English teacher contracts: Negotiating

7. Some schools will also sneak into a contract that a teacher’s responsibility is to ‘obey to the rules of a school and any changes made to those rules’. Again, this could mean absolutely anything – and you could find yourself having to adhere to some completely pointless rules. This is what happened to me when I found myself having to pay a fine or failing to switch my computer off after work! Some employers do like to take advantage, so be aware of that.

8. Part of the job benefits include provision of an apartment, such as in countries like China or Korea. Make sure the contract states whether an apartment is included, and what furniture is included in the apartment. E.g.. Sofa, TV, beds, washing machine, etc. The contract should also state whether you pay for bills, such as electric and water.

9. Sometimes a school may provide free food – perhaps one or two meals a day - if so – get it down on paper in the contract.

10. Be clear about how many students you will have in your class (minimum and maximum) and of their age range. If this is not mentioned, you may end up with 50-100 students in a big stadium, teaching through a microphone!

11. Never agree to sign a contract before leaving your home country. Employers may request to do this – but the best thing to do is read and read again-and only sign when you’re in the job location and have a chance to negotiate anything you’re unsure about.

12. Last of all, remember anything you negotiate with your employer calmly but firmly. It will be difficult at first, but remember you’re a guest in a foreign country, offering your services as an employee and you are

entitled to your rights!

(These are merely parts of advice as learnt by my experience of teaching English overseas.)