Teaching Overseas - The Gender Question

Notes from the General Manager, By Diane Jacoutot

I was having a videoconference with the Deputy Director of THIS project yesterday and he explained that everyone was off work because it was International Women’s Day.  In Kazakhstan, International Women’s Day, he said, is bigger than Mother’s Day in his home country of Ireland, which is big indeed.  At NIS headquarters they celebrated a day early by having all the men pitch in money and they bought and presented to each women at Nazarbayev’s head office a dozen red roses and a Kazakh vase. Then they had a big banquet for everyone and they all went home early. And they had the next day off because International Women’s Day is a public holiday in Kazakhstan!  He said walking around Astana that evening at dinner time, you could see women and girls everywhere carrying flowers, and being treated specially.

Of course many of the Teachanywhere team, men and women alike though especially women, became instantly enamoured of the idea.  Mother’s day is often celebrated in our cultures but what if you are not a mother? Then it started the debate, “Is it right that women are celebrated? What about men? “ , to which Charlotte piped in, “But every other day is Men’s Day!”

Which is not technically true in the international school sector.

One of the many interesting aspects of international life is that you must conform to the local laws and cultures of the country in which you are working, even if you don’t necessarily agree with them. Just like the Masai Warriors who came to run the London Marathon didn’t agree that they should not be allowed to kill and eat any livestock they happened across during their training, when you enter into someone else’s country you play by their rules....so they didn’t, much to the relief of local farmers. Therefore, I need to point out that in many countries around the world, the gender of some jobs are regulated by law.  One person’s discrimination is another person’s legislation.

In many countries of the Middle East for example, men are not legally allowed to teach young children, which is why you see some of our adverts say Female Early Years teacher and some schools are entirely girls schools into which men are not allowed.  Even the maintenance workers are female.  But the opposite is not always true – women are often allowed into boys schools.  This has strong cultural roots in Middle East ways of life. At many weddings, for example, men and women do not attend the same reception – they are segregated by gender so there is a women’s reception and a men’s reception. Gender segregation is tightly woven into the fabric of their lives and it’s reflected in educational practices.

Because of this we find ourselves in awkward discussions with perfectly qualified male teachers saying, “Look I know this is discrimination in your country to tell you I won’t put you forward for this job, but  if I placed you in this job, you could get deported.”  And on the flip side, I can’t tell you the number of times schools have come to me saying “we really want a man for this job”, and often it’s a Principal role in a developing country. To which I reply, “Look I hear what you are saying about the qualities you want, but if I find a really good woman for this I will also put them forward and explain why”  And sometimes it has worked.  Why did I push the limits in the second case but not the first? Because I was not breaking any laws, just stereotypes.

Meet The Teachanywhere Team: Helping you teach overseas!

Introducing Alice Collins!  Alice represents Teachanywhere in Australia - helping teachers in Australia and across Asia find their dream teaching jobs across the world......

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

Prior to joining Teachanywhere I worked as a Maths Teacher in the UK.  I relocated half way around the world to Sydney and decided it was also time for a career change. I still wanted to remain involved with education, and as I also love to travel I thought it was a great idea to combine the two and become an International Recruitment Consultant.

Have you ever taught or lived overseas?

I have never taught internationally myself but I am aware of the challenges and rewards that come with living and working overseas. I have lived and worked in Canada, Italy and now Sydney. I have also travelled extensively and love to experience new countries and their cultures.

What do you love most about your job?I love hearing from my teachers who are scattered all over the globe. It's so interesting to hear first-hand what it's really like to live and work in some of our more unusual locations. Our teachers get up to allsorts and have such fantastic experiences.  I have had e-mails from teachers off to the Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi, off snorkelling for the weekend in Langkawi, living the life of luxury on friend's boats in Dubai and brave teachers helping to reshape and rebuild Libya. I also get excellent travel advice such as how many layers to wear to keep warm during Winter in Northern China, the best hair and nail salons in Kuwait, how to find a good tailor in Bangkok and how best to haggle in Indonesia!

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

You definitely need to be flexible and open-minded. Living overseas can be very frustrating. I find this myself when I'm longing for an English country pub with a log fire, or a proper "British curry". Rather than try to recreate what you're used to back home, you need to be able to adapt and change your routines. The only way that you will truly experience living and working in a different country is to fully embrace the culture and way of life, surely that's what you're there for after all?

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

The International School year runs from August which does not align with the Australian school year. If you are an Australian teacher, serious about going overseas then you will need to be flexible enough to consider an August start date. We do get vacancies for January but you won't get such a large selection of schools or locations to choose from.

Also, Australian Teachers are often put off by what they perceive as a low salary but they forget two important things;

1) Your salary is often tax free and accommodation, flights and other allowances are also provided. 

2) The cost of living in Australia is one of the highest in the world. Your local salary will give you a far greater spending power. This is a great website to compare cost of living of two cities .

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

1)      Be organised. Make sure I always have an up to date CV, your earliest available start date and all other required documents on file. Always check the weekly job mailer or our website for new jobs in case I have overlooked anything.

2)      Be open-minded about location.

3)      Ask us as many questions as you like, we are here to advise and help with your decision to move overseas, but please make sure you do your own research.

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

People are often cautious about China and I have come to the conclusion that it is because it is such a vast and varying country and people just aren't unaware of what it has to offer. I have to admit, I didn't know an awful lot about China myself before I started this job and I even had to print myself a map and mark on the major cities and locations of our schools. Once I had done my own research (!), I realised that it had such a lot to offer from skiing in the North to surfing in the tropical climate of the South. I now have around 10 teachers in China and they all love it.

We already have a lot of schools in China but as it's going through such a rapid period of growth new schools are opening all the time and are using Teachanywhere to help recruit. Ask your consultant for our in depth China guides, they are a fascinating read and a real eye-opener.

Why sign up with Teachanywhere?

We are a truly dedicated team, globally dispersed with placement offices right in the heart of our main regions. They visit our schools on a regular basis, and provide us with up to date and detailed school and location reports. As consultants, this allows us to provide accurate information and sound advice to our teachers.

Thanks Alice!  If you wish to know more about Teachanywhere - check out our website where we currently have a large number of teaching posts across the continents.

Teachanywhere takes on Kazakhstan - and loves it!

Notes from the General Manager by Diane Jacoutot 

I just returned from a trip to Kazakhstan. Well technically I’ve not returned yet- I’m writing this on the plane. But I’m very excited and can’t wait to share.

Because in my job with Teachanywhere, I travel quite a bit- visiting schools and regions worldwide. But rarely do I get as surprised by a place as I have been by Kazakhstan this week.

When I write “Kazakhstan”, what pops into your mind? Borat in a mankini? A poor ex-soviet country with cold snowy winds blowing over vast empty steppes?  Yup, me too. Before this trip that is. I even researched a bit beforehand to find out more, but found very little recent information and almost nothing reassuring besides a National Geographic article that landed on my doorstep in January which I could not quite believe hadn’t been extensively photoshopped.

What I found when I stepped off the plane was entirely surprising. Well, except for the snow but I’ll get to that in a minute.

I found a wealthy country rich in oil and minerals intent on looking forward, grasping the 21^st century with both hands, whilst also simultaneously looking backwards at its Soviet-repressed deep Kazakh cultural traditions and language, and bringing them along for the ride. It has a stable government, happy, confident and well educated citizens,  hungry for the best new ideas, and possessing the means to import what they don’t currently have – new teaching pedagogy, top architects, and even, as I found on my inspection of a supermarket, Coco Pops cereal and Heinz Ketchup. 

I visited the new capital city of Astana and found a city transformed in the past decade from a sleepy backwater railway junction to a vast humming city with fantastical skyscrapers, top notch sports facilities (the cycling world cup was just held recently there in a state of the art velodrome shaped like a bicycle helmet for instance) and leisure facilities such as an award winning eco-friendly glass shopping mall cum amusement park shaped like a Kazakh tent, complete with an indoor water park on the top floor and monorail system.  Much of the architecture is inspired by other landmarks including a Louvre-like glass pyramid, the president’s palace is reminiscent of the US capitol, the Central Concert hall giving a nod to the Sydney Opera house, and a Moscow inspired office building that would not be out of place in Gotham City. Top architects from around the world have contributed to the growing skyline, including British Norman Foster and Japanese Kisho Kurokawa. It’s quite Dubai and Singapore-like in its love of OTT.

What was different than Dubai and Singapore was that this programme of reinvestment of wealth and the building of a fantastical city does not seem to have been done for the usual reasons – to attract foreign tourist money. Indeed, foreigners are rare here and treated per Kazakh tradition, as “a gift from God”. All the foreign teachers I spoke with told of being openly welcomed and developing many good Kazakh friends quickly and easily.  Everyone, it seems, wants to find out more about you and practice their English.

So instead of luring foreign tourists, the Kazakhs seem to be building Astana for themselves. Perhaps it is being been done as a reflection of their infectious optimism, their sky high aspirations for their new place on the international scene, or  because perhaps simply because they can.    

Education is a top priority for the Kazakh president Nazarbayev and his government, and billions have been invested in building new school facilities – university, secondary and primary and they are driving to create not just a bilingual system by overlaying Kazakh on top of the long required Russian language, but now a tri-lingual system with English – the language of international business- as well.  

What, besides the winter weather, is not to like?

Teachanywhere have a number of interesting jobs in Kazakhstan this week and I encourage you to have a look. Yes it is cold and snowy during the winter which runs from November to March. Yes, the infrastructure is developing –this is not for teachers who want the finished product. But what an amazing opportunity this is for teachers who want to see this Eurasian butterfly emerge. Because I have a feeling that with the financial resources, strong work ethic, resilient optimism of the citizens, and with the strong governmental focus behind them, this transformation will be over in the blink of an eye.

Teachanywhere launches NEW Website!

Notes from the General Manager - Diane Jacoutot:

Imagine the shock of the pupils at Deptford Green School in South London on Wednesday this week, when they were told to ‘face the front and pay attention’ during the presentation of yet another guest speaker.   And in walked Bill Gates.  Who proceeded to talk to them for an hour about dropping out of Harvard to start Microsoft, about making not millions, but billions. And then, more importantly, about giving it away.  26 billion of it, and counting.

As a Closet Geek, I love the fact that a bunch of teenagers from a deprived area of South London instantly know who Bill Gates is.  I suppose a few hundred billion dollars will do that, but still. The guy is not a rock star. He doesn’t even have his own line of trainers. (To be fair they would probably not be all that stylish so maybe this is a good thing)  He still has a pencil neck and even at 50 looks like a nerd, yet he’s instantly recognisable and widely admired. I love that.

 As someone who started her working career at IBM in the 80s, who learned how to type with all 10 fingers so I could flirt with my husband-to-be over the mainframe using a rudimentary pre-cursor to Instant Messaging, and who can make the sound of a  modem as it connects (my party trick), I bask in the reflected glow of his geekiness.

Today is a big day for the geek in me for another reason.  It is the Big Unveiling the new improved Teachanywhere website!   This website has been over a year in the making and it was not written by some faceless marketing team toiling in gray cubicles,  but by Rachel, our marketing coordinator and researcher, and by me. Then it was put into beautiful internet form by our talented web design team, spearheaded by Ross the Magnificent, as I call him.   It has new features I’ve been dreaming up for quite a few years now and which have finally become a reality. Amongst them, you will find that you can now set up job alerts for a particular region, subject and level and it will email you the results daily, weekly or monthly.  You will find the Regional and country pages have been extended so that you can find out the typical temperature range from Singapore to Spain and what there is to do in Kuwait on the weekends. It will suggest countries that are similar to the countries you are reading about – which you might want to also consider. You will even be able to read what other teachers have said about the region – something we hope to extend as time goes on.... with your help of course.  And of course the whole thing looks a bit more flash. Literally.( Sorry, that was a nerd joke and I apologise).

Please have a nose around – Rachel and I have written it with you in mind.  The idea, as I wrote on the landing page of the new regional section, is that the best international teachers need to be the best learners.  There are things you really need to research and know about going abroad and we aim to give it to you.  Such is the beauty of the internet. Even if the Geeks won’t inherit the earth, at least we can write about it and present it to you with our technological prowess.

Please send me your feedback at newwebsite@teachanywhere.com – I look forward to your comments.

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.