Getting the Best Paid International Teaching Jobs

I want the Best Package Possible!..Sure who wouldn't

What to look out for when deciding so you can earn

the highest Money & Benefits!

When it come to getting a good remuneration package in an international school you need to consider more than just the amount of zero's that are at the end of the pay cheque.  In addition to the salary international schools also offer a great number of benefits that you would not normally get when you teaching in your home country.  In addition, depending on where you are teaching the amount of income tax could either add or subtract to what's left at the end of the money.  Here are some things you should consider when looking for the best paying international teaching job...

When you are looking at getting the best paid salary package, most teachers easily get excited by the salary that is being offered, and some of those teachers end up finding that they are not actually saving a lot or any better off then when  they left their previous job.  It's important to remember the types and the amount of benefits a salary package has to offer and review it as a whole package before making a decision.

There are many types of schools internationally and as a result the pay and packages vary immensely.  The places you are likely to get paid the highest is in an international school, college or university.  The reason is the demand for native speaking English Teachers is high to serve the population.  In addition the type of students who go to international schools are often looking for the best teachers, whose command of English is native rather than learnt.  As a result the fees for these schools is a lot higher and respectively the salaries for teachers are as well.

With an increase number of international schools, currently at 5000 and rapidly increasing the supply of quality teachers is less and so schools pay higher to get the right calibre staff for their pupils.

Salary Packages

As mentioned previously, you should review the overall package before making a decision to take on the job.  While its appealing to take the job which just pays you the highest salary, this alone may not make it profitable for you.  Here some additional aspects to look out for

Housing - schools often provide you with housing so you don't have to pay rent!  For some teachers this alone could be a huge saving.  If the school does provide you with accommodation you should find out what type of accommodation is provided.  If it's not provided the school may offer you an allowance to spend at your free will on where you want to stay

Utilities - schools either provide all your utility bill costs, or provide you with a set rate and anything you use on top you have to pay for.  You should find out what you're getting in your package.

Flights - in most cases the flight to and from and country are paid for.  In some cases you may have to purchase the flight yourself and the school reimburses you upon arrival.  They may also give you a free flight after one years services

Bonuses - yes you read right! International schools give you bonuses.  They often use the term Gratuity and this varies based on the country and the labour law.  For example, once you have done 1 years service you may be entitled to 1 months salary bonus.

Tax - this is a big one to consider.  You may find some countries pay so well but when you see how much tax you are paying that you really have little of or no money left at the end of the month and if you do have some money, the general cost of living is so high that you don't have much money left at the end of the month in savings.

In some countries you may find that the benefits you get are taxable also, which further brings down your savings. You should definitely do the maths, if you find you are having to pay tax.  Also check if you have to pay tax in your home country and if you have to make any voluntary contributions to say your pension fund.  The last thing you want is to return home and find a huge penalty or bill to pay off.

If you are applying to teach overseas, you should be able to find out this information from your employer, or from the employers website.  Ensure you have this before making a decision, especially as you may be going into the unknown for the first time.

We would love to hear from you if you have any advice to give fellow education professionals about salary packages you have come across when teaching abroad, be it a good or bad experience

Wishing you all the success in your international job search.

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Regards
The SeekTeachers Team

Teaching in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

What is it like?  What should I know?

Over the past 5 years working in the Gulf has become a popular choice for many expatriate teachers.  Dubai has been a buzz word for many people from your basic labourer right up to the place where the rich and famous reside.  There has been a huge influx of expat teachers wanting to work in a country that provides a highly quality lifestyle, TAX free salaries, great weather and much more.  While this is glamorized even more so with top quality hotels like the 7 Star Hotel, Burj Al Arab, what is it really like for expat teachers, living on a teacher's salary?  SeekTeachers™ goes down to check out what expat teachers wanting to work there should know and that include the good, the bad and the ugly.

Education as we all know is essential and a place like Dubai that wants to be second to none, wants to raise the standard of education in the country.  With more expatriates moving into the country private business owners have seen this as a cash cow opportunity and profited greatly by setting up private international schools.  Even in the neighbouring state of Abu Dhabi the education has begun a huge reform led by the Abu Dhabi Education council (ADEC) to revamp the education sector and raised standard.

With the number of educational institutions going high, demand for the teacher or lecturers for these institutes have increased to a greater extend, opening the doors of job opportunities in the teaching field.  Teachers or instructors need up to date with knowledge and experience in their subjects. Also, there is great need for specialized and skilled people in their respective areas of education.  The Knowledge Human Development Authority (KHDA) is the organisation which overseas the quality of education being delivered in private and public schools, similar to that of OFSTED in the UK.

Expectations

Firstly teachers moving from western countries, should not go to Dubai thinking that because there is so much money floating around that the schools will be top-notch and fully loaded with the latest technology.  This is far from the truth.  In most schools there is about 1 or 2 Interactive White Boards, of which these are most commonly placed in the ICT Suites.  To begin with the working day can seem quite long and tiring but you will find this is mainly due to the heat. Once you climatise it could be the same as working in your host country, although most employers do expect you to do some extra curricular activities once or twice a week.

Curriculum's

In addition there are schools where they have a curriculum, but don't really follow a curriculum.  What we mean by this is that many schools will deploy a Western Curriculum like the National Curriculum of England & Wales but in practice only some elements of the curriculum are delivered causing chaos in standards.  Some schools use a fusion of a Western Curriculum adapted with a local curriculum and then other side is using a mixture of Western and International Curriculum's and different levels.  These are the curriculum's you should be familiar with when applying for jobs to the Dubai:

• The International Baccalaureate (PYP, MYP and DP)
• The National Curriculum of England & Wales
• The International Primary Curriculum
• The American AP Curriculum
• The Victorian Curriculum (Australian)
• The Cambridge Curriculum (IGCSE, A' Level)
• Local Arabic Curriculum

It is highly recommending doing your research on the structure of these curriculum. Even if you have not delivered them before you would be able to get a job if you are prepared to go on further training and learn but have the current subject knowledge to deliver the subject.

Salaries

Salaries vary tremendously in Dubai and this is due to several reasons:

• The amount of fee's the school charges for each student
• Your level and amount of qualifications
• Your experience
• The number of students on role
• The type of school it is (for Profit or Not for Profit)
• Your family status
• The amount of additional benefits you get

If a school has a bigger budget, generally it will pay higher but this is not always the case.  There are schools which will set a cap on what they would pay irrespective of what the school is making, so finding a school that pays highly can be like finding a needle in a haystack.  It does exist but you have to dig deep and most importantly of all be a good negotiator.  The best thing of all is that the salary is TAX free and you get an end of year Gratuity (bonus) for each year you complete.  With the recent recession having a huge global impact, Dubai has been effected and so you may find that salaries have been capped from increased, however this is slowly beginning to get back on the move again.

You may be asking how far can you salary go and if you are it's a great question to ask!  Firstly this  is going to depend on how lavishly you want to "live it up".  With mobile phones being as expensive as up to $310000 USD, a teachers salary could seem like tuppence in comparison.  With the amount of glamour and money flowing around it can be quite easy to get drawn into such a high living lifestyle.  If this you, you may find your salary won't be going too far and it probably would be better to avoid working in such an area.

For expatriates working there it can be a great to save or convert your money as western currencies are so weak right now that your Dirham would go further than it did before.  Food is quite cheap in Dubai and there are quite a few things to do for entertainment which does not cost the earth like heading out to the desert and water parks like Wild Wadi or Jumeirah Beach.

Subjects

There are many subjects teachers can apply for such as English, Mathematics, Information Technology, medicine, management, communications, banking, economics, sciences, etc.  This can apply for teachers of various grades including: nursery, primary, middle and high school teachers, lecturers, readers, professors, Assistant Professors, deans and other faculty for computers, and IT institutes.

Working in Dubai is not for everyone and when we have visited schools, we know of teachers that have been teaching there for many years and have immersed themselves into the lifestyle.

If you are a teacher that has worked in Dubai please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences.  We would love to hear from you.

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team

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"Ramadan Kareem" - What does it mean for Teachers Internationally?

Ramadan Kareem

The blessed month of Ramadan has started this week. Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking and sexual activities from dawn until sunset. Fasting is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility, and spirituality.

SeekTeachers™ thought it would give you an insight into this, especially for teachers who are in the Middle East. If you are a teacher working overseas, you already are apt to learning about different cultures and religions and so here are some key points we would like to highlight in this blog about the special holiday season of Ramadan.

1. The month of Ramadan is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. The others are prayer, charity, performing pilgrimage and testimony of faith.  The month of Ramadan marks the period in which the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammed (bpuh).
2. Muslims are expected to rise to a higher level of spirituality by withstanding the desire to consume food during the hours of daylight. This means no eating, drinking, smoking and other pleasurable activities from sunrise to sunset. Even drinking water is not allowed, or any form of chewing.
3. The working day is much shorter as Muslims devote their time and sacrifice their desires for God.  In some countries the reduced work hours will also be provided to non-Muslims.  In the Gulf, many schools would even shut at midday with a rush of children leaving to go home to pray and rest with loved ones.  Traffic can be quite hectic during this period so non-Muslim's should be weary of this. Schools start later and finish earlier, and teachers are not allowed to work in school 15 minutes after the children have left. There will be no school meetings and clubs at the end of the working day.
4. For non-Muslims this would also mean that out of respect they should refrain from eating and showing public affection in front of Muslims out of respect.  In addition they should dress conservatively so that both men and women should not be wearing revealing clothes or clothes which outline the silhouette of their figure.
5. It is appreciated and respected when non-Muslims say Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem to Muslims
6. Charity is a big element of Ramadan, where Muslims are expected to donate generously in respect for the poor and needy.  It is also done to allow Muslims to appreciate what they have both materialistically an non-materialistically.
7. The fast begins when sunrises and ends when sun sets.  The name given to the start of the fast is  Sehri and the end of the fast is called Ifthar, which is broken by eating a date.
8. During this time Mosques are full for evening prayer providing a community spirit which can take place for a couple of hours.  During the time of Ifthar there are many tents erected for both Muslims and non-Muslims to socialise and eat.
9. For Non-Muslims or expatriates, you may find that you are invited to have dinner with the locals.  If the opportunity arises avoid refusing as it would be considered disrespectful.  When entering the home of a Muslim, ensure to take off your shoes and eat with your right hand.  Again try not to refuse any food offered.
10. Any form of entertainment be it acquiring alcohol, bars, clubs, hotels will likely be prohibited in areas like the Gulf, although you may find some bars open in the evening.  Avoid playing music too loud as well
11. During this period you will find many that shops are open till quite late and there can be some attractive discounts and bargains available at this time
12. At the end of Ramadan the celebration of Eid Al Fitr happens, where you will find families getting together for a time of celebration and money is given to children.
13. Non Muslim teachers can and should make use of their time more effectively during this period, especially when it can feel pretty slow in areas like the Gulf.  Ramadan moves backwards 10 days ever year so if Ramadan is at a time like August/September use it wisely to get immersed into the culture and lifestyle, as well as prepare for the term to begin. We all know what its like when the first term kicks in and all goes haywire.

Please feel free to add your comments, views, opinions or experience wherever you are in the world.

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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A Short & Dirty Guide for Teachers Seeking Jobs in International Schools

There are about 5000 international schools around the world and growing at a fast rate!  The majority of these schools are Private international schools. This means they are essentially operated as business and funded with directors whose penultimate goal is to make a profit.

Education is a thriving business model and if operated successfully, not only do students learn but Directors can cash in. The hard and fast fact is the demand for private education will always be more than the supply. Therefore for teachers who want to work abroad, the field of private schools to choose from can be very much like a combination of good and bad.

Most international schools server the children of wealthy parents, some or most of which could be expatriates residing in a country that demand for English language education for their children. As more and more international schools open up the competition is becoming more fierce. Areas where many schools are on the increase is in the Middle East and Asia.

In a nutshell here are the pro's and con's of private international schools

Pro's:
Plenty of schools to choose from. Salary package's can be TAX FREE in some locations. Remuneration packages often include accommodation and many other benefits which you would not get as standard in your home country.

Con's:
There is a fine line between providing good education and making sure the substantial profits are made. There are so many trains of thought from various countries that there can be a lot of mismanagement at the top-level which results in some school being run chaotically. It's quite easy to get wrapped up in the politics and air your voice but if you if you stick to your teaching philosophy while learning new ideas with an open mind it can become quite fun. Some Directors push the boat in charging higher fee's simply to increase profits and will consequently avoid or not exclude students that go against any rules and regulations

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Life for Singletons in Incredible India!

If I am SINGLE, is it safe? What can I do? Where can I go?

As promised the SeekTeachers™ has begun to get the low down about working in India. In a series of blogs about working there, here is some more juicy information coming straight from a real educational veteran Mr Utpal Betai.

"Life for singletons

When you are planning to be part of Indian workforce as a foreigner you must be very careful as not to get involved in any kind of politics. You are not sure of local judicial as well as political system. You must never get involved directly or indirectly into any kind of party politics. People here are very sensitive to their religion and traditions. And public display of religious celebration and belief is common. Try to learn local language will help you settle down fast in India. Knowing local customs and traditions will help you understand people's psyche.

Most of the people are GOD fearing and play by the rules. You can easily afford domestic help which can be distance dream if you live in West. Don’t trust your domestic helper and keep record of their identity can help you in the event of any incident. Here it’s better not to drive even if you are a gem of a driver. You can easily get driver and an experienced one at very reasonable rate. Traffic in most of the cities is nowhere near to global standards. Many expressways are coming up but the driving skills are still of stone ages. In cities like Mumbai or Delhi things are still ok but smaller cities people really don’t know how to drive. They really need education on driving skills and civic sense. In bigger cities general cleanliness is adequate but if you are not lucky and if you have to go to smaller cities you must be ready to witness dirty streets and cleaner houses. Here in India people tend to clean their own houses and offices but when it comes to streets and roads they forget to do the same.

Religious tolerance is adequate and racism is subtle. But as an outsider you must be very careful as you will be walking a tight rope and need to do balancing.  Early morning and late night outings must be avoided at all the time for females. Night life in city like Mumbai is fine but other cities are not so safe. Self defence techniques can really help you. You should stay away from cheap places of hang out. In workplaces the key is to go with the flow all the time. Any attempt to make any kind of revolution may put you in trouble. Living single in India can be boring and risky at times. People don’t seem to welcome the idea of living single and enjoy life. People here are too nosey about the things you do and places you go. So, create a shield around you can be a strategy in the beginning till you get to know people. If you are single male you will hardly have any trouble. But, if you are a single female extra care need to be taken because it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

People here tend to like people of lighter tone more than anything else. So, if you are one of those extra care should be taken and not to be over friendly with anybody in the beginning. Getting apartment or place to live on rent can be challenging if it is not provided by the school you are going to work for. For singles very few choices are available. Full service apartments are not common yet. Staying with somebody or sharing a room can be an option but do your homework and reading the fine lines of contract will help you avoid troubles later.  In smaller cities your expense will be in range of $300-$400 and in bigger cities $400-$500 at least. So, you should keep this in mind while negotiating your contract.

Lots of book stores and reading libraries are popping up everywhere so if you are a book-worm these are the places to visit on regular basis. If you like to play games like tennis or swimming you must get registered to any local club or resort and you will have good times. If you know how to cook that always helps but if you don’t again you can have cook at very cheaper rate cooking local and international dishes for you and according to your taste. Hindi is the national language and influence of local state language is also very overwhelming so you should learn few common words of each, that can be useful and people will not try to cheat you if you know a little bit of the local language.

Must see places to visit and explore

If you visiting India for the first time Himalayas and Taj Mahal are the must see places! If you are going to stay in India for a period of one or two years you should try to visit as many places as you can as India is full of places of historical importance and interest. As one of the early civilization of the world and full of rich history and heritage here you will find lots of Temples and Forts of Mughal and pre Mughal era. India is surrounded by great mountains of Himalayas in the North Eastern part of the country. Scenic beauty of hill stations and origins of some the great rivers of India are the first places to visit. Taj Mahal one of the best and only other greatest wonder of Asia besides Great Wall of China is really the place to be if you really get amazed by the construction and if you believe in monument of Love. Presidents and leaders of the world come to this place first even before they visit local leaders. Historically it is one of the best man-made construction. This place is really magical and once there you will really want to stay there for more if you can. Taj Mahal is situated in Agra a city near New Delhi capital city of India. Ride of Modern marvel like Metro rail of New Delhi can be a fun and you will be amazed that even in country like India this is possible.

Rafting and water sports on the banks of Ganges or other huge rivers of Northern India is really fun if you love adventure and like to have adrenaline rush to your veins.  India is full of Natural beauty. Serene Places are all over but mainly you should head north or south if you are really in mood to go near Mother Nature. Kerala is the place to be if you want to go near GOD as they call it GOD’s own country. Pristine water lagoons and waterways are part of the wonderful scenic beauty waiting for you to explore. Staying in House boats can be an experience of lifetime.  Various therapies of Ayurveda are available to rejuvenate you and make you stress free. Blue water and almost white sand can be found at some of the beaches of southern states of India. Goa is the place to be if you like to walk along the sea shores on beaches. It is really different from main land India. You can relish the sea food and dry fruits available here.  Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are two states where you can get the glimpse of rich heritage and culture of ancient India and do pay visit to Bangaluru and Hyderabad to get the glance of modern-day marvels of developing India. Major IT companies of the world are opening up their shops in these two southern cities of India. Newly built airports of Hyderabad is the showcase of strength of what India can achieve if political will is there.

Mumbai is one of the best cities of the world if you are really interested in night life and movies. Bollywood the much talked about Indian Hindi film industry is thriving and churning out more than 300 movies out of this city alone. Lately, Indian film industry is getting critical and box office success around the world after the great success of Oscar award winner film like Slumdog Millionaire. You can rub shoulders with film stars and directors at any five-star hotel or local resorts of Mumbai. Mumbai is the financial capital of India. It is like city of dreams for Indians so naturally its overcrowded and rushing towards becoming one of the best place to be to turn dreams into realities.

If you love to go to hill stations Ooty, Panchgini, Nainitaal, Darjileeng, and Simla are places to be. You must visit Paradise on earth Kashmir if you really want to enjoy holiday in the lap of Mother Nature. Boat houses and gondola rides are must if you want to relax and make the most out of the trip.  Political tension is part of daily life in Kashmir so be extra cautious if you plan to visit Kashmir. Amritsar is the place to be if you want to see Golden Temple yes a temple really made up of Gold. Rajasthan. It’ a state where you will see desert life full of vivid colours and forts of historical era. You will be amazed by the hospitality by local people. If you want to see Asiatic Lions in natural habitat Sasan Gir, Gujarat is the place to be. Mahatma Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad is worth the visit if you are a fan of peace and non-violence. All in all India offers a wide range of places and options to visit and have experience of lifetime.

Palace on Wheels, special trains made by Indian Railways is worth a try if you want to see India and Indian people. You will be treated like a king naturally its expensive but it worth every penny you spend.

For food you will have lots of variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies. Dosas and idlies worth a try if you life rice and things made of rice. Sambar a lentil soup goes with dosas is really tongue tickling recipe. Pau bhaji and paani puri spicy treats if you can handle. Naan Indian freshly cooked bread tastes good with any curry of your choice made with cheese or paneer or choice of your meat. Lots of options are available for drinks too."

By Utpal Betai

If you like would to discuss something specific why not drop us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks

Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Finding the Right International Teaching Job for You

How do I Find the Right Job for Me?

For those of you just starting out or considering teaching internationally, you maybe feeling like confused.com with all the options but at the same time the uncertainties of going into a foreign territory.

Schools often spend a long time finding the "best fit" for their school especially with the high turnaround that schools may have.  The high turnaround should not always be seen as a negative point.  While in some cases there may well be issues in a school, let's be honest you make a decision to teach overseas but one day your going to get bored; one day you might want to explore another country or even miss being back home.  Whatever the reason the turn over exists.

The person interviewing you will review through the interview process if you are the "best fit" for his/her school. Therefore it is fundamental that you as the job seeker do you homework not just on the school but the country, location, culture, possibly even religion (depending on your belief and faith).  This would save you a huge amount of time before  you even go to the interview and will also show you have come well prepared.

There are simply no excuses for not being able to do the research, whether your using offline resources like libraries or books to being online where pretty much all the information you need will be online; so important rule - Do your research.

With an increasing number of international schools growing and developing all over the world most have websites, showing you images, types of curriculum, resources and much more.  Always check to see if the website is up to date and whether it looks like someone has taken the time to do it or a mish-mash job just to promote the school.  Once you do find the school you should consider asking yourself some important questions:

• Where is the school located? - is it in a rural or city location
  
• How difficult is it to get in and out of the country during holidays? - some countries don't give multi-entry visas
  
• What is there to do to socialise, explore and entertain yourself?
  
• Will the weather be too hot or cold for you during peak times
  
• How much money could you save or have as spending money once you are paid
  
• Will the religious belief's of the country go against your own?

For example, with the recent influx of western teacher swarming to the middle east for Tax Free salaries and high quality lifestyle, many perceive it to be this glorious place to work but soon had difficulties adapting to the environment.  Couples should not hold hands in public, not being able to drink alcohol publicly, having documents attested, not being paid for sick days off etc.  The labour laws also prevent teachers just moving school to school and could face a 6 month ban, something which teacher found out only after they had begun working.  Rather than have a perceived idea and seeing the job as a long holiday pit-stop while you teach ensure the homework is done by you to save you heartache, money, time and effort. Teachers who often don't to the homework and get stung when they get stuck in to their jobs, have known to become quite depressed of the job not being all that it was meant to be and demand or request to breach contract.  Find out your implications of breaching the contract before signing on the dotted line! On a positive note, if you have done your homework and have made up your mind on where you would like to be and teach think carefully about where you have been trained, how you have been trained and take a moment to think about what you will be offering or bring to the school.  Remember this is a marrying process so it while the school maybe able to offer you a great salary ensure you are confident you can give back in as well, as it is also common for teachers to be sacked if they don't deliver. We all know the education system is slow to adapt and change and while the western world has stronger models of practise take a moment to think that where you might be going your ideas, belief's and teaching methods may simply be too advanced.  The best would be to go with an open mind. If your fixed that this is how things should be, tread carefully as you could be in for a lot of disappointment and frustration. When it comes to technology most international schools are behind on this.  With 5000 international schools and growing, approximately 10% would be well facilitated.  What you will find from this is that those are the schools that generally also pay well.  Schools are slowly beginning to join the online community and networks so it might be worth checking websites or information like:

• Facebook
  
• Youtube (if they have any videos)
  
• Twitter
  
• Podcasts sites
  
• Wikipedia articles

Some simple questions to ask/to do before you begin your journey of teaching internationally:

• Make a list of your goals and targets
  
• Make a list of pro's and con's for each region you chose
  
• What is your reason for going?
  
• What can you offer to the school?
  
• What homework/research have you done?
  
• How much money will you save over the contract period? Is the Salary Tax free?
  
• What other benefits do I get? (accommodation, medical, visa, return flights)
  
• How long are the holidays?
  
• What support is there at the school?
  
• What IT Facilities do they have?
  
• What is the teacher to student ratio per classroom?
  
• What is the expatriate breakdown of students?
  
• What is the expatriate breakdown of teachers?
  
• Would you have enhanced your own career development by attending this particular school

From the more experienced teachers we would love to hear from you on further advice you can give teachers looking to work internationally or if your a international school what advice would can you give for teachers coming into your region/school? Preparing for in interview will be discussed in another blog to come.  Take your time to digest the information and begin planning your journey abroad.
Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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Regards

The SeekTeachers™ Team
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