Article

Staff Induction: Issues Surrounding Induction into International Schools

April 2004
Journal of Research in International Education 3(1):31-49

Authors:

This article analyses the literature on staff induction into international schools. It defines what is meant by the term ?induction? and identifies the benefits to both individuals and organization if it is done well. It stresses that induction is a process, not an event, and discusses the various stages involved: the initial recruitment, the first day and succeeding months. It uses the literature to produce key guidelines for each phase that should be of value in any international school?s context.

Induction and Teacher Collaboration in International Schools

Thesis

Full-text available

Dec 2021

The purpose of this research paper was to understand the importance of teacher collaboration in international schools, by looking into what makes an international school, the induction/orientation process, and teacher collaboration. An effective induction has been proven to enhance teacher retention, guaranteeing strong grounds for teacher collaboration. One of the most cited features of the induction process, and teacher collaboration, is peer mentoring when a more experienced teacher is paired up with a newcomer. Quantitative methods were used in the form of an online survey, sent to 76 teachers working in international schools. After interpreting the data using quantitative analysis, we realized that for most of the teachers the induction process was only a week of orientation with general information. Pertaining to teacher collaboration, we also understood that schools do not put a lot of processes in place, making teacher collaboration ineffective. Schools may foster innovation if they put effective induction and teacher collaboration processes in place. In the end, we tried to make some recommendations school leaders can arrange to enhance teacher collaboration at their schools, starting with a strong induction process.

Educator Acculturation while Living and Working Overseas: Stories from Seventeen Sojourning Teachers and School Leaders at International Schools

Thesis

Full-text available

Nov 2021

Rebecca Stroud

The demand for teachers overseas far outweighs the supply. International school teachers, counselors, and leaders—collectively referred to as educators—become sojourners, living between home and host cultures, which brings both opportunities and challenges, but how do they manage to thrive once in their host country? Policyscapes, metaphorical pools of diverse policies and pedagogies, and culture shock present ubiquitous challenges for sojourning educators. This study explored factors that affect educator thriving overseas in the context of acculturation. To date, the body of research on educators’ acculturation experiences overseas is scarce. Psychological acculturation theories have covered many sojourner groups, but not educators, which is significant because educators are responsible for students, many of whom are also acculturating while attending international schools. This narrative qualitative study followed seventeen participants who were Anglo-Western-certified teachers and educational leaders, working at international schools. The seventeen sojourning educators were living and working in Macau, mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, and did not identify as belonging to that host culture. The study used the following instruments: field logs, interviews, reflex journals, photovoice, and memory box. Findings provided data about the lived experiences of sojourning educators, namely: sojourning experiences linked with one’s personal identity exploration; effective self-leadership strategies used by participants; effective onboarding/induction practices at one school that could be replicated in other international schools; acculturative stress linked with organizational and host cultures, policyscapes, leadership supports as well as being a leader, and the Covid-19 pandemic; and a comparative analysis of the findings with culture shock theory. Implications for theory lay a foundation for an educator acculturation framework. Implications for practice include propositions for educators, for professional learning, and teacher training. Implications for international school policy include the need for multiple stakeholder engagement to better understand and address policyscapes. Reflections on implications for methodology are provided. Finally, the study concludes with implications for further research.

Towards a Decolonizing Framework for Pre-Departure Education

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020

Robert C. Mizzi

In light of the increasing mobility of people for study and employment purposes and the fact that Indigenous groups continue to be marginalized across the globe, this article introduces a tentative framework for adult educators or facilitators to decolonize their pre-departure orientations for workers or learners who plan to live in a different country. Drawing on Indigenous education principles, the framework consists of three guiding principles that intersect with one another: (1) Indigenizing teaching practice, (2) deconstructing ruling relations, and (3) promoting reflexivity, mutual respect, and understanding. Challenges to implementing this framework include organizational requirements to maintain a Western dominance in their pre-departure programs.

International Education Teacher Induction in International Schools

Preprint

Full-text available

Sep 2019

Francis Higgins

This case study looks at the role of induction of new teaching staff at international schools. This is achieved through undertaking a qualitative research study based on face-to-face interviews with seven participants who are all international teachers at a for-profit private international school in Qatar.

An Investigation into the Intercultural Development of Anglophone Educators Working in International Schools

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Jan 2015

Maria Savva

At a time when societies are becoming increasingly pluralistic, Anglophone educators continue to come from predominantly mono-cultural backgrounds, with often limited cross-cultural experiences. This study examines the potential of the overseas international school in providing new cross-cultural experiences that may improve the intercultural abilities of Anglophone educators. It explores how the overseas experience contributes to changes in world views, as well as how (or if) these changes translate into professional practice. Whilst ample research exists on overseas experiences and culturally responsive pedagogy as separate areas of study, this research looks to make a distinct contribution by bridging these two areas. Thirty Anglophones educators based across three international schools in the Netherlands and China participated in semi-structured interviews which explored the challenges and opportunities of living and working abroad. Findings highlighted significant transformations in educator attitudes towards difference. These attitudinal changes seemed to be less a result of interactions with the other, than a result of interactions as the other. Changes in attitude were often accompanied by two significant shifts in perspective: an increased ability to withhold judgment, along with a marked effort to understand. These shifting perspectives often allowed educators to contextualize their experiences in such a way that their professional practice was visibly enhanced. Evidence of increased intercultural capacities in professional practice was found in three dominant areas of language, communication styles and religious/gender sensitivity. Educators described specific teaching or management methods utilized in the classroom or school setting that they did not utilize prior to their work abroad. Recognising the limitations of the sample, findings nonetheless supported a strong link between the international school experience and improved intercultural abilities.

Orientation for ELF Teachers: Lessons Learned

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Aug 2014

It is the teachers, their personal beliefs and principles, who largely determine the success of a language program. The teacher orientation process can play a crucial role in influencing their attitudes towards the program as well as increasing teacher performance. The orientation meeting is the first point of induction serving to clarify goals, anticipate problems and identify both resources and support networks. This action research study focuses on the process of familiarizing teachers in a new English as a Lingua Franca Program. The writers discuss how their orientation meeting was conducted and how it might be improved. Data from a postorientation survey, logs of teacher access to a learning management system, email correspondence with teachers, and an end-of-semester questionnaire are shared.

Orienting EFL teachers: Principles arising from an evaluation of an induction program in a Japanese university

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2013
LANG TEACH RES

Despite the ubiquity of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) globally and the weight of evidence about the importance of training for new expatriate staff in international settings, the process of orienting EFL instructors to new workplaces and unfamiliar cultural surroundings has yet to be researched. This article presents the results of a program evaluation of a two-week induction for 22 new English teachers at a private foreign languages university in Japan. The views of a range of stakeholders were obtained (beginning teachers, experienced teachers and management), as were perspectives at different points in time (before and after induction, one semester later, one or more years later). The evaluation resulted in a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the orientation program, which in turn led to the implementation of a range of measures to improve current practice. The findings also gave rise to the proposal of a framework outlining the major areas that all EFL orientations need to consider.

Immigrant workers' induction training in Finland: Case Petmo project

Article

Apr 2009
Manag Environ Qual Int J

Purpose – The organizations' shareholder value maximization is one of the oldest beliefs in business economics. An organization is seen as a compromise between various goals and targets set by stakeholders, including the workforce. Induction training for newcomers is a part of a comprehensive selection of training and development functions in organizations. Those actions are seen as having a role in the socialization functions in organizations. In other words, it offers opportunities for the newcomers to create unofficial networks inside the work community. The purpose of this study is to investigate the induction training practices in use in organizations with an ethnic minority workforce as well as the development of induction training and methods used in diverse workplaces. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses the findings of investigations regarding ethnic minority group members' induction training practices in Finland as a part of Perehdyttämällä monimuotoiseen työyhteisöön – Petmo (initiation training of multicultural working place)‐project. Findings – The study found that internationalisation and diversity are clearly beneficial for the company/community, but they also require resources and investments both in recruitment, induction training and work familiarization as well as in comprehensive human resource development; the great challenge seems to be the lack of resources and time during the induction process – what is needed is more evaluation, information (feedback and assessment systems), innovations and training for the induction trainers (communications); the induction training should be the same for everyone. However, in different tasks flexibility may be required, e.g. in the order the issues are presented – for one person the concrete work and the feelings associated with it, knowing the working community and developing the skills are better foundations for general integration and commitment, the other person may approach issues more naturally through a theoretical framework. Originality/value – The paper uses the research material because it captures successfully the typical situation in Finnish organizations. These insights may act as a basis for developmental actions.

Management of the incorporation and job performance of administrative servers in a public university

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2024

The purpose of this scientific review is to find out if the incorporation management is applied and to learn about the measurement of work performance in a university. The type of study was theoretical-documentary, with a qualitative approach. For the collection of data, various databases were used such as Scielo, Dialnet, Redalyc, among others. Among the main results. Among the results found, it is highlighted that the incorporation process is not widely applied by higher education institutions as well as other types of organizations, some apply it as part of the induction and others as a welcome for staff; also, work performance is applied differently according to the type of staff and organization, since in public organizations it is little evaluated and sometimes there is no feedback, unlike private organizations that care more about staff. Concluding that many organizations do not take into account the incorporation process with new staff, they are unaware of the great benefits of fitting staff into the organization and work team; which in turn can cause staff not to feel involved with the company and show it in poor work performance.

The Work Adjustment of Expatriate Teachers Employed in Chinese Internationalised Schools: A Pedagogical Perspective

Article

Jan 2025
EDUC REV

Adrian Golis

Traditionally serving expatriate elites, international schools now increasingly cater to local middle-class families in developing countries. With the industry’s explosive growth, attention turns to the role of expatriate teachers in preserving the institutional legitimacy of non-traditional international schools. However, expatriate teachers’ pedagogy has received little attention. The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the pedagogical work adjustment of expatriate teachers in Chinese internationalised schools. The study employed a diverse sample of 16 expatriate teachers who worked in Chinese internationalised schools for at least one school year. Three data collection methods aided in gathering in-depth descriptions of participants’ lived experiences: individual interviews, written protocols, and focus groups. An analysis of participants’ lived experiences led to the construction of three overarching themes: adjusting to the school context, adjusting to the students, and growing as a teacher. Participants adjusted to their schools’ contexts by rejecting the local ways, tuning in to student needs, and adapting to the local ways. Adjustments to students included motivating them, struggling with their names, getting more sensitive about them, and changing classroom management practices. Participants perceived their schools’ in-service training as insufficient, which led them to pursue professional development on their own terms. The study’s novel contribution lies in its systematic identification of expatriate teachers’ adjustment strategies, particularly in dealing with students and their misbehaviour. Implications for expatriate teacher training and discipline policies in Chinese internationalised schools are discussed.

Middle leadership in Malaysian international secondary schools : the intersection of instructional, distributed and teacher leadership

Article

Feb 2018

Vahid Javadi

This thesis examines middle leadership in four international secondary schools in Malaysia. It focuses on five main areas; roles, responsibilities, role relationships, instructional engagement and leadership involvement. Data were collected through observations, documentary analysis and 52 semi-structured interviews with four principals, 12 heads of department and 36 teachers. The empirical data indicate that the middle leaders’ roles suffer from lack of clarity, with managerial tasks dominating their job scope. Different role interpretations have led to the development of misunderstanding and uneasy relationships between and among the participants. Despite this, and in contrast to the literature, there is more coordination between the middle leaders and the senior leaders, mainly due to the nature of accountability in private international settings. The empirical findings show teaching and learning to be the most powerful feature of the four case-study schools. Among all the themes identified, lesson observations are conducted and taken seriously in all the schools. Criticisms about monitoring persist but the general trend is positive. Time constraints, as suggested by international literature, continue to hamper the work of the participating middle leaders. This thesis holds that autonomy to take and implement decisions is an essential component of distributed leadership. Broadly speaking, the empirical evidence suggests that opportunities for middle leaders and teachers to participate and influence key decisions in their schools are limited. While they claim great autonomy in the domain of the classroom, they report limited satisfactory experience outside it. The observational findings indicate four departmental models; ‘island’ & ‘shopping mall’, in which isolation prevails; ‘solar system’, with its asymmetrical balance of attention; ‘magnet’, where a few are attracted and the rest repelled, and ‘bicycle wheel’, with a hub to which all ‘roads’ lead. The main significance of this thesis is inter-sectionality, which occurs at the interface between autonomy and expertise. This model suggests that the transition from middle management to middle leadership is contingent upon the proportional provision of these two constructs. A lack of equilibrium between autonomy and expertise can influence the extent to which middle-level practitioners can be described as leaders.

CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMS AND EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN CORPORATE ORGANIZATIONS: A CASE OF UGANDA BROADCASTING CORPORATION (UBC), KAMPALA, UGANDA

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2024

Metropolitan International University Research Repository Extension

Capacity building focuses on the form of process consultation, organizational communication, leadership development, promotion of networking and collaboration, action learning, advocacy and awareness creation, on the job training technical advice, training course, and educational and continued professional development to enhance different organizational abilities for implementing strategic programs. This study aimed at examining capacity building programs on employee productivity in corporate organizations in Uganda, a case of Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. The specific objectives of this study which were; to establish the relationship between career development on employee productivity; to examine the relationship between coaching on employee productivity; and to investigate the relationship between mentoring on employee productivity in Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. The study adopted both descriptive and cross-sectional survey research designs with both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and was carried out at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. The study population was 256 out of which a sample of 168 respondents was selected as study sample and it was randomly and purposively selected. Questionnaires and interviews were used as data collection methods. The content validity index was 0.800 while the reliability value was 0.825. The results of the study revealed a strong positive and significant correlation between career development and employee productivity (r= 0.747, p=0.000), a moderate positive relationship between coaching and employee productivity (r= 0.627, p=0.000) and a moderate significant relationship between mentoring and employee productivity in Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (r= 0.535, p= 0.000). In conclusion, the findings of the study indicated that, career development, coaching and mentoring are influential factors of employee productivity at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. It was recommended that; Management of Uganda Broadcasting Corporation should organize training and seminars for the employees to increase employee skills, loyalty and competence making them more willing to work harder for the success of the university and that management of Uganda Broadcasting Corporation should consider instituting career counseling programs which will assist employees in exploiting their strengths and potential and avoiding mismatches between individual aspirations, capabilities and organizational opportunities.

The Work Adjustment of Expatriate Teachers Employed in Chinese Internationalized Schools: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology

Thesis

Nov 2023

Adrian Golis

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the work adjustment of expatriate teachers employed in Chinese internationalized schools. The theory guiding the study was Dawis and Lofquist’s theory of work adjustment. This theory explained the process of employee adjustment at the workplace as the result of job dissatisfaction leading to attempts at restoring the person-environment fit. The central research question was: How do expatriate teachers experience work adjustment in Chinese internationalized schools? The four sub-questions addressed the facets of work adjustment: activeness, reactiveness, perseverance, and flexibility. Chinese internationalized schools were an appropriate setting for the study because of the extraordinary work adjustment challenges in these institutions. The study employed a purposefully selected sample of 16 expatriate teachers who have worked in Chinese internationalized schools for at least one school year and have experienced work adjustment. Three data collection methods aided in gathering in-depth descriptions of participants’ lived experiences: individual interviews, written protocols, and focus groups. Data analysis relied on eclectic coding and van Manen’s hermeneutical framework. Four major themes summarized participants’ work adjustment experiences: discovering what lies behind the façade, trying to be a real teacher, navigating relationships with the paying customers, and trying to function in a multicultural work environment. Ryan and Deci’s self-determination theory aided the interpretation of findings and linked participants’ adjustment attempts to unfulfilled needs for relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Keywords: expatriate teachers, international education, Chinese internationalized schools, expatriate adjustment, work adjustment

Male Nursing Practitioners and Nursing Educators: The Relationship between Childhood Experience, Social Stigma, and Social Bias

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2020
Int J Environ Res Publ Health

Luis Miguel Dos Santos

The population of nurses and nursing educators is facing significant human resource shortages. One of the pathways to combat this shortage is to recruit male individuals. However, due to social bias and social stigma, the social context may prevent male individuals from joining. There are two purposes of this study. First, this study aims to explore how the childhood experiences of these male nursing practitioners and nursing educators influence their educational decision. Second, from the perspectives of male nursing practitioners and nursing educators, the study aims to explore how the participants describe the relationships between their childhood experiences and lived stories. Based on Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, the researcher collected data from 10 experienced male nursing practitioners and nursing educators in the United States. The general inductive approach was employed to categorize the themes. The results indicated that early life experiences, positive working experiences, and sense of belonging in the field of nursing always allowed the participants to overcome the social bias and stigma regarding the occupational bias of the nursing profession. The outcomes of this study provide clear recommendations to educators, policymakers, school leaders, and human resource planners to encourage gender social justice and improve their current curriculum for potential nursing professionals.

Recruitment and Retention of International School Teachers in Remote Archipelagic Countries: The Fiji Experience

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2019

Luis Miguel Dos Santos

In current school environments, teacher recruitment, turnover, and retention present significant problems, particularly for rural and remote international schools in archipelagic countries. Employing the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this study analyzed international school teachers with teaching experience at a Fijian international school about their career development, retention ideas, and the decision of teaching service. As there is not a large population of international school teachers in archipelagic countries due to the unique environment of the school and country, the researcher employed the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to better understand six international school teachers who have taught and are teaching at one of the Fijian international schools. The study categorized two directions for leaving and staying at a remote location. Participants indicated that the managerial styles, negative leadership, and limited social networking were the most significant challenges while respectfulness and simple living style were the most significant advantages of their Fijian teaching experience. As this study mainly focused on the issues for rural, remote, and archipelagic countries, the result of this study serves as one of the first blueprints for organizational leaders in those regions to improve their management styles in order to recruit and retain their skillful professionals.

An investigation into teacher turnover in international schools

Article

Apr 2009
J Res Int Educ

This study explored expatriate teacher turnover in international schools. Two hundred and eighty-one international teachers completed a questionnaire identifying which variables influenced their decision to leave at the end of their first contract. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, this study revealed that three causal factors were viewed as influential by the respondents; administrative leadership, compensation and personal circumstances. Qualitative data revealed that proprietary schools also suffer from the perception of operational decisions being driven by a profit incentive.

The Globally Mobile Teacher and International School Recruitment

Chapter

Dec 2024

Ian Gross

International schools in some form or another have been around for over a century and much of the research has focussed on what an international school is or what it is intended to do, and the focus on international teachers as a body of professionals remains unclear. In this chapter the author reflects on who these educators are and re-positions the notion of international teacher categories and posits more relevant definitions. The author observes an annual cycle from the point of recruitment, through induction, period of teaching, to when a teacher decides to stay or leave. Through this cycle, following the progress and development of the literature over the past two decades, the author argues how staff ideals have shifted focus, including an understanding of international teaching through the student context, and concludes that newer, globally mobile teachers have transitioned from a culturally bereft group to one of cultural sensitivity with a global outlook, and how Western teachers are being joined by Eastern counterparts, adding to the globalisation of education.

Becoming a new type of teacher: The case of experienced British-trained educators transitioning to the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme abroad

Article

Sep 2024
J Res Int Educ

This paper investigates the experiences of six British-trained teachers who moved from teaching GCSE in state-funded schools in England to teach in two separate English-speaking well-established traditional international schools in Northern Europe where they began to teach the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme (IBMYP). The nature of the IBMYP, with its student-centred focus and conceptual framework, deviates greatly from the dominant, typically prescriptive approach of the GCSE. The demands of the IBMYP, which are represented in the IB’s institutional pillars, exert significant influence over both new and experienced teachers to induce a change in identity as they gradually shift to becoming an ‘IBMYP Educator’. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic data analysis, this qualitative study examines teacher identity factors and seeks to understand the process of this identity shift. Using Goffman’s Frame Analysis, the themes are presented as metaphors, helping us to realise the experience of transition, as the teachers shifted from feeling temporarily de-skilled to re-skilled. A sense of authenticity and freedom was felt to be the eventual outcome after an initial phase of being ‘adrift’ and in unsettled ‘survival mode’.

Teachers in ‘international schools’ as an emerging field of inquiry: A literature review of themes and theoretical developments

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2023
Compare

Elink to paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/share/AWAJPAFRPJCCSHZMEFP3?target=10.1080/03057925.2023.2212110 This review article identifies the trends and developments regarding teachers in international schools from 1998 until 2022. International school teachers as a group are worthy of study as the number of schools delivering a curriculum in English outside of an English-speaking nation has grown considerably in recent years. Amidst continuous statistical growth there has been major structural changes as the arena has attracted a local middle class and the attention of commercial entities. As a result, the profit driven ‘non-traditional’ arena is now the dominant one, centred upon The Asia-Pacific and the Middle-East. This literature review analysed 69 peer-reviewed academic journal papers with regard to their thematic focus, methods, and theoretical frameworks. Three distinct phases of literature can be identified, with a sociological lens appearing after 2012 and a major period of growth beginning in 2015, and a large number of research gaps can be identified.

University teaching induction programmes. A systematic literature review

Article

Nov 2022

In recent decades, there has been growing concern about teacher preparation at university and the link to educational quality. As a result, higher education institutions have designed programmes to help faculty teachers further their development in their professional careers. However, the literature pinpoints a lack of empirical evidence on professional development (PD) policies at university level due to the limited tradition of research and evaluation at this educational stage. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the actions and programmes for the professional learning of new academics at university institutions. To this end, we conducted a systematic review of the international literature, based on 262 papers from three international databases, of which a total of 18 were analysed in depth. This study examines the types of programme, content and learning outcomes. The findings show that most programmes deploy mentoring versus other modalities, although duration and content are heterogeneous. In addition, mentor selection and training is revealed as a key element for programme success. Finally, we present a number of lessons learned that may be useful for university induction programme design.

الميزة التنافسية في المدارس الدولية وإمكانية الإفادة منها في تطوير المدارس الابتدائية الحكومية بمصر

Thesis

Full-text available

Oct 2021

Mahmoud Salama

The problem of the study was determined by the fact that primary education in Egypt suffers from a lack of competitive advantage because of a set of obstacles that prevent improving performance in the light of national and international standards; which increases Egypt’s delay from other countries in: • Having a good and comprehensive primary education is the cornerstone of the next stages of education. • Educating a generation capable of innovation and competition in all fields of science. • Keeping pace with technological and cognitive developments, this is due to the low level of the Egyptian primary schools educational outcome. These failures are surely moving from an educational stage to the higher stages of education. Study Results: The most important findings of the study are as follows: First: Findings of the theoretical study: The theoretical findings of the study were as follows: 1. International schools have a range of factors that helped them achieve a competitive advantage and provide a good educational service that ensures graduates' efficiency and raises the level of parent's ambition: Quality of curriculum, teacher competence, flexibility of management, quality assurance and accreditation. 2. International reports showed that Egyptian primary education suffers from many problems, including poor quality of primary education, low quality of mathematics and science education, low level of Internet access in schools, increased drop-out rate of primary education, twice the rate of expenditure on education, twice the level of satisfaction with the quality of education, and higher student-teacher ratios. 3. There are a number of obstacles that prevent the Egyptian Governmental Primary Schools from achieving a competitive advantage, including financial obstacles, poor organizational structure, poor quality of educational service, and societal participation constraints Second: Findings of the field study: The researcher concluded some findings from the field study as follows: 1. It’s necessary to monitor and identify Egyptian Governmental Primary Schools’ material and financial needs. 2. Periodic renovation and maintenance of the Egyptian Governmental Primary Schools are necessary to meet the engineering and educational requirements. 3. Medical materials for first aid must be available in schools, which is necessary for the safety of pupils in case of injury during the school day. 4. Primary school administrators should be selected according to the competency standards because they have a significant role in ensuring an organized educational environment. 5. There is a need to inform the governmental primary school administrators in Egypt about the administrative methods used in the international schools in order to apply them in the light of their capabilities and to improve the level of administrative operations in their schools. 6. The importance of promoting a culture of competitiveness among government primary school workers in order to understand and improve reality. 7. The importance of obligating schools to review their situation of accreditation if they are not accredited, as this may create a continuous motivation to study the current situation of schools and to try to improve it to obtain accreditation. 8. The need to require all teachers and administrators in school to submit a self-assessment report at the end of each class as this may enhance confidence between teachers and school management and allow for greater transparency with regard to performance reports. 9. Reducing teacher quorum from classes can help reduce pressure on teachers during the school day to prepare and deliver lessons using creative strategies. 10. The need to take care of the science, mathematics and technology exhibitions as they play a role in motivating students to innovate and innovate. 11. The importance of developing students' life skills through simulating reality, not through traditional methods. 12. The need to implement remedial programs for low-attainment students and to use teaching methods that are commensurate with their abilities to ensure an education level close to their peers. 13. The need to encourage pupils to accept difference and respect the other, which is one of the values of citizenship both domestically and internationally. 14. The importance of constantly updating technology in the classroom, given the significant role that technology plays in increasing student interaction with educational material presented within the classroom and promoting self-learning. 15. Greater reliance on e-learning resources in the delivery of educational content, where contemporary global trends emphasize the importance of e-learning and its expansion. 16. Reduce human intervention in correcting tests to ensure that students' grades or ratings do not meet or reject teachers' inclination to accept their answers. 17. Use e-learning games that challenge students' thinking and ensure their interaction during explanation. 18. There are a number of obstacles to the achievement of government primary schools with a competitive advantage: - Scarcity of land for high-density school construction exacerbates the crisis of high season density. - Poor salaries of teachers, which have problems such as poor performance of teachers in government schools, and their orientation of private lessons. The distinct orientation of them is to work in private and international schools. - The state of school infrastructure is low. - Scarcity of a qualified laboratory to conduct scientific experiments within school. - Poor continuous follow-up of schools. - Weakness of teachers' professional development programs in keeping with contemporary technological development. - Poor efficiency of teachers in applying comprehensive quality standards in education. - Poor parent culture in collaboration with school management. - Weak qualified assistance bodies such as specialists, librarians, laboratory technicians and doctors. - Central management of the educational system in Egypt. - Bureaucracy in doing business in a way that disrupts the development of the educational process. - Shortage of teachers in a very large number of Schools. - Weakness of teachers' trainings and development programs. - Scarcity of modern technological means in remote areas, both in schools and in pupils' homes. - Weak legislation governing the educational process - Current regulations and laws do not fit the desired objectives. The study concluded by proposing a series of procedural proposals that could lead to develop Egypt's governmental primary schools, which were classified into: 1. Procedural proposals for material and financial resources. 2. Procedural proposals for improving the organizational structure of primary schools and achieving the efficiency of human resources. 3. Procedural proposals regarding the quality of educational service. 4. Procedural proposals for improving the technological infrastructure. 5. Procedural proposals for improving legislation on primary education

Preparing the transnational teacher: A textual analysis of pre-departure orientation manuals for teaching overseas

Article

Aug 2016

The purpose of this article is to critically analyse pre-departure manuals for transnational teachers and to suggest changes to human resource development (HRD) professionals when producing future manuals. Drawing on the principles of critical human resource development theory, the study employs textual analysis to analyse manuals from nine different international agencies or schools that employ transnational teachers. The textual analysis identified three dominant themes in the data: Information not education, ‘good’ work habits as self-regulation, and the (dis)connection of professional and personal backgrounds. Study findings suggest that agencies narrowly rely on instrumentalist material to the detriment of personal and cultural knowledge and human agency of transnational teachers. HRD personnel in international educational agencies may wish to create future manuals that problematize taken-for-granted knowledge and promote teacher agency.

Reforming the Middle Years Curriculum in an International School: A Naturalistic Inquiry

Article

Aug 2009
J Res Int Educ

Richard Scagliarini

This dissertation reports on the experiences of a small group of teachers and administrators as they endeavoured to reform the middle years curriculum of an international school in Japan. This single case study is based primarily upon the observations of the researcher, a middle school teacher at the school and a key participant in the reform process. This study is positioned in the naturalistic paradigm which allows for the accumulation of sufficient knowledge to lead to a holistic understanding of middle years curriculum reform within this context. Reforming the middle years of schooling has received renewed attention in recent years. A new paradigm is emerging about the nature of schooling in this significant stage of life that is now recognised as crucial to the formation of attitudes, values, and habits of mind that shape the individual‘s identity and development as an adult. Despite the growth and status of international schools, very little is known about the nature and processes of middle years curriculum reform in this context. The central aim of this study was to provide a detailed and authentic account of the process of curriculum reform that can validate, guide and extend the current body of knowledge on middle years curriculum reform and is meaningful and useful to educators in the international school context. Three dimensions of reform emerged in this study: the process of reform, identified as a multidimensional and interconnected process that ventured through six identifiable phases; the product of the reform, the Humankind Curriculum, was found to have its core features grounded in shared understandings of effective middle schooling; and the dynamics of change, which revealed a professional learning community as the catalyst for change, with the interplay of relational trust, leadership, interpersonal relationships and collaboration as empowering the capacity for reculturing the middle school. While the findings contribute to the current body of knowledge on middle school reform in the international school context, they also provide direction for further discussion, exploration and research.

Cross-cultural transition: International teachers' experience of 'culture shock'

Article

Aug 2013
J Res Int Educ

Donna Roskell

Decades of 'culture shock' research has generally focused on student and business sojourners; few studies have examined the experience of teachers who relocate abroad to teach in international schools. This study addresses this imbalance and examines the perspective of 12 teachers who experienced cross-cultural transition in moving abroad to teach in an international school in South East Asia. An underlying assumption is that such teachers will inevitably experience some degree of culture shock. This study proffers a detailed description and analysis of the first year of these 12 teachers, delineating how they negotiated the stages of culture shock and whether they adjusted successfully. Their experience is also interpreted and discussed from the perspective of 'loss'.

The role of location in the recruitment and retention of teachers in international schools

Article

Jan 2011
J Res Int Educ

James Chandler

The ability to recruit and retain quality teachers is an important one for many schools. For international schools the issue can be complex, with teachers choosing (or rejecting) not just a school but a country. This article sets out to investigate the relative importance of school and country to teacher decisions about their jobs by surveying a sample of international school teachers. The results of the survey, and their possible implications for schools, are considered.

‘We Are in Transylvania, and Transylvania Is Not England’: Location as a Significant Factor in International School Micropolitics

Article

May 2010
Educ Manag Admin Leader

Richard Caffyn

This article looks at research undertaken into two international schools focusing on micropolitics and the importance of school location. Location appears to have a significant impact on the behaviour of those associated with each school, such as reactions to physical environment, local culture and clientele. These affect the micropolitical interplay between groups, as well as cause the creation of enclaves and subgroups, where individuals develop patterns of behaviour and lifestyle. Location offers a useful lens to understand both international school micropolitics and the pressures faced by management and leadership.

Perspectives on public relations training in international schools

Article

Oct 2005

Tristan Bunnell

Purpose Evidence from the UK shows that public relations (PR) in schools initially met with resistance but has since entered a second phase, that of “post marketisation”. But, it is still believed that unqualified and untrained administrators practise it in schools. Little formal research has been undertaken into this, especially among the growing body of schools called “international schools”. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach Research was undergone among the training background and needs of the PR practitioner (PRP) in 34 international schools in 22 countries worldwide. Findings Each school had a designated PRP who is largely untrained and unqualified. A range of induction and ongoing training needs were identified which do not presently seem to being met. Research limitations/implications This paper deals specifically with the diverse body of “international schools”. The findings cannot automatically be applied to other types of institution. Practical implications It is suggested that these training needs have to be met largely from within the school itself. Deming's four total quality management principles of “profound knowledge” are used to conceptualize what these needs might be. Originality/value This paper resurrects the issues and problems facing the practical implementation of PR in some schools. It raises the issue that international school managers ought to give more regard to both the induction and ongoing training needs of the PRP within their own institution, making it more of a “learning organization”. It also offers a pragmatic training role for the fledgling body called the “Alliance for International Education”.

International schools: growth and influence

Article

Full-text available

Incl. bibl. Recent years have seen an unprecedented growth in the number of international schools worldwide. Although these schools were initially set up to educate the children of globally-mobile expatriate professionals, "host country" families now increasingly consider international schools education as an alternative to the national system in which they lack confidence, and/or as a means of providing a competitive edge for their children in education and labour market terms. In an increasingly globalized world, "international-mindedness", concern for world peace, and the need for intercultural understanding has led to the inclusion of an "ideological" dimension in the mission statements of many such schools. This booklet provides an insight to the origins and characteristics of international schools, curriculum and assessment, students and teaching staff, and the management, leadership and governance of these schools. The booklet also discusses how international schools (usually private and fee-paying) might develop in the future against a backdrop of growing forces of globalization and other international influences. In all cases, attention is drawn to the implications of the issues discussed for both policy-makers and planners in national and international contexts.

Mentoring Beginner Teachers — issues for schools to anticipate and manage

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1993
Sch Leader Manag

The focus of this article is the school‐based mentoring process which supports the initial training of teachers in any of its present routes. We draw as much from practical application and experience of mentoring as from theoretical frameworks.

Teaching Academic Subjects to Diverse Learners

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1991

Mary Kennedy

This book presents 15 papers on the subject of what teachers must know for effective teaching. The book organizes the papers into three parts: Part I offers papers on teaching particular academic subjects, Part II offers papers on the diverse needs and types of students, and Part III offers conclusions. The following papers are in Part I: (1) "Policy Implications of Research on Science Teaching and Teachers' Knowledge" (C. W. Anderson); (2) "What Teachers Need To Know To Teach Science Effectively" (A. E. Lawson); (3) "Teaching Mathematics for Understanding: What Do Teachers Need To Know About Subject Matter?" (D. L. Ball); (4) "What Do Math Teachers Need To Be?" (H. Clemens); (5) "Parades of Facts, Stories of the Past: What Do Novice History Teachers Need To Know?" (S. M. Wilson); (6) "Social Science Knowledge and Citizenship Education" (J. A. Banks); (7) "Musts for Writing Teachers--Report from the Classroom" (T. Romano); (8) "The Knowledge Necessary To Teach Writing Effectively" (G. Hillocks, Jr.); and (9) "Teaching/Writing in a Community of Inquirers" (J. T. Gage). The following papers on student learning, cognition, and cultural backgrounds are in Part II: (10) "What Teachers Need To Know About Learning" (R. E. Floden); (11) "Teaching Children: What Teachers Should Know" (A. B. Anderson); (12) "Teachers, Schemata, and Instruction" (S. Engelmann); (13) "Culture and Teaching: What Do Teachers Need To Know?" (C. A. Grant); and (14) "What Teachers Need To Know About Cultural Diversity: Restoring Subject Matter to the Picture" (G. W. McDiarmid). The following paper is in Part III: (15) "Merging Subjects and Students into Teaching Knowledge" (M. M. Kennedy). (JB)

Management and Organizational Behaviour

Article

Jan 1993

J.L. Mullins

The Role of Mentors and Teacher Tutors in School Based Teacher Education and Induction

Article

Jan 1993
J Serv Educ

Mike Turner

In this article I set out to review the literature on the role of school based mentors or designated support teachers. I begin by discussing definitions and go on to suggest some roles for mentors and some elements required in their training. Having reviewed the literature from 1972 to 1991 I discuss the findings of my research into Induction in the primary sector and ways in which they might inform the ongoing debate on the use of mentors and mentoring in school based teacher training. I conclude by offering some suggestions for making mentor training more effective.

Multicultural Education in a Global Society

Article

Aug 1990

Planning a global approach making the multicultural curriculum global human rights - the core of the curriculum delivering a global approach resourcing a global multicultural approach learning for teaching.

Reducing Stress and Burnout through Induction Programs

Article

Oct 1989

Yvonne Gold

The quest for the international manager

Article

Mar 1991
Exec Dev

Kevin Barham

Describes how leading international companies are developing global managers. Stresses the need for an international spirit and international career development. Considers the role of management education and poses a challenge to business schools. Concludes that companies' ability to “think globally and act locally” depends on their success in building highly flexible yet cohesive international organisations.

Principals: The Guiding Light for New Teachers

Article

Jan 1997
Momentum

Describes a study of principals and beginning teachers at Catholic schools in Nebraska to determine what induction methods were most effective. Reports findings related to the expectations that principals and beginning teachers had of each other and differences between desired and actual assistance provided by the principal. Includes suggestions by participants. (AJL)

What New Teachers Need to Succeed

Article

Jan 1990

A national study found three sources for beginning teachers' expressed difficulties: (1) system-related problems such as inadequate orientation, equipment, and supplies; (2) such student-related problems as lack of motivation and undesirable behavior; and (3) personal struggles with self-confidence, time management, and organizational skills. (SK)

Teacher Induction Revisited

Article

Aug 1994

Kay Martinez

Four beginning teachers' experiences of induction programs in Queensland secondary schools are described. Interviews with principals and other senior teachers indicated keen and sympathetic awareness of the complexities of entry into teaching. The beginning teachers of the study complained that induction programs offered were inadequate, inappropriate, or both. These research findings are discussed in terms of the research literature and current official policy on induction in Queensland. It is argued that current induction programs are based for the most part on a deficit model of beginning teachers. Recommendations are made for further research in two main areas: critical examination of teacher induction, the term itself, its purpose and underlying theoretical assumptions; and context-specific studies of programs of support for new teachers.

School Effects on Teacher Socialization

Article

Jan 1992

Induction experiences of beginning teachers in schools that were classified as more effective or less effective on the basis of student achievement are compared. Classroom observations, interviews, and a “Beginning Teacher Questionnaire” were used to obtain information from teachers in the two groups. Three areas of socialization were examined: assistance, monitoring, and team‐building. Results indicate that historically more effective schools were more supportive of their beginning teachers. In addition, outcome data regarding teacher performance provides evidence of more effective teaching among teachers in more supportive schools, even though initial teacher effectiveness, levels of experience, and educational attainment were not different for the two groups.

Induction: A View From The Teachers' Organisations

Article

Jan 1991

Meryl Thompson

The induction year experience in a cross-cultural setting

Article

Jul 1995
TEACH TEACH EDUC

A new teacher's first year in the classroom is when he or she begins to establish a professional identity, to negotiate a place in the school as well as the classroom. It is a continuation of the acculturation process begun in practice teaching to a new culture, the culture of the school. In Canada, many newly graduated teachers are faced with an even more demanding acculturation task. A sizeable number find themselves hired by an Aboriginal school board and transported to a new community culture, often with neither formal training nor informal experience of Aboriginal cultures. To date, no studies of this acculturation to both school and community cultures and the impact it may have on the beliefs and practices of beginning teachers have been reported in the literature. This case study documents the experiences of a first-year teacher in a small Aboriginal community, describing the ways in which she developed and modified her beliefs about teaching in order to create a sense of self-efficacy in the cross-cultural classroom.

Effective School Management

Article

Jan 1996

Incl., biographical notes on the authors, bibliographical references, glossary, index

Staff induction: The changing scene

M Butcher

First impressions: How they affect long-term performance

R George

Teacher induction: A success story

H Louks

Anyone for induction?

Weymouth College
Team

A needs perspective on the induction process

G Ellis

Supporting newly qualified science teachers

J Wheatley
L Mckeever

The induction jigsaw

C Anglim
M Hayes

Resourcing induction training

D Bailey

Integrating your new employee into the organization

L Segall

London: Institute of Personnel and Development

A Fowler

Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting and Orienting New Employees

D Arthur

Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives

J A Banks
C A Mcgee

Managing the Learning of History

R Brown

Multicultural Management

F Elashmawi
P R Harris

How to Design and Deliver Induction Training Programmes

M Meighan

Personnel Management for Effective Schools

J T Seyfarth

Effective Induction and Training

L R R Smalley

Cultural Diversity in the Workplace

S J Walton

Professional Development in School

J Dean

Successful Induction

J Skeats

Managing Continuing Professional Development in Schools

H Tomlinson

Effective Employee Orientation

L A Jerris

Staff Induction: Issues Surrounding Induction into International Schools

Abstract

No full-text available

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