What Does It Mean to Teach Internationally?

You often hear about people traveling to foreign countries to teach, but what does that mean exactly? Teaching abroad can mean many things. You may have heard about people going to China or other countries to teach English to the locals as they wander their way about a country. That is a real possibility, however, there are so many other opportunities to consider.

As a part of my sabbatical project from Concordia University Irvine, my family and I had the opportunity to live and teach for one year in Shanghai, China. It is from that experience and continuing study that I will be speaking. Because one year is a short time, I cannot say with any confidence that I am an expert at expatriate living, but I can give you a glimpse into a possible avenue for teaching.

Three Options

Teaching abroad can mean many things. I personally break down teaching internationally into three segments (although it could be argued for more categories). The three segments are: a) teaching in true International Schools, b) teaching English in local schools for nationals, and c) teaching English through groups and organizations. Each category has its benefits and challenges as well as qualifications and restrictions. I will break these down through a short discussion for each category.

True International Schools –As described by Hayden and Thompson (2013) are also known as Type A International Schools and are based on the need for the education of the children of geographically mobile international actors such as diplomats, multinational corporation executives, and others. Depending on the country location, a foreign passport may be required for student admission. These schools employ a curriculum of the home country of the people setting up the school. For instance, I taught at Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS) where the curriculum is based on American standards and content is taught in English. A parent who sends their child to this type of school can expect that their child will be able to move back to America and enroll in local schools and have not missed anything academically.

As a teacher at a Type A International School you would find your teaching to be very similar to that in America. Most to all of the teachers will be expatriates. The curriculum standards used will typically follow the International Baccalaureate program or follow the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Teaching excellence is expected along with certified teaching credentials and there may be requirements for teaching experience. Compensation packages will be similar or better than those found in the states and most likely include things such as yearly round trip airfare, housing, children’s tuition, professional development funds, and international medical insurance. My experience also indicates that the motivation of students and support of parents is very involved.

Local School –The next type of school is the local school that may be private or government run for nationals of the home country. In these schools, the curriculum may be taught in the local language or in English depending on the focus of the community. As an expatriate teacher in these schools, you would often be teaching English although the school may be set up for you to teach other subjects as well. It will depend on the focus of the school. They will often follow the curriculum of the home country although some incorporate international curriculum as well. Speaking with teachers at these schools reveals there is a great spectrum of support levels for the expatriate teachers from a lot to very little. This type of teaching is rewarding in that you are forced into the culture headlong as you are working directly in the local system. The compensation packages can vary greatly in these schools and while the benefits may not be as high for the international school, they should be competitive. Depending on the school, you may or may not need to be a credentialed teacher or have experience.

Service Group or Organization–The third category is that of teaching English through a service group or organization. These groups can vary from a small store front business where tuition is paid to the group by the students, to voluntarily teaching locals who just want to learn more English but can’t afford more formal schooling. First impressions give the appearance that there aren’t particular restrictions for these groups so you may encounter well-funded and organized establishments, but you might find some are closer to being a few people throwing something together. My experience has been that these groups welcome teachers for short term engagement and allow for someone to easily jump in and also move around. This category seems to be the loosest on qualifications for being able to teach, and just being a native English speaker may qualify you to join.

For all of these teaching abroad experiences, the key is to ask every question you have. The more information you know about the teaching opportunity the more likely you will find a fit. If information is hard to come by, then it may be a sign for you to look into different opportunity.

TIPS:

• Talk to people – Find out their experiences with teaching internationally. Every experience is different and may be based on the country they taught in. Make sure to understand the type of school they taught in and what their purpose was for going.
• Study school websites – Concordia University Irvine is connected to three schools in Asia – Concordia International School Shanghai, Hong Kong International School, and Concordia International School Hanoi.
• Be open – People of all types, situations, and backgrounds teach at international schools. It is not just for unencumbered young folks or seasoned travelers. “Single”, “family”, “established”, and “new” are all words that describe people who jump into international teaching.

References
Hayden, M. & Thompson, J. (2013). International Schools: Antecedents, current issues and metaphors for the future. In R. Pearce (Ed.), International education and schools: Moving beyond the first 40 years (pp. 3–24). London: Bloomsbury Academic

Dr. Michael Schulteis has been at Concordia University Irvine since 2003 teaching in the School of Education, specializing in Science and Mathematics Education. He is passionate about foreign travel and helping people learn about themselves by experiencing other places and cultures and has led undergraduate student study trips to Australia, China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.