International School Interviews: How to Get Hired Teaching Abroad

ITP - 127 Dr. Liam Hammer, Head of School at the International School of Zambia [ https://www.isl.sch.zm ] joins us live from an orientation dinner. Liam shares his fascinating journey from a teenage dream of teaching in remote Papua New Guinea to leadership roles across five countries. Our conversation explores the essential role of onboarding in teacher retention, the reality of navigating cultural norms, and the often-overlooked salary disparities in international schools—what Liam terms “passportism.” He also dives into his academic work, including publishing research on leadership, special needs, and equity in international education. With wit and humility, Liam discusses balancing multiple hats as a school leader, the evolving nature of international schools, and the powerful draw of teaching abroad. His candid insights, stories of immigration mishaps, and deep passion for educational equity make this episode both eye-opening and inspiring for aspiring and seasoned international educators alike. Dr. Hammer is on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-hammer/?originalSubdomain=zm You can see one of his TeDx videos here at: https://youtu.be/mX3VnuxuejA?si=X51e4CQUiXinI0qM The International School of Zambia is located in Lusaka. You can find it here: https://www.isl.sch.zm/ Chapters (00:00) Introduction and Onboarding in Zambia (02:13) Liam's International Teaching Journey (04:52) The Importance of Teacher Onboarding (07:52) Navigating Salary Disparities in International Schools (10:39) The Role of Local Teachers and Cultural Integration (13:29) Research on Salary Inequities (16:30) Publishing and Academic Contributions (22:27) Exploring Leadership in International Schools (23:58) The Importance of Equity and Special Needs (24:55) Onboarding: A Key to Teacher Retention (28:58) Balancing Multiple Roles as a School Leader (35:27) The Draw of International Teaching (39:53) Final Thoughts and Reflections on International Education The International Teacher Podcast is a bi-weekly discussion with experts in international education. New Teachers, burned out local teachers, local School Leaders, International school Leadership, current Overseas Teachers, and everyone interested in international schools can benefit from hearing stories and advice about living and teaching overseas. Additional Gems Related to Our Show: Greg’s Favorite Video From Living Overseas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQWKBwzF-hw Signup to be our guest https://calendly.com/itpexpat/itp-interview?month=2025-01 Our Website⁠ - https://www.itpexpat.com/ Our FaceBook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/itpexpat ⁠JPMint Consulting Website - https://www.jpmintconsulting.com/ Greg’s Personal YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs1B3Wc0wm6DR_99OS5SyzvuzENc-bBdO Books By Gregory Lemoine: ⁠"International Teaching: The Best-kept Secret in Education"⁠ | by Gregory Lemoine M.Ed. ⁠"Finding the Right Fit: Your Professional Guide for International Educator Recruiting Fairs and Amazing Stories of a Teacher Living Overseas⁠" |by Gregory Lemoine M.Ed. Partner Podcasts: Just to Know You: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/just-to-know-you/id1655096513Educators Going Global: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/educators-going-global/id1657501409 Relative Hashes: #internationalteachersday #internationaleducation #overseaseducation #internationalschools #education #teacherburnout #teachersalarynews #teachersalary #teacherrecruitments #overseaseducatorfairs