ABROAD

International School Digest - February 2026

2026-02-26T00:36:00.002-06:00

Hi. It’s been awhile, but it’s back. The vision is still strong: pointing folks to solid material related to the international school industry. Check your email for the latest issue or subscribe here for a clickable-link copy: https://forms.office.com/r/BqAiDcQkVy

#internationalschools

Feb 7 thought

2025-02-06T19:49:00.001-06:00

Being an international educator means more than just traveling—it’s about embracing curiosity everywhere. While I’ve explored the world, I’ve also learned that meaningful discoveries happen right in my own neighborhood.

Living and teaching abroad has shown me that exploration isn’t about how far you go—it’s about how deeply you engage. Some of the most meaningful cultural exchanges happen in everyday moments: a conversation with a local vendor, a shared tradition with a colleague, or seeing a familiar street in a new light. These small but powerful experiences shape my understanding of the world just as much as traveling to a new country.

🌍 How often do we overlook the richness of our immediate surroundings?

✨ What unexpected cultural insights have you gained close to home?

🔍 How can we bring the same sense of curiosity to our local communities that we do when we travel?

Reimagining the role of a school leader: Beyond the office, into the classroom

2024-03-11T01:07:00.000-05:00

We, as school leaders, are first and foremost instructional leaders. This pivotal role transcends administrative duties, delving deep into the essence of teaching and learning within the school's walls. The challenge, however, lies in the multitude of daily interactions that demand our attention, ranging from addressing the concerns of stakeholders to making operational decisions. It's all too easy for us to find ourselves ensnared in meetings, letting an entire day pass without setting foot in a classroom.

The question arises: how can we ensure our work is felt among students and teachers, within both academic and non-academic settings? Drawing from experience, one strategy I've employed involves integrating classroom visitations into my daily schedule. For instance, spotting a free slot from 10:30 to 11:30 AM in my schedule, I deliberately allocate that time to classroom visits. This pre-planning practice takes place early in the day during my daily schedule review, where I seize every opportunity, be it 15 or 30 minutes, to walk hallways and step into classrooms.

During these classroom visits, my interactions with students are key. My goal isn't to scrutinize the teacher but to uncover the learning dynamics within the classroom. I engage students with questions like, "What are you working on?" or "What are you learning today?" A follow-up might be, "Why is this important?" If students can articulate the purpose of their learning, it signifies a successful learning environment.

Typically, my classroom stays last between 5 to 8 minutes, a period spent gathering mental notes. Subsequently, I record my observations on my phone, which are later reflected upon back in my office. This reflection culminates in scheduling short feedback sessions with the involved teachers, aiming to constructively discuss the observed learning environment. This feedback, predominantly positive, highlights successful practices and suggests one or two areas for enhancement. These interactions are designed to be supportive, not evaluative, focusing on recognizing strengths rather than pinpointing faults. Teaching is both a demanding and deeply personal endeavor. Teachers often yearn for feedback, wondering if their leaders, seemingly preoccupied or confined to their offices, have become detached from the everyday challenges of teaching. Students, too, value the engagement of leaders within their learning spaces.

Engagement extends beyond classroom visits to participating in teacher meetings, especially those centered on curriculum discussions. Here, I find value in listening, absorbing the dialogue, and contributing when appropriate. My time with teachers is aimed at learning rather than directing.

Instructional leadership transcends the confines of annual observations and teacher reviews; it embodies active, daily involvement in the teaching and learning process. Given that the ultimate goal of a school is to foster student achievement, and teachers are crucial to this mission, why not prioritize time with them?

Reflecting on instructional leadership prompts the question: What minor adjustment can I make today to enhance my instructional leadership?

Consider this a moment for reflection,

Dr. Russell

International school poll results

2024-01-31T03:18:00.012-06:00

The following polls were conducted on LinkedIn. There may be two or three polls that cover the same question. The reason being that the polls were placed in different LinkedIn group i.e., maybe an international teacher group and an international school administrator account. The polls may reveal interesting differences when answered by an administrator and a teacher for example.

--------------------

Key takeaways from my “How well is your international school really doing?" article

2024-01-26T02:34:00.003-06:00

The article discusses the importance of evaluating the performance of international schools beyond just financial metrics.

Here are the key takeaways:

Limitations of Financial Measures: While private companies often use financial measures like return on sales and investments to gauge success, international schools, especially those operating for-profit, might not always disclose financial statements. This means that school leaders and other stakeholders might not have access to revenue and profit numbers.

Non-Financial Performance Indicators: The article emphasizes the significance of non-financial measures in assessing a school's performance. These measures can be just as indicative of a school's success as financial ones. Common non-financial metrics include student achievement data, such as scores on Advanced Placement (AP) exams or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma results, and university acceptances.

Broader Evaluation Criteria: The article suggests that schools should not only focus on student academic achievements but also consider other factors. These include the quality of services and programs, development of new services and programs, the school's ability to attract and retain teachers and leaders, parent satisfaction, and the quality of relationships among management, staff, and employees.

Survey-Based Assessment: The article proposes using surveys to assess various aspects of school performance. For instance, teachers can evaluate the quality of programs and services compared to other international schools in their area. The community's small, but growing, size often means that teachers have a good understanding of how their school compares to others.

Data Collection Methods: In addition to surveys, other methods can be used to gather data on the seven factors mentioned. For example, human resources can provide staff retention rates, and specific surveys can be crafted to measure aspects like parent satisfaction.

Practical Application: The article outlines how schools can implement these assessment strategies, suggesting annual or biannual surveys. The results, combined with student achievement data, can offer a more comprehensive view of a school's performance.

International School Digest, January 2024

2024-01-25T04:20:00.002-06:00

The January 2024 International School Digest is out. If you’ve already subscribed to the digest, a PDF with clickable links is in your inbox. To subscribe, go here. . . https://tinyurl.com/4vycyfnk

How are bilingual and international schools the same and different

2024-01-21T04:55:00.003-06:00

The example schools referenced in the graphic are schools in Shanghai, China.

In addition to offering foreign language and home country language classes, a bilingual school may teach Mathematics and Science in the home country language and Social Studies in a foreign language. Bilingual schools tend to cater to students from the local community so they have less diversity in their student bodies. Some international schools are also becoming less diverse as they try to cater to the local community.

Although international schools can be similar, each school is unique. For example, some international schools offer a British style of education and others an American style. Some bilingual schools are nonprofit while others are for-profit. And some schools are day schools and others offer boarding.

Each school chooses to focus on what it believes creates temporary and/or sustainable competitive advantage in the market they serve.

What makes a GOOD international school GREAT?

2024-01-05T02:46:00.007-06:00

*** Thank you to Jon Springer for brainstorming this list with me. This list is not a "prerequisite list." It is a list to provoke thinking and to generate conversation.

Low turnover of teachers and leaders (happy and fulfilled employees)

Inclusive school practices in the spirit of SENIA, NFI, etc.

Maintains two accreditations (Or one accreditation and the school is actively involved in an international organization such as EARCOS, AMISA, BSME, and COBIS)

Equity in pay between local and foreign hires (check out Liam Hammer’s work)

A positive collaborative describable school culture

A strong parent SUPPORT organization

Great relations (trusting and supportive relationships) between management and staff

Great relations (trusting and supportive relationships) among staff in general

Diverse faculty and staff

Investment in professional development ranging from inclusive education practices to teacher and student wellbeing

Offers a wide range of extracurricular activities

Actively engages with the local community

Maintains strong connections with alumni

Good school community turnout and engagement at community events

Board governance has systems for onboarding new board members and archiving board history that sustain both consistent board direction/agenda and culture

Mission statement and values are widely known and can be seen in the lived school experience

School advancement trajectory informed by its vision statement

Senior leadership team has the agility and capacity to implement schoolwide changes

Anonymous feedback systemized and welcome from all community members on all issues ranging from school safety to curriculum.

A sense that’s once you’re part of the school’s community, you’re always part of the school community

Has known school strengths

Provides alternative high school diplomas (Thank you, Claire Gaul and Steven Stander)

A student code of conduct (example) that is followed consistently; enforcement doesn't take into account a family's wealth or status

Designates resources to support EAL students (Thank you, Peter Clements)

Systems and practices for sustained growth (Thank you, Dave Curran)

Innovative learning spaces (Thank you, Dave Curran)

Provide need-based scholarships

Offers tasty food options 😁

What else makes a GOOD international school GREAT?

The costs and benefits of being an international educator

2024-01-03T02:20:00.007-06:00

*** Several folks contributed to this piece. To read their comments in full, here is the LinkedIn post.

Benefits:

Teaching students from various countries

Working with a diverse faculty and staff

Exposure to different educational systems

Being a member of a new community

Personal and professional growth

Opportunity to travel/explore new places

Financial saving power

Access to a high-quality, well-rounded education for dependents (Thank you, Jeremy Majeski)

In some cases, access to a superior medical system with full coverage, no deductibles, and shorter wait times to see specialists (Thank you, Jacqueline Mallais)

Students tend to take their studies more seriously (Thank you, Kristen Silvas)

Smaller class sizes (Thank you, Claire Gaul)

Other benefits?

Costs:

Seeing extended family less often, but if family is open and able to travel internationally, international educators can open the world to them as well (Thank you, Matt Battani)

Cultural adjustment (In the end, it can become a benefit)

Language barrier (Learning a new language becomes a benefit)

Repatriation challenges

Managing long-term financial planning as one is not contributing to the social security and pension systems in one's home country (Thank you, Claire Gaul)

International school leadership experience being undervalued when returning to one's home country (Thank you, Paul Kelly and Jim Wild)

Raising children away from the support system of family (Thank you, Jennifer Tunguz)

Uncertainty around international teaching contracts i.e., waiting to find out if your contract will be renewed and for how long and having to turn in your notice before you have secured another position (Thank you, Jenny Swift)

At times, lack of special education services for dependent children (Thank you, Claire Gaul)

Dependents potentially viewed as international students at universities back home. This could increase the cost of higher ed (Thank you, Joanna Brown)

Other costs?

10 school leadership “vampires”

2023-12-29T01:58:00.004-06:00

What drains an international school leader’s energy and how can one respond to these challenges in a positive manner?

International school leaders, especially heads’ of school and divisional principals, face a number of challenges. The purpose of this piece is not to scare anyone away from international school leadership, but to provide a solution or two for “vampires” that drain our energy.

Here are some common energy sucks (this is not an exhaustive list. Please share other energy drainers). . .

Workload: A head of school may be responsible for up to 300 staff members. She/he may have four schools under her/his purview. A head of school could be compared to an area superintendent. The difference being that the head of school offices on campus, whereas an area superintendent travels from one school to the other, making a head of school more accessible than an area superintendent. Teachers and parents often request meetings with the head of school to address concerns. A head of school could reduce workload by empowering others to solve problems. An “addressing concerns” flowchart could be utilized. See example below.

Multicultural challenges: An international school leader is largely responsible for the academic program. Operational components such as facility and financial management, marketing and admissions, and human resource management may be handled by a local citizen. The head of school will interface regularly with these departments so she/he must develop good cross-cultural competencies. Learning the language of the host country may also pay dividends when building relationships with operational staff members. A leader could also study classics such as “Kiss, bow, or shake hands.”

Constant change: New ideas flow rapidly throughout an international school. This may be due to the fact that teacher and leader retention can be a challenge within the international school community. New staff members often bring new ideas. Here are some strategies to manage constant change: embrace a growth mindset, develop a change management plan, monitor and evaluate progress, and foster resilience and well-being.

Compliance and regulations: An international school is faced with both host country regulations and international accreditation standards. A head of school must build a team that monitors compliance and stays abreast of regulations. A head of school cannot act as an island when trying to adhere to local and international standards.

Lack of support: An international school may be governed by a school board or by owners; the latter governance model is increasing faster than the former. The leader’s priorities may be different to that of a school owner. Improving a school’s academic program requires financial resources. An owner may constantly question a leaders decisions. A leader can gain support by: understanding their perspective, clearly articulating your vision, building trust by demonstrating expertise and results, seeking input and feedback, managing expectations, engaging in relationship building activities, being responsive and solutions-oriented, and showing alignment with the school’s values.

Lack of work-life balance: A head of school can feel that she/he must to be accessible during evenings and weekends. Crises often arise outside the school day that require swift action. To improve one’s work-life balance, one can: set clear boundaries, empower though delegation, prioritize and focus, practice effective time management, schedule self-care, foster a culture of work-life balance, and utilize technology wisely.

Decision-making fatigue: Senior leaders are often required to make critical decisions that can have significant consequences. The weight of decision-making, especially when dealing with complex issues, can be mentally exhausting. A head of school must empower others to make decisions and must accept that other leaders may approach problems differently. If a wrong decision is made, the head of school must mentor the other decision-maker in a respectful and kind manner.

Meetings and email overload: School leaders could encourage more standing meetings. These meetings tend to be shorter and more productive. Instead of back-and-forth email communication, a leader can encourage more face-to-face interactions.

Constant crisis management: Dealing with ongoing crises and emergencies can drain a school leader’s time and energy, leaving little room for proactive planning and strategic initiatives. A head of school must devote time to vision casting and strategic planning. Her/his day can be filled with responding to problems instead of anticipating future issues; it is tempting to be reactive instead of proactive. A leader must carve out time in her/his daily schedule to work on big picture items. Placing strategic planning sessions on one’s calendar is essential; what is calendarized, gets done.

Build a supportive network: Senior leadership can be a lonely place. A leader can develop a network with other international school leaders within their city. This network could meet on a semi-regular basis to compare notes and run ideas by each other. Yes, international schools compete for students, thus giving schools ample motivation to engage in competitive rivalry. However, international schools have much in common and have an opportunity to develop and build the broader international school community together. This mindset will give leaders opportunities to support each other, emotionally and intellectually.

What other things drain an international school leader’s energy?

Pursuing teacher certification while abroad

2023-12-28T02:41:00.009-06:00

The minimum requirement to teach at some international schools is a bachelors degree (Four-year degree). Many schools also require some form of teacher certification and school leadership/counseling certification for leadership/support roles.

If you are an uncertified teacher, who is already working at an international or bilingual school, there are now online and hybrid certification options.

- TeachNow/Moreland University (My wife completed this program)

- Principals' Training Center (PTC)

- PGCEi International School of Geneva

- PGCEi University of Nottingham (Cohorts available in multiple international cities)

- IQTS (Thank you for the recommendation, Dr. Denry Machin)

- QTS

What other certification programs

do you recommend for

people who are already abroad?

If you have any questions about certification programs, you can contact me on LinkedIn.

12 guiding principles for life and work

2023-12-25T03:24:00.001-06:00

Ideas mean nothing. Zero. Execution is the only thing that matters. It’s not what you thought about doing, it’s about what you did.

Share your progress, not your goals, and you’ll always be motivated.

Smile often. Smile so much others think you exist in a world of optimism and positivity. Because you do.

You grow rich when you seek new experiences, not material things.

There’s a difference between being patient and wasting your time.

You have to believe in yourself before anyone else does. That’s the cornerstone upon which real confidence is built.

Stay, curious, question everything, and if you want something, ask for it.

The life you experience is simply a reflection of your mindset.

Don’t be lazy. Do the work. You won’t grow from easy.

You will never lose, if you never quit.

Money comes and money goes in life, but time only moves in one direction.

Keep your standards high and don’t settle for something just because it’s available.

X: @liveyourimpossible

The history of international schools

2023-12-24T07:56:00.010-06:00

International schools have been around for about 100 years*. The first school with ‘international school’ in its name was the International School of Geneva. It was founded in 1924 to serve diplomatic families and families from organizations tied to the United Nations. After World War II, the number of international schools steadily increased. Over the past 100 years several key events have taken place within the international school market. See some of the events on the timeline below.

The first international schools were mostly founded for ideological reasons. These schools are referred to as Type B ideological international schools (Bunnell et al., 2016). Ideological schools aim to contribute to international understanding, cooperation and peace (James & Sheppard, 2014; Schippling, 2018). Today, a well-known group of these ideological international schools are the United World Colleges consortium of schools. These schools seek to “unite people, nations, and cultures for peace and a sustainable future” (United World Colleges, 2020, para. 1). Type B international schools usually operate as not-for-profit organizations.

A pragmatic motive, migration, led to the founding of other international schools (Schippling, 2018). These market-driven international schools (Bittencourt & Willetts, 2018; James & Sheppard, 2014) are denoted as Type A traditional international schools (Bunnell et al., 2016). Type A international schools cater for internationally mobile, expatriate families (Bunnell et al., 2016). These schools usually operate as not-for-profit organizations.

A profit motive led to a new form of international schools (James & Sheppard, 2014). These international schools are denoted as Type C non-traditional international schools (Bunnell et al., 2016). Type C international schools are normally privately-owned and function as for-profit companies. They occupy space in two fields: the economic and educational (Khalil, 2019). Type C schools cater to wealthy local families. Today, local children occupy 80% of international school seats (Bunnell et al., 2016; Ting, 2019).

Khalil’s (2019) case study describes a Type C international school in the Middle East (Some of the features of this Type C international school can also be found in Type A and B international schools). The school is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and is a member of other international education organizations. It delivers a British-style of education (Most international schools deliver a British-based curriculum (Bunnell, 2019b)). The school has both overseas hired staff and locally hired staff and has a high turnover of staff. The public relations and marketing department of the school fulfill a vital role. The school markets its ability to help graduating seniors secure admission to top ranking universities worldwide. The institutional legitimacy of many Type C international schools is questioned (Bunnell et al., 2016). A growing amount of Type C international schools pursue international accreditation through organizations such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Middle States Association (MSA), and Council of International Schools (CIS) to help legitimize their schools. Bunnell (2019a) points to 15 characteristics that give legitimacy to a school that claims to be an international school. For example, foreign languages are offered, flags are displayed around the school, and annual overseas trips are conducted.

* It is sometimes argued that the first international school was founded in 1866. This school, the London College of the International Education Society, promoted cooperation between nations. These are other noteworthy schools that began before 1924 or around 1924:

- St Andrew’s Scots School, Buenos Aires, founded 1838

- Seoul Foreign School, founded 1912

- Yokohama International Schools, founded 1924

References

Bittencourt, T., & Willetts, A. (2018). Negotiating the tensions: A critical study of international schools’ mission statements. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 16(4), 515-525. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2018.1512047

Bunnell, T. (2019b). Leadership of ‘messy, tense international schools’: The potential scope for a fresh, positive lens of inquiry. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1- 13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2019.1690708

Bunnell, T., Fertig, M., & James, C. (2016). What is international about international schools? An institutional legitimacy perspective. Oxford Review of Education, 42(4), 408-423. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2016.1195735

James, C., & Sheppard, P. (2014). The governing of international schools: The implications of ownership and profit motive. School Leadership & Management, 34(1), 2-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2013.813457

Khalil, L. (2019). International schooling: a sociocultural study (Doctoral dissertation, University of Southampton).

Schippling, A. (2018). Researching international schools: Challenges for comparative educational research. Revista LUsófona de Educação, (41), 193-204. https://doi.org/10.24140/issn.1645-7250.rle41

Ting, W. (2019). International school director tenure: An evaluation study (Order No. 27804809). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2403069630). Retrieved from http://proxy1.calsouthern.edu/login?url=https://www-proquest- com.proxy1.calsouthern.edu/docview/2403069630?accountid=35183

United World Colleges. (2020). What is UWC? UWC. https://www.uwc.org/about

What is an international school?

2023-12-23T01:48:00.002-06:00

Definitions matter!

----------

An international school is an independent/private school. Some are governed by owners and some are governed by boards.

----------

Just like some independent schools are better than others, there are tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 international schools.

----------

There are three different types of international schools: Type A, B, and C. Type A international schools are market-driven international schools and are denoted as traditional international schools. They cater for internationally mobile, expatriate families and usually operate as not-for-profit organizations. Next, the first international schools were mostly founded for ideological reasons. These schools are referred to as Type B ideological international schools. Ideological schools aim to contribute to international understanding, cooperation and peace. They usually operate as not-for-profit organizations. Type C international schools have a profit motive and are denoted as non-traditional international schools. They are normally privately-owned and function as a for-profit company. They occupy space in two fields: the economic and educational. Type C schools cater to wealthy local families. Today, local children occupy 80% of international school seats.

----------

Its primary language of instruction is different from the primary language of the host country. However, there are international schools whose language of instruction is the same as the host country. For example, an American international school in London or Johannesburg.

----------

China has the most international schools. The United Arab Emirates has the most students attending international schools.

----------

ISC Research identifies international schools using the following criteria:

- a privately operated school that has chosen to deliver a curriculum wholly or partly in English to some or all of its students between 3 and 18, in a country where English is not an official language; or
- a privately operated school that delivers a curriculum other than the host country’s national curriculum wholly or partly in English to some or all of students between 3 and 18, in a country where English is an official language.

----------

Others define an international school as a school that:

- Serves globally mobile parents, and/or

- Espouses a specifically international mission or objective, and/or

- Serves an aspirational middle or high class local host country population.

This definition is not language of instruction centric.

Is our international school playing to win?

2023-12-22T00:26:00.000-06:00

The international school market is a highly competitive environment. Over the past 20 years, the number of international schools around the world has risen substantially. Each major city used to have one or two international schools. Today, some have more than 50 international schools. Singapore has over 90 international schools. International schools in these cities compete for a limited amount of school-age children. International schools also compete with local private schools and some public schools.

Take the city of Shenzhen in the Guangdong province of China. See chart below. In 1988, there was one international school in Shenzhen. Then it took 13 years for the next international school to open. Since 2001, 23 international schools and International Chinese-owned private schools have opened in Shenzhen. In 2001, SIS was only competing against one other international school. Today, each international school in Shenzhen is competing not only with many other international schools, but with a growing population of international Chinese owned private schools.

Research savvy parents search for the best school for their child.

As an international school, we can ask ourselves a number of questions. Winning is not everything, but. . .

Are we paying to loose? No.
Are we planning to win? Probably.
If we are losing, do we go into panic mode? Maybe.
Do we try to play catch-up? Maybe.
Whether we are winning or losing, do we reflect on what is or just happened? Hopefully.

To survive, to win, to thrive, our school needs to create sustainable competitive advantage. “[An international school] has a competitive advantage when it implements a strategy that creates superior value for customers, and that its competitors are unable to duplicate, or find two costly to imitate.”*

So, are we as an international school creating sustainable competitive advantage?

How do we offer superior value?

International baccalaureate continuum school?
Teachers college affiliate school?
One or more accreditations i.e. WASC, CIS, COBIS?
State-of-the-art facilities?
Most qualified and most experienced teachers in the city, receiving the best salary and benefit package in town?
Best personalized professional development program?
Most extensive co-curricular offerings in the region?
What other things do you do to offer superior value?
What other things could you do to offer superior value?

On our journey to create sustainable competitive advantage, we may develop temporary advantages. See graphic below. Temporary advantages stack up upon each other, slowly creating sustainable competitive advantage.

To win, we need a strategy. “Strategy is choices” and “we are the sum total of our choices.”+ Do we make choices in order to control events? Or do we allow events to control our choices? Do we take competitive action? Or do we respond to the competitive actions of others? In the past, what choices have we made to create competitive advantage and superior value? Today, what choices are we making? And in the future, what choices will we make? Write these choices down. Develop a strategic plan.

Where will you play? How will you win? If we are an international school in Dubai, we have decided to play in Dubai, the UAE, and the Middle East. Will there be only one winner in Dubai? Probably not. Other industries have multiple winners. For example, the mobile phone industry in China has three winners: Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo. The market for international schools contains different consumer groups, seeking different academic programs, and different value-added services.

The international school market is bound to have competitive rivalry.“ Become friends with your rivals.”~ Your rivals success can drive your success. What are our common identities? IB? British? American? Boarding school? Other? Schools who you have something in common. Build meaningful relationships with these schools. Your success, and vice versa, their success, will drive both of your futures.

Are we playing to win?

About Wayne and his why:

Over 20 years of International school experience; principal in three schools in China.
2016 ‘aha moment’ - school leaders lack an understanding of the business principles, practices, and processes that impact their school and their daily decisions.
Focus of doctoral coursework: Creating sustainable competitive advantage and superior value within the context of international schools.
Focus of dissertation: Leadership styles, employee satisfaction, and the organizational performance of international schools in China and the United Arab Emirates.

References

~ Adam Grant, organizational psychologist.

* Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2015). Strategic management: Competitiveness &

globalization: Concepts & cases(11th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

+ Lafley, A. G., & Martin, R. (2013). Playing to win: How strategy really works. Quotefancy. (2019). Quotefancy-152097-3840x2160.jpg ["We are the sum total of our choices" -

Woody Allen]. Retrieved from https://quotefancy.com/quote/949760/Woody-Allen-We-Are-The-Sum-Total-Of-Our-Choices

International school contracts

2023-12-21T04:17:00.002-06:00

It’s contract signing season!

In my 20+ year career in international education, I have signed five contracts. Reflecting on each of these contracts, I have learned valuable lessons, namely: do not sign a one-year contract; if you like the school and the school likes you, you will negotiate for at least a two-year initial contract, maybe a three-year contract, and a contract should be longer than two pages; the good contracts I have signed have been around 10 pages; these contracts were filled with detail to protect both the school and employee.

When you receive a contract, I strongly encourage you to 1.) read and closely review it, and 2.) suggest changes.

I have friends who have returned a signed contract on the day of receipt. They quickly scanned the contract and signed. It’s easy to just focus on the basics such as job title and salary. I remember doing this with one of my contracts; three years into the contract I regretted my hasty contract review.

These are a few of the items you should look for in your contract:

1.) A clear job title/scope of responsibilities.

2.) The length of your contract and the contract renewal process.

3.) Your salary.

4.) Detailed information about each benefit.

5.) Dispute resolution procedure.

Is there anything else you recommend looking for in a contract?

During the contract review process, there is no harm in involving an attorney. The attorney may be a friend whom you send the contract to and she/he offers feedback. The attorney does not need to be in labor law. Most attorneys are skilled at looking at contracts; they have an eye for detail and for interpreting verbiage.

Once you have reviewed the contract and have sought feedback, you can in a professional manner, suggest changes. Be flexible; your future employer may only agree to one or two of the changes. This is okay. When offering suggestions, remain humble and communicate with a collaborative approach. Work together. Do not work against each other.

If you would like someone to look over a future contract, let me know. An attorney and I review international school contracts at a reasonable fee. I highly encourage educators who are entering the international school market to take advantage of this service. You can contact me on LinkedIn.

How well is your international school really doing?

2023-12-19T05:43:00.002-06:00

Balance sheets are only one way to measure the performance of your international school, writes Dr Wayne Russell.

A private company can measure its success with financial measures such as return on sales and return on investments.

Although an increasing number of international schools are for-profit, schools usually do not disclose their balance sheets and other financial statements.

Sometimes even international school leaders are not privy to their school’s revenue and profit numbers. So, are there non-financial measures that can be used to measure the performance of an international school? Yes. And research reveals that non-financial measures paint just as clear a picture as financial measures. Therefore, we can predict that if an international school is performing well on non-financial measures, it is also realizing financial gains.

Read my full article published by School Management Plus here: https://www.schoolmanagementplus.com/bursars-finance/how-well-is-your-international-school-really-doing/

International schooling books on my shelf

2023-12-19T03:02:00.001-06:00

I recommend these international schooling books. Also, find and follow the authors on LinkedIn. . .

How do I become an international school educator?

2023-12-17T02:50:00.017-06:00

When you have finished reading this post, here are a few links to learn more about international schools:

- What is an international school?

- History of international schools

- International school contracts

- Keep up with international school research

--------------

Here's what you'll need to become an international school teacher. . .

Degrees:

Four-year bachelor's degree or higher.

- If bachelor's, must be in desired teaching area i.e., elementary education, science.

- If master's, in desired area of work i.e., school counseling, school leadership. If you have a master's in education, your bachelor's degree does not necessarily need to be education related.

Certifications:

- For example: Early Childhood to Grade 4, K-12 music, counseling, principal, etc.

- A candidate usually needs a B.Ed. or a teaching license from a Western country or from a respected international program.

Experience:

Usually between two and five years in relevant area i.e., teaching, counseling, school leadership. This experience could be in your home country or within other international schools. IB schools usually want someone with some IB training and experience.

Where do international school's market there available or potential positions?

Pick one or two of these recruitment agencies; each agency will vary in terms of cost to candidate.

- Edvectus

- TES

- Search Associates (often referred to as just "Search")

- Schrole

- ISS

- TIE online (The International Educator)

- Harvard Graduate School of Education

- UNI Overseas Placement Services for Educators

- Carney Sandoe & Associates (usually focused on placing principals and heads of schools)

- Teacher Horizons

- Global Recruitment Collaborative

- Teach Away

- TIC Recruitment

- KDSL Global

- The Diversity Collective

- RSAcademics (board/trustee, headships, deputy heads, development and admissions/marketing senior leadership positions)

- Worldwide International Schools Hub (WISH)

Usually needed for candidate application:

- Extensive biographical information

- Resume (one or two pages)

- Photo (head and shoulders)

- Letters of recommendation / confidential references

- List of references

- Essay describing educational philosophy (passions, purpose, and pursuits related to education, reasons for teaching, counseling, leading, etc.)

- Police checks/criminal records (may only be requested upon receipt of offer letters)

Talking international schooling with Dr. Joseph Williams

2023-11-28T19:32:00.000-06:00

It was great talking with Dr. Williams (YouTube video below). These are some of the things we spoke about. . .

Minute/second markers. . .

8:35 Advice for people who would like to become an International educator

11:15 Our families initial reasons for moving abroad

18:37 Moving overseas with children and making sure their educational needs are met

21:37 Traveling while living overseas

23:17 Livia and Liam’s Chinese language development

25:38 Buying property in cash

30:14 Working overseas in your later years

31:42 International school recruitment agencies

International School Digest - October 2023

2023-11-17T06:12:00.006-06:00

The October 2023 International School Digest (a collection of research for international educators) is out! If you have already subscribed to the digest, a PDF with clickable links is in your email inbox. Otherwise, to subscribe, go here.

Cheers,

Wayne

IBS digest - Sep 2021

2021-09-24T15:49:00.005-05:00

The September 2021 digest/collection of international and bilingual school research is out. If you have already subscribed to the digest, a PDF with clickable links is in your email inbox. To subscribe, go here.

Cheers,

Wayne

February 2021 digest

2021-02-14T04:14:00.002-06:00

Hi from Shanghai.

The February 2021 digest is out. If you have already subscribed to the digest, a PDF with clickable links should be in your email inbox. To subscribe, go here. . . https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=VfCDhKJh50SwCZArBODsp10tsV-gnuFCl-uZmCZp69xUMDgxMVg5R1dXVENPWVFSUzJKV1pTQTdOQS4u

Make it a great week.

Cheers,

Wayne

#schoolsoverseas #bilingualeducation #EAL #internationalschools

3 research updates and objectives: January 2021

2021-01-10T14:16:00.002-06:00

My second chapter (literature review) was approved by my dissertation committee in December 2020. Chapter 2 cited more than 100 peer-reviewed articles published within the last five years related to my topics (international schools, organizational performance, job satisfaction, and leadership styles).

I’m 12 pages into Chapter 3. I plan to submit Chapter 1 to 3 for committee and dean review by the end of this month.

I spent most of last week compiling a database of accredited international schools. This work will continue. The database includes international schools who are accredited by the likes of BOS, CIS, COBIS, MSA, NEASC, and/or WASC. The final database will be the study's population.

Image source: psychologicalscience.org

International School Digest - Jan 2021

2021-01-02T19:29:00.009-06:00

Greetings from Dallas, Texas. While researching all things international school leadership, I find interesting articles (peer-reviewed and other), books, and doctoral dissertations. For a PDF with clickable links, go here. . . https://lnkd.in/drV2U4i