EDDi XLIII
April 2021
Dear subscribers
One of our least favourite ‘stock’ motivational images is ‘man-jumps-off-cliff’.
They look something like this, usually with an inspirational message attached: Go for It! Make the Leap!
Yuck.
Sure, we understand the sentiment. Exciting things happen at the edge of your comfort zone. But, leaping into the unknown? Dangerous things happen when you leap blindly off cliffs, often leading to A&E.
These images often accompany posts encouraging people to ‘make the leap’ into international schooling. It’s a leap we’ve made ourselves and one we highly encourage you to consider. But, do it informed. Leap, but have a really good look around first.
Which brings us to this week’s theme, a series of articles (and links) on international schooling. To start things off, we have three contributor articles each offering a different version of their own ‘leap:
How working internationally changed my thinking
In turn, the articles consider how international schooling will change you (Sadie Hollins), some of the challenges you might face, especially if you venture off the beaten track (Annie-Jane Finch-Johnson), and the uncertainties many international teachers have faced over the last year (Wayne Russell).
Accompanying these pieces we also have a traditional EDDi academic digest:
This quote should whet your appetite:
“While [the] appeal [of the] international school sector lies in the…carefree, privilege environment of lifestyle migration…in reality, such horizons of opulence are limited, as teachers are locked into a precarious system that offers little protection and is highly unpredictable.”
In keeping with the theme, a free sample from ‘International Schooling: The Teacher’s Guide’ can be accessed here. You'll also find loads of useful materials on international schooling in both PDF and video form on the book’s website.
And finally, we encourage you to have a listen to the latest Persyou podcast. Shortlisted for ‘Best Educational Podcast 2021’, this episode is an interview with Mike Seaton, founding Head of Kings College (Chengdu), on the joys and challenges of start-up schooling.
You can listen to the excellent discussion here.
As they say, look before you leap.
Happy reading (and listening)
EDDi