“A happy teacher is a powerful teacher.”

Let’s face it — schools are vibrant, unpredictable ecosystems. Now imagine stepping into that world with hundreds of children and being far from home. That’s international teaching in a nutshell.

But here’s the good news: when schools get staff morale right, the results are game-changing. A positive vibe isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential for thriving classrooms, collaborative teams, and happy teachers. When you feel supported, seen, and celebrated, you teach better. Period.

So how do international schools actually pull this off?

We dove deep into the 53,000+ real teacher comments on International School Community, and pulled out 9 stand-out ways that schools show appreciation, create connection, and lift spirits — no gimmicks, just genuine strategies that work.

Whether you’re considering your first post abroad or you’re a seasoned expat teacher, this third part in our morale-boosting series offers a peek into how some schools go above and beyond to make teachers feel at home — and happy — on staff.

🧭 Curious what makes a school feel like the right place to work? Read on.

9.  Ayeyarwaddy International School (Mandalay, Myanmar) – 149 Total Comments

“The school holds an annual end-of-year appreciation event for all staff, which typically includes catered meals and raffle prizes, with notable items such as a scooter. For local staff, the school also organizes a three-day excursion outside Mandalay, covering transportation, hotel accommodations, and meal allowances. Although this year’s trip was initially at risk due to post-earthquake reconstruction efforts, the school continues to provide the excursion to all local faculty and staff despite the high associated costs, as a gesture of appreciation and service particularly after the earthquake. For international teachers, staff well-being is primarily supported through employment benefits such as complimentary cleaning and laundry services, free lunches on school days, and transportation to and from the airport. While these provisions may not fully align with every teacher’s expectations of well-being support, they are more extensive than what is typically offered by other schools in Mandalay….”

8. Pathways World School (New Delhi, India) – 47 Total Comments

“Pathways World School Gurgaon fosters staff well-being and high morale through several initiatives: Health and Wellness Privileges: The school offers exclusive health benefits to its community members, including staff. These privileges encompass discounts on pathology and radiology tests at renowned labs like Dr. Dangs Lab and Lal Path Labs, as well as on services at prominent hospitals such as Max Hospitals and Medanta Hospital. Access to Resources: Faculty and staff have access to various resources through dedicated portals, including Wizemen, Mail services, Library access, PeopleSoft tools, and the Branding Docket. These resources support their professional needs and contribute to a conducive working environment. Leadership Support: The school is led by a diverse leadership team that emphasizes creating a supportive and inclusive environment. This leadership approach fosters collaboration and ensures that staff feel valued and motivated…”

7. Budapest British International Academy (Madrid, Spain) – 106 Total Comments 

“There are quiz nights, the Christmas party and regular get togethers. If a colleague has an artistic performance outside of school, they will be supported. There is a separation between Primary and Secondary but we all get on…”

6. Fukuoka International School (Fukuoka, Japan) – 53 Total Comments

“Every Wednesday, staff meetings are accompanied by snacks and weekly raffles, creating a positive and engaging atmosphere…”

5. Branksome Hall Asia (Jeju-do, South Korea) – 217 Total Comments

“The current Head of School, Blair Lee, strongly encourages a “togetherness” attitude, and he makes a lot of effort to host an all-staff party or two a year at nice locations in Jeju. There is usually a Christmas party and end of the year party hosted at a fancy hotel with a nice dinner…”

4. International School of Islamabad (Islamabad, Pakistan) – 44 Total Comments

“There are a lot of social activities both on and off campus during the week and on the weekends. Our staff has a WhatsApp Social group where people are in constant communication about both activities, advice and questions, in general…”

3. International School of the Hague (The Hague, Netherlands) – 86 Total Comments

“There are various staff events, such as a Christmas dinner or party and an end-of-year barbecue. Additionally, the staff well-being committee organizes activities some social events…”

2. Harrow Haikou (Haikou, China) – 57 Total Comments

“Food in the canteen is amazing, with lots of variety, including European cuisine. Special holidays are accompanied by appropriate traditional food…”

1. Stamford American International School (Singapore) – 335 Total Comments

“There has been strong investment in staff morale over the past few years and there has been overall improvement in the yearly voice of staff survey due to these measures. The new superintendent has also made a strong and noticeable effort to be present across the school and get to know and listen to teachers…”

Staff are generally kind, approachable and professional people who are happy to work together.

There are various ways staff are recognized, like the values ceremony twice a year, and various gatherings/staff parties organized by divisions.s…”

If you would like to share what your school does to create a high staff morale, log in to International School Community and submit your comments. For every 10 submitted comments, you will get one month of free premium membership added to your account!