Olivia Avis Lesbirel

I was inspired to apply after seeing friends move abroad to teach in international schools. I noticed how their confidence in teaching had grown and how they were able to enjoy a healthier work-life balance compared to the UK. I found the opportunity incredibly enticing, as it allowed me to support children from all over the world and help ensure they each have access to the same high-quality learning experiences. Also, I witnessed teachers that were able to engage in further training and move on to middle leadership roles within their first few years of teaching. This has enhanced their career and provided them with a multitude of opportunities, enabling them to continue to grow both professionally and personally. This is something I aspired to as I began my own teaching journey.

I am a classroom teacher in Lower Key Stage 2, in year 4. My role includes teaching a variety of topics within the primary curriculum and supporting children by using a range of teaching strategies. I implement interventions and work collaboratively with parents to support children in progressing and achieving/exceeding their targets within school. Our school is a five form entry school which means we work collaboratively to plan lessons and topics.

There are many highlights of my role. I enjoy collaborative planning meetings with my team to discuss how we can drive the year group forward. I have loved planning subjects, creating resources and lessons based on the needs of the cohort as well as planning enrichment days to support children’s learning such as Greek day and Viking day promotes a love of learning and curiosity for the children. Within writing we have ‘hook’ lessons where we immerse the children into their new writing topic and it allows the children to become engaged and enthusiastic for their next topic.

Working collaboratively in a larger team was initially a new and challenging experience for me, as I had not experienced this before. However, I now view it as an opportunity to share ideas, build relationships, and work together to provide the best possible support for the children. It allows us to share best practices and enables us to create new and engaging experiences for the children on their learning journey. This was extremely beneficial to me as a newly qualified teacher and provided me with many learning opportunities too, such as observing my mentor and other teachers within the school, to learn more about schemes of work and how to implement a range of strategies within the classroom.

There are so many memorable moments to choose from, as my first two years of teaching have been filled with incredible experiences working within an international school. We celebrate international day which allows us to experience and explore all the diverse nationalities within our school community.  It is an amazing experience that promotes inclusion and diversity throughout the school – something I was not exposed to back at home. Children dress in their traditional clothing and bring food in too. We celebrate by having a feast, dancing to music from around the world and showing appreciation to one another. I have learned so much from the children and my colleagues about their traditions, religion and culture. I have also had opportunities to contribute to the school through extra curricular activities. I was fortunate enough to co-lead a dance club where we took children to a dance festival. We were able to collaborate and connect with other schools within Qatar and celebrate the children and their enthusiasm for Dance, whilst showcasing their talent.

During my time here, I have benefited from a range of professional development opportunities, which have strengthened both my subject knowledge and my overall confidence as a teacher. This year, I have taken on the responsibility of Geography Lead, which has allowed me to share my subject knowledge, passion and enthusiasm with colleagues. I have supported staff throughout the year and on inset days. We worked closely to develop long-term and medium-term plans and introduced strategies to enhance the teaching and learning of geography across the school.

In the future, I would like the opportunity to step into a middle leadership role.  I feel that our school provides various opportunities to progress within your career. We have three campuses which allows us to apply for middle leadership positions there too.

I would recommend working at an international school overseas as I have learned so much in the short time I have been a teacher. I have adapted to working in a school where every child has English as an additional language. This has allowed me to use a range of teaching strategies to support my students, whilst also trying to learn theirs too! If you are a newly qualified teacher, our school offers an ECT programme for you to complete whilst you are here. You will have a mentor and will receive the support you need whilst also maintaining a better work life balance. As a new teacher, moving away from home, this is a great opportunity to immerse yourself into your career and find a love for teaching without experiencing some of the challenges you may face at home. I am fortunate to work with experienced mentors and be part of a collaborative team. My first two years of teaching within my school have been filled with support and encouragement that has helped me grow in confidence as a teacher.

Adjusting to life abroad is challenging at first but you quickly adapt. At first, it will be a challenge to adjust to life abroad, including the school’s climate and environment, as it may seem different to schools at home. However, you quickly adapt and it is an amazing experience to work in a school with people of all backgrounds, all with the same goal, to support and keep the children within your school safe.