International teaching - careers no luck 😖

[Samboosa]

Any teachers out there who have gotten an overseas teaching job? I am trying my best have been applying since February and I keep getting the same feedback:

• you have too many kids (3)
• does your husband have a job out here? I am the primary earner and this seems to baffle employers that I will be the one bringing the family overseas.

I am so unhappy in my job and trying desperately to find something else where but with agent after agent giving me this feedback, it’s like AM I EVER going to get something?! I understand it’s late in year and that most overseas international school provide 2 school fees.

Have you considered looking for middle manager role (HoD)? Perhaps the understanding is that the teaching salary is not suitable enough for sponsorship of a visa for your whole family. The government of the countries might not see a teaching salary as enough to sponsor a family of five and the agents may know this.

I've taught overseas for a few years now, just about to finish. It is really hard to find a school that will fund 3 children's places plus a non teaching partner - it's really not good value for them. Especially if they could get a teaching couple with no kids or 1 kid.
My school are pretty good about families but 2 places max - if you have a third you have to pay. You could say you'd be willing to pay for your third child?
Would you be happy to go to China? There are a LOT of schools out there, more and more all the time, and you could well find something. The Middle East can be hard for female teachers because many countries wouldn't allow a woman to bring in a main on a dependent visa/pass.
Covid will make things harder - expats are starting to leave as travel restrictions continue and schools are tightening their belts in anticipation of falling numbers.
I would recommend China if you'd be happy to go there. We lived in Shanghai years ago, loved it!

Yes I have tried China and told them I am willing to pay for third. My husband is a ASA swimming instructor hoping that would give me a better chance of getting a foot in. Agents have said to me that many schools are actually looking to employ people without dependents. It has actually made me feel quite disheartened as I am very passionate about my job.

Times are a bit hard for international schools financially, if they can take a teacher with no children over one that has several they may well do thay unless you are SLT or something.
Dont give up - what do you teach?

My current school took me with 2 kids and a non teaching partner but that was an HoD role. They have recently been told to try and take candidates without children if possible.

Oh yes I totally understand with the pandemic and more parents opting for online home schooling programs. I’m a key stage 2 teacher. There’s still hope but I do feel if I can’t secure something then I’m open to maybe taking a year out and furthering myself by doing a further course in something education related. I’ve always been interested in SENCO or something related to SEN. Think I would rather grow that way than be unhappy and feeling at a plateau! It’s great to hear about other people’s experiences though. How did you get into becoming HoD out of curiosity and do you still have teaching responsibility or a reduced teaching load?

I was HoD in the UK on mat cover first, then applied for intl jobs. I actually didnt apply for HoD jobs at first I just wanted to teach but couldn't get an offer so I applied to HoD jobs and got two offers, both with school places for my two DC. I think if they're gonna pay you a load of money they want some extra responsibility to make your cost worthwhile.

Tbh I cannot think of any family with children at my school who are 'just' teachers unless they're part of a teaching couple.
Our families with children are me (Head of a specialist department), our Head of Early Years, a Vice Principal, a Teaching couple one of whom is the SENCo, Teaching couple one of whom is a Head of Faculty, a teaching couple one of whom is Head of PE and one a head of year. All our class teachers are youngsters with no kids or just starting to have their first babies now.

How experienced are you? Do you have any key stage leadership experience or anything like that? I would try to spend a year or so trying to get some, then you may well be a more attractive prospect for your high costs. I bet you're a fab teacher but we get hundreds of applicants for class teacher posts, so there is no incentive to take an teacher who has 4 dependents when there are so many other options.

Tell you what, you should train in EAL, they're dying for those at the moment as more and more expats come from non-Western countries. That will get you a job!

you know I actually have been looking at language courses as alternatives. I have even been looking at online schools. I’ve got 8 years experience as a teacher. This year I have been promoted to a coordinator though not sure how confident I would be in applying for jobs around this role as it’s still relatively new. Also there seems to be more secondary shortages for leads when I look at tes/guardian can’t really see any opportunities otherwise . I will remain positive and continue my hunt 😊

I had less than a year on my CV as HoD and it still got me a job as HoD! I would use your coordinator post as part of your application.
I would suggest South America in normal times but they're really struggling with Covid so I wouldn't this year.

Are you decent at Art or Music? You could apply for a specialist role in a primary school if so

Oh wow that’s great! You have now inspired me to start looking for coordinator roles now! Fingers crossed something comes up or it’s back to uni for a post graduate course! Keeping positive - an opportunity to grow on the job or through education 🙃

My school's company (we have different schools all over the country) is still recruiting. However, we aren't classed as an international school since it's bilingual and partly state funded. You'd have to pay part of the school fees yourself (although you get discounts depending on how long you've worked there and the fees themselves are income-dependent anyway) or would be able to get a state school place quite easily for free. It depends on where you are looking for a job, I would think. We aren't anywhere exotic. DH just wanted to get out of the UK before Brexit...
So perhaps look for more local, smaller schools.

Im a bit late replying on this thread, but don’t give up! As people have said, it is quite late in the year. The recruiting season is hot from October-January and also the uncertainty around Covid makes it harder. A lot of schools aren’t quite sure how they’ll get you into the country at the minute.

But having kids is certainly not a barrier - I taught at an international IB school in China for 3 years. Most of my colleagues had families, and several of them had non-teaching spouses. Just make sure you come up with a good answer as to what your spouse is going to be doing while you’re working.

It is a bit of a difficult year. Have you used Search Associates? That’s one of the best places to find a job in an international school, and once you get your references validated you can see all the info on the school: the salary range, exactly what you get with your package so there’s no wasted time. That’s also where most of the IB schools recruit so if you’re not using it then you are missing loads of potential schools. A lot of schools are willing to put you in for training if you’ve never taught the IB before.

As you are a first-timer overseas look at less popular, smaller cities but still with a good package. I would definitely consider China, but probably apply at the end of this year for a 2022 start seeing as the world is still in the grip of covid. Pollution aside, it’s a great place to live if you have a family. If you want to PM with questions you are welcome.

Also just to add, a lot of schools prefer to take families as the staff have an in-built support system and you’re less likely to up and leave if you get homesick. It may vary by location but single people with no dependents being favoured certainly isn’t my experience of schools on the international circuit.