Teachers� kids can go to school for free or at a fraction of the price. Utilities are often paid and many teachers get a settling-in allowance as well as a shipment allowance. An added benefit at my new school is that every year I will accrue about $2,000 for retirement, but it won�t come out of my salary. When I leave I will get a lump sum of the money (tax-free).

The hours are long I guess in comparison to a lot of EFL jobs. Most international schools, like any K-12 school, expect teachers to contribute to their extra curricular activities. But that�s usually once or twice a week and doesn�t last more than an hour or so. Apart from that and things like the yearly open house or graduation, I have never had to spend much time outside of my work hours. The extra time may seem terrible for you if you are used to much shorter hours. However, most schools offer two preparation periods at least, so that you can get your work done during your actual working hours. My new school is small, so I will have 3-4 prep periods for the time being.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Chan:

I feel obligated to provide some counter-info to the rosy picture you have painted.

One thing I DO know about is salaries in Latin America. The American School Foundation in Monterrey was not paying ANYWHERE near the salary you mentioned a few years back--when I worked at the American School Foundation in Saltillo, one hour away from Monterrey. Most of the American School Foundation schools in Mexico pay around 10,000 pesos NET (900 dollars) a month for a full-time teacher, plus a housing allowance of around 1500 pesos (135 dollars a month), plus 10% of GROSS salary in vales de despensa, and airfare. The other international schools in Mexico pay around the same salary. You can expect to work around 28 to 30 classroom hours per week, plus extra-curricular events.

With a master's degree you can teach in the Oaxaca state university system somewhere between 10 and 20 hours per week, and take home over 12,000 pesos NET per month plus receive about 10% of your yearly salary as a type of bonus for participating in a savings scheme. A lot less work--and you aren't dealing with "juniors".

Chan · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 22

Moonraven,

I am in no way trying to paint a rosy picture of international schools. My experiences have been good ones and I was telling the OP about those experiences. If others have had negative experiences then the OP should know about those as well in order to determine if this is something he would ever like to pursue.

I don�t know what American School Foundation of Monterrey paid years ago. The salary range I gave is based on the information packet the school gave me when I interviewed with them in February. This information was also provided at an international school job fair that I attended. When they offered me a position for the 2005-2006 school year, my salary would have been $40,000. Is it possible they were lying or added a couple of zeros to make it look more enticing? I doubt it but anything�s possible. I didn�t take the job, so I guess I�ll never know for sure.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Why do I not believe you?

JonnytheMann · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 337 Location: USA

Kylie Minogue says "I believe in you."

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

Chan · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 22

moot point · Joined: 22 Feb 2005 Posts: 441

American/International schools sound great. Why aren't all the disgruntled qualified teachers in the states and other English-speaking nations not lining up for these jobs? Or are they?

I'm curious here for some answers. I've seen such recommendations offered on numerous occasions in Dave's -- go for a teacher's license and teach at an international school. Is it really that simple?

If so, it would make up my mind to enrol in a teacher certification course (probably in OZ or NZ) and pay substantial international fees.

If not, perhaps I should depend more on my MA in TESL and seek temporary university assistant lecturing positions until inevitably having to pursue a PhD to obtain a tenure at some institution.

Any suggestions?

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I taught in one international school without a teaching credential (I have a PhD), and have been offered a number of jobs at others.

The_Hanged_Man · Joined: 10 Oct 2004 Posts: 224 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia

Wow, this really is a wonderfully informative thread with a lot of great posts. Personally, I am aiming for a position at an International school in about a year. I used to teach english at a big 3 school in Japan, and while I loved living abroad I found the job to be mindnumbing and a deadend careerwise. So I applied to an alternative certification program, Teach for America, and am halfway through my two year commitment. While I do find the work more satisfying and worthwhile, it is WAY more stressful and time consuming than my old TEFL job. Each week I probably put in around 60 hours after you include all of the planning, grading, and miscellaneous paperwork outside of school. Throw in apathetic and disrespectful students with a largely incompetent admistration, and you have a fairly challenging workplace. However, this was to be expected and I really can't complain since nearly all alternative certification programs place in a teacher shortage areas which are typically poor and have lots of problems.

I am hoping that an international school will provide the best of both worlds: An international lifestyle combined with a solid professional career (Not that you can't make a professional career out TEFL, it just wasn't for me). Not that everything is rosy at international schools, you can just check out the Teaching Overseas forum at http://www.tes.co.uk to see that are lots of schools overseas with serious problems too.

Chan, I do have some questions for you concerning the UNI recruiting fair as I am considering attending. What did you think of it overall? Do you have any experience with the Search or ISS fairs and how did they compare? Any insight you could give would be much appreciated. Thanks!