International Teaching Predictions: 2012

Christmas Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot:

As Teachanywhere wrap up 2011 (this will be the last "notes" of the year), it is a good time to reflect and also to look ahead.  

2011 was a challenging year in many ways, but a vibrant year in others.  We started the year with the Arab spring, dealt with Tsunamis and floods in Asia, had riots, strikes and protests;  as well as austerity measures affecting education spending across many western countries and have been hamstrung by the Euro crisis as the year ends.   But not every region was affected equally.

Europe

Europe has been very slow this year in terms of growth of international schools and I expect this to continue.  I predict that barring any further economic disasters in Euroland, many teachers in European schools will stay put and schools will not contract but continue to hold off expansion plans so opportunities will be very limited.  We can expect teacher salaries to remain flat with little competition to force them up, and in many parts of western Europe tax rates will probably increase. 

For those with a right to work in the UK, public sector funding will limit the amount of supply jobs. However, London is a transitory place and therefore usually a vibrant market for resilient and flexible supply teachers who can teach successfully at challenging inner-city schools.  In the rest of England, however, Agency Worker Regulations are reshaping the landscape and teachers with a lot of experience will often be disadvantaged if they try to land long term supply jobs. We are renewing our partnership with Randstad Education so any teachers with a right to work in the UK wanting to work in London or Manchester areas should contact us.

Middle East

The Arab Spring caused much uncertainty in the beginning of 2011 and it now feels like a distant memory in many ways. International schools in this region continue to grow and thrive, and state school reform projects in Abu Dhabi are continuing on but in a different way (more on this at the end). The Licensed Teacher programme in Abu Dhabi added new grades and has now expanded to include western Head Teachers to step into principal and vice principal roles. We expect this to continue strongly into next year and beyond. Very exciting!

International schools in the UAE and Qatar in particular have never stopped hiring, and most feel cautiously optimistic enough to start expansion plans in 2012 and 2013. Because of the Arab spring, many teachers in the Middle East (especially UAE) decided to stay put last year so I expect a good amount of movement and when combined with natural growth it means lots of opportunities.  Qatar in particular is one to watch as the Qataris continue to invest their considerable wealth into infrastructure and technology projects.  This will continue to be a bright spot for the Middle East in the next few years which is one of the reasons the whole team visited it last month.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also looking to hire a number of teachers in both state schools, private state schools and international schools.  Salaries are usually quite high in KSA and the cost of living is low, so the savings potential here is huge. For many teachers it is considered more of a hardship post, but for others it's a downpayment on a house.  It should be noted that South Africans are highly sought in KSA - there is an educational affinity  here- opening up lots of options for degree educated South Africans who want to earn a large amount of money in a relatively small amount of time. After many years of schools saying 'no thanks' to South Africans, it's nice to see this.

Now in the Middle East there is such a range of schools  from really top notch schools to schools that we flatly refuse to work with,  and it's understandable how teachers can get confused.  How can you tell? Certainly not by the school website.  But Teachanywhere have always had an office in the Middle East and it's amazing what you can discover with a school visit and feedback from teachers already placed. I would recommend that teachers interested in this region work closely with their consultant and understand both A. What schools will consider you based on your CV and personal situation and B. What you can expect at schools that will consider you.   I am quite worried about the number of new rogue UK based agencies I see giddily stepping into the international schools market with no idea of the ethos of the schools they are placing teachers in. They are picking up many schools that we refuse to work with who treat teachers poorly, have no idea how to set a teachers expectations correctly, and I do worry for teachers who unwittingly think they are getting a great service.  

Please note that from 2012 we will be giving priority to teachers who register only with Teachanywhere so that we can focus on teachers who value our services and advice.

Africa

With the Egyptian elections over, I predict a huge requirement for teachers in Egypt as the country pulls itself up by its bootstraps and with the help of international investment will try to change the face of the country -starting now. Most Egyptian international schools are attended by Egyptian children and this means we can expect lots of expansion in 2012. We see signs of it already.

Other North African countries such as Sudan and even Libya will see steady development next year.  Libya in particular is a place to watch because the international investment will be massive. It was already on the cusp of some interesting school reform and advisory projects before the revolution and it appears to be picking up the pieces and starting anew albeit cautiously.

For the rest of Africa, oil-rich Nigeria will always be a bright spot internationally but like the Middle East, there are quite a few dodgy schools there which need to be avoided.  There are a good number of truly good and well run international schools and the trick is to know the difference.   Any schools on our books are well known to us based on years of experience but again, other agencies will not have this background and ethos.

Far East and Southeast Asia

It is no coincidence that a number of established British schools groups are uprooting from the UK and relocating their headquarters to Hong Kong. First Nordanglia, and two more big names following next year (not sure it's been announced so I don't want to say publicly what I have been told privately).  The Far East and Southeast Asia is an economic bright spot and will remain so for many years to come.  Not only is the international school scene vibrant, especially in China, but a number of state schools -both privately and publicly funded are looking to hire more western expatriates to teach their academic high flyers.  So the appetite, especially in China, for teachers will be voracious in 2012 for teachers.  Teachanywhere are also included in a bid for state schools in Hong Kong, so if that comes through, there may be lots of opportunity there as well.   

We expect continued growth in Indonesia, Malaysia and even Vietnam as those emerging economies steadily prosper.  Salaries may seem very low in these countries but the cost of living is even lower so teachers who are flexible and open minded may find huge savings potential here along with a fascinating lifestyle.

Based on our school visits, I can say that schools in the Far East and SE Asia tend to be more academically focussed on average, when compared to similar schools in the Middle East, North Africa and even Europe.  High educational attainment is an integral part of many cultures here and it's reflected in attitudes towards schools, teachers and academics.  The combination of high quality educational focus and high economic growth in this part of the world must be hugely exciting for many teachers.

Central Asia / East Europe

I need to point out that we are seeing green shoots of growth in certain Eastern European/Central Asian countries. Watch this space.

India - a special case

We are seeing a number of interesting developments in India but most international schools receive fees that are so low that they cannot pay western teachers anything near what they are expecting. India is a booming economy but with a decent educational system and a good supply of home grown teachers, only the very top or most motivated international schools can hire you so there will be limited but interesting opportunities. Another space to watch as the year progresses.  

Latin America

Again, flickers in some parts of Latin America. I find that growth in international schools often follows a construction boom, and Brazil in particular is in the midst of a construction boom.  That being said, there are many more factors that affect international schools growth including ministry regulations, attitudes towards education and public policy so it's uncertain at the moment.  Last year growth in Latin America was pretty stagnant and it will take a mighty engine to turn this around especially since much of Latin America's economy is tethered to the US which is facing presidential elections next year so it's unlikely that we will see much real growth next year, even if it all moves in the right direction.

Advisory and other projects

The huge Public Private Partnership (PPP) educational reform projects in Abu Dhabi are closing up shop in June 2012, which means that large numbers of subject specialist advisory teachers will be hitting the market. ADEC (through us) are picking up some of the cluster director and very experienced management advisors into their principal and vice principal roles, but these jobs are only open to school leaders who actually were principals and vice principals before starting on the advisory project and are not open to those who worked their way up but have never run a school themselves. ADEC are also picking up a small number of subject specific advisory teachers but these numbers will be very very small and will not provide posts for all the advisors who have them currently.

A new CPD (continuous professional development) PPP project is on the cusp of being awarded in Abu Dhabi, and we believe that many of the regular PPPs will be included in some form or another. But again, because there are fewer of these jobs we expect them to mainly pick up experienced Principals who can cover many aspects of CPD rather than subject specialist teachers who are more limited in scope. 

Malaysia has invested in English / EFL Advisors and we have those jobs available. The pay and benefits packages are not as high as the Middle East but the cost of living is very, very low.   The Malaysia core subject reform has not taken off like the EFL section due to government policy changes so I don't expect the core subject advisory jobs to materialise in any great number this year.

The Kuwait reform project still shimmers on the horizon but after waiting 2+ years for this thing to come through, it's just not clear if or how it will emerge.  Watch this space..... but don't hold your breath!   

The bottom line is that for the vast majority of staff in the Abu Dhabi PPP reform projects who are looking at the end of the road in 2012, you will need to set your sights elsewhere and reset your expectations on pay and benefits. I don't see any other country in the world tackling reform in such a broad and comprehensive way with same amount of financial resources and government will behind it. This is not all bad news - it will probably be a refreshing change to drop back into the international school scene - but it's unlikely you will find exactly what you had before.

Finally ...

All in all whilst many of the western countries are cutting back on public sector spending, the international market in some parts of the world remains very vibrant.  For a flexible and adaptable western trained and experienced teacher who will consider the Far and Middle East and North Africa,  it looks to be bright and sunny skies in 2012!

With best wishes for your holidays and the New Year.

Preparing to Teach Abroad – Taking a Look at Yourself

Alex Hopkins has worked with Teachanywhere for more than 3 years and is responsible for helping teachers achieve their international dreams, helping to secure them teaching posts in schools throughout the world!  In this blog he provides his invaluable insight on the qualities needed to succeed in International teaching and how he and the team at Teachanywhere can help....

Teaching abroad can be a dream come true. It can be an escape from the rat race and an invaluable opportunity to immerse yourself in another culture. There are few better ways to meet new people and broaden your outlook on life. With so many new international schools springing up across the world it has never been easier to build a new life outside of the U.K. The golden rule is to know what you are getting into and make sure you are making the right move for the right reasons.

We recognise that choosing to relocate to a new country is a monumental step. It’s not just a change of job, but also a new lifestyle, often in a different culture.  You will often be faced with unexpected pitfalls and obstacles that will test you. To prepare for this we find that it helps to identify and embrace your shortcomings so that you’re ready to tackle unforeseen difficulties head on.

There are many qualities needed to teach abroad, but the major ones are:-

·         Adaptability

·         Courage

·         Perseverance

·         Resourcefulness

·         Congeniality

·         And last, but certainly not least, a sense of humour

A good starting point is to take a good hard look at yourself. Are you the sort of person who can get by on your own in unfamiliar situations? Are you a natural problem solver who is able to keep a balanced perspective and make the necessary compromises to fit into an alien culture? What have your life experiences taught you? Are you an optimistic person who has been able to cope with life’s ups and downs? These are all vital traits for international teaching.

Being informed is the key to your success and we are here to give you as much information as possible about the schools we work with and their locations. It is also invaluable, however, if you do some research of your own. Have a think about the destinations that appeal to you – what type of climate suits you? What is your priority in finding a job abroad – professional development, money or a better work-lifestyle balance?

It always helps when teachers approach us with a clear idea of what they are looking for. This will also help you in an interview situation – schools like to see that you have a good understanding of both the country you’re planning to go to and also of your own internal goals. Showing your passion for a location and a school at interview stage is vital.

We are here to guide you through the job-hunting process and make things as easy as possible for you. With the right preparation and personal insight teaching abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your career. You are about to embark on a daring, life-changing adventure. You should be informed and you should be self-aware but, above all, you should be very excited.

Meet The Teachanywhere Team

Meet Bryan Rooney, Senior Consultant for Teachanywhere North America.  Bryan helps teachers from The United States and Canada to relocate to International Schools across the globe.  Hear what he has to say about his role at Teachanywhere.....

 1.        What made you want to work as an International teaching Recruitment Consultant?

I had a strong background in educational recruitment with another organization prior to coming to Teachanywhere.   I wanted to be able to use the skills and experience that I obtained working with teachers from 50 different countries to assist North American teachers in achieving their dreams of working abroad.   I have experienced first hand how powerful and rewarding it can be to cross cultural barriers and teach and learn from each other – it’s a beautiful thing.

2.        Have you taught overseas or travelled yourself?

Yes, I have a long history of travel, work, and study in other countries.   I have done short or long term studies in 8 different countries, worked in 4 countries, and travelled to more than 40 countries.

3.       What do you love about your job?

I love finding really committed educators who put children first and really want to contribute something to the world.  Each time I speak with this type of teacher I get excited – that has never changed in 20 years in this business.

4.       In your experience, what are the attributes which best befit the most successful international teacher?

A true willingness to adapt to, and to accept, other cultures; a strong interest in, and desire to learn about, the rest of the world; the ability to self-reflect and take responsibility for one’s own success and happiness

5.       What are some of the repeat difficulties you come across when recruiting teachers for International schools?

Current teacher shortages cause a lot of teachers to think about going abroad who otherwise wouldn’t consider it; hence, their hearts aren’t in it so they aren’t totally committed.  I have seen a trend of teachers focusing more on high salaries, length of work day, and accommodations. These things are important but should not be the reason one goes abroad.  Successful international teachers want to teach first (they have a strong passion for children and are committed to working hard to ensure the students and school communities needs are met), they want to learn about new cultures and have outgoing, adventuresome spirits, and they see the world far beyond its material components.  These are the teachers who make a difference. The desire to teach abroad must be a passion.

6.            What location that might not spring to mind for teachers would you recommend and why?

I think we focus too much on location and I’m not sure it is that important.  Having travelled as much as I have, I know that each experience is new and unique and that each experience has its own rewards and challenges.  In today’s world, every major city has its share of Western amenities. Every culture has something in it that is different, strange, wonderful, new, and inspiring – we can learn not only something about it; but also so much about ourselves.  Wherever we go we will find: colleagues who will become our best friends; locals who will find us amusing and of whom, at times, we will find the same; things that we wish were different or more like home; things that we may like better than at home; and an opportunity for personal and professional growth.  Each new experience is just that – it is new - it isn’t supposed to be like any other.  Location is such a small component – it won’t make you happy or successful in its self.

7.       What 3 top tips would you give to teachers seeking international teaching roles?

Go abroad for the right reasons – it is not to be taken lightly; self-reflect and be honest with yourself about who you are and why you want to work overseas.  If you aren’t committed and willing to take responsibility – don’t do it - because nobody wins when that happens. 

Do lots of research, not just about the areas you might be interested in going to; but also about what it is like to live abroad and what kinds of things you will need to deal with after arrival in your new country.  What is culture shock? Will my personal interests/ needs be met or can I give them up or replace them with new interests?   Are there societal or cultural things that I can’t adapt too? Know yourself, be honest, and ultimately; Make your own informed decision and then take responsibility for it!!

Remember that it will never be like home – It is not better, it is not worse, it is just different – and that is why you want to do it, isn’t it?

8.       Why should a teacher sign up with Teachanywhere?

Teachanywhere realizes the importance of building relationships with both our teacher candidates and our partner schools.  We provide accurate and reliable information and services so that good matches are made.  Happy teachers come back and pursue new positions when their contracts are complete.  Happy schools continue to put their trust in us to supply them with good teachers.  We have the experience and knowledge base to ensure that business is conducted professionally and efficiently and will be sustainable for the long term. 

Teachanywhere heads to Qatar!

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

I was presenting at a conference this week – IPSEF – which is the International and Private Schools Education Foundation and it was quite fascinating to chat with many of the movers and shakers of the international world. Lots of CEO types there. There seems to be quite a lot of activity going on in certain regions such as Saudi Arabia (South Africans with degrees are welcome!), Hong Kong (but the international market is hamstrung there – there’s a huge need for schools but no land to build them on. Stalemate.),China, Qatar and the UAE.  And surprisingly whispers about Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan!  Some tidbits I picked up are below:

•     The number of international schools grew 5.5% last year, down from 7% in 2010. But this figure only counts the number of new physical schools and is misleading because many more schools added capacity so the number of teachers needed was higher than this. It also doesn’t count the large number of state schools notably in Abu Dhabi and China that are opening bilingual streams. Not bad in any case when most of our countries are bordering on negative growth and making teachers redundant left and right.

• -          There is lots of interest in the Far East and continued interest in the Middle East. I met two schools groups from Saudi who were clamouring for teachers for instance

•         Lots of established UK private schools are toying with the idea of building new schools abroad. Not sure if this is because “everyone’s doing it so it must be a good idea” or because they have realised the UK market is stagnant. But there are significant risks as they don’t know what they don’t know, so to speak.

This activity is reflected in the jobs you see on this mailer – lots of stuff going on in all parts of Asia – from the Middle East to China and everywhere in between. If you want to teach abroad and go someplace vibrant, optimistic and growing you can do no better than these.

From tomorrow Teachanywhere will be pretty thin on the ground for a week as we will be in our yearly meeting. This year it’s in Qatar – an area of much opportunity and growth but an area that has been less popular than Dubai and Abu Dhabi because it’s less well known.  So we hope to get to know it.

We will be strategising, learning and of course going on school visits to see first-hand the schools and environments in which our teachers work and also having our teacher party at the Irish pub in Qatar.  I don’t believe any other recruitment company in the world goes to these lengths of bringing the recruiters en masse to schools abroad and it’s something that makes us well qualified to give advice about what kinds of schools are suited to you and what you can expect. Obviously with almost 6000 international schools in the world it’s impossible for all of us to visit them all but I feel that by seeing a range of schools in one country each year, we will be better able to bridge our knowledge when our Business Development Managers who do visit many schools (and are responsible for the video visit reports you are now seeing) explain them to us. 

I suppose this is why I’m so passionate about the service we provide and why I get annoyed when we are lumped into the same category as other recruitment companies who simply hire a person or two,  give them a desk and a phone and tell them to crack on. How can they know what they are doing?  It’s scary. Not only are we the only agency to have a school facing team actually located in the Middle East and Far East/SE Asia, but we actually have the whole company visit schools. Sending my worldwide recruitment team to the Middle East is not cheap, and it’s not trivial, but I think at the end of the day it will allow you to get better information and advice from us, and will allow our schools to get teachers who are better suited to their environment.

So we will have a skeleton crew on the ground next week – Bryan in North America, Rachel in the UK and Jacki in Dubai. The team will be checking their emails occasionally but I do keep them very busy during the annual meeting (with only one time a year to get together I think we need to make the most of every minute!) so if your question is not pressing, please give them until Monday next to respond.  And you will have to wait for Monday week for your next mailer.

Meet The Teachanywhere Team

In our Continuing "Meet the Teachananywhere Team" series, may I introduce Amanda Gillam, Account Manager for Middle East Schools.   Amanda has been with Teachanywhere for 4 glorious years.  Find out what she has to say about Teaching Abroad......

1.        What made you want to work as an International teaching Recruitment Consultant?  –

It was a great opportunity to join a small developing company which provides teachers with the opportunity to relocate overseas.

2.        Have you taught overseas or travelled yourself?

I am not a teacher but I have travelled extensively.  I lived in Nigeria as a child and spent the last 5 years in the Middle East living in Sharjah (UAE) and Bahrain. I have also travelled extensively for holidays and work including exploring the UAE – Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and RAK and AL Ain other locations visited include Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Oman, Egypt and China and the Seychelles.

3.       What do you love about your job?

Working with both local Arabic and Western educators, the diversity and understanding of the different cultures makes everyday interesting. There is such a wide range of schools to suit everyone’s expectation from the basic local government funded school to a 5 star international schools.

4.       In your experience, what are the attributes which best befit the most successful international teacher?

Flexibility, Adaptability, Patience, Open minded Teachers.

5.       What are some of the repeat difficulties you come across when recruiting teachers for International schools?

Managing teacher’s expectations of both the school and accommodation

Some schools can be very basic and local culture dictates there can be different values when it comes to education. The majority are privately owned so costs can be kept to a minimum as a result teachers are expected to be very resourceful and creative in their teaching techniques.

Accommodation can be a very sensitive issue and from personal experience I know it can sometimes be difficult to find or settle in accommodation you wouldn’t personally choose, having said that, hard and soft furnishings are cheap and readily available so a home is what you make of it.

6.       What location that might not spring to mind for teachers would you recommend and why?

Definitely Fujairah, it is a very relaxed environment, with a cheap cost of living and offers a low key social life for expats. It is perfect for teachers who want to focus on school life during term time and enjoy the costal location with snorkelling and diving opportunities but also being so close to Dubai ( 2hours drive) enables you to visit for weekends or public holidays to enjoy the cosmopolitan city life.

7.       What 3 top tips would you give to teachers seeking international teaching roles?

Understand the diversity in school type and research which would suit you best.

What are your motivating factors?  - What do you want from your experience?

Make sure your CV sells you! – It is a competitive environment, you have to stand out!

8.       Why should a teacher sign up with Teachanywhere?

We offer a personalised, tailored approach to both our schools and teachers to ensure we understand both parties’ expectations which enables us to make the best fit when matching teacher and employer together.

We provide comprehensive reports from firsthand experience from our team visiting schools and teacher feedback.

We follow up post contract to ensure documentation is complete and travel arrangements are organised and once at school we keep in touch to see how teachers are settling in.

Finding the RIGHT International Teaching post for YOU

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot

Arrivederci Berlusconi

This week the news was dominated by Europe.  There is a fear that if Greece and then Italy fall the Eurozone could dissemble and then all the people holding fistfuls of credit notes in euro currency might look down and see wads of worthless paper.   This is bad news for pretty much everyone if it happens. Let’s hope not.

Getting rid of Berlusconi was a good first step.  I hope I don’t insult any of our Italian readers, but I suspect that if we looked up the word ‘buffoon’ in our respective dictionaries we would see his photograph nearby. A man who thinks bunga bunga parties are more important than national productivity is not suited to hold public office, in my book. He should be applying for a place on the next Celebrity Big Brother rather than trying to run a country in the midst of an economic crisis. It’s not a surprise that the world breathed a huge collective sigh of relief at the arrival of Super Mario. Here’s hoping!

The leader of a school, like the leader of a country, can have a huge effect on its ethos and direction.  There are so many different leadership styles and so many different leadership environments that you cannot say there’s a right or wrong way to run a school.  Each school requires a different style and skill set.

Teachers looking for jobs abroad are entering into a minefield in many ways, trying to judge a school by an interview with the Head Teacher (Principal) which might last all of 30 minutes and then trying to determine what the ethos and leadership style of the school they are entering will be and if it will suit them is difficult. 

There’s a particular school in Dubai that springs to mind. Its website is fabulous and the premises are lovely...but the owner and the owner’s family are anything but wonderful. They seem to go through a Head Teacher every 6 months or year but at interview the owner is the most endearing guy.  Each Head and member of staff is told the same story – that it’s the previous Head’s fault and they have the power to make everything right. Which they set out to do. Until they too get the sack.  It’s obviously a school we don’t work with- but it shows that sometimes even with the best Principal or Head Teacher, the leadership of the school can be hamstrung by an interfering owner. It’s a minefield out there.  There’s no way to really know except by experience.

Because Teachanywhere has been at this for many years, we thankfully have insights into these situations which are fluidly changing every year. We depend on feedback from teachers and school leaders on our books and thankfully, due to our size and breadth, it  is nicely extensive. 

What are some warning signs for teachers?  They are not foolproof but here’s a few things that might throw up red flags and make you ask questions:

-          Constant advertising for teacher posts all year, every year. This can be a sign of growth but it can also be a sign of high staff turnover.

-          Consider how you are treated up to the point of interview. Is it a smooth, clearly defined, organised and considered process? If so, the school is more likely to be well organised and efficient.

-          If you see anything untoward about the school during your research, ask the school about it. If they blame ‘the other guy’ or don’t seem to have good answers (or worse, get offended by you having done your research) think twice. A good school will be aware of their reputation and will have ready and believable answers to any objections you might have.  Every school has challenges, but a good school faces them head on and fixes them. A poor school blames a particular person (usually the ex-head) and papers over the cracks.

-          Frequent changes in Leadership are often a sign of trouble. See if you can find out how long the Head /Principal has been in place. Some of the more infamous schools abroad change their leadership every 6 months or every year.  (One very very infamous school in west Africa barricaded their fleeing Principal in the school and he was forced to call the British Embassy to rescue him by helicopter!) Whilst longevity is not always the sign of good leadership, 5 leadership changes in 4 years usually indicates something is structurally wrong ... usually an owner problem.. but they will be the last to admit that. The average international headship lasts 2 years, but in a decent and well run international school, 3 or more years on average is more typical.

Good leadership is critical, if leaders are allowed to lead. Think about what leadership style suits you and think about some good questions to ferret this out.  Feel free to ask your TA consultant about a job that seems too good to be true.

It very well might be.....

Meet The Teachanywhere Team

Welcome to the first in the series of our "Meet The Teachanywhere Team" where members of the team face a mini interview which we hope will help you to get to know us and what we do here at Teachanywhere a little bit better..... 

First up is Lisa Davenport.  Lisa is the UK team's Senior Recruiter.  Lisa works with a huge number of teachers to help them realise their dreams of an international teaching career and has been with the company for two very successful years..... 

  

1.        What made you want to work as an International teaching Recruitment Consultant?

I was working as a teacher and wanted to try something new whilst still staying involved in education, which I am passionate about.

2.        Have you taught overseas or travelled yourself?

Yes, I went to Spain to complete my Trinity TEFL qualification and stayed there for two years teaching. I then taught a further year in South Korea.

3.       What do you love about your job?

I love helping people with the first steps towards an incredible international experience, as I myself had.

4.       In your experience, what are the attributes which best befit the most successful international teacher?

Absolutely a positive, flexible attitude. Things are never quite as you imagined they would be or the same as at home so the ability to laugh off the frustrating and adapt is essential.

5.       What are some of the repeat difficulties you come across when recruiting teachers for International schools?

Often people have unrealistic expectations of salary for teaching abroad. Whilst overall the package offered will probably offer you a much more comfortable lifestyle than at home you will not earn double your salary tax free abroad.

Lots of teachers will know about certain locations through popularity or word of mouth but have done very little research themselves. Dubai for example is incredibly popular at the moment, everyone seems to know someone teaching there. Often I will ask teachers where they want to go? Dubai they answer. However when prompted what appeals to them about Dubai they know very little about it, answering “I have heard it is good”. I really recommend everyone do as much of their own research as possible. We can guide you to consider locations, as can friends but what suits one person will not always suit another.

6.       What location that might not spring to mind for teachers would you recommend and why?

Kuwait. Before starting this job it was a location I certainly knew very little about. It is also the location that often people consider as a backup location (to say Dubai for example). However since I have started this job it has consistently been the location I have received the best feedback about. Also it has proved to have the highest rate of teacher deciding to stay on once their contract is finished. Kuwait has a nice combination of Middle East meets West so that people can feel comfortable and not too alienated there whilst still having a cultural experience. But more importantly there is a huge expat community there with a large number of social clubs (sports, drama etc.) so it easy to make friends and get involved any way you want to.

7.       What 3 top tips would you give to teachers seeking international teaching roles?

1.       Do your research. A good place to start is on our website, there is so much information on different locations, things to consider giving you a good basis of knowledge ready to discuss your options with a consultant in more detail.

2.       Think about why you want to go abroad. If you are just going to get rich in the sun and do some travelling, perhaps think again. International schools have high expectations for their students and teachers; you will play hard I’m sure, but work even harder.

3.       Be open-minded. We are consultants, meaning we truly try to advise you on the best options given your personal and professional circumstances. If we suggest a location or school outside what you asked us to look for there is usually a good reason, at least give it some serious thought even if your final decision is in fact no.

8.       Why should a teacher sign up with Teachanywhere?

As you will see the teachanywhere staff is very international, most of us have lived and worked abroad at some time. So we can offer you not only professional advice but also personal from our experiences of living abroad which I believe makes all the difference. Plus, it’s free so there is not much to lose in hearing what we have to suggest! ; )

Teaching Abroad: The Magnetism Effect

Teachanywhere took some jobs in this week in Kazakhstan. It’s one of those rare countries that I know absolutely nothing about. Well, I know sort of where it is – with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia and a part of the former Soviet Union -  but other than that , nada.

My first reaction was “Oh, I’d love to go there to find out more, I bet it’s great”, and it occurred to me that when confronted with something unknown my first reaction is to jump in.  I’m attracted. Yet there are other people whose first reaction would clearly be to step backwards and say “Oh, I don’t know anything about it, no thanks. Sounds weird”.  In this way, people and places are like magnets – two magnets together will either attract each other and stick like glue, or they can repel each other and you really can’t get them to touch. I remember playing with magnets when I was a child- fascinated by this property.  Still am.

 I find most people drawn to international education are the magnets that attract and are drawn to the unknown and then together and many people who truly want to stay at home are not – the familiar draws them in and the unfamiliar repels them.  I wish we had a test for this – which kind of magnet are you?  I’d be able to retire with a handsome pension to someplace exotic.

For your information upon investigation (because I started this so I’m going to finish it) Kazakhstan is an amazing country – the 9^th largest country in the world and very economically advanced. It’s landlocked but with a border on the Caspian Sea and has beautiful mountains, canyons that look quite Grand Canyon-y modern cities and vast steppes. It’s huge – the size of all of western Europe and there are a number of diverse ethnic groups living happily together. Kazakhs are known for their horsemanship. The Lonely Planet says;

Kazakhstan presents an array of surprising adventures. You can trek on foot or horse in the spectacular Tian Shan or Altay Mountains, watch flamingos on steppe lakes or discover mysterious underground mosques near the Caspian Sea. Community ecotourism programmes in some of the most beautiful areas enable travellers to stay with village families at affordable cost.

With travellers still rare here, a foreign guest is usually treated not as just another tourist but with real hospitality, and locals will often go out of their way to help you. Enjoy it while it lasts!

 (I want to go! And why have I never heard of it?)

If you are reading this newsletter, chances are you are an attracting magnet – pulled by the mystery of living in a place you have not lived in before and meeting people from a culture you’ve not grown up in.  And what you find when you get there is that the other expats in your school are similarly like minded.  We heard from some teachers in Kuwait last week that they were organising a visit over the upcoming Eid holidays to Sri Lanka – and what was amazing is that we heard this from several different teachers we placed at different schools in Kuwait so it appears that like magnets, they were drawn to each other.  (Either that or some enterprising travel agent in Kuwait was offering a really good deal to teachers wanting to go to Sri Lanka but I think the former is more likely).   I shouldn’t be surprised, really, because the more unusual the location is, the more outgoing and adventurous the teachers who are pulled to it so the more likely they will be more strongly drawn together for more fun and adventure when they arrive.

So welcome to the club – the club of people who want to go abroad. The club of people whose magnetic orientation pulls them into the unknown.  I can assure you that no matter where you end up – if it’s Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Korea or China – you are sure to find some lifelong very magnetic new friends to share your adventures.

By, Diane Jacoutot; General Manager:  Teachanywhere

Notes from the General Manager

The 7 (billion) signs of ageing!

 

 by Diane Jacoutot

 

This coming month the world will welcome its 7 billionth child. That's 7,000,000,000 people alive right now! To put this in perspective, when I was born, there was less than half that number .... and I know what you are thinking and no, I'm not THAT old. We had quite a bit of fun with the BBC birth number calculator here in the office.   I have to admit that realising the world population has more than doubled in my lifetime did make me feel a bit ancient. How could the world population have doubled while I wasn't looking and have I been around that long?

 

Age is a blessing and a curse on the international circuit. It's a blessing because schools usually want experienced and stable teachers. They want professionals who won't spend their evenings clubbing and spend their mornings with a hangover. But at the same time -this is the curse part- they don't want tired teachers because frankly teaching really takes it out of you (I realise I'm preaching to the choir here) and teaching in a foreign country takes a lot of resilience especially at first. So sometimes schools come to us and they say "we want young teachers!". And no, it's not illegal for them to say this in their country as laws against ageism are few and far between, and enforced laws against ageism are even fewer and farther between.   But we know what they really mean is "I want someone who is energetic, resilient and open minded".. which is of course what we aim to deliver. 

 

Now one of the dirty little secrets about international teaching is that quite a few countries have age related work visa restrictions. They are not the rules of our countries - but the rules of foreign countries which they are free to make. In many cases you cannot get a visa after you hit 60, which makes schools nervous at about 55, and in other cases such as the UAE, the visa becomes twice as expensive and not as easily renewed.  Among the countries with age restrictions are the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Brunei, Indonesia and parts of China. This makes many people indignant (including me) but then again New Zealand has an age limit on immigration at 55 for a Talent Visa, and up until this year in the UK there was a mandatory retirement age of 62. So it appears that many of us are guilty of the same. 

 

There are countries with no published age limit, but yet they turn away older teachers when they apply for a visa (these ones are irritating because teachers will sometimes not believe us since it's not written anywhere and sometimes it depends on the particular school that's asking!), and there are countries with truly no age limit, many of which are in Africa and Europe. 

 

It's a minefield out there and schools are often stuck in the middle. They want experienced, professional and stable teachers, but they are often blocked from hiring them.  Luckily at Teachanywhere we can give you a steer on which countries and which schools are more worth your time if you are a more mature teacher, and my main advice would be to be as flexible as you can be in choice of country. I find that teachers often get fixated on a particular country and if that country has an issue with age, then you often have no choices at all. 

 

So here's to Baby 7 Billion. And to his or her many teachers!

Notes from the General Manager

All Change by Diane Jacoutot

As you have no doubt heard, Colonel Gaddafi has been captured and killed. Following Mubarak in Egypt, Hussein in Iraq- it’s clearly not a very good time to be a megalomaniac dictator of an oil rich nation.  All the while, an historic prisoner exchange has been quietly going on between Palestine and Israel. We can all hope that this all might be the start of something good.

It’s human nature to compartmentalise and to categorise – to put things in boxes. Scientists believe this skill is what made us so biologically successful – these plants are good when you are sick, this area has lots of deer in the winter and so forth. Categorisation provides a mental shortcut which has allowed us to leapfrog over other species.   I find that we also think of our lives as a series of stops and starts in little discrete categorised boxes labelled “beginning” and “end”- The ending of one job, the setting of the sun or a break in the weather bringing on a sunny afternoon... with change happening only during those brief transitions.

But in reality change is happening all around us, every day at every second. If you look at a satellite photo of the earth you’ll notice that it’s a swirling mass of change – everywhere at every point in time. All the change might lead up to something finally noticeable to us– the toppling of a dictator, the start of a new job, or a clap of thunder, but in fact, it was all the little steps along the way that really made it happen.  Everything around us, including ourselves, is changing and growing constantly at a rate that’s usually too slow to notice until something finally startles us out of our reverie.

Teachers who are thinking about going abroad need to remember this. I find teachers often feel a sense of panic as the flight date arrives, as if they cannot remember all the little steps that happened to get them to that particular jetway – a longing for change and adventure, a frustration with their current job, a cold and dark night spent thinking about how warm it might be in Thailand right now.. all of these small steps had much more to do with the impending change than did getting a plane ticket in your email inbox from your eager new school.  Change is inevitable, and the end of one thing overlaps with the beginning of another but in a way that’s more like a relay race baton hand off with both racers running side by side than it is anything else.  It’s just that we suddenly wake up when the baton hits our hand even though we’ve been running the whole time.

So let’s raise a coffee mug or tea cup (I am in England after all) to change!  And to hoping that the particular changes in the news, as well as the changes you are making right now by subscribing to this job mailer (and taking the time to read my notes!) will lead, eventually, to something really great.

Notes from the General Manager

Bureaucracy by Diane Jacoutot

I've been dealing with government bureaucracies on both a personal and professional level this week, and it got me thinking about them. 

On a personal level, my son is applying for university funding in the UK and we've been caught up in the huge, swirling void between two bureaucracies - Student Finance England and the Job Centre.  My son has not yet been approved for funding because he doesn't have a national insurance number. I call the Job Centre  who says the number has to be requested by SFE, and SFE say it comes from the Job Centre... it's been 4 months of this Catch22 that's had my teeth permanently set on edge.

On a professional level, in one example, I've been trying to work with the Nigerian High Commission in London to get a visa for a teacher who was meant to be out there already. For some reason, High Commission in London require that the person who is getting the visa pay for it only with a Visa credit card. And she only has a Visa Debit card and a Mastercard so we've been fighting this battle for 4 weeks.   Seriously. 

I found a case where Teachanywhere became the bureaucracy this week - a really experienced Principal candidate was given the run-around by Teachanywhere. That was a wakeup call.  And I then was the victim of bureaucracy within my own parent company's advertising team as I tried to place some ads.  Perhaps that was karma.

On top of this we have had contract delays from the Middle East, flights cancelled by airline bureaucracies, and so much more. It's been a week of non-stop bureaucracy -wrestling on many levels for me. 

The funny thing is, the word bureaucracy used to mean a good thing about a hundred years ago - back when a privileged few held authoritarian power and could act on a whim. Bureaucracy was put in place to provide an unbiased system based on logic and rational decision making, to give everyone a fair chance and predictable outcome.  But as the above examples show, it can't always be considered rational and logical nowadays.

Now come closer and I'll let you in on a little secret. I have found the trick with beating a dysfunctional bureaucracy is to find the 'back door' which is always a person who has some power to influence behind the scenes.  Some people try using a battering ram of angry letters or hurling verbal abuse at the front line staff - trying to batter the front door down so to speak - but I've never found that helpful as a general rule. Because the thing about dysfunctional bureaucracies is that the people answering the front door are almost never given the power to do anything other than answer the front door.  They are powerless so it gets you and the front-door-answerer all worked up but makes no forward progress.

 I will admit that in well-functioning (good) bureaucracies the front line staff are often empowered which is probably what makes them well-functioning,  so simply pointing out the issue in a dispassionate way is enough to help the system right itself. Well-functioning bureaucracies have hiccups from time to time and sometimes you can't tell at first if it's a well-functioning or dysfunctional type when you are at the front gate with a problem on your hands.

If the direct but friendly approach doesn't work, then the trick with a typical dysfunctional bureaucracy is to find the back door and it's often quite well hidden. If it weren't, the unwashed masses would flood in and it would be another front door.  You usually have to use personal contacts and this might involve networking or even paying a company or consultant who has the contacts.  So just like Teachanywhere knows the back doors into schools and principals, there are other people who know where to brush away the branches and dead leaves to find the back door into other organisations. 

In the case of Nigeria, we are paying a visa company with connections (and a Visa card!), and in the case of Student Finance England I've both written to my Member of Parliament, who is on the case, and also looked for a company that claims to help get NI numbers for people (not sure if this is a scam but hey, for £40 it's worth it). And so on.

You do have to be patient with bureaucracies, even when you've found the back door. These are not fast moving, nimble organisations and if you walk in the back door making lots of noise, it can startle the wrong people causing it to slam the door in your face.  For goodness sake, don't shout about it. You have to be stealthy at the back door like any good burglar and hope your guide knows what they are doing. 

Ironically, I find that when people go abroad, the first time they run into bureaucracy in the new country they act shocked as if it's something they've never run into before, but I know this is not true. Bureaucracies of all types exist in every country and organisation I've ever dealt with or lived in. It doesn't matter where you go, you just have to know - or find out- how to play the game.