International Schools in Beijing

Beijing has an international education system that is second to none. Beijing takes great satisfaction in providing a world-class education to any kid whose family can pay the eye-watering annual tuition, making it the most expensive educational city in the world.

International schools in Beijing are among the finest in the world and provide competitive wages to attract and retain talented educators. In addition to a wide range of great bonuses, this is the main reason skilled and experienced foreign instructors consider international school careers the pinnacle of China's teaching chances.

However, you may be shocked at how different teaching in Beijing is from your experience at an international school.

Overview of International Schools in Beijing

"International" is thrown about a little loosely in Chinese discourse. You can probably imagine the multitude of schools that have "adopted" the name in order to attract parents who are looking for this specific style of education.

As a result, there is a wide variety of international school formats available in this area. Foreign-owned schools teaching in foreign languages to overseas students are one kind of institution you may be familiar with.

educational institutions where students work together to complete assignments and study for international exams

There are several types of international schools in Beijing, including both privately owned bilingual schools that operate globally recognized curriculums in two languages and publicly owned schools that teach the local Chinese curriculum in English.

Do not assume that the salary range of an international school position in China is the same as that of any other kind of position in the field. Salary ranges, however, might be considerably different based on the kind of institution and the geographic region.

What makes Beijing's international schools stand out?

Beijing, and China more broadly, is home to a number of foreign schools, but what makes them special is their focus on local culture. In addition, there is a wide variety of materials from which to choose.

The International Baccalaureate (IB), British, Canadian, Australian, German, US, French, and Swiss curriculum are all viable options for educators in Beijing. It's possible to instruct native Chinese students in English as well.

Experiences at one of Beijing's International Schools as a teacher.

Exactly like any other teaching position in the world, there are benefits and drawbacks to working at an international school in Beijing. The gist of it is as follows.

Where to begin listing the benefits? You'll have the attention of the whole expat community if you establish yourself as a respected teacher at an overseas school. The variety of benefits alone makes the heavy workload worthwhile, and salaries here are among the highest in the nation. You'll spend most of your time at work in a shiny new building outfitted with all the gadgets any educator could want.

Your compensation will be quite high. Jobs in Beijing will pay closer to the upper end of the income range, but nationwide, Chinese teachers earn between $2,500 and $5,500 per month. Master the art of negotiating, and you may even get a housing allowance and a yearly round-trip ticket to see loved ones back home. You'll also have the wonderful position of being well liked in your neighborhood, which is a major thing in Beijing.

The downsides: Working at a prestigious foreign institution of higher education is not always a stroll in the park. Even less so in Beijing. Teacher stress may be understood when compared to the high cost of higher education in the United States. Parents worry about whether or not they are receiving their money's worth while sending their children to school. There is a tendency for educators to take the blame for their pupils' failures. That's right, even if the pupil is a complete idiot and refuses to put in any effort. Political considerations are heavily weighted in the curriculum of international schools in China. In order to work in a classroom, instructors have to make sacrifices like this one.

As a teacher in a foreign school in Beijing, your responsibilities will extend beyond the classroom. Extracurricular activities are a staple of most curricula, and you will likely be expected to either oversee them or participate in them yourself. Some weekends will be spent working, and there will be lengthy (mostly pointless) meetings and late nights. You can also count on being required to show up for the occasional recruitment event. Trust that your company will demand you to show your face at many occasions throughout the year as a foreign instructor, since your presence is appealing to prospective parents.

Have the benefits justified the drawbacks? Absolutely, if you ask the majority of expat educators at Beijing's international schools. Its advantages, both monetarily and professionally, are substantial.