Post: #1

As some of you know from either meeting me or reading my posts, I'm a teacher here in the US. I spend my 13+ weeks off a year traveling the globe. Spending 25% of time time abroad has certainly turned my head more than once and kept me fresh, but I have been getting the bug to go abroad to work.

I am a good teacher. A damn good one, if I want to toot my horn. I'm fully tenured and credentialed, and an expert on language acquisition and the mechanics of reading. Sick of America, it's time to use these skills abroad.

The type of teaching position I'm looking for isn't a teaching English position that is synonymous with ex-pat's abroad. I'm looking for a teaching job at a Diplomatic School, that will more or less match my US salary, and teach an American curriculum in English as the first language.

The State Department has posted a rather extensive list of schools that I'd be looking into in the coming months. http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/c1684.htm

If you have experience or any sort of connection to this field, feel free to reply to this thread or shoot me a PM. It would be much appreciated.

Post: #2

Are you a licensed English subject teacher, man? I am thinking about going this route, applying to some M.ED programs at the moment. The thing that got me interested in it(aside from being a literature junkie) is the possibility of joining the international school circuit. There is a ton of info about this on the web but I suggest shooting wider than just diplomatic schools. There are international schools in every big city on earth and they offer cozy expat packages to American teachers with full credentials/experience. The forum over at international school review is a gold mine of information.

Post: #3

I'll have to check out that forum. Thanks for that tip.

Yes, I am an English subject teacher.

Post: #4

Widen your search to international schools. For example, one city I was in recently and they had an ad in the local newspaper for the Canadian International School there.

In terms of pay, that can be the tough part. Look up the tuition for the school and if it's $25k+/year, they probably pay their teachers like expats. For example, one international school in Beijing I read about recently charges $42k/year for tuition.

Also look at the whole package when you get down to negotiations. Often you'll be provided with housing, so you may get a lower salary but your only cost will be food+clothing.

Post: #5

The salary is a big thing for me. I'm not getting into this as a 'find yourself abroad' type of teaching experience. If I'm successful in this endeavor, I may look to take on two-three year contracts at top schools all over the globe.

What I've seen so far is the network is rather small and mafioso like in this niche industry. Everyone seems to know everyone and hiring is done exclusively through specific outlets. It's not as if I can just send a resume along to an international school and find a job there.

I know first hand that at some of the top schools teachers are making 70-80k USD, largely tax free with a housing stipend and other perks. Makes it very easy to stack 30-40k/year when you're tax free and not paying for housing.

Post: #6

Keep us posted with how it goes. I'm in the process of getting my teaching license here in the states and would love to learn more about it.

Post: #7

A good friend is high up with the Maple Leaf school in China.

$75,000 a year and housing is paid. He banks about $50k and still lives very well. Two months off in summer, three weeks other holidays.

I could try and answer any questions you might have.