“Dear Josiah,
I’ve attached a picture that we wanted to frame for you! It will bring lots of good memories to us and our son. He loves you and truly misses you. We keep you and your family in our prayers. Many blessings to you and thank you for being a great teacher and friend to my son!”
From 2016 – 2022 I had the pleasure of serving as a teacher, leader, mentor, and coach at two phenomenal Christian international schools. I received the email above from one of the parents at the International Community School, Bangkok. I am thankful that they went out of their way to share their appreciation, I can assure you the appreciation was mutual.
The six years that I invested in teaching at international schools were the most formative of my education career so far. Often when I reflect on the myriad experiences from that season, I think “I really should write an article to open doors for others to serve at international schools”. In this article I will share my experience and provide information about an excellent pathway for Christian educators to make the jump to international schools.
What Are International Schools?
International schools are defined as private schools with multinational student bodies, teaching staff, board of directors, and curriculum (Terwilliger, 1972). International schools originated in 1924 when both the International School of Geneva, Switzerland and Yokohama International School in Japan were founded (Hayden & Thompson, 2013). Today, international schools come in many forms, with variation in governance, financial models, accreditation, curriculum, and school culture. International schools have been growing in popularity for decades. Recent data from ISC Research (2024) suggests there are more than 14,000 English language international schools which educate 6.9 million students globally! Coupled with increased transience in the wake of the pandemic, the current international school market is ripe with positions for education professionals.
My Experience at International Schools
God called my wife and I to nursing and education respectively and put a desire in our hearts to develop our crafts internationally. We moved to Thailand because we felt God saying that He was leading us on an “adventure”. We anticipated the adventure would involve building relationships, seeing new places, and trying new food. In reality, the adventure involved growth in our marriage, lifelong mentorships and friendships, and change to our career trajectories.
I had the honor of teaching science at the International Community School, Bangkok from 2016 – 2019 while my wife partnered with local ministries. I then taught physical education and my wife was the school nurse at the International Christian School in Hong Kong SAR from 2019 – 2022.
Here are a few highlights of serving at Christian international schools:
- Discipling incredible students. Eternally impact students through sports, clubs, events, small groups, and classes.
- Working with committed growth-minded educators. Many educators make the jump to international schools to seek best practice in providing excellent education for their students.
- Benefitting from professional development. Attend world-class conferences with tremendous speakers, schools, and educators from numerous countries.
- Furthering education programs. Pursue degrees or certifications funded by the school.
How to Get a Position at an International School
I know what you’re thinking, “OK, I get it, teaching at international schools is the pinnacle of the education profession. But how do I do it? Do I need a fairy godmother?”
Although I wouldn’t consider myself a fairy godmother, I can help! Let’s start with the tips below.
Who Do You Know?
One of my heroes, Jeff Henderson, highlights the power of “leveraging your network” in his book What to Do NEXT (2022). Is there someone in your network who has an international school connection? Be brave, shoot them an email, set up a meeting and learn more.
What Have You Done?
I’m confident that you’ve done more incredible things in your career than you can recall right now or than you could think to include on your resume. Building your professional resume isn’t just an exercise for when you’re applying to a job. It’s an annual exercise for professionals looking to catalog their most significant experiences. In fact, stop reading this article, take 10 minutes, open your resume document (or create one, if you haven’t already) and update it! Use the following prompts:
- How have I improved recently?
- Do I have any new certifications, conferences, or projects to share?
- What student achievements am I proud of? What data is there to support this?
- What else can I add to make this an accurate representation of my professional experience?
What Can You Learn?
Seek new learning. Maybe you just updated your resume and are thinking, “this thing could use some more substance”, but you don’t know what to do next. Consider finding a blog, certification, or degree program that piques your interest and sign up! Think of how this learning will impact both your professional practice and how it will benefit prospective international schools. One such option to consider is taking ACSI’s online course called, PFO2Go.
Where Should You Search?
Visit the ACSI Career Center, a free service which posts hundreds of jobs at member schools both in North America and internationally. Additionally, check out ACSI International School Vacancies categorized by continent and don’t miss the ACSI International Virtual Job Fair on December 4. You can also reach out to the team in ACSI’s International School division for any questions you may have about securing a position or a particular school.
Recruitment season for international school teachers begins in September of the year prior to the position starting. So, if you’re looking for a teaching position for the 2025/26 school year, start searching in August 2024 to see jobs as they become available. Leadership positions may be posted further in advance.
Final Thoughts
International education is a mission field which needs qualified and passionate professionals to invest in it. Each year, God calls educators, leaders, and support staff to serve Him at international schools around the world. What if God was leading you to the adventure of serving at an international school?
If you’re interested in applying for one of the many positions at quality Christian international schools, the ACSI Career Center is a great resource. If you would like to learn more about careers at international schools and international education overall, contact me any time: josiahmarr@gmail.com
Peace & Blessings,
– Josiah
References
Hayden, M., & Thompson, J. (2013). International Schools: Antecedents, Current Issues and Metaphors for the Future. In International Education and Schools: Moving Beyond the First 40 Years (pp. 3–23). Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472553034
Henderson, J. (2022). What to do next: Taking your next best step when life is uncertain. Zondervan.
ISC Research. (2024, February 6). Data on the international schools market in 2024. ISC Research. https://iscresearch.com/data-on-the-international-schools-market-in-2024/
Squire, L. (Ed.). (2001). School Improvement and Professional Development in International Schools. In Managing International Schools (1st ed., pp. 105–122). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203482032-17
Terwilliger, R. I. (1972). International Schools—Cultural Crossroads. The Educational Forum, 36(3), 359–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131727209338990
About the Author:
Josiah Marr is the Director of International Students at the Fredericton Christian Academy in New Brunswick, Canada. He is working toward a doctorate in international educational leadership at the University of Toronto with a focus on international school culture. Josiah previously served at both the International Community School, Bangkok and the International Christian School in Hong Kong SAR. Josiah created josiahmarr.com in 2021 to encourage educators and leaders to grow professionally and improve their school culture to benefit the next generation.