| You need to teach overseas! Pick a country, any | | | | activities offered, and therefore your child's |
| country, and there will be at least one international | | | | opportunities to experience team sports and other |
| school there. International Schools offer private | | | | activities that are usually run after school. |
| education for expatriate's children worldwide. And, | | | | When a school has a large number of students, this |
| while most of the parents have to pay school fees, | | | | can also mean that the school is more likely to have a |
| one of the conditions nearly always included in the | | | | well-stocked library, well equipped laboratories, |
| contracts of international teachers is free education for | | | | up-to-date computer equipment and outdoor activity |
| the teachers' children. There are over 4000 | | | | areas. This is usually true of larger schools simply |
| international schools worldwide, all requiring teachers to | | | | because there is a larger pot of money to fund these |
| staff them, many of them offering excellent quality | | | | facilities from. |
| private education. | | | | On the other hand a school that has thousands of |
| Picking a school that suits both your children's needs | | | | students, while usually offering a wide variety of |
| and yours can be challenging, but it is possible. In a | | | | subjects and activities for students, can often be an |
| recent interview I conducted with international teachers, | | | | anonymous place for children. It is up to you to decide |
| Maggie Hos-McGrane, an international teacher of 19 | | | | what a good balance is for you and your family. |
| years experience said that after she had completed | | | | Which curricula do the schools subscribe to? |
| her research she'd found only 30 of the more than | | | | There are international schools abroad that offer what |
| 4000 international schools suited both her and her | | | | is essentially a national curriculum. In fact, in the case of |
| children. If you have children, here are some things you | | | | many British schools abroad, it's even called the |
| should consider when applying for teaching posts | | | | National Curriculum. |
| abroad in international schools. | | | | You can find international schools that are running the |
| Is the school a profit making enterprise? | | | | national curriculum from America, the UK, Australia, |
| There are a number of different kinds of international | | | | Canada, France (usually taught in French), and so on. |
| schools to choose from, some are run by a board and | | | | Securing a teaching contract in an international school |
| are not designed to make a profit, and others are run | | | | that offers the national curriculum that you and your |
| by an individual or company in order to make a profit. | | | | children are used to will help ease the transition. |
| As a teacher you will be concerned that the school's | | | | However, you are not limited by the curricula that you |
| educational philosophy matches your own. As a parent | | | | have taught in the past, international schools are |
| you want to insure that your children's education is the | | | | generally looking for good teachers and realize that |
| priority of the school, rather than the amount of money | | | | teachers can adapt and teach any curriculum. |
| spent on educational materials and the effect that will | | | | When you are looking for a good school for your |
| have on the school's owner's profit. | | | | children, you may run up against some curricula that |
| There are some directors or owners of international | | | | you haven't come across before. For example, there is |
| schools that may be more interested in the financial | | | | the school wide system offered by the International |
| benefits of running a school than the education | | | | Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). The IBO offers the |
| benefits to the students. Be aware, both as a | | | | Primary Years Programme up to Year 6, the Middle |
| prospective employee and as a parent. | | | | Years Programme from Years 7 to 11, and the |
| Is the school accredited? | | | | Diploma Years Programme for Years 12 and 13. |
| International schools can become accredited by an | | | | Which examinations will your children be working |
| organization that sets educational and operational | | | | towards? |
| standards for international education institutions. One | | | | There are a number of examinations available for |
| such organization is the Council of International Schools | | | | international school students, and you will need to |
| (CIS). In order for an international school to become | | | | understand the options before making any decisions |
| accredited by CIS, they must go through a rigorous | | | | about accepting an employment contract. |
| appraisal process which looks at the staff and | | | | I mentioned the IBO previously as being a school wide |
| management, the facilities and, the quality of teaching | | | | programme. However many schools adopt bits and |
| and learning in the school. | | | | pieces of the programme. You may find that an |
| If an international school is accredited, then you can be | | | | international school offers the Diploma for the upper |
| confident that the quality of education provided by the | | | | two years but offers the British IGCSE for Years 10 |
| school is high. Most schools that are accredited by an | | | | and 11. IGCSE is an examination based qualification, and |
| organization like CIS advertise their status on their | | | | the IBO Middle Years Programme has no formal |
| webpage, brochures and stationery. | | | | examination assessment, students get a certificate |
| Other organizations that offer accreditation for | | | | and a record of achievement. Some international |
| international schools are NEASC, COBISEC, ISCIS and | | | | schools have a mix and match attitude to the curricula |
| the Association of Christian Schools International, to | | | | offered. |
| name a few. | | | | International schools that run national curricula tend to |
| How many students are in the school? | | | | prepare students for the related national exams. |
| This is particularly of concern for parents of high | | | | American schools overseas run a mixture of state |
| school aged children as the number of students in a | | | | curricula and AP courses. |
| school may affect the number of subject choices | | | | In this article I have listed just a few of the factors |
| offered at higher levels. For example, if there are only | | | | you'll need to consider if you would like to get a private |
| 30 students in the graduating class, then the school will | | | | education for your children by teaching overseas. |
| have to limit the number of subjects being offered to | | | | While I don't have any children of my own, many of |
| make it cost effective. This can often affect profit and | | | | my colleagues do, and they believe that the education |
| non-profit making schools alike. | | | | their children are receiving abroad is better than what |
| Additionally, the number of students in the school can | | | | they could get back home, wherever home may be. |
| affect the number and type of extra curricular | | | | |