Blogs of international school teachers: International Christian School teachers

What a great idea!

How wonderful if all schools had a separate page on their website listing all the personal blogs of its teachers!  Check out their website here.


Hong Kong

We would like to highlight a few of the entries on a couple of these blogs.

This international school teacher’s insight about moving back to your home country after teaching and living in Hong Kong is something we can all relate to:

“I think I wouldn’t be completely honest if I said I was happy to be moving back to Canada. There are many things I am looking forward to about going back, foremost among them, being closer to our family, but there are many things I am going to really miss about Hong Kong, especially my job.  In early June I included an article in one of my posts that I wrote in 2005 about what I will miss about Hong Kong.  I’ve learned there is a lot more to a place than you can read about in a book, or see in a television documentary. For the entire six years I lived in Hong Kong I was constantly learning new things about the city I didn’t know before.”

This international school teaching couple’s experience working with Chinese students (as compared to students from the USA) is quite intriguing:

“How do Chinese middle school students differ from US middle school students? You tell an American student that they can sit “anywhere” in the classroom and at least 60% of the students immediately drop to the floor.  They sit on pillows, lie under tables, and tuck into back corners.  Some sit on top of things too – perching on counters, desks, and begging to sit on the teacher’s spinning chair at the front of the room.

You tell a Chinese student that they can sit “anywhere” in the classroom and 30% of the move with tepid enthusiasm to sit near a friend while the rest of them stay where they are.  Those that move take seats… in another desk.  2-3 students may choose to sit on the classroom couch, but nobody takes to the floor unless required to do so by me.

A student of mine explained it to me on Friday by saying that Chinese kids are taught from an early age to fear uncleanliness and germs.  Even as young children many of them play in seats at tables, rather than in groups on the floor.  Therefore, it’s engrained in them from the start to avoid the floor if at all possible.”

If you know of any other great, insightful international school blogs out there or if you have one of your own that you would like for us to highlight, send us an email at editor@internationalschoolcommunity.com.

Recruitment Resources for International Teachers: The long list of things to think about! (Part 1 of 3)

There are so many things to think about and search for information about when recruiting.  Why not have all the links you need to reference all in one location?

Recruitment Resources for International Teachers: (Part 1)

Cost of living comparisons between cities: http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living

Association of American Schools in South America: http://www.aassa.com/ (Annual stateside recruitment fair; AASSA seeks qualified educators to fill positions in private schools located throughout South America. Schools vary in size and offer a predominately U.S. based curriculum)

Association of Christian Schools International: http://www.acsi.org

(Features a searchable database of 750+ current positions at 150 ACSI

member international Christian schools, frequently asked questions about missionary teaching and a free teacher listing service. Email: teachoverseas@acsi.org)

ECIS: http://www.ecis.org

Carney, Sandoe, & Associates: http://www.CarneySandoe.com

Overseas Digest http://overseasdigest.com/index.html

(ISS) International School Services: http://www.iss.edu

INTERNATIONAL OVERSEAS JOBS http://www.escapeartist.com/jobs16/international.htm (Good site on over-seas living)

International Supply Teachers http://teachersonthemove.com/ (the only organisation recruiting specialist teachers for short-term vacancies in international schools.)

Joy jobs: http://joyjobs.com/

(This site seems a bit heavy on the promotional side of things but fun to cruise)

Queens University, Canada:http://educ.queensu.ca/careers/torf.html

(200+ international teachers placed a year)

Search Associates: http://www.search-associates.com/

Teachers On Net: http://teacherson.net/ (Internet Employment hub for Australian Independent schools also maintains an international jobs section)

TIE (The International Educator): http://www.tieonline.com

TIE is the newspaper that most leading international schools use to advertize their teaching vacancies; plus personal, school development news about the Int’l network. Most recent issues have over 130 ads placed by int’l schools representing over 2000 open positions. *Also* TIE’s new Vacancy Notification System, through which you can get automatic and instant notice of every vacancy posted in your area(s) of interest. And once you are notified via email and review the ad, you can have a notification of interest sent with ONE CLICK to the school in question, giving them quick and easy access to your resume.

UNI Overseas Placement Service for Educators: http://www.uni.edu/placement/overseas/ (annual UNI Overseas Recruiting Fair held each February/early March.)

For those returning to the states:

Carney, Sandoe, & Associates: http://www.CarneySandoe.com

The Education America Network – http://educationamerica.net – America’s largest online source for education employment opportunities. There are over 20,000 available employment opportunities from 880 employers from all 50 states. There is NO COST to search jobs, post your resume or receive customized employment e-mails.

Southern Teachers http://www.southernteachers.com/

This Agency works with both independent and public schools in the Southeastern United States. The Agency, directed by

7 Elliewood Ave., Suite 2A Charlottesville, VA 22903-2603

Tel 804.295.9122 Fax 804.295.6448

(Taken from the blog article from wwteach.)

Also check out all the comments and information about 1000s of different international schools around the world on International School Community!

Want to work at an international school in the Netherlands? – Tips for Expats in Holland

Life in Holland does indeed sound nice.  Riding your bike to work and watching the canals as you dart in and out of the streets of Amsterdam could be something very easy to get used to every morning.  The Insego website has highlighted some excellent tips that international teachers and their families could find very beneficial.  I wish there would be a resource like this on every country in the world!

We have highlighted some of the tips’ categories:

10 Tips for Unemployed Expats
“Whether you are an expat’s wife or you came here because you fell in love or you just moved to a foreign country looking for new opportunities, whatever the reason, you may find yourself without a job. Well, I’ve been there. Without a job I lost my professional identity and I didn’t like this feeling at all…”

Media for Expats in Holland
“One of the most popular discussions on Insego is finding out the cultural faux pas in The Netherlands. Faux pas is a French term which literally means “misstep”. But for most of us, it means defiance from accepted customs and traditions. Faux pas varies from different cultures. Some behavior might be acknowledged in one culture while it is a no-no for another.

Here are the collected comments from our members on what they think are the cultural faux pas in Netherlands…”

What are the most common issues faced by expatriates?
“Transferring to another country whether for work, personal expedition or reasons of the heart can be tough and challenging. Aside from difficulty in adjusting to the new environment and culture, we also struggle with homesickness, making new friends and for some, finding a job and raising kids. Being an expat is a tough call. See what your fellow expats struggle with and may their experiences act as your inspiration and encouragement that you are not alone. You share the same experiences with many other expats in the world, so don’t be totally dismayed…”

What are some cultural faux pas in The Netherlands?

  • Dutch News– Quality English-language news about the Netherlands.
  • Dutch Daily News – Covers, analyzes, comments on and defines the news, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, fashion and personalities that drive the Netherlands.
  • Expatica.com- The biggest online English news and information provider for the international community in 11 European countries. It’s mission is to help Expats settle into their new country of residence. The content Expatica supplies covers various aspects of expat life, including relocation, culture, education, tax, immigration and local events.
  • IamExpat– Online media platform that covers the local needs of the expatriate population, plenty of practical information.
  • InterNations – Netherlands Expats Community, membership is invitation-only. Let us know if you want to join it, we will send the invitation.
  • RNW- Radio Netherlands Worldwide. daily news in English as well as daily Dutch press reviews, opinion articles and links to the radio programs
  • The Holland Times– News magazine covering Dutch current events and perspectives in the Netherlands.
  • The Hague Online News for expat communities in The Hague region, including reviews and regular listings of cultural and leisure events.
  • Xpat.nl -Publisher of famous Holland Handbook and Xpat Journal.


Amsterdam, Holland

Currently there are 9 international schools listed in the Netherlands on International School Community. They are:

Rotterdam International Secondary School
American International School of Rotterdam
American School of the Hague
International School of the Hague
The British School of the Netherlands
British School of Amsterdam
International School Amsterdam
Amsterdam International Community School
International Secondary School Eindhoven

Check out their school profile pages on internationalschoolcommunity.com by clicking on the links above.  If you currently work at one of these schools or have worked at one in the past, share what you know by leaving some new comments and information on your school’s profile page today!  Out of our 281 members (since 14 Feb. 2012) we have one member that has listed that they work at or have worked at an international school in the Netherlands.