Professional isolation in international teaching - and how to combat it

Why working in international schools can be isolating

International teaching offers a unique and rewarding career. But it comes with a challenge that doesn't get talked about enough: professional isolation.Most teachers spend the majority of their time in the classroom, interacting with students rather than peers. This can limit the time available to build relationships at work, leading to feelings of loneliness. School leaders or middle managers may also feel isolated because their position in the hierarchy makes it difficult to form relationships with other staff.

On a professional level, if teachers don't feel well-supported professionally, they can end up feeling ‘left behind’ compared to peers.

Staff in international schools are particularly prone to feelings of isolation due to:

• School size: If the international schools is small in size, teachers may not be part of a department or have colleagues who teach the same subjects. 
• High staff turnover: This can have an impact on staff relationships and morale. Unfortunately, high turnover is a fact of life in teaching where turnover is high due to heavy workloads, burnout, feeling undervalued and concerns about mental health. And the sometimes temporary and transitory nature of international teaching can add to this.
• Challenges of living abroad: As well as the challenges of fitting in at a new school, living in a different country can be tough for international teachers, especially if you don't speak the local language. For many new school teachers starting teaching in a new country, it takes time to get set up on local systems, find a place to live and build social networks from scratch — all of which can feel very lonely. 
• Geographical isolation: Working in an international school often means starting a new life away from friends and family. So when staff are cut off from support systems back home, it compounds feelings of isolation. It’s particularly hard for those who arrive without family or connections.

For new international teachers, the first few years in a new role are especially hard. Starting a new job is demanding and leaves less time for building social connections outside of work.

Next, let’s look at how professional and personal isolation takes its toll.

How feelings of isolation impact international teachers

Feeling isolated can impact school staff at all levels in the following ways:

• Limited opportunities for collaboration and support: if you don't have subject-matter peers, there’s nobody you can turn to to share planning, get support with your workload or discuss new ideas with. 
• Limited professional development opportunities: Peer observation and benchmarking are great ways to learn and improve, but they may not be available if you’re a department of one. In this case, you can also miss out on feedback on your teaching practice, practical improvements and subject-specific knowledge-sharing. Some schools may also be less willing to invest in subject-specific development resources for just one person.
• Demotivation: It’s harder to keep motivation high when you’re working alone, especially if you feel your efforts go unnoticed.
• Burnout: High turnover can add to the pressure if remaining staff have to pick up extra work while a replacement is found. 
• Poor mental and physical health: To varying degrees, we all need human relationships and the lack of them can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction, loneliness, anxiety, depression and even physical ill health.

The good news is, there are a few things you can do to avoid professional and personal isolation, which we’ll look at next.

How to avoid professional isolation

Here are some things you can do to combat feelings of isolation.

1. Find solutions within your school

Even if you’re a department of one, you can still make professional connections. For example, by building relationships with colleagues across year groups or subject areas. This can open up new opportunities for collaboration and learning, even if they don't teach the same subject as you. A humanities teacher, for example, might find common ground with a history or geography colleague when it comes to research skills or essay technique.

Coaching and mentoring also offer valuable support (more on this below). A mentor doesn't even have to be an expert in your subject to help you reflect on your practice, set goals and stay motivated.

If your school doesn't have formal coaching or mentoring in place, it's worth having this conversation with your leadership team.

2. Build community beyond your school

Making connections outside of school can really boost your career development — and enjoyment of your work. It can even lead to personal friendships.

Look for subject-specific online communities or professional learning networks on social media. There are lots of educator communities and international subject associations out there.

If your school has budget, ask to attend relevant training events and conferences. These are another great way to connect with peers who understand what you do and could even lead to opportunities for collaboration with other institutions.

Of course, it shouldn’t all be on teachers to find solutions, so let’s look at what schools can do.

What school leaders can do

Isolation doesn't have to be an inevitable part of international teaching. Much of it can be prevented - if schools take it seriously.

Leaders can focus on making themselves visible and available to staff, which can make a huge difference to morale, especially for new staff. Regular informal check-ins, an open door policy and communicating across varied channels all tell teachers they are seen and valued. Appraisals are also important, but these should be two-way, not just a top-down performance review. Creating a safe space for teachers to raise concerns lets leaders act fast before frustrations escalate and teachers go elsewhere.

Mentoring and coaching can help to develop professional skills and emotional resilience. Not to mention reducing stress, boosting confidence and reducing feelings of isolation. Best of all, they work for all levels of experience. New teachers get feedback and support to develop and deal with challenges; established staff get a sounding board for new approaches and reflecting on practice. Either way, it benefits the whole school - not just the individual.

Finally, professional development is key to any teacher retention strategy. Allocating budget and making teachers aware of opportunities shows you care about their growth. Be sure to provide subject-specific opportunities for teachers who are the only ones in their field at the school.

Professional isolation: A challenge and an opportunity for international teaching

Professional isolation is an overlooked challenge in international teaching. However, while it’s rarely discussed, its effects on motivation, wellbeing and career development are very real.

The good news is that there’s a lot teachers and schools can do to avoid it becoming a problem. Like providing support, professional development and opportunities to build connections at and beyond the school.

So if you’re an international teacher feeling isolated in your role, you’re not alone. Talk to your leadership team, reach out to your professional community and start building the network you need.