Blogs of international school teachers: “Creating Collaborating Sharing” (A veteran int’l educator at Sinarmas World Academy)

Are you inspired to start up a blog about your adventures living abroad?

Our 29th blog that we would like to highlight is called “Creating Collaborating Sharing”  Check out the blog entries of this international school educator who currently works at Sinarmas World Academy (10 Total Comments on our website.) in Indonesia.

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A few entries that we would like to highlight:

New Beginnings

“Some of you may have known that I have moved schools this year and have just started my job as the Elementary School IT Coach at Sinarmas World Academy. It is located in West Jakarta, Indonesia. It is a relatively new school (4 years old) and an absolutely beautiful campus. There is lots going on technology-wise as we are a 1:1 school from Grades 4-12 and then shared laptops for Grades 1-3. We have over 70 ipads in addition to that. The school is warm, has a community feel and a strong vision. One of the things I enjoy about the school is the fact that there is a strong blogging culture and all students, teachers and administrators have blogs which creates a learning community…”

How great to work at a beautiful campus and to have such excellent technology resources!  That is amazing that all teachers and administration have a blog.  Working at a newer international school has it pros and cons, but this one seems to have a lot of pros!

Why International Schools Should Remember Maslow

“Moving to a new country and working at a new school forces everyone to seek out all these needs. You need to find a new home, car, friends and learn the culture before you can even think about the school. I believe administrators need to really consider their faculty and where they are at any given point in the school year. Obviously, the goal is to have all teachers at the top at self-actualization where people feel a genuine sense of purpose, intrinsic rewards and contributing to the community.  During the 1-2 weeks of new teacher orientation, it is critical that administrators help teachers attain their basic and safety needs BEFORE even trying to talk to them about the curriculum.  The other challenging is building community and helping new teachers integrate into the new community and feel a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen at one of the schools I worked at and resulted in new teachers being extremely stressed, frantic and behind the 8 ball from day 1. International schools need so spend that time supporting teachers in finding housing, setting up utilities, finding nannies, places to shop and eat, etc.…”

I like that idea about how administration should make sure their new teachers have all their basic needs met before they talk to them about curriculum.  It is important that international school administrators take note that their job also entails making sure their new hires are alright and adjusting well to their new environment. And as this blogger stated, it can all backfire very quickly if the new teachers are still not having their basic needs met by the first week of school with the students.

Want to work for an international school in Indonesia like this blogger?  Currently, we have 37 international schools listed in Indonesia on International School Community. Here are a few that have had comments and information submitted on their profiles:

• Canggu Community School (10 Comments)
• Green School Bali (9 Comments)
• Australian International School (Indonesia) (39 Comments)
• Beacon Academy (Indonesia) (10 Comments)
• Bina Bangsa School (13 Comments)
• North Jakarta International School (20 Comments)
• Surabaya International School (17 Comments)
• Hillcrest International School (11 Comments)

If you are an international school teacher and would like your blog highlighted on International School Community contact us here.

New Teacher Orientation Must-Haves at International Schools: A starter supply of groceries for your new home.

In this blog series we will talk about the ins and outs of an excellent new teacher orientation programme at an international school.  A new teacher orientation programme can really play a very important part to the start at your new school, in your new host country.  What are all the must-haves then?  Check out our blog series here to read about the ones that we have discussed so far.

Must-have #8: A starter supply of groceries for your new home.

patquinnrefrigeratorThere is nothing worse than arriving to your new home with an empty fridge.  Even though you will probably be going out to eat a lot for the new few days, it is nice to have at least a few things in your kitchen on which you can eat/snack.

Luckily, many international schools out there are getting this one right.  Someone in the “new teacher orientation” committee is going out to a grocery store before you arrive and getting you the basic necessities for you. What are the basic necessities?  Typically you get some a carton of milk, a loaf of bread, a box of crackers, a roll of cookies, etc.  You will also get a package of toilet paper and some paper towels maybe.  In countries where you cannot drink the water, you will most certainly get some fresh water supplies as well.  Some international schools even provide you with a couple cans of beer!

It is possible that you will not even end up using some of these items, but it is definitely the thought that counts.  You will probably end up using the unused food supplies at your house warming party that you should hopefully be having during the first month of so.

Some might think that the new teacher can just go out and get their own groceries after they arrive, what is the big deal?  Well many times new teachers arrive at odd hours (read: your flight might be delayed!) and the nearby grocery store just might not be open.  Also, just leaving your new home for the first time in the first few days can be a daunting experience.  You might be a bit nervous about where everything is in the neighborhood and not be ready to “explore around” just yet.  You also might maybe be preoccupied with not locking yourself out of your new place to even think about getting up and out to the nearest super market!

Many people though who live abroad do though enjoy exploring around foreign grocery stores.  And there will for sure be time for you to explore all the grocery stores around the city, especially all the ones with expat products in them!  Who knows what they might have that will be your new favorite thing to buy?!

So why wouldn’t an international school provide a new teacher to their school with an emergency bag of groceries/supplies?  Are there any out there that don’t do this? It does take some man power and time to get the emergency supplies all prepared and ready.  Imagine if you had to get these same supplies for 10 or 20 new teachers; not an easy task (read: many international school teachers, even veteran ones, don’t have a car).  But if the international school budgets for this, then they will most likely budget paying for a veteran staff member to find a way to organize getting these groceries and supplies.  Kind of fun I bet to be one of the first people that the new teacher sees.  After a long journey, it will most definitely put a smile on the new teacher’s face when they realize that his/her new school has thought about them.  And that is what new teacher orientation must-haves are all about…making sure the new teachers are happy and comfortable.

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So, does your international school supply you with a starter supply of groceries for your new home?  Please share your experiences!

New Survey: How easy it is for you get reimbursed for things at your school?

A new survey has arrived!

Topic:  How easy it is for you get reimbursed for things at your school?

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There is nothing good about not getting reimbursed for things that are a part of your contract/benefits.  It is also not fun when you purchase things for the school and the process of getting reimbursed for those things is either nearly impossible or you must wait for 3-5 months to get your money back (or even longer at some international schools!).

When international school teachers are worried about the money that is owed to them by the school, things can get even more stressful when living abroad in a foreign country.  Many international school teachers would very much appreciate a quick and easy system in place to get the money that is owed to them by the school.  However, that is not always the case…as we all know all too well.images

The issue with a quick reimbursement might be related to what country your school is in (or what city), whether your school is a for-profit one or non-profit, or it might be related to the competency and effectiveness of the business department.

It is also important to remember that there might also be a language and/or cultural barrier that delays your reimbursement.  Some countries have specific ways of getting “official” receipts, and knowing about these specific ways can speed up the reimbursement process for you.  If you don’t follow the guidelines of the school and country for getting the right receipt, you will soon find out those guidelines after you try and hand in your first receipts!

So, how easy it is for you get reimbursed for things at your international school??  Go to the homepage of International School Community and submit your vote today!  You can check out the latest voting results here.

From the staff at International School Community.

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