Reasons for picking Malaysia

• To travel and explore somewhere tropical.
• To immerse themselves in a new culture.
• To take their career to the next level.
• For a new challenge.
• To rejoin old pals.

Biggest worries about moving abroad

It’s normal to feel nervous about moving thousands of miles across the world. To help reassure you, here’s a list of what teachers were worried about:

• Moving to a religious country.
• Setting up their home as a single person.
• Relocating the family.
• Leaving family and friends.
• Whether they’d like it.
• Having to make friends.
• Settling into a new culture.
• Adapting to new subjects.
• Following different exam board requirements.

Any of those sound familiar? Whatever’s holding you back from moving abroad, remember there’s loads of support out there for expats. There’s also plenty of things you can do to help you feel at home in your new city. Read on to find out what teachers did to get ready for their new roles.

Preparation stage

We asked them what they did to prepare for teaching in an international school. Here’s what they said:

• Browsed websites online.
• Read Lonely Planet guides.
• Asked for and received help from the school HR team.
• Reached out to colleagues.
• Chatted to their friends who already lived there about the location and lifestyle.

There’s plenty you can do before you go, so if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t worry, just take it one step at a time, and remember, you don’t need to do everything at once.

Biggest challenges when looking for a job overseas:

• Understanding the context of the school and international expectations.
• Not knowing much about the schools.
• Being unfamiliar with the area.

Moving to a new country and starting a new job, you wouldn’t be human if you weren’t feeling anything. But trust us, you’ll soon grow to love it. Have faith in yourself, you’ve got this.

Biggest differences between job roles in the UK and overseas

When we asked teachers about their international jobs in comparison with their previous roles in the UK, they were delighted at some of the changes like:

• Better student behaviour and attitude. Many teachers put this down to cultural differences and the fact that the schools were private.
• The ability to have more freedom in leadership decisions.
• A multicultural teaching community.

What teachers loved most about teaching in Malaysia

Have a nosey at the reasons why teachers enjoyed their international roles:

• The people and students.
• The opportunities for travel and adventure.
• Being able to meet new people from different cultures.
• The lower cost of living and being able to save money.

Inspiration and top tips from the teachers

Working in an international school is the perfect opportunity for personal growth and the best way to boost your career progression.

To wrap up our case study, check out the advice from the teachers: 

“Do it! It’s a fantastic experience. Research the school you intend on going to first!”

Eve Shilton, Maths teacher, Garden English School, Malaysia

“Make the jump, it’s a great move and you learn so much about people and schools. You can develop your teaching to another level and bring new experiences into the classroom.”

Iain Sallis, Head of School and Campus Principal, Tenby Schools Setia Eco Park, Malaysia

“Think about the potential savings you can make. To know the level of English of the students in the school. To look for the student enrollment and if it is resign or falling”

Benedict John, Teacher of economics and business, Tenby, Malaysia