Ted O’Connell: Portrait of an International Educator

What continues to draw Ted and Michelle O’Connell back to the world of international education is a sense of intellectual freedom and exploration that allows teachers to try new things with curriculum while maintaining high standards. Additionally, the O’Connell’s love their new friends, whom Ted says tend to be “outgoing, adventurous, and spirited.”

Ted describes what brought him back to the Search Associates a second time:

“I love how personal the fairs are. Having one (or more than one) associate whom you can ask for advice, talk out your decision-making process, or just get some encouragement, really sets Search [Associates] apart. The fairs are extremely well organized, and even though Cambridge is one of the largest fairs, it never felt like there were too many candidates [or] too many schools and recruiters …one of the great benefits of the fairs is meeting people and making connections. I love that you can be competing for the same position with someone sitting at your table in the candidate lounge, and yet strike up a great friendship.”

Ted also praised the format of the ever-improving Search Associates website, which allowed him to search for positions in various regions of the world, as well as different grade levels and subject matter. He was grateful for a website that allowed him to communicate by email with international schools prior to the fair. This enabled him to set up interviews for the [Cambridge] Fair ahead of time. Ted emphasized,

“…if you use the website well, it can make the fairs a really positive experience, where recruiters are already familiar with you, and you are already familiar with the schools.”

Candidates like Ted will tell you that pursuing the path of the international educator is an exciting and rewarding choice. Those who wish to combine a passion for teaching with a desire to explore other cultures must face certain challenges: considering other countries in which to live, choosing schools, applying for positions, making decisions on the best match, and moving to another country. Fortunately, Search Associates has dedicated the last 25 years to assisting candidates like Ted and will continue to help pave the way for successful careers in international education worldwide.