Is ISR worth the $40? Can a non-teacher sign up?

[Puspawarna]

A year or so ago, as a result of a heated discussion on this forum, I came across International Schools Review. At the time I perceived it as a place for disgruntled employees with unreasonable grudges, but now I'm not so sure. I didn't sign up, but I got far enough into the process that I get regular e-mails from them advertising their latest articles and updates. I have to say, they come across as extremely professional with a worthwhile service, and I'm sort of changing my mind about them.

I have no real reason to sign up, as I'm not a teacher myself. But the articles look like such good reading - and of course it would be interesting to hear what people in the know are saying about the schools around here, if anything.

Does anyone have an opinion about this site? Would I be allowed to sign up, since I'm not affiliated with an international school except as a parent? Does the site contain much input related to schools in Jakarta? How far back in time can you check comments? (Because if I did sign up, I'd be curious to read about some things that went on at several schools a few years ago, always assuming there was anything posted, of course.)

BTW, if anyone has answers to the questions above but doesn't want to "out" themselves on the forum as a possible contributor to ISR, feel free to send me a PM with your thoughts instead. I won't tell anyone you've joined the site.

Thanks in advance.

[travellingchez]

I'm not a member at the moment but I was when I was looking for jobs. It saved me from accepting a position at what sounds like a hellish school in the Middle East going from the reviews and what I found out through other sources.

I believe you can join as a parent as there are some parent reviews on there. In particular about a certain school in Bali that has been mentioned here a few times. It's also useful to find out how administrators are viewed not just at their present school but at previous schools. I should add that some of the reviews should be taken with a pinch of salt as some are from disgruntled employees and other aren't so much comments about the school but the culture or the place the school is in.

There are quite a few Jakarta schools and other Indonesian international schools listed. Some make for interesting reading. You can read the reviews from as far back as they were written.

[Puspawarna]

Thanks ... my husband will probably laugh at me ("you just want to read gossip!") but I'll probably sign up.

[travellingchez]

The 'gossip' is quite interesting though ;p

[Puspawarna]

An update for anyone wondering whether to join: first, at the moment (September 2012) the cost is $29, not $40. Second, while it does have a lot of information on the site, that has to be the single worst website I've ever encountered in terms of navigation and usability. I even tried switching browsers - usually I use Safari, but the site was so impenetrable that I opened up Firefox to see if that would be better, as some sites aren't compatible with Safari - but no, Firefox did nothing to help. That is one gawd-awful, ugly site. If I taught web design I'd want to use it as a case study for what not to do.

The information it provides is a bit scattershot; some schools have several reviews, others only a snippet that doesn't help much. Also, while the reviews are sort of given dates, the dating system is done in a vague, unhelpful way that makes it unclear if the conditions being described in the review are likely to persist into the present or not. I suspect that is deliberate, to help maintain the anonymity of reviewers, but it weakens the effectiveness of the information provided.

Information on administrators is especially sparse, despite the fact that for a teacher considering an employment offer, I would assume that is one of the most important things to check. (I know for a fact that teacher morale at one school here was adversely affected by a totally psychotic principal a few years ago; there is only the faintest retrospective hint of this in reviews that were written AFTER that individual was fired.) However, the best solution to that is not to avoid the site; the best solution would be if more people joined and wrote reviews. It's pretty clear that some of the reviews are just the result of disgruntled employees venting, but others seem valid. More voices would mean more credibility.

Bottom line - if I were a job-seeking teacher in the international school arena, I'd say it is worth the $29 as long as you don't set your expectations too high, as there might or might not be detailed, current info on a school that interests you, and the collateral info and the message board would surely be worthwhile. Also, teachers should write more reviews of the schools they are familiar with.

As a parent, I probably wouldn't bother to join if my time/resources were at all limited. If the school is SO bad that it or its administrators get repeated horrible reviews (and there is at least one international school, in Bali, that is roundly criticized in a way that leaves little doubt that the place is currently a disaster), I'm guessing that there will be enough buzz in the community that a parent who does due diligence will hear the same things elsewhere. On the other hand, if you have $29 to spare, don't mind the awful navigation, and realize that after you've paid up you may not learn anything really detailed about the schools you are considering, then why not. (Some of the gossip IS interesting.)

That's my review of the review site

[travellingchez]

Just to add the forum part of the site is free for all to use not only those who pay.

[snowbeavers]

It's worth it if you are recruiting. I've used it for a number of years but you have to take reviews with a grain of salt. It is a small sample size but can you give you insight to dig a little deeper. Worth it IMO.

[kingwilly]

Not worth it in my opinion. Mainly disgruntled employees and out of date advice. Teachers should use their own PLN and their recruitment company for information, as Puspwarna mentioned for parents the buzz will be out there anyway.

[Sky Garden]

If the school is SO bad that it or its administrators get repeated horrible reviews (and there is at least one international school, in Bali, that is roundly criticized in a way that leaves little doubt that the place is currently a disaster), I'm guessing that there will be enough buzz in the community that a parent who does due diligence will hear the same things elsewhere.

Would that be the school which was the subject of some recently deleted threads in this forum?

[travellingchez]

Would that be the school which was the subject of some recently deleted threads in this forum?

Yep that would be the one.