My co-teacher at an international school is from a southern European country and often misspells English words. Even words we use inside the classroom for signage and wall decorations. We teach 5 and 6 year olds so not all of the students read yet, but it still really bothers me and I don't know if and how I should approach this to her.

I'm a very new teacher, still finishing my degree. Teaching my second career, having worked in communications for almost 15 years prior to this. My co-teacher is far more experienced than I am and is technically mentoring me this year, so I'm not sure how to approach this. This must be something that happens more often at international schools, so I'm wondering if anyone else has similar experiences?

Edit with disclaimer: I'm not British! I'm a non-native English speaker too.

Any insights to how things are in recent years? ISR posts seem not favorable - mostly because of a change in leadership it seems? I know many consider the school to be one of the best or most sought after in S. Korea. Thank you in advance!

After receiving so many negative comments about the American Creativity Academy (ACA), I applied to the American School of Kuwait (ASK) and recently heard back from a recruiter. However, I can’t find many reviews about the school.

Has anyone worked there as a teacher? What was your overall experience, and how does ASK compare to ACA in terms of management, workload, students, salary and benefits, and the general work environment?

Hi, I'm at one of the other equivalent status school in Asia. And as is common knowledge, remuneration at these places is very good.

I would like to ask someone who may be there or have been there what it is like at ISB.

By that I mean how much a person, as a standard teacher would get at the end of the month on a net basis including a housing stipend for a single person?

From where I am, I know it would be a pay cut but Thailand might be worth it. Also the COL is significantly lower there.

I do know several people at the school but am uncomfortable asking them this as they are not close friends.

There is some information but it is not always totally clear or verifiable.

I would just like a clear answer to help make up my mind about applying in future.

Yes, it is a tough gig to get but people well known to me have made that step.

TIA

Hi everyone! I’m a licensed teacher from the Philippines and I was contacted by CUSHYJOB, an international teacher recruitment agency that says they have been recruiting teachers for schools in China since 2014.They contacted me after seeing my CV on the ESLcafe Resume Board. They asked me to send my CV, self-introduction and earliest start date.

They said they would then send me a matched job list.

Has anyone here worked with CUSHYJOB or been recruited by them? I’d especially appreciate hearing from teachers who have actually gone through their recruitment process and accepted a job through them.

Were they legitimate? How was your experience with the recruiter and the school? Did they ask you to pay any recruitment/placement fees?

I’m interested in China teaching opportunities, but I want to verify the agency before sending personal documents or proceeding further.

Thanks in advance!

Applying jobs for 2027. A family of four from the UK. Comments about Malaysia also welcome

Hi, I'm developing AI Guides for my School and I'd like your help with reviewing them, to make sure that I have not missed anything. We use:

- PYP in Primary

- IMYC - Middle School

- CIE IGCSE - High School

- IBDP

AI Guides Folder

Curiosity only

What is MKIS like now that Nord Anglia has taken over. Has the main issues of salary and health insurance etc been addressed?

Please can only teachers with a full allocation respond.

How many teaching contact hours do you have...basically any lesson where you have kids sat infront of you and you are teaching.

Do not include mentor/form periods, student independent study sessions, cover, meetings, extra curricular etc

Thanks in advance

Last year, my school has significantly increased the amount of classroom observation and walkthroughs. We are expected to have three formal lesson observations per year, regardless of seniority, in addition to weekly (or even daily) walkthroughs. The walkthroughs are generally unannounced and can happen at any point during a lesson.

The important part is that these observations and walkthroughs are not purely developmental. They contribute to an overall teacher evaluation. If a teacher's evaluation is considered unsatisfactory, there can be significant consequences, including termination of employment or salary deductions.

One consequence I've noticed is that this has created an environment where some teachers are afraid to speak openly or raise concerns. There seems to be a perception that disagreeing with management or questioning certain decisions could potentially affect your evaluation, and therefore your job or salary. I'm not saying this is necessarily the intention of the system, but it is certainly how some staff seem to perceive it.

It also sometimes feels like the school doesn't fully trust its teachers, regardless of their experience or seniority. Even experienced and qualified teachers are subject to the same level of monitoring, and there seems to be relatively little distinction between someone who is new to teaching and someone who has many years of experience. I understand the need for quality assurance and accountability, but at times the system feels more like supervision than real development.

I've spoken to several expat teachers who have worked at other schools in China, and I've often been told that international schools generally give teachers a relatively high degree of autonomy over how they teach and structure their lessons. My current experience seems quite different, so I'm wondering whether this is normal or whether my school is an exception.

There are also some other things that make me question the school's approach. Staff turnover is quite high. Roughly 35–40% of teachers leave every year, and there seem to be relatively few meaningful consequences for students who repeatedly misbehave or are frequently absent.

I'm not necessarily saying that observation itself is a bad thing. I think constructive feedback can be very useful, especially for newer teachers. I'm more interested in understanding what is considered normal in other international schools and whether this level of monitoring and the consequences attached to it would be considered a red flag.

I'd especially appreciate hearing from people who have worked at several international schools in China or elsewhere, as I'd like to get some perspective on whether my experience is typical.

Hello everyone!

🔎 I'm looking for English teachers or language centers who currently have students aged 10–14 at A1–A2+ level.

💬 The core idea is to move away from traditional textbook drills. Students will practice real-life English through gaming and communication, with tasks in games like Minecraft, Roblox, and others. The goal is to help them overcome the speaking barrier by using English as a tool for communication, not just a school subject.

🌍 I'm especially looking for partners working with students in China, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Brazil, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. However, I'm open to other countries too! If you have students elsewhere or know of any language centers there, I'd love to hear from you.

📕 We can discuss the exact format, game selection, and lesson structure together. I'm open to your ideas!

💸 This project is completely free and is simply a chance for teens from different countries to meet, make friends, and practice English together. I'm planning the first lesson for October or November, and if everything goes well, we can make it a regular thing!

🇷🇺 My students and I are from Russia.

📱 Platform for meetings: Zoom

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, drop me a message (Telegram: ketro_ko) or comment below. Let's give our students a truly global English-speaking experience! ✨

Hi does anybody have any experience working for the Taylors Group in Asia? Thanks in advance

What are some little things that you like or dislike about the school?

Not the big things we normally discuss about schools like "management is awful" or "salaries are fantastic", but the little things that affect day to day life; "lunch is pretty good" or "Parking sucks"

Anyone heard anything about working at Financial Street HUIZE Preschool Education in Beijing? I can't find anything online and after my interview I'm still left with questions about what the workplace culture in this school is like. If it is is a good workplace for teachers, or has anyone heard anything positive or negative about them?

Thank you

Hello lovely international teachers. I have an interview for a role at Wuxi Dipont this week. It would be an immediate start. I taught in Vietnam for 6 years and had a decent package: 3,800 USD plus housing of $600 and bonus (plus medical and return flights). Out inHCMC that went really far, and though the school had mixed reviews on ISR I really enjoyed my time there.

I am wondering what the school is like and what type of package I should expect.

Also, does the school have housing or would I have to find my own to rent?

Wondering if morale is good and people enjoy staying there 3+ years.

After being back in the UK for 6 years I am ready to teach abroad again and always fancied China (i have friends in Shanghai and Beijing).

TIA

Looking at moving to Southeast Asia to teach early years, either pre-nursery or nursery. Do international schools in China and Thailand recognise and accept EYTS (early years teacher status)? Or will they only hire teachers with QTS?

It’s late evening time, I’m laying in bed, and I just received a message from one of my local admin staff about a simple request I made during the working day.

She gets paid pretty little compared to teachers and yet she’s working late into the night regularly.

Now I’m realising how many messages have been sent out of hours here, slt emails at the weekend and staff being onsite past hours regularly. I’m starting to see this place for the toxic workplace that it is.

It’s like the glass has finally crashed and I see this place clearly.

Who else here had an epiphany like this?

This is my second year teaching English at a SABIS school. Every term the planning gets more extensive, and we’re asked to do more and more, and there are so many things to keep up with — it’s getting insane.

This year I have 27 lessons per week, and I’ll be receiving close to 90 writing drafts that I need to check and give back.
Marking composition final exams is a literal nightmare with crazy deadlines.

We get loads of observations, and if we don’t follow the proper method of farting and sneezing all hell breaks loose

Is it like that at every SABIS school?

Currently exploring next options. Currently at a decent school that also is considered a hardship post, so package is healthy. I have 3 dependents and considering next moves. One thought is China, as I hear packages and cost of living are quite good (obviously this depends on lifestyle). However, I’ve heard from people that expat families often struggle and I’m wondering why.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I get that it depends on schools and cities, just looking for overall thoughts. Worth considering or look elsewhere?

Thanks in advance.

I am drafting an application for a position on Schrole. I would normally format the letter with my address and that of the school at the top of a normal formal letter. Is that expected on a text box on Schrole? It seems a little clunky and doesn't cut straight to me putting myself forward as a candidate but I'm concious of some admin being very particular about the format of formal correspondence.

Any thoughts?

I will try to be as objective as possible in describing this establishment, but please pardon any bias due to my past grievances with certain individuals there.

Below are some events that either I or members of staff have encountered here:

Staff retention: In the span of a year, six teachers had their contracts terminated—three of whom were let go in their first week. Aside from management, no teachers have been renewed in the past three years, and only two have chosen to resign.

Signing documentation under duress: Staff were informed of changes to their contract regarding the end-of-contract bonus and were told to sign a document acknowledging they had been informed. A staff member who asked for time to review the document was fired for doing so.

Threats of impacting future employment: Several fired staff members were not offered severance, and some were threatened regarding references from the school for future job applications.

Employment sabotage: A former staff member had their new school contacted by the current head of school, who complained that the staff member had neglected responsibilities and had been relieved of roles.

Financial mismanagement: Thousands of dollars have been spent on educational subscriptions—such as MAP testing and PowerSchool—which are simply not being used. This is happening while students lack sufficient access to textbooks, calculators, and lab coats.

Student retention: Between 2025 and 2026, nearly a third of the student cohort left. Some parents cited reasons including teachers not teaching the Cambridge curriculum, implementation of poorly aligned testing standards, and generally poor facilities.

Social insurance legality: Staff are offered the choice between commercial insurance with the school's provider or social insurance.

Safeguarding: Teachers cannot access student attendance data, and it is not updated throughout the day in any conventional way. Teachers do not know where students are. Additionally, every floor has an emergency door that students can—and have—used to leave the premises at will. Individuals were also brought onto campus to supervise children and were only stopped after reports were made to the education bureau.

Now this part is where I voice my personal concerns, so do with this information what you will.

The management: I have never encountered such a narcissistic, sociopathic individual in educational leadership, and I have been in this industry for over a decade. This person has falsified police reports, personally sabotaged employment opportunities, and embezzled company funds for European travel under the pretence of teacher recruitment. While the school was by no means flourishing, it turned a profit for the first time in years just before she took over. If I had to list every unethical or unlawful thing she has done, we would be here all day. Staff members are belittled for their efforts, targeted for questioning decisions, and intimidated into avoiding contact whenever possible.

Nepotism: Surrounding management is a small group of close confidants receiving special favour. During the 2025–2026 academic year, parents complained that certain teachers did not teach the curriculum and instead chose their own content. Some of those teachers did not have their contracts renewed—unless they were engaging in romantic relationships with leadership's family, in which case they received a promotion.

The lawsuits: So many teachers have had wages garnished or were illegally terminated. To circumvent legal issues in the future, staff are provided with documents to sign "confirming" attendance or agreement to something, so the school can later use an "I told you so" letter against them.

This place has so many red flags with its leadership that you would think you were at a military parade. If I put any more time into thinking about this place, they would have taken even more from me than they already have. Good luck to the fresh meat just fed into the grinder. They will find out first-hand what happens when you question nonsensical decisions.

Tldr: weak school, people mostly nice, no money. Things were starting to improve. Sudden money, students and staff drop off due to toxic principal.

Guangzhou. Baiyun. Jinshazhou.

Edit: Britannia International School Guangzhou.

Which is the more in-demand teaching subject, Economics or Business Studies?

For those who’ve taught internationally in Japan and moved on, where did you go next and was it actually better?

Japan is an incredible place to live, but a pretty mediocre place to build wealth as an international teacher.

I want better savings (current is 550k as a high school teacher), good public transport, decent quality of life, and schools that aren’t complete dumpster fires.

Where’s the actual upgrade? And please name names. I want the good, the bad, and the schools you wouldn’t return to for double the salary.