What Do Effective International School Teachers Do (and Believe)?

Abstract

This mixed methods study examined the beliefs and practices of effective teachers in East Asian international schools. We used maximum variation sampling to select 30 teachers from schools in East Asia (Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam) who were nominated by their principals as being effective, based on student academic success, positive relationships with students and families, and significant contributions to their educational program. We observed and interviewed each teacher using standardized protocols. While the observational findings revealed that the teachers’ practices (including instructional planning, student engagement, instructional delivery, and assessment) were consistent with the extant research regarding effective teachers in schools in national systems worldwide, the interview data revealed three areas that differed substantially as measures of their work: the critical role of collaboration within their roles, teachers as curriculum designers, and the necessity of systemic thinking related to school and cultural contexts.