Types of International Schools

We often find that teachers considering working abroad get quite confused by the breadth and range of international opportunities out there. It's hard enough to consider working in another country in another culture, but it's complicated further by the fact that there are different types of schools serving different populations. When you are at home, you know instinctively which is a posh, academic school versus one that serves, say, children with special educational needs. Internationally its not so easy. At Teachanywhere, we categorise schools into five main categories for ease, though it's important to know that, like a rainbow, it's a seamless spectrum and sometimes not so clear cut.

The first category of school is the original expatriate. These schools are the ones everyone (who has not read this article) assumes is the only kind of school abroad. This is an American school serving American kids in Cairo, or a British school serving British kids in Singapore. Original expatriate type schools were some of the original international schools and we sometimes refer to these as 'blonde-hair, blue-eyed' schools. The pros? You usually get great employment packages and the curriculum/staff/kids are all from your home country, so familiar. The cons? They are particular about their staff and usually require at least 5+ years of teaching experience in one or two schools in the appropriate country only, and you run the risk of living in an isolated cultural bubble. You are unlikely, for instance, to get an invite to attend a local wedding when working at one of these schools.

The second category of schools is broadly international. These are schools that serve many nationalities, so the children, staff and parents are expats from around the world. We find these schools in areas with a high influx of foreigners such as the UAE, Singapore and China and these schools are more of a melting pot. The pros? The employment packages are usually good, you will be exposed to new teaching techniques and cultures, and you'll make friends from around the world. The cons? These schools are often competitive, requiring at least 2-3 years of solid teaching experience. You will also be teaching a new, more internationalised curriculum and will deal with children with different language needs, requiring more work at first.

The third category of school is an offshoot from the one above, local international. These are internationally-minded schools that serve a more wealthy local population: globally-minded parents who want their children to attend university in the UK, America or Australia for instance. We find them almost everywhere and they will use a modified UK, IB, US, Canadian or Australian curriculum. At most of these schools you will still get a mix of children but more than half will be locals. Many teachers initially shy away from these schools, thinking they are somehow less desirable, but we encourage teachers to consider each on its own merit because they are often very well run, supportive schools that will allow you to really understand the country and culture in which you are living. Teachers working at these schools must be very confident, flexible and open-minded: those who are will find that they get invited to local meals, festivities and celebrations, and develop a very keen cultural awareness. The cons? The culture shock might be more acute at first, and if you are not really going abroad for a cultural experience, you might feel disappointed. Another thing to remember is that you will also be teaching children who have English as an additional language, a skill that once acquired, is invaluable.

The fourth category is bilingual and these are schools which are similar to the local international, but they are schools whose curriculum is of the host country or more of a combination of international and host curricula. We have only a few of these schools in areas such as Spain, China, Kuwait, Malaysia, Brunei, and Nigeria. The pros are similar to local international, with the added advantage that you will probably pick up the local language more quickly. You often get free language lessons and will be culturally immersed. The additional con is that you will be teaching the host curriculum rather than your own. These schools may consider less experienced teachers, considering it an asset that you are not ingrained in a curriculum or approach.

A final category is advisory teaching. Teachers who have more than 3-5 years of experience can work with international organisations, such as CfBT Education Trust, that support governments abroad as they try to improve their state education system. The range of jobs on offer are varied from teaching English as a foreign language to whole school inspection to mentoring local maths teachers. The pros? You have the ability to make a huge difference to a wider range of local people, the employment packages are as good, if not better, than at international schools; and these roles can advance your career. The cons? You must be a very experienced teacher or school leader with an empathetic, sensitive approach. These roles often involve implementing change which is never easy and they are even more difficult because you are implementing change in a foreign culture/system. You will also be working in state schools which are not as posh as international schools.

So just like ice cream, Starburst candies or crisps, international opportunities have many flavours from which to choose. And the best part? With enough time, you might be able to try them all!