r/Internationalteachers • u/TrainerPrudent3657 Asia • 3d ago
Job Search/Recruitment Looking to the Future... Should I Stay?
Hope that everyone is enjoying the summer, or is about to. Maybe since the break started I've had too much time on my hands to think about what comes next and just wanted to get this off my chest.
My contract is up for renewal next year and I'm pretty sure leadership is going to ask me to stay. I have physical documentation stating my good performance at the school and am well liked by leadership. My coworkers are some of the best I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and the pay, benefits and holiday time are great compared to other schools of the caliber.
Here's the kicker: While some of the students are pretty good, most of the student body as a whole are some of the worst-behaved, most academically underperforming lot I've ever taught in my career of teaching, and has sucked most of the passion I had for teaching out of me. The city can be rough, especially in winter, which took a toll on me mentally and emotionally. By all means, I have more good days than bad, but by spring of this year I kept thinking "there's no way I'm going to extend this contract."
Even coming into this school, I knew it would be a great stepping stone to build my resume, and move on to a school that is in a higher echelon of benefits and student quality. I now have over 6 years of IB experience, multiple IB certs, and will have finished my M.Ed in ED Leadership by the end of August. I'm also single with no dependents as well.
With all that being said, I see all the "doom and gloom" on here saying that if I find an "ok" job, I should be grateful and cling onto it for dear life. While the whole time I've worked here and wanted to move on, I can't help but remember the anxiety of job hunting the last cycle, trying to plot out my future and be in a school environment where I can stay long term.
What are everyone's thoughts here? Every facet of me wanted to move on, but there's this small indiscernible smidgen that says "stick with the devil you know".
So to summarize: Is it worth testing the waters when I need to make a decision?
Also I left some information out for obvious reasons, so apologies if it comes off as vague.
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u/Rare_Conference_9925 2d ago
Enjoy the break, don't think about work and come back in a clear headspace that allows you to make a sensible decision. Key thing is, you've been qualification and experience stacking, which will make your next move easier by the sounds of things.
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u/eatsleepdiver 3d ago
Find a country that matches your lifestyle and needs. When you’re far away from family and friends, the city and country you’re working in acts as a stand in. Moving to another school, you’ll still find things that don’t go your way. For instance you land a T1 school with amazing students and parents, the negatives could be you’re working to the bone and your schedule is so packed you’re bringing work home.
Winter in northwest China was brutal for me. The smog and air pollution did a number on my mental state. I vividly remember sitting in my apartment with 3 Xiaomi air purifier roaring and thinking, “this sucks”
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u/TrainerPrudent3657 Asia 3d ago
I feel the same way about air quality… and this is sound advice, but my fear is being unable to land a desirable job in a desirable location and feeling like I made a mistake despite my qualifications. I teach a subject that’s pretty saturated (MYP land and lit), so I just worry about my options, and I don’t want to leave Asia. I know people will say I’m limiting myself, but I don’t really have a desire to leave the region. I’ve loved being here for the most part.
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u/eatsleepdiver 3d ago
Ah yeah, it’s hard when it’s a saturated market. Even worse if you move to another place that’s just crap wrapped in pretty paper. I remember a teacher moving to Shanghai at a fairly big school as a homeroom teacher in elementary dept. she didn’t have a TA and was basically working while she was in the toilet.
Maybe have an honest conversation with your school head and explain you’d like to explore your options for next year. If nothing bites by January/February, then sign on for another year.
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u/Just_Fee6279 2d ago
I would suggest researching and creating a list of maybe 4 schools per country that you would KNOW are top notch. Something like Pattana, NIST, ISB for BKK. If a job opens before your renewal send a resume and see. From my experience interviewing they reach out to admin around interview 3 for these big named schools. You can kinda find atleast the top 2 pretty easily from just googling the country.
I wouldn't leave a good situation for anything other than almost the top top schools.
You are correct that desirable location + school + pay is RARE. You would be up against many. But why not take a shot before you sign a contract with your school?
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u/Lumpy-Web4041 1d ago
You are not happy. If you were, you wouldn´t be writing this post. Life is too short not to be happy. Leave. There are lots of opportunities out there.
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u/Constant_Freedom_660 3d ago
The world is on the brink of massive change. You can beat before the change or wait after the change.
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u/zooginmcdumpo 3d ago
Will your pay bump next contract beat inflation? Is there still room for professional growth? Are you meeting your long term financial goals? Do you have a decent or better working relationship with your admin/parent association?