This article examines the developing discourse of international-mindedness and the problematic nature of its theoretical foundation alongside its actual manifestation in international school settings. In particular, it explores the discord between international-mindedness as a benevolent form of character development compared to international-mindedness as an opportunistic form of social and global mobility. Against this competing backdrop, the article also looks to identify distinct features that differentiate the concept of international-mindedness from other more established ideologies, including those related to interculturalism, multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism. The assumption that international-mindedness is perpetually situated within a moral code of conduct is challenged and analyzed critically, along with implications for schools.

This study explored the characteristics of the international educator through a qualitative analysis of initial decisions to teach abroad. Using interview data from 30 Anglophone educators based across three international schools in China and the Netherlands, the investigation looked beyond surface motives to explore the deeper values which propelled educators overseas. Dominant characteristics included a high value ascribed to travel, as well as a high value ascribed to change and/or risk. How international educators came to ascribe these values was often explained through critical incidents during their formative or young adult years. Analysis of critical incidents suggested that early or repeated exposure to travel, including study abroad experiences, contributed significantly to the development of predispositions towards international employment.

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This study uses a chronological lens to examine North-American teacher experiences in international schools abroad. Using semi-structured interviews, teachers compare their experiences in the United States or Canada with their experiences in international schools abroad. Findings suggest that struggles associated with being the 'other' in a foreign country often transformed a superficial intercultural awareness into a deeper intercultural understanding among teachers. Despite this broader understanding, not all teachers made explicit connections to their professional practice.

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