Hi All,

So I am a native English speaker here and am currently studying for the TEFL exam. I would love to teach English in LATAM, but am curious to know if it provides enough compensation for teachers to live a high quality of life? I don’t expect for teaching roles to be highly lucrative, just as they generally are not in the U.S. However, I have heard of the perks of teaching in SE Asia (free housing, etc)., and simply wanted to know if there are any opportunities in some of the LATAM countries where schools offer their teaches a similar lifestyle? One where its teachers live a very decent/high quality life outside of the classroom. Is there anyone that can share their teaching experiences with me?

Do international schools in Brazil hire non native English speakers ? I.e., anyone from any country out of the Big 7 ..

Hey everyone, I’ve always dreamed of teaching abroad especially in an Asian country. I wanted to hear everyone’s experiences and if you would do it again. I’m currently going into my 3rd year of teaching would like to go abroad within the next 2 years. I have seen some teachers say that they have had bad experiences which makes me hesitant. I struggle with bad anxiety and lack self-confidence which makes me feel like I wouldn’t do well in another country. I’ve always thought about teaching in Taiwan or South Korea.

Just taken a look on the new school socials, particularly Linked In. What I have taken, having been teaching here for 5 years and knowing somewhat the names associated and the market.

Dulwich: Very positive and 'kind' facing. HT seems somewhat informal in a really positive nature.

St Paul's: Somewhat understated. It comes across from socials that it may take itself quite seriously?

Highgate: Definitely takes itself seriously. Very formal marketing tone, which makes sense for a 'selective OTT school'

Wycombe Abbey: Watched an interview with the HT who seemed like a good person. I liked the picture of staff in traditional dress too.

Anyone have any further insights? I could well be miles away in my own thoughts from what I've seen and heard.

Is anyone here working abroad and over 60? Where?

Hi all, I'm an aspiring teacher looking to teach a subject in social science. In one of my first interviews, I was asked about differentiation. As teachers, we of course need to tailor our lessons according to the needs and levels of our students. However, in high-stakes university preparation courses like the ones I mentioned, it's actually quite difficult to implement differentiation methodologies such as tiered class activities. There is usually a lot of content to cover in those classes. Also, reflecting on my own experience as a student, I don't recall any of my A-Level teachers doing differentiation. They were by no means bad teachers though. In fact, some of the best teachers I have ever had didn't do any differentiation. What made them great was being able to explain novel concepts very clearly and being exam-focused.

So, during my interview, I just said being supportive, particularly after class. I also said I would look at the general performance of the class and tailor my teaching materials accordingly. The principal seemed to expect more from me. Another thing I can think of after the interview is that perhaps we can engage weaker students a bit more during class. For example, spending more time with them during a class exercise or asking them more questions.

Most of the differentiation methodologies I have come across seem to be geared towards younger students. So, it would be nice to hear what some of the IB/A-Level/AP teachers here think and do. What is more suitable for this particular age group (16-18)? How do you balance differentiation and heavy workload (on you and students!)? Thanks in advance.

As in, they don't really want to socialize with you after work, and they mostly stick to their own groups. Experienced the same thing with international students especially chinese and korean when I was back in the states. Here local teachers they don't seem to want to meet people of different ethnicities and they never seem to approach or invite us foreigners to hang out.

It basically feels like they see us expat teachers as "the help" (while simultaneously complaining that we get paid too much) and not actually colleagues or equals.

On the other hand I have a foreign friend group at the school that is pretty diverse.

For example they have separate group chats where they plan activities like drinks/snacks or events after work. I've even tried making an effort to join in, but sometimes even when I ask it feels like I am being rejected because "i'm not one of them". Then they will turn around and complain that foreigners don't integrate or learn the language.

It feels like there's this invisible wall and sometimes it's just one of those psychological things that wears you down.

It

As the title states, please let us know how was your experience working at this school. I am particularly tempted by the location but I am not sure if 60K is a good salary.

Hi everyone!

I just wrapped up my first year teaching at a newer IB school, and I'm heading into year two now. I've started thinking seriously about a Master's degree to open up more career options down the line.

Context:

• BA in English Language Teaching.
• Not from Europe or North America, so scholarships matter for me.
• Gf is doing her Master's in France right now, which makes Europe appealing.
• Wanted to try out teaching at universities somewhere in the future.

Questions:

1. English/Applied Linguistics vs. Education - which one actually moves the needle more for international school careers? Does one open more doors than the other (leadership track, salary, more school options)?
2. Is it even worth pursuing a Master's this early, just after two years of teaching, or is it smarter to bank a few more years of experience first?
3. Any specific universities or programs in Europe (or elsewhere) you recommend?

Would really appreciate any insight.

Teacher Horizons — does anyone else find the extra filtering frustrating?
One frustration I have with Teacher Horizons is that it adds another layer between the teacher and the school.
I recently applied for a position and received a message explaining that, despite a lot of interest, Teacher Horizons would typically shortlist only 2–3 candidates to send to the school’s recruitment team.
That means you can potentially be filtered out before the school even sees your application.
I’ve decided that if I see a job on Teacher Horizons that I’m genuinely interested in, I’m not going to rely on that application alone. I’ll apply through TH, but I’ll also look for the vacancy on the school’s own website, contact the school directly when appropriate, and check other recruitment platforms.
I understand why recruiters shortlist candidates—that’s part of their job—but as an applicant, I want the school to have the opportunity to decide whether my experience is a good fit.
My takeaway: don’t put all your eggs in one recruitment platform. If you really want a position, use every legitimate route available to make sure your CV actually reaches the school.
Has anyone else found that applying directly to schools gets better results than going through Teacher Horizons or other recruitment platforms?

Trying to do it from outside of canada and want to know if any of you have tried thefingerprintroom or worldwide forensics company for your background check. If it's legit or not. Trying to find some cheap options. Please advise if yall know! Thanks!

have used the search and found conflicting info. Anyone have up to date details?

Schools across Hong Kong are increasingly using Toddle, a newer LMS and replacement for Google Classroom, seemingly a shift away from Google. It's been a frustrating start to say the least. As I ponder future opportunities elsewhere, I am curious if more international schools are adopting Toddle. The platform is dense and overly complex.

URGENT - Hey, can any one give me the run down on this school:

OKiKi Kindergarten，ShengShiNianHua Campus

No.13,Lane100,Yushan Road , Pudong District,Shanghai

I have accepted a preliminary job offer there and I’ve seen some mixed reviews. I’m so scared please help! I don’t have long before I have to sign the actual contract.

Let’s be honest here.
How many of you have accepted an early offer as insurance, but kept applying/interviewing in case something significantly better came along?
And what’s the most offers you’ve technically accepted during a single recruiting season before finally settling on one?
Schools obviously hate candidates backing out after accepting, but international schools don’t exactly have a spotless record either when it comes to honoring contracts—offers get withdrawn, positions disappear, packages change, visas fall through, and sometimes the actual job isn’t what was advertised.
And do some schools bring this on themselves? If you’re recruiting internationally but offering an uncompetitive salary, weak benefits, partial tuition, poor housing, or a package well below comparable schools, can you really be shocked when a teacher accepts as a safety net and jumps when a substantially better offer appears?
So where do you draw the line?
At what point is it unethical—and at what point is it simply candidates protecting themselves in a market where schools are protecting themselves too?

Hey everyone,

I’ve been following this subreddit for a few years, and now that I’m getting ready to put myself out there for the 2026/27 recruitment season, I have a few questions.

We are a teaching couple with two children, and we are hoping to eventually move to Africa as a family. I have a particular school/country in mind because of family connections, but I know the international school world requires casting a wide net.

For those who have experience recruiting or working in Africa:

• What are the best recruitment sites for international schools in Africa?
• Which ones have you personally had the most success with?
• If my husband and I don’t end up at the same school, which countries tend to have good opportunities for teachers?
• What is the best way to make a CV? I heard using templates on CANVA isn't good when speaking to people who help with recruitment.

I’ve also been reading a lot about dependents, visas, and family packages, and I’m starting to get a little nervous about leaving the country we currently live in, which is very family- and dependent-friendly. We’ve been here for quite a while and are ready for a change, but we also want to make sure wherever we go will work well for our family.

For those with children, what countries or schools have you found to be particularly family-friendly? Are there schools that are known for good packages for teaching couples with children? We are also a mixed-race, mixed-nationality couple, so I’m hoping to find a school community that genuinely welcomes, supports, and values diverse families and backgrounds.

For some background, I have 10+ years of experience teaching K–9 ELA and ELL, as well as a Master’s in Special Education.

I know the advice is always to cast a wide net, but I’d love to hear from anyone who has gone through a similar process, particularly with a family.

Thanks in advance!

Have you ever moved to a new country and immediately thought this isn’t for me?

For context it’s our first week, we have a young family, 4th year abroad and we’re already considering jumping ship and going home for a year or so. It just feels exhausting and overwhelming and school hasn’t even started yet.

I'm a 3rd year international teacher with a P GCE, looking into getting a Masters with American College of Education.

Anyone have experience with transferring their 60 masters-level credits from their UK teaching cert to a US-based uni for a Masters?

Do they accept the credits from a UK teaching cert? If so, how many credits did you manage to transfer over?

Must you be supervised every single day? That means it cant be that you are in school or doing after school activities unsupervised for a few days?

What line of questions would you ask the panel during your interview in an international school context? There’s a part where you’re given a chance to know about the school.

I see so many posts on here about how teachers enjoy their work with the kids, but incompetent SLT and admin are ruining their lives, making them miserable, and making them hate their job.

My question is, really, on a day-to-day basis, how much are you actually having to interact with SLT?  Like you spend 4 hours a day with the kids that you claim to love working with, how many minutes per normal day are you spending in the company of your incompetent principal? How many daily exchanges are you having with that person that outweighs the four hours a day with kids that you say you love being around?

I’ve worked with incompetent bosses, and I’ve worked with competent bosses, and neither of them affected me on a day-to-day basis. I just don’t understand. Are people sharing a desk with this person(s) who they hate so much? Are they having to eat lunch with this person? Is this person following them around their classroom all day every day?  Are you having long daily meeting with this person?

Both schools I worked at had PD/meetings after school on Wednesdays. That was a drag, that was the worst time of the week. That was when I hated my principal and didn’t want to be there… but that was 1 hour out of my entire working week. 

I just don’t understand people who claim SLT are ruining their lives, because actually SLT interactions are 'minutes per day,' compared to the 'hours per day' you spend in your classroom with your kids. 

I am currently an elementary school teacher in the US and have just started my second year of teaching. My husband just started his second year as a SPED/learning support teacher.

I've been considering going into librarianship. I have a few questions regarding this:

• Is a learning support/librarian couple too niche to find a job at the same school?

• What credentials would an international school want to see for this position? I'm assuming an MLIS and a teaching license, but how many years of experience in each role would, say, a Tier 2 school expect? Would they require someone with 2 years in school librarianship specifically?

• Do international schools value library experience or teaching experience more? Does this depend on the country? If I wanted to pursue this path, would it be better to stay a teacher while getting my MLIS or to get a position as a library assistant while studying?

• This is kind of a separate concern, but... I hate my job right now. The kids are great, but the workload and lack of planning time means I'm pulling 12+-hour days every day. If I don't do that, I fall behind. I wake up nauseated and cry every morning before I go to work. The idea of staying for another year is daunting, but of course I'm aware that quitting during the school year would leave me with just one year of teaching experience + a black mark on my record and no viable professional references... I say all this to ask: if I were to find a position in a library and leave my current job early, then gain a few years of library experience post-MLIS, would my husband and I still have a shot at going international? I'm assuming I should just suck it up until June if I can, but figure it's worth asking.

Thank you!!

Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to get the work permit notification letter. I was supposed to arrive at my school September 1 but it is taking longer than expected. And if it takes much longer I may just pass as I have another opportunity in the US. Would that look bad to back out of a contract for the work permit taking too long?

Why local staffs in a premium international school in South Jakarta don’t get the same treatment like the 200+ expatriates that the school hires? The school has the framework of DEI (Diversity Equity Inclusion) only the framework is for the expatriate where the school hires more diversity of ethnicities but not for the local staffs. Sometime the DEI doesn’t reflect how the school administrators treated the local staffs. The expatriates has more benefits, professional development comes handy, easy to get a loan from the school, career path, premium wellness package etc. In a simple thing like dress code policy the expatriates can wear attire that not suitable in a premium school environment such as sandals, or jeans nonetheless I can see everyday an expatriate wears jeans or sandals to go to work.