Reflection of the last three weeks

Hi Everyone!

Last Wednesday school started after two weeks of orientation filled with celebrations of the new staff (32) and appreciation of the returning staff. (270) It was heart warming to feel so welcomed. I keep pinching myself. Can this be real!! Increasingly in the States teachers are treated as mere chess pieces. I can see why teachers stay here an average of 7 years on to decades.  They are all very happy people, too. They have smiles on their faces like a person that just won the lottery. Ask them where they spent summer vacation and stories of catching the best surf in three continents, is not unusual. More common is visits to friends all over the world.  How often does a teacher get to be part of the nouveau riche? (Read Tim Ferriss’s book “The Four Hour Work Week” for a definition. It doesn’t have to do with having gobs of money, but it does have to do with a “rich” lifestyle.

I believe the administration at this school is sincere in their appreciation, but they are also savvy business people as well. The welcome and caring atmosphere is a wonderful way to save money. The initial investment is steep, but the payback pays off high dividends. The cost of recruiting and getting excellent teachers to want to work for you, training, and the expense and efforts of support staff to getting the teacher over to Indonesia, is not cheap, particularly if the turnover average is every 2 years, like in many international schools. If good teachers want to come to your school and stay everyone wins, especially the students.

 Many welcome receptions, hot Thai, Indian, Vietnamese lunches, furnished apartments, designated settling in and Orientation Planning staff,  translating and brokering services that help us “newbies” transition to life here stress free, is worth the investment. From a free taxi van for 6 weeks 12 hours a day, fieldtrips to malls, food stores, spas, great restaurants, assistance acquiring excellent maid service, interest free loans for cars, a settling in allowance in Rupiah, a bouquet of flowers for new teachers delivered to their classroom, an orchid plant gift in their apartment to name a few, all create an atmosphere of family and in gratitude we teachers want to give our best. The best was yet to come though. Once we were in our classes we actually are given lots of time to collaborate with many different groups of other relevant teachers during hour long “stand-ups” (meetings). We have small classes under 20 , and few of them with only one or two preps, a cleaning team that daily washes dishes, sinks, white boards, floors and table tops, lots of prep time, lots of technology and staff to support us in tech, lab set-ups,  special ed and ESL issues.  How novel to give teachers the time to be in the business of supporting student learning instead of burdening them with so many chores that do not support student learning. Oh! And did I tell you about the business cards!!  

The result is a very hardworking, dedicated staff. It is a very large, fast moving place, but everyone is patient and supportive as you work to figure it out. Enough said. You get the picture. Are all International schools like this on? NO!  But because of this school’s ability to attract and retain top people, it is one of the best international schools in the world. I am grateful to be here and hope to give all I have, and more.