In a new series of Ask the Expert posts, we speak to Teacherhorizons staff members willing to give us essential insight into the world of international teaching. Teacherhorizons staff are teachers themselves, so they’ve been in your shoes. They know the daunting moments from jet setting off into the unknown, navigating parent-teacher relations, to the boring logistical and administrative stuff that may feel like a burden but is oh so necessary. So, if you have the burning desire to foray into the world of international teaching we’ve got you covered!
This week I chatted with Laura, a Teacherhorizons recruitment consultant in charge of Humanities and much more. She has been working with Teacherhorizons for just over a year, loves her job and kindly agreed to share her journey with us. She also happens to have a wealth of great advice up her sleeve. Read on for some great guidance on looking for jobs, IB training and those all-important cultural considerations.
The journey into international teaching.
Laura currently works in the UAE with her husband, also a teacher, and their two young children. The job allows her to work remotely while they raise a family too, so it is ideal. Laura comes from Guernsey, an island in 
the English Channel, off the coast of Normandy. She moved to the U.K to go to university. After graduating from Cambridge her life seemed to be moving her in the direction of finance after a stint and Credit Suisse. As fate would have it, a chance conversation with a friend about Teach First landed her in an inner-city school in Tottenham teaching maths. This was a pinnacle moment for Laura and one that she looks back on with great fondness. The only disadvantage she found was that she only gained experience to GCSE level so she started to seek out other opportunities further afield, especially those relating to Post-16 and A Level experience.
With great enthusiasm, a desire to gain IB experience and professional development, Laura and her partner moved to Cairo, Egypt. It was a fantastic experience that enabled them to save money, gain that useful PD, and even travel extensively. They went to many countries during their time there and loved the time at the school and beyond.
The Move to the UAE.
After some time back home, which included marriage and children, they felt the calling for an international
lifestyle again, this time –Dubai. Her husband got a job at a school there and she soon after started working with Teacherhorizons. Laura speaks affectionately about living and raising children in the UAE. The place is great for families. She told us of some great opportunities across different schools here and Teacherhorizons has relationships and vacancies with Dubai English Speaking College, Dovecote Primary School, Dunecrest American School and Dubai American Academy. She also mentioned visits lined up to explore other schools in the UAE.
When asked if there were any negatives of being in the UAE, Laura stated: ” The only downside of being in the UAE is that your degree needs to be in the subject you are going to teach”. She advises not to waste time and energy on the process without this as it is non-negotiable and your visa is dependent on it.
Does Laura’s journey sound appealing to you? Perhaps you are already mulling over a move, and picturing yourself as an international teacher. Sign up to Teacherhorizons to see
school profiles and salary packages– it’s free.
Laura was a Teacherhorizons candidate herself so she knows the drill. She has generously left us with these great pointers and considerations about choosing a life abroad.
Tip 1: Research the rules of the country you are interested in.
Do they require a degree in the subject or maybe even a master’s? In Indonesia, you need an MA and 5 years post qualification experience. A lot of places expect 2 years post qualification experience to be issued a working visa, like China for example. All in all at least 2 years post qualification will stand you in a good position in many locations.
If you are in to save up some cash, consider these ways to earn extra income.
Tip 2: Choose a springboard school
Be open-minded to different experiences. Many job seekers looking for international experience want to go straight into a job in places like Singapore, Hong Kong or, Japan. These areas are exceptionally competitive especially for IB so you might want to consider other locations first, using it as a springboard school to gain vital IB and professional development training for your CV.
Family trip to Oman.
Tip 3: Don’t convert salaries back to your currency
Although this might seem obvious, it is so common to automatically convert salaries back to your home salary, but as we also spoke about in a recent blog post here, it doesn’t work out to do so.
Tip 4: Let go of preconceived ideas.
Laura told us that when she was in Cairo, Egypt just after the revolution there were expectations around what it would be like. But in reality, while it was a conservative lifestyle in some places, there were moments that wouldn’t have been experienced if she just believed the media representation of a country, like evenings out at Jazz clubs. Of course, you will be faced with different cultural expectations and you might have to change some behaviours but mostly you will be rewarded with a diverse experience that goes beyond stereotypes, so be open-minded.
Tip 5: Ask your advisors anything
As a Teacherhorizons candidate herself, she was really happy with the support of her advisors. Understanding teachers needs are where we excel, so reach out with any questions, hesitations or general musings you might have.
4. Which tourist sites or must-visit places are nearby?
From Confucius to computers
date with an ever-changing environment. How do you use professional development to support? 
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4. Which tourist sites or must-visit places are nearby?
no other place I have visited. What struck me the most was that while so many people live in Tokyo, there is an undeniable harmony to it—a kind of refined charm that resonates flow, even when attempting to cross a multiway crossing in Shibuya with a million others. While Japan is a peaceful country their history of nuclear destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has meant that the horrors are imprinted in the consciousness of its people. Rebuilding peace became central, sparking international peace movements and influence worldwide. This made it an especially interesting place to study peace and conflict resolution.
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Teaching in Sri Lanka was an unexpected opportunity that presented itself at the right time in my life. I set up an account with 
Beyond the school gate, life was interesting, challenging and full of opportunities. Colombo is an unusual Asian city, small enough to get around easily in a tuk tuk but has an up and coming feel about it. There seemed to be a new space opening every month- some where new to check out. I made amazing friends from diverse backgrounds who were motivated to move their personal and professional lives to new levels. It took a leap in the dark to move to Sri Lanka but to stay took guts, determination and perseverance. This network of support would reach out and turn up to help each other through the minor daily logistical dramas to the tougher mosquito related health wobbles.
After 15 years on the international circuit, I felt compelled to write a novel set in an international school. I don’t think any other author has done this which is curious as they are quite fascinating places… little outposts of Britishness, uniforms with kilt-like skirts, the Cambridge system and that golden selling point, teachers with English accents… and often set up in the most inhospitable places so those teachers straight from Aldershot, Huddersfield and Stockport often find it quite a chore to keep smiling.
Sorry maths teachers, but that’s what the embodiment of Wrath teaches at this school. I once asked a maths teacher why so many children were nervous about maths. His answer to me was because many maths teachers had no patience with children no good at maths. (Actually, most maths teachers I’ve met throughout my teaching career have been charming, but I have been that child who a certain maths teacher had no patience with so that was the most appropriate choice for me.) Pride is represented by Randolph, the newly appointed headmaster, chosen for the job because of his accent and well-groomed appearance. He’s in it for the easy ride he believes it will offer him, and the peacock-like parading he presumes embody the job. Envy and Covetousness are the two local hires who are jealous of the perks of the foreign hires to the point of distraction.
What does ‘screening schools’ mean?
What steps do you take to screen schools?
These are really useful. We always do a tour of the school to see the facilities and get an idea of what sort of a place it is to work. Through this we quickly pick up a sense of the school from the way we are greeted at reception, to the mood of teachers and students, even to the work on the walls! During the visit we will chat to teachers we have placed there ourselves or otherwise teachers we meet in the staffroom etc. We always try to meet the Head to put a face to a name, learn about their requirements, learn about their turnover, their challenges of recruitment and the reality (honesty points) about the school. We then share everything we learned with the TH team so that we can pass this honest, first hand information on to teachers when we speak to them. This ensures we are super-honest with teachers which helps them make informed decisions – and results in a happier outcome all round. 
How do teachers’ comments about schools affect your screening process? 
Do you screen schools that you have been working with for years?
