Every year, The Columbus School welcomes a new group of teachers, each bringing their own experiences, teaching styles, and cultural expectations to Medellín. But with these arrivals also come departures, as international educators move through different stages in their lives and careers.

“We had 11 new teachers this school year. Out of those, three were for new positions, and eight decided not to continue at the school,” said HS principal, Mr. Paul Navarra.

The reasons for these departures are as varied as the teachers themselves. Some come to Colombia for a few years of adventure and professional growth, while others eventually move on to new opportunities in different countries or return home.

“Some teachers come down here to live in Colombia for two to three years, and then they want to go to another country, kind of hopping around to explore the world and teach internationally,” Navarra said.

But while turnover is expected in international schools, TCS has consistently attracted talented teachers who leave a lasting impact on students and the school community.

“We have some teachers who’ve stayed long term, like Mr. Beauchamp, Mr. Summers, and Ms. J. They’ve become part of the heart of this school,” Navarra said.

Yet beyond the logistics of contracts and career moves, deeper reasons often shape a teacher’s decision to stay or leave. For many international educators, adjusting to Colombia’s cultural norms — particularly in the classroom — has proven both rewarding and unexpectedly challenging.

“I came to Colombia thinking classroom management would be similar to what I experienced in Asia, but it wasn’t. Students here are much more outspoken,” one of the MS departing teachers said.

One of the biggest adjustments cited by teachers is the cultural attitude toward authority. While students aren’t disrespectful by intention, their confidence in negotiating rules and questioning authority often surprises foreign educators.

“It’s not that the kids are bad or intentionally break rules — you have a culture of entrepreneurship here. Students are always looking to negotiate, even in small things,” another MS departing teacher said.

Rather than seeing this as defiance, some teachers chose to embrace it, using these negotiations as teaching moments and opportunities to build mutual respect.

“I studied business, so it felt natural for me to communicate that way — to negotiate back with the student and find common ground,” Mr bandura, MS, departing principal, said.

However, not every educator adjusted easily. Some struggled to manage both student behavior and parental expectations, finding that they had to adopt new strategies to maintain authority and support their students.

“I had to go back to the basics of behavior management — building respect, setting clear expectations, and earning trust one conversation at a time,” MS departing teacher said.

To cope with these challenges, teachers adapted by borrowing techniques from outside education, integrating business leadership tools like one-on-one check-ins, goal setting, and incentive systems to create a structured environment where students felt heard but understood limits.

“What I’ve learned is that it helped me improve my communication skills and taught me to look at every situation in context. It’s not black and white,” Mr. Bandura said.

Despite the ups and downs, most teachers agree that their time at TCS has made them better educators. The school’s supportive community and opportunities for personal growth have left a lasting impression.

“It’s made me a better teacher, a better listener, and honestly a more patient person. I’ve learned so much about cultural differences and how to navigate them,” MS departing teacher said.

And while departures are inevitable in the international teaching cycle, those who leave carry with them valuable memories of the students they taught and the colleagues they worked alongside.

“At the end of the day, no matter where you’re teaching in the world, it’s about building relationships. The lessons you leave behind won’t always be what was on the board — it’s how you made students feel,” MS departing teacher said.