Teaching in International Schools in China

Not even Chinese nationals are immune to the allure of working at foreign schools in China. This is the second-best choice to paying for a private school education. Working in an international educational setting has several advantages. If you're a veteran educator, the financial benefits will be much greater.It's important to keep in mind, if you've ever taught at an international school in China, that no two days are ever the same. However closely you may have followed a previously taught foreign curriculum, your overall experience will be different.

Can you tell me about the special challenges you have while working at foreign schools in China?

English, music, art, literature, the sciences, and even physical education are just some of the subjects taught at international schools. Experience teaching in international schools, subject specialization, a teaching degree, and, ideally, familiarity with the curriculum being taught are all factors that can increase your chances of being hired. If you don't have these things, it doesn't mean you won't get the job, but you'll need a lot of teaching experience in general and be willing to show that you can learn on the job. In short, you have to make a good impression on them!

More than 900 international schools, primarily from the United Kingdom and North America, as well as a few questionable establishments known for employing incompetent and hapless foreigners, can be found in China. Of course, you want to avoid the latter option. Be open-minded, however, since there are several excellent Asian colleges that compete well with our Western-style universities. The trick is to look deeply into the foreign schools that are available in China.

When it comes to rules and regulations, realize that they do alter based on the institution, obviously. Some, like Beijing’s Canadian International School, would insist on a teaching qualification from Canada, particularly, but others merely need comprehensive credentials as mentioned in our Am I Eligible? page. There are also foreign schools that operate on a Chinese curriculum and that generally means a few military-style exercises in the morning are tossed in for good measure, as well as a two-hour snooze in the afternoon. It’s worth doing some study on a certain institution you’re interested in applying to — when we said China was unique…we meant it!

There is an exception to the at-times severe rules for working in International Schools, something that is rather peculiar to China. When there is a significant gap between the number of available teaching positions and the number of candidates, the requirements for meeting those positions may be a little 'loose,' if you get our drift. A lack of teaching experience may be overlooked if you apply to the correct school at the right moment (i.e., when they are needy for instructors). Getting a foot in the door at a prestigious institution by sacrificing your academic credentials is a possibility.

Also, if you're interested in working at an international school but lack the necessary credentials to teach there, you should know that there are often openings for temporary roles like replacement teachers, TAs, and interns. Taking a lower-paying post may be worthwhile if your ultimate objective is to work at a prominent international school, despite the fact that the salary is lower.

International teaching positions are frequently sought after because of the excellent working circumstances they provide. The salary is fantastic (among the best of all teaching professions), the class sizes are manageable, and the support provided to students is exceptional; in addition, working in such an environment looks great on a teacher's resume.