{"id":11088,"date":"2021-04-11T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/?p=11088"},"modified":"2023-12-05T02:42:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-05T02:42:09","slug":"how-embracing-internationalism-helped-me-to-become-a-complete-educator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/how-embracing-internationalism-helped-me-to-become-a-complete-educator","title":{"rendered":"How embracing \u2018internationalism\u2019 helped me to become a complete educator"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Michael Dunn is the creator of <\/em>theoryofknowledge.net<\/em><\/a>, the world\u2019s biggest site for TOK, and critivicate.com, offering a \u20184C\u2019 course for non-IB schools, from 1st May.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Falling into international teaching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I never intended to live abroad, or become an international teacher. Actually, It\u2019s a career path that few people seem to plan: most of my colleagues arrived where they are accidentally. But whilst they may have fallen into this world, none of them seem willing to climb out of it, and give up the opportunities it gives you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not going to discuss the kind of life you can lead as an international teacher, the incredible places you can visit, the fantastic people you\u2019ll meet, the sense you\u2019ll have, always, of being on an adventure. Instead, I want to think about how – for me, at least – moving abroad can transform you from being a reluctant teacher to being an enthusiastic one, and by embracing the international mindset that comes with it you can become a much more accomplished educator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Michael
Michael Dunn: Theory of Knowledge is built on one big question, “How do we know what we know?”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As a teacher in London, I always felt that what I was doing was incomplete. I loved my subjects, I enjoyed supporting my students, I had good friends amongst the staff. But as I taught aspects of world history, compared the political structure of the UK with other countries, and drew on the ideas of thinkers and writers from different cultural backgrounds, I became aware of the narrowness of my own life experiences, and increasingly felt a need to widen my mental horizons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At that time there was really only one place to look for teaching jobs in the UK and abroad. Teacher Horizons, and the whole online recruitment industry, was still nowhere in sight; instead, teachers in staff rooms all over the country fought over the print edition of the TES every Friday, trying to be the first to the jobs section. My success in this endeavour one week resulted in an interview for a position in Colombia, and a few short months later, I was on an Avianca flight from London Heathrow, to El Dorado International, Bogota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"teacherhorizons\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Four things I learned from \u2018going international\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My first posting taught me some big lessons about life and work, and how gaining an international perspective can make you much better at your job. These lessons also propelled me along a path that would lead to me becoming a theory of knowledge teacher, and setting up my website, theoryofknowledge.net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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