International Teaching Jobs

Becoming a teacher can be an incredibly rewarding job. It can also be an incredibly frustrating career choice. Not all schools are created equal. A third grade teacher at one school may be enjoying a relaxed, supportive and nurturing professional environment with the ability to teach the curriculum in  a manner they feel is best for the children. Another third grade teacher may be face with a hostile and stressful environment where there are not enough funds to teach in the manner they would prefer. While both of these teachers chose the career for similar reasons and truly want to make a difference in children’s lives, their circumstances affect how they perform their job and how much satisfaction they may take home from it. Teaching at a private school can give a teacher a more rewarding career.

photo credit: archer10 (Dennis)

One of the main differences between teaching at a public school vs. a private school is the materials you may have. Not only can there be a difference in the quality of the material, but also the quantity of the material. Teachers in a private school have the ability to choose the textbooks and other learning materials for their classrooms. They also have some say over the content, topics and skills they feel should be taught. Public school teachers are often working with too few text books and not enough materials for their classroom. Private school teachers do not have this problem.

Behaviour of the students is also a consideration. While it can be said that not all public school students are poorly behaved and not all private school students are perfectly behaved, there is a difference in the overall behaviour of the student body as a whole. Studies show that the occurrences of students threatening and/or assaulting teachers in public schools are approximately three times more than in private schools. Teachers in a private school also have say over disciplinary policies.

photo credit: ♪ Sleeping Sun ♪

The overall environment at the school you teach at can be extremely important. The support of the other staff members, students and parents can make a huge difference in your satisfaction. Studies show that the support system in private schools is stronger than in public schools. Private school teachers report that the cooperation of the teaching staff is strong and the support of the administration is consistent. There is also considerably more support from the parents of the students. There is a strong sense of purpose among those professionals involved in a private school.

Private school teachers report being happier and more satisfied with their jobs than most public school teachers. In recent studies, public school teachers were more likely to retire as soon as they could or would leave teaching if another opportunity became available while private school teachers would continue to teach as long as they could. Private school teachers are also more likely to feel that they are making a difference in their student’s lives than public school teachers. Overall, teaching jobs in private schools are proven to be less stressful and more rewarding.

photo credit: Rex Pe