Back to School Tips for Teachers Teaching Abroad
A new school year is here, which means classrooms are filling up again, teachers are getting organized, lesson plans are being prepared, and that familiar back to school excitement is officially underway.
If you’re teaching abroad, though, the start of a new school year can feel a little different.
Maybe this is your first year teaching overseas. Maybe you’re returning to a school you already know. Or maybe you spent your break travelling, exploring your new home and trying very hard not to think about lesson planning.
Wherever you are in your teaching abroad journey, the beginning of a new school year is a great time to reset, get organized and make sure you’re actually enjoying the experience you signed up for!
Here are a few back to school tips for teachers abroad to help you start the year on the right foot.
1. Give yourself time to settle back in
It’s tempting to jump straight into work mode when school starts, especially if you’ve spent your break travelling or visiting home.
Try not to put too much pressure on yourself right away.
Getting back into a routine takes time. Your sleep schedule might be a little off, your apartment might need some attention and you may have forgotten where your favourite grocery store is.
Give yourself a little time to get back into your normal routine before expecting everything to feel completely organized.
And if you’re new to the country, remember that you’re adjusting to much more than a new job. You’re learning how to live somewhere completely new.
2. Get your classroom ready, but don’t try to do everything at once
The beginning of the school year can make you feel like you need to have every lesson planned for months in advance. That’s not the case!
Think about what your students need to know, what routines you want to establish and how you want your classroom to feel. Once you have those basics in place, the rest becomes much easier.
If you’re teaching in a country where classroom expectations are different from what you’re used to, spend some time watching how other teachers do things too. You may pick up some incredibly useful ideas simply by paying attention.
3. Learn your students’ names as quickly as you can
Learning your students’ names shows them that you see them as individuals, not just a group of kids sitting in front of you.
And when you’re teaching abroad, building those relationships can be especially important. Your students may be curious about where you’re from, your accent, your culture and why you decided to move across the world to teach.
Use that curiosity to your advantage! Ask questions, learn about their interests and try to find out what they like to do outside of school.
You don’t have to become best friends with your students, but showing genuine interest can go a long way toward building a positive classroom environment.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask your coworkers for help
One of the biggest mistakes teachers can make when starting a new job abroad is feeling like they have to figure everything out themselves. That’s not true!
Your coworkers have already navigated the things that are currently confusing you. They know how the school works, where to get supplies, what the students are like and which forms need to be completed.
Ask questions and lean on your co-eorkers! Even if you’ve been teaching abroad for years, every school is different. Getting to know your coworkers is also one of the easiest ways to start building a social circle in your new home.
5. Establish a life outside of school
Teaching abroad can easily become your entire life, especially during those first few months.
You go to work, come home, plan lessons, make dinner, sleep and repeat. While challenging, try to build some routines that have nothing to do with your job.
A few ideas to help build your routine:
- Find a coffee shop you love
- Join a gym or sports group
- Take a language class
- Explore your neighbourhood
- Find other teachers who live nearby
- Pick a weekend morning to go exploring
Your teaching job is a big part of your experience abroad, but it shouldn’t be the only part. Some of your best memories may happen after the school day ends!
6. Expect a few homesick days
Even if you absolutely love teaching abroad, you’re probably going to miss home sometimes. That doesn’t mean you made the wrong decision!
You can be thrilled to be living in South Korea and still miss your family. You can love your life in Japan and have a day when you would give anything for your favourite meal from home.
The beginning of a new school year can sometimes make homesickness feel stronger because you’re settling back into a routine.
Keep in touch with the people you love, but also give yourself permission to be present where you are. You moved abroad for a reason. Make sure you leave some room to enjoy it!
7. Take advantage of your days off
You don’t need to plan an international trip every time you have a day off.
Some of the best ways to experience your new home are much simpler:
- Visit a neighbourhood you haven’t explored yet
- Take a train to a nearby town
- Try a restaurant you’ve been walking past
- Visit a museum, market, park, beach or hiking trail
You don’t have to travel far to have an adventure!
And if you’re exhausted after your first week back at school, staying home and watching Netflix absolutely counts too.
8. Make a realistic budget for the school year
The start of a new school year is also a good time to take another look at your finances.
Teaching abroad can be an incredible opportunity to experience a new country while earning a living, but your spending habits can change quite a bit when you move overseas.
Take a look at your monthly expenses and think about what you want your money to do for you this year:
- Are you hoping to travel?
- Save money?
- Pay off debt?
- Build an emergency fund?
Having a goal makes it much easier to decide whether that spontaneous weekend trip is something you can comfortably afford.
And yes, you can still say yes to the occasional spontaneous weekend trip!
9. Remember why you moved abroad in the first place
Once the excitement of moving overseas wears off and the school year gets busy, it can be easy to forget how big of a decision this actually was.
You packed up your life and moved to another country and that’s pretty amazing.
There may be difficult days, there may be frustrating days and there may even be days when you question what on earth you were thinking.
But there will also be moments when you’re walking home from school, exploring a new city, sharing dinner with friends, or watching the sunset somewhere you never imagined you’d live, and you’ll think, “I can’t believe this is my life.”
Those are the moments worth remembering!
Thinking About Teaching Abroad?
The start of a new school year isn’t just a great time for current teachers to reset. It can also be a great time to start thinking about your own plans for the future. If teaching abroad has been sitting somewhere in the back of your mind, now is a good time to start researching!
Look into different countries, learn about the requirements, compare salaries and benefits, and think about what kind of teaching environment would suit you best.
At Footprints Recruiting, we work with teachers looking for opportunities in countries including South Korea, Japan, China, and more. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you start exploring your options.
Sometimes the first step is simply finding out what’s possible!
Apply Now
Useful Resources for Teaching Abroad
Have some questions before you apply? We’ve got you covered! You can always contact us with your questions. Additionally, we’ve put together a wealth of resources to help you along every step of the journey. We are always updating our blog with more useful information so please check back often!