Researching and Securing a Role in International Education: Networks

I am inspired to write about the importance of networks again, following on from my first webinar as co-host with #WomenEd Thailand. The nature of networks not only creates spaces for discussion and problem-solving, but also provides insight into teacher’s experiences of different roles and schools.

Gaining many different opinions on/about a school and a region in which you will move will help you feel more confident on your choice and certainly better informed. You can not only rely on a principal’s experience of a school, which they will likely share in the interview, should you ask. They will likely have a very different experience and view to those working in the classroom or other levels of leadership.

A thread connects my two blogs, ‘Different Types of International Schools‘ and ‘Where to look for international teaching jobs‘, that is, using networks for research. Of course, when researching a school, personal recommendations from colleagues and contacts will most likely your first port of call. But what if you don’t have a PLN yet, or, none of your contacts know about a particular school/country?

When I applied for a school in Taiwan, quite early in my career, I did not have any international professional networks. At that point, as I was taking maternity leave, I did not have many teacher friends I could ask. I certainly had a ‘feel’ for the school by taking a trip there (see previous blog), but aside from this, I joined the school on a ‘gut’ feeling without contacting many staff.

Following the move to Taiwan I began to build my professional networks (PLN). This has proved time and time again an excellent source to understand how schools operate outside of their websites/marketing campaigns and in addition to receive support and advice on educational issues.

This is where developing your own PLN comes into place. Here are a small selection of platforms to get you started, that can offer insight into your country or school of choice.

#WomenEd

Due to having a vast reach worldwide, I used this network to research:

-recommended schools and principals/head of sections who advocated for women in leadership

-contacts with individuals who gave me an honest report on how it was working at their school

-Cpd available on their youtube channel which helped develop my CV and interview skills

FOBISIA and worldwide CPD events

Perhaps not the most obvious way to discover more about a school/region, but attending events where many schools participate gives you the chance to ask educators candid questions about their schools. For example, I attended one event where we discussed early years provision, and I was surprised to hear about a lack of outdoor provision in EY from a world-renowned ‘tier 1’ school. It certainly put me off applying that year.

LinkedIn

Simply type in the school you are looking for and usually, a fair number of staff will be shown. To be able to message you may need to activate Premium, but usually LinkedIn provide free offers for this (so take up the offer when you need it!)

-Search and follow Principals/Heads of School to see their background in education and work in the educational community

-Connect/message teachers who work/have worked in a school that is of interest, and as them about their experience.

-Follow the schools LinkedIn page to keep up to date with their activities

Reddit – r/InternationalTeachers

-anonymous posting about schools

-often a discussion on the ‘type’ of school an establishment is – tier 1/bilingual

-possibility of connecting with teachers from the school or know of the school and private messaging them

Facebook New to International School Teachers International School Teachers. International School Teachers

– Join these groups and ask as a post about the location or even the specific school

– Join groups specific to the country and ask there also, even within non-teaching groups such as ‘Parents in…’ ‘Americans in…’

-Check in the ‘files’ sections of these groups as information may be there also

‘X’

International teachers do post here and you can follow threads #internationalteacher #internationalteaching and specific schools.

International Schools Review

You can pay for the subscription to look up schools and see teacher’s opinions of working there. However, there is also a free forum to ask your questions.

Remember – this is a small selection. It is worth searching for specific groups on both Facebook and LinkedIn that match the role that you are applying for, such as an international school leader or head of department.

There are a multitude of other networks, such as Diverse Educators and StepUp Network who will help you expand your professional expertise as you work overseas.

Start your PLN now by connecting with me!

Ways to connect with me:

Via LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-gosling

Via X @jessgosling2

Via Instagram @internationalteachertravel

Via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/newtointernationalschoolteachers/

Website: http://www.jessgoslingearlyyearsteacher.com

Purchase my book here.