How educators prepare students for real life

Christopher Roche didn’t start his career in education. Like many who eventually find themselves in classrooms, his path there was winding. He began exploring criminology and forensics at university, but found the subject wasn’t the right fit. After taking time to reassess his goals through various jobs, he eventually discovered a calling in education through volunteering at a nursery. 

That short volunteer experience shifted everything. It sparked a curiosity that turned into a career. Today, Chris is Head of Science at a British curriculum school in the UAE, where he’s spent the past six years building both student performance and educational systems that work.

With a background in environmental science and over a decade of international teaching experience, Chris has taught in schools across Qatar, UAE, and China. He’s also worked as an examiner for over 13 years, which has given him deep insight into how students are assessed, how teachers are evaluated, and how learning happens across different contexts.

Chris draws from a wide range of experiences and applies them deliberately in the classroom. He brings both subject knowledge and lived insight to his students in ways that feel grounded and relevant. Chris is one of those educators who deliberately weaves life skills into his lessons. He talks about budgeting, insurance, and debt alongside biology and chemistry. His classes cover science, but they also cover survival. For students who will soon enter adult life, that matters.

This article is part of the Business Insights Series, where we talk with professionals about how their experiences shape the work they do. Chris shares what it means to lead science education in international schools, why he talks about pensions in his lessons, and how school names affect career paths. We also explore what’s often left out of formal systems: the “hidden curriculum,” and the economic realities of teaching abroad.

Teaching science, talking life

Chris teaches science, but he spends just as much time discussing real life with his students. His classroom may be focused on A-level biology or GCSE chemistry, but the conversations often stretch far beyond formulas and exam questions.

“So I share a lot of my own personal life experience with them… You’ve got to be aware of this.”

These life lessons aren’t written into the syllabus, yet Chris considers them just as essential. He regularly covers topics like how to build financial independence, avoid consumer debt traps, and think critically about career choices and job markets.

“Just in case you haven’t been told, life is hard. It’s unfair, and you’ve got to get used to it.”

Chris approaches these conversations with the goal of helping students feel equipped for what lies ahead. Chris approaches these conversations with the goal of helping students feel equipped for what lies ahead.’

Research validates this approach. Educational scholars define the “hidden curriculum” as “what is implicit and embedded in educational experiences in contrast with the formal statements about curricula and the surface features of educational interaction”. . 

Chris walks his students through real-world examples: how small financial decisions can spiral, how lack of planning leads to difficult trade-offs, and why understanding credit or insurance early can make a big difference later. These lessons reflect a realistic and practical view of the challenges students may face, offered in a way that is clear, useful, and grounded in everyday life.

In one example, he describes how “buy now, pay later” schemes can quietly erode disposable income. A laptop purchased on installments might seem like a good idea, but if an unexpected bill comes up the following month, that repayment plan suddenly tightens the budget further. Chris wants his students to recognise these patterns before they experience them firsthand.

His approach aligns with what he refers to as the “hidden curriculum”: the things that are critical in adult life but rarely covered in schools. From debt awareness to pensions to basic emotional resilience, Chris integrates these ideas directly into his teaching. He believes these insights can help students manage uncertainty, avoid preventable setbacks, and build more informed lives.

This philosophy fits into a broader concern shared by educators about a mismatch between academic preparation and real-world readiness. And while some might argue these topics belong at home, Chris sees no harm in reinforcing them at school, especially when many students aren’t hearing them anywhere else.

The path from deli counter to department head

Chris’s path into education began with curiosity and exploration. As a teenager, he considered various directions and initially enrolled in criminology and forensics, drawn by the subject’s popularity and cultural influence at the time. After realising the fit wasn’t quite right, he used the opportunity to explore different roles and reflect on what kind of work felt meaningful. That process led him toward education, and eventually to a career that matched both his skills and values.

“My aunt said, Chris, you’re very good with kids. Have you ever thought about maybe being a teacher? And I was like, well, no, not really.”

That simple comment from a relative nudged him toward a new path. He started volunteering at a nursery, working with two- to four-year-olds, and then moved into a primary school setting with year six students. The experience was fun, but Chris quickly realised he wanted more challenges. He found the early childhood setting engaging but not mentally stimulating enough. The academic side of primary education appealed to him more.

From there, he became a teaching assistant at a middle school, focusing on supporting science and maths. The role gave him a strong foundation in classroom practice and a deeper understanding of student learning. Over time, he became eager to lead lessons himself and contribute more directly to how students engaged with the material. That motivation inspired him to pursue formal qualifications and step fully into the teaching profession.

So, he enrolled in university to study environmental science, a subject that combined biology, ecology, and geography, and which came naturally to him. After completing his degree, he chose the QTLS path into teaching, which is often linked with further education settings. 

This route offered him a practical and focused entry into the profession, working with students aged 14 and over. While it came with some constraints in terms of UK secondary school access, it set the stage for his move into international education, where his qualifications and expertise opened new doors.

“I sent out loads of CVs to different places, and I got offered a job in Qatar. And I started my career out there.”

The move abroad opened up new professional and personal opportunities. In Qatar, Chris took on both teaching responsibilities and leadership roles, eventually becoming Head of Science. He contributed to curriculum design and developed department systems that supported student achievement. 

His subsequent roles in China and the UAE added new dimensions to his expertise, allowing him to work within different school cultures and refine his leadership style. These international experiences helped him build adaptable, consistent practices in environments where staff changes were common and continuity was key.

He’s also worked as an examiner for 13 years, which has sharpened his understanding of assessment standards, curriculum shifts, and how exam boards interpret student work. This role, combined with classroom leadership, helped him shape a teaching style that focuses on both academic performance and long-term student development.

How school reputation shapes career paths

In international education, where you’ve worked can shape your opportunities. Chris observed that even when his results were strong and his systems well-established, the school names on his CV often carried more weight in hiring conversations than the outcomes themselves.

“It took me four years to get a head of science post again… because I went head of science down to teacher, and then worked my way back up.”

He noticed that recruiters sometimes use school reputation as a shortcut to gauging candidate quality.

“Oh, you went to this school, you went to King’s. Okay, King’s is a good school, you must be good.”

This can make it harder for educators from lesser-known schools to stand out, even when their work has had a real impact. Chris’s experience shows how career growth sometimes depends on visibility as much as capability, but it also highlights what’s possible with persistence, reflection, and steady improvement.

After stepping into a teaching role at a smaller school, Chris used the time to refine his methods, mentor colleagues, and rebuild momentum. Over several years, he re-established himself as Head of Science and brought those lessons forward. Rather than being discouraged by slow recognition, he focused on becoming even more intentional about how he worked, taught, and led.

His journey raises broader questions about how schools and systems recognise talent and how individuals can still thrive by focusing on consistent impact, no matter the context.

Retention depends on more than passion

Chris talked openly about what keeps teachers in their jobs. For him, it comes down to three elements: a reasonable salary package, work-life balance, and location quality. If even one of those is off, the entire experience becomes harder to justify, especially for educators working internationally, far from home and support networks.

“As long as those three pillars are satisfied, people will stay… but if they’re not paid enough and it’s a bad school, people will leave.”

He explained how schools often prefer to hire single teachers because of lower associated costs. For employers, it’s a practical decision: less expense on housing, flights, and visa support. But it has ripple effects. Teachers with families bring experience and long-term thinking to a school, yet they’re sometimes overlooked because they cost more to retain.

This can create an imbalance in school communities. Chris described how teachers with dependents often feel forced to stay even when circumstances become difficult. The risk of losing housing, income, or a future reference makes it hard to leave mid-contract. That kind of professional entrapment adds stress to an already demanding job.

“If you’re family, you can’t do that. You have to serve out your time to make it easier to transition onwards.”

Schools with high turnover struggle to provide consistent experiences for students. When educators rotate every one or two years, curriculum continuity suffers. Relationships don’t have time to develop. Teachers spend more energy onboarding than building. And students, especially in critical exam years, feel the disruption most.

According to Chris, economics plays a significant role in teachers’ decision-making about staying in a role or moving on. While passion and dedication are essential parts of the job, financial sustainability and practical conditions shape long-term commitment. Many educators find the most fulfilling roles when they’re supported both professionally and personally, including with a package that allows them to build a stable life.

Results don’t come from luck

Chris sees strong academic results as a product of structured systems, clear expectations, and open communication with students. To him, consistency is the driver of outcomes, and clarity is what empowers students to improve.

“When I give someone a B, they know why I’ve given them a B, why they’re a B, and what they need to do to get to an A.”

That kind of clarity is the result of structured systems Chris designs intentionally: through aligned assessments, structured grade reviews, and a shared understanding of what success looks like. Chris maintains detailed records of predicted grades and actual results, not as a formality, but as a reflection tool to track what’s working and where gaps might form.

He’s not just interested in isolated success. His approach involves building out a department that can function smoothly even when leadership rotates or teachers move on. That means investing in processes, documentation, and staff development that carry over from year to year. His goal is to create a structure that doesn’t depend on any one person, but benefits from everyone understanding how it fits together.

“Having clear systems and consistent support in place can make a real difference in student outcomes, sometimes by as much as a whole grade.”

This systems approach is supported by educational leadership research. Studies emphasise the importance of “organisational capital” in school performance, showing “a positive and statistically significant association between organisational capital and school performance, measured in terms of attainment”. The same research indicates that “organisational capital is not just embodied in senior leaders, but also in others within the workforce who contribute to leadership and management”.

Christopher’s comment reflects the often unseen efforts that many teachers contribute: supporting curriculum planning, offering emotional support, and maintaining quality across the board. The feedback loop between leadership, planning, and teaching has become part of his model. Yet he also recognises that this work often isn’t visible in formal evaluations. It doesn’t get mentioned in reviews or recruitment decisions, even when it shapes the culture and results of a whole department.

Conclusion: What schools don’t measure

Chris Roche brings a practical, grounded voice to what teaching looks like in international schools. He prepares students for life, not just for exams. His story reveals a side of education that often escapes performance reviews and policy documents: the small, consistent actions that shape young people’s futures. It’s about showing up, filling the gaps no one asked you to fill, and teaching students how to navigate life as much as pass their tests.

He doesn’t do it for recognition. Most of the work he described: the hidden curriculum, the effort to build systems, the financial lessons slid between biology chapters, isn’t officially acknowledged by many institutions. Yet, these are the efforts that build trust with students, ensure continuity, and help create future-ready young adults.

It also reveals how teachers navigate complex systems, where school branding shapes careers, compensation doesn’t always reflect contribution, and job satisfaction is tied tightly to financial and lifestyle factors. Chris’s story is also one of adaptation: to job markets, cultures, and career ceilings that don’t always reward what matters most.

If you’re a business leader or decision-maker, this story might prompt you to reflect on your own workplace. Who holds the hidden curriculum? Who prepares others without being asked? Who supports your newer team members not because they were told to, but because someone had to?

And if those people left tomorrow, would you even know what you lost?

If you’re curious how to retain and empower the right people in your business, or how to apply the idea of hidden curriculum to company culture, let’s talk.