Congratulations on Your (Old) Job!

I know that there are lots of people around the world starting new jobs, particularly in the world of international schools. I see the posts on various online platforms: the celebrations and excitement of new new adventures and challenges.

This post is not for you – though congratulations, by the way!

This post is for all those teachers who have chosen to stay exactly where they are. I want to congratulate you on your decision. We live at a time when teachers are leaving the profession in droves. The combination of relatively low pay, low status in society, indescribable levels of scrutiny, and low levels of trust, all continue to conspire against teachers staying in this wonderful profession. In the world of international schools, where levels of remuneration and working conditions typically tend to be better than in many public school systems around the world, there are still challenges (and opportunities) that often lead to frequent turnover and the cycle of ‘moving on’. This isn’t always for bad reasons. After all, many of us got into international education to see the world, not necessarily just to find another place to stay put. But it is still the case that the world of international schools is built upon a very mobile work force that typically moves on after 3 or 4 years.

So I thought I’d try to share a few words directly aimed at those international school teachers – and teachers in their home nations – who are choosing to remain in their ‘old’ job.

Congratulations!

You have made a fantastic decision to deepen your ties with your school. You are seeing through the work that you started when you arrived, and committing to the school more and more with every year that you stay. You are providing the much-needed stability for your students, not all of whom move on, particularly if they are citizens of the country in which your school is located. Whilst it is always refreshing to have new faces join the school, please do not underestimate the richness that you bring as someone who returns year after year. The institutional memory that you carry with you is priceless. The relationships that you have built with students, parents and colleagues is worth more than I can say.

So, if you are a teacher in a school who has chosen to stay, congratulations on your ‘old’ job. May it continue to bring you happiness and fulfillment. And may your contribution always be valued and appreciated in ways that recognize the special value that comes from being the longstanding bedrock of you school’s community.