ITP - 83: An Aussie Teaching Music in International Schools

Greg: Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your host Matt the Family Guy, Kent the Cat Guy, Jacqueline from JP Mint, and Greg the single guy bringing you episodes from around the world about the best kept secret in education. You got it—international teaching. Welcome to the show. This is Greg coming at you from the ITP, the International Teacher Podcast, once again. And with me is JP. How you doing, JP?

JP: Good morning from Mexico.

Greg: It seems like it's always morning over here. Well, it is always morning. I don't know why we do that. It's a timing thing, JP. It works out perfectly. I rolled out of bed, made my coffee—you saw me eating my peanut butter toast right on air—and now we are ready to greet somebody on the other side of the world in Thailand. Peter Padgett. Hey.

Peter: Hey, guys. Yeah, you're talking about just rolling out of bed. I'm about to, well, I would say roll into bed, but we're on Chinese New Year holiday, so I'll probably roll out somewhere else.

Greg: That's a very good point. Happy Chinese New Year, everybody. The Year of the Dragon—that was a couple of days back, right?

Peter: Yeah, a couple of days ago.

Greg: Happy Lunar New Year for the other parts of the world that celebrate in their own different ways as well. So where are you right now while you're talking with us, Peter?

Peter: So I'm in Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai was my first international gig some eleven years ago. Yep, Chiang Mai in Thailand. And after that, I've been coming back. I just stopped myself from coming back as often as I did because it's just a really beautiful place. I don't know if you guys have ever been, but it's such a nice mix. You can relax here or you can be a bit crazy. The only thing it misses is a beach, and for some people that crosses it off the list.

Greg: Because Chiang Mai is up in the northern part, correct? In the highlands? And you're just visiting there now, on vacation for Chinese New Year. Where are you going on vacation from then? Where are you teaching or living right now?

Peter: Yeah, so I'm based in Guangzhou. I'm working at the American International School of Guangzhou. I just started this year. It's my fifth year in China. I was at two other international schools also in Guangzhou, but in a different part. That's where I first met Jacqueline.

Greg: Okay, wait a second. Let’s go a little timeline here. I know you’re anxious. My gosh, you two together. Give us a little bit more from the beginning—where are you originally from, how did you get into international teaching, and then work your way up.

Peter: So I’m originally from Australia. That’s where I started playing music. I’m a band teacher—I didn’t even get to that part yet, did I? I started playing trumpet and piano when I was in primary school. As I was playing and enjoying it, I got to a point where I was like, I’m really enjoying music and people are telling me I’m good at it. So let’s go study music. But I will never be a teacher. So I ended up studying classical piano and did my undergrad. At the end of my undergrad, I was like, what am I going to do? There’s not much—you’ve got to be in that top 1% of performers to really make it as a classical musician. And as good as I was, I wasn’t quite that good. I’d been conducting a local community band and teaching private one-on-one lessons. So at the end of my undergrad, I thought, let’s give this teaching thing a go. I did my one-year grad dip ed and started working in public schools in Australia, in Brisbane, Queensland. Trying to get permanent work in Brisbane was really tricky. So I went to a more rural town called Childers. For those who know Australia, it’s not the middle of nowhere, but it’s a very small community—about 3000 people when I was there. I did three and a half years there, and something was still missing. I was enjoying it, the programs had grown, and we had great results, but eventually I heard about international teaching and started to research it.

Greg: Do you remember how you heard about it?

Peter: I have vague recollections of hearing about it during my teacher training. We were talking about different types of schools—public, private, independent—and then international schools. That was the first time I kind of heard about it. Then they never spoke about it again. So in about my third year in Childers, I thought, what was that international teaching thing? I started digging around online, reading bits of information, and eventually found Search Associates and other sites like TES. At first, I thought some of the offers looked too good to be true. Then I saw low salaries in places like Thailand and thought that couldn’t be right either. I hadn’t traveled much at that point, so I didn’t really understand how it all worked. Then I attended an information session in Brisbane with Nick from Search Associates. That opened the world a little more. I went to a job fair and ended up with a job in Chiang Mai. And that was eleven years ago.

Greg: So you went out eleven years ago. How long did you stay in Chiang Mai?

Peter: I did one year in Chiang Mai. There’s a story behind that that may or may not come up during our chat. Then I ended up at a school in Macau, of all places, for five years.

Greg: Wow.

Peter: Yeah, it was such an interesting situation because of what had happened in Chiang Mai. I still had permanency back in Australia. You can take something like seven years leave without pay. So this was kind of a do-or-die situation where if the school in Macau worked out, I’d stay as long as I could. If not, I’d go back to Australia and leave international teaching. My school back in Australia was putting pressure on me to decide because they couldn’t replace me permanently. Fortunately, the school in Macau—Macau Anglican College—was lovely. It’s not for everyone. Some people struggled with Macau. It can be quite insular. But growing up in smaller communities in Australia helped prepare me for that. I stayed five years in Macau. Then I decided it was time to try something new and get that “gold ticket” of IB experience.

Greg: Because Macau was British curriculum, right?

Peter: Yes, Cambridge curriculum when I was there. They had started Cambridge in secondary but hadn’t introduced music as a subject yet. I had one very passionate student who wanted to study music for IGCSE and A Levels. So I ended up teaching Cambridge music on Saturdays for three students. It made for some really special Saturdays. I’m still in touch with that student. He’s now finishing a postgraduate degree in classical voice in the UK. I’ve had alumni reach out even years later to meet up. Those are the moments that make it all worthwhile.

Greg: I have a question—where is Macau exactly?

Peter: It’s in the southern part of China, off the coast near the Pearl River Delta. Hong Kong is on one side, and Macau is on the other.

Greg: That helps our listeners picture it. What was it like financially? Could you save money there?

Peter: I could have saved more. I probably lived a bit too much of the lifestyle. Some people saved well. It depended on choices. Housing was an allowance built into salary, so you could choose where to live. I chose a smaller place closer to school. Others chose bigger places further away. It was nice to have that flexibility.

Greg: So after Macau?

Peter: I wanted IB experience, so I interviewed with a school in Guangzhou in mainland China. I thought it wouldn’t be too different since it was close to Macau, but it was very different. Chinese cities are massive. Where I was, it was a two-hour metro ride into central Guangzhou. It was very local, which added to the challenge. But that’s part of international teaching—not everything is easy. That’s where I started my IB experience. In my second year, I met Jacqueline.

JP: Yes, online.

Peter: Yes, during COVID. I was stuck out of China during Chinese New Year when things started getting complicated. I stayed six months in Chiang Mai, then returned to Australia for four months. I was 38, living with my parents again. The trip back was surreal—empty airports in Bangkok and Hong Kong during COVID. It felt like a movie scene. After ten months teaching online, I got back into China and completed my second year. Then I moved to another school to gain American curriculum experience at NCPA. I spent two years there.

Greg: Let’s talk a little bit about the different curricula you’ve worked with.

JP: With each move, you’ve added something—British, IB, American. That really builds your resume.

Peter: Yeah, and I think it’s also about moving with intentionality. I didn’t just leave Macau because I wanted a new place. I wanted to grow professionally and experience different systems. For me, it’s about working in schools that are rigorous, that believe in what they’re teaching, and that invest in teachers so teachers can support students.

Greg: It definitely builds your resume when you have IB, British, and American experience. When you walk into interviews, you’ve got a lot more options.

Peter: And it’s not just having it on paper—you need to understand it. There are real differences between British curriculum, American curriculum, and IB. You need to be able to speak to those differences and show how you’ve applied them.

JP: And leadership opportunities came along the way too.

Peter: Yeah, in my second school in China, I became co-chair of the department. It was interesting because it was a very established team. I came in with the mindset that they knew more than I did, and that helped. At my current school, I also stepped into a leadership role in the visual and performing arts department. It’s very collaborative—we challenge each other and make decisions together.

Greg: Let’s talk about differences between teaching in Australia and overseas.

Peter: It’s hard to generalize because every school is different. In Australia, there are certain guarantees—curriculum, systems, expectations. In international schools, everything can be different—curriculum, students, resources, culture. The only guarantee is that every school will be different. That’s why interviews are so important. You need to ask the right questions.

JP: And housing is one of those big questions.

Greg: Every school handles housing differently. You might live alone, with roommates, on campus, or off campus. It can be a huge part of your experience.

Peter: Exactly. And what works for one person might not work for another. You have to figure out what matters most to you.

Greg: Let’s take a quick moment to tell listeners how to get in touch with us. You can find us at itpexpat.com. You can email us at [internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:internationalteacherpodcast@gmail.com). We also have a Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/ITPexpat. And you can find us on Instagram at ITPExpats. Thanks to listeners from over 100 countries. Let’s get back to the show.

JP: Let’s switch to music. Do your schools provide instruments for students?

Peter: It depends on how established the program is. In newer programs, there are conversations about budget, what students need, and whether families will buy instruments. In more established schools, they usually have enough instruments for students to get started.

Greg: Every school seems to start with recorders in elementary.

Peter: Yes, and recorders can actually sound beautiful—just not always with beginners.

Greg: I love talking with music teachers on the show. There’s a real community around music in international schools.

JP: There are groups like Music Teachers in International Schools and AMIS.

Peter: Yes, AMIS is great. They run festivals, conferences, and workshops. It’s a great way for music teachers to connect and support each other.

Greg: I want to ask an ITP question. What are three things you need in every country?

Peter: My instruments—especially my trumpet and my granddad’s trombone. A gym or some way to exercise. And my laptop for gaming to relax after work.

JP: And do you have a police or immigration story?

Peter: Yes, I do. I grew a beard for a few months, and when I crossed the border into Macau, my passport photo didn’t match. Immigration questioned me because I looked different. I had to show multiple forms of ID. They eventually let me through, but I shaved the beard when I got back.

Greg: That’s a great story.

JP: That’s exactly the kind of story we love. Any advice for teachers thinking about going international?

Peter: It’s a personal decision. Know your reasons for doing it. You won’t know everything until you get there, and that’s okay. Be open to opportunities, even ones that weren’t your original plan. And reach out to teachers at schools you’re considering. Ask questions and learn from their experiences.

Greg: That’s great advice. Peter, thank you for joining us.

Peter: Thanks for having me. It’s been great.

Greg: And we’ll see you next time.