Hello. Teachurrrr here. I can't speak about what happened the year before since I was not here, yet my experience at ILBC has been very positive. I have worked at ILBC from May 26th 2011 until the present. I plan to sign on for another year as do most of the current teachers I believe.

About ILBC, it is an IGCSE School, not a language academy, providing an English curriculum education for students from primary through secondary. I teach Secondary and I have to say our curriculum is for the most part solid and we have a good library with resources to bolster the curriculum. It's a proper school. Since I came here, the Managing Director has been nothing but sincere and welcoming. In my opinion, he models the mission statement in action and word. The Human Resources Department has also on the ball, well-organized, and very helpful. They always have time for us when needed. Most of our local colleagues have their Master's or PhD in Education and have been teaching for 20 - 30 years. Many of them have been at ILBC for 10 - 20 years. Retention of teachers speaks well of any school. Currently, we have about 8 - 9 foreign teachers whose qualifications vary - language teachers with BA's and CELTAs/DELTAs and licensed teachers with a Bachelor’s or Master's from their home countries. Most have had at least 6 years to 20 years teaching experience in a handful of countries. There is much variety (America, Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, Philippines, and even Zimbabwe - formerly Rhodesia). Two of the foreign teachers have even been here for a long time (one teacher for 8 years and one for at least 14 years or more). Foreign teachers are welcome to stay long term if they wish. This also speaks well of the school.

I do not get the impression that the school is "out to get" the foreign teachers as is suggested on some websites. We are treated kindly by admin and staff. We walk through the hallways going to class with a polite nod to each other or sometimes smiles. This is much better than glaring eyes and hatred exuding as people walk by. We are included in every ceremony, concert, assembly, and field trip (if we wish to attend). I have never been made to feel unwelcome.

About the students, I have never seen a school culture like this. Our students speak English as if they are native speakers. Foreign teachers can speak normally (instead of a snail's pace) and students do more than comprehend, they excel. They know idioms and quite often use slang for fun. They are asked to speak English at school and actually do it with policing. It's a school and kids will be kids, but with the application of a little classroom management (we all have our different styles), they are respectful, diligent, and a lot of fun. I am very impressed with the school culture of respect. I have only seen our local colleagues, staff, and admin model this culture.

Some things can be authoritative (show me a school that can avoid this eventuality), but it has never infringed on my teaching methodology. We are allowed to teach effectively and participate in as many facets of the school as we wish. We are expected to be effective in the classroom. Our children sometimes bring us little gifts to say thank you. Their parents are kind and appreciative. We get to see them around Yangon and are treated quite well. I have been teaching for 12 years and only at ILBC did my students, on the last day, kneel down as a group and "pay homage" to me (as they do with their local teachers) to say thank you. What an impact! Talk about a "tear-jerker."

About the facilities, they’re sound. We have two main buildings with working elevators and our own offices (shared with colleagues) that are air conditioned and have computers/Internet. The classrooms can be a bit small versus the number of students in each class (17 – 25 at most), yet it works. We have room to move around the classroom and desks are brought together to interlock and make work stations for group activities. We have a library and a very nice video room. We have an excellent gym, basketball court, and an outdoor canteen with proper foods or snacks, Myanmar style. There are also local restaurants and cafes near the school for lunchtime if one prefers and even a new sushi bar next door to the school with ac and Wifi. It’s a proper campus.

About salary and cost of living, Yangon has a handful of International Schools that pay teacher salaries and housing allowances ranging from US$1,600 + $500 HA to US$2,300 + $500 HA. ILBC's salary for foreign teachers is at the top of this group. On top of the "teacher food chain" are the salary packages at Yangon International School, International School Yangon and International School Myanmar. These are accredited via CIS and/or WASC, have AP or IB, and hire via Search Associates or ISS. Thus, ILBC has been quite generous in my opinion. I have taught at accredited "IB" international schools in other countries (hired through Search Associates) and my salary here is higher, the bureaucracy less, and the school culture better.

Housing prices in Yangon have gone through the roof, but decent apartments within the usual $500 housing allowance are out there. It can be difficult but one just has to be patient to find the right place. Usually your students (and their parents) are a good point of contact. They usually have a family member who has a place to rent and they are not real estate agents trying to charge you incredible amounts far beyond the means of most teachers.

Cost of living as always can vary greatly. It is possible to spend US$500 a month for food, taxis, and shopping for necessities. If one likes to go out clubbing, then double it.

About leaving the country, foreign teachers have to leave Yangon for Bangkok every 70 days (immigration rules) but the school pays for the flight and reimburses US$100 for the cost of the visa and a hotel for one night. Yes, most of us spend more than this amount but it is not a big deal (at least to me). Some teachers love having paid for trips to Bangkok. Others grow tired of it, but we have to do it.

About insurance, we do not have insurance through the school but local doctor visits are not so expensive and one can even get a comprehensive insurance plan from Thailand for about $400 if desired. Also, we have 3 doctors and a clinic at the school. So far, if I have a cold, virus, or mild case of the flu, they treat me at the school and provide medicine at no charge. As a bonus, they speak English very well and are kindhearted.

About flights home, we do not receive flights home at the end of each contract, unless we are leaving the school for good. It would be nice to have the ticket home, but once again it’s not a big issue for me since our salary is quite generous.

About living in Yangon, the people are friendly enough and it is safe. It lacks the infrastructure we are used to from our home countries and other Asian countries. Things are improving, but there are broken streets and sidewalks, many very old taxis, and many places lack paint. Yet, we are not in Kansas anymore. Power goes out around the city often, but most people have generators to compensate. It is quite livable here if one is flexible. For luxury, there are 5-Star Hotels, world class buffets, clubs (if you like), restaurants with many types of foreign food, pubs, sports, expat communities, etc. It is quite easy to get around using English. Sometimes, it can be a bit isolating but other times it can be quite social. In my opinion, is much easier to find western amenities (foods) or get around here than Korea, Japan, or Vietnam.

About vacation, we get a solid week off (7 - 9 days) in August, October, 10 days at Christmas, and 5 ½ weeks in the summer. Some teachers choose to stay home and rest while others explore the country or take off and visit nearby countries (Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, etc). Jet-setting teachers, oh my.

There have been teachers who were disgruntled, but I have seen this happen at every school in every country in which I have taught. Yet, there are teachers who are happy here and plan to stay as long as they will let us.

To sum up, it’s a really good place to work but it is what you make of it. Your salary will be more here than in most SE Asian countries. They pay every month and the pay on time. I arrived on May 26th a few days before Term 1. On May 31st, they reimbursed my flight to Myanmar (expected) and paid me for the 6 days in May (which was unexpected). Basically, I received an extra US$700. The other new teachers received the same depending on when they arrived. These are not the actions of a school out to get people. There is a deduction (25% of your salary) for the first four months. Yet, if teachers have to leave before the end of the contract, this is returned to them (I know of two examples to confirm this). Also, teachers who were here before me said not to worry because it is returned to us during the summer break. You can look at the situation two ways: 1) the school shouldn’t hold our money or 2) I’m glad they do it because it helps me save around $2,400 dollars so when we receive 2 months full salary and the retainer in March, I am going on vacation with a hefty sum. I have no problem with the deduction as option 2 is how I look at it. Yet, others might take issue with it. Lastly, before I came to ILBC, I researched the salaries it offered teachers over the years (2000-2011). Every few years, there is a sizable raise to compensate the rise in cost of living. Check it (Google) and see for yourself. Again, this is not the action of a school out to get people.

I have had a wonderful year at ILBC and highly recommend it. It has been rewarding personally and professionally. I am proud to tell people I meet in Yangon and at home that I work at ILBC. Since there are some negative comments floating around about our school, I want potential teachers to also hear about the positive. Cheers.

Teachurrrr