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Anyone heard of Meddeas school?!

 
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shiningstar21



Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 13

PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:37 am    Post subject: Anyone heard of Meddeas school?! Reply with quote

I've been offered a job of sorts in Spain, Andalucia.

Its bascially a grant, but i'd be a language assistant doing 16 hours per week for 675 euros for children. There's no housing/other provided, but spain is much cheaper than UK.

The company is called Meddeas, has anyone heard of this?
I don't have any teaching experience expect a TEFL course, so is this a good offer?

Also, a big downside is that becuase it's a grant if i leave half way through the term, i have to give all the money back...

Help?
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jonniboy



Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 751
Location: Panama City, Panama

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds appalling, especially the requirement that you'd have to pay back all the cash if you left early. There a number of reasons why you might need to do that so it's best to keep options open for the many what ifs.

Yes Spain is cheaper than the UK but not so much that you can live comfortably on a miserly amount like 450/475 euros a month which is probably what you'd have after paying accommodation, especially in the bigger cities. Have they given you any idea of where you'd be based?

Do yourself and other teachers a favour and tell these cowboys where to go.
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RoisinDubh



Joined: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree, sounds ridiculous. It's hardly a 'grant', is it? You'll be WORKING for them as a paid employee, so they should be obliged to pay you for the work you do. Tell them where to go. There's plenty of legit work around, even in Andalusia.
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mariano71



Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Posts: 2
Location: Pamplona, Spain

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey shiningstar21! I'm actually a language assistant with the Meddeas programme this year, I started back in September.

Meddeas is only 2 years old so not a lot of people have heard about it yet. Like you I had no teaching experience before this, but it has been a really good way to try out teaching in a controlled way, because your role is as a teacher's assistant where you have far less responsibility but you still get an insider view on the whole teaching process.

With this grant scheme, you get 675 euros a month but it's reasonable considering you only work 16 hours a week and Meddeas also provide you with a university course during your stay.

I think the main reason someone would participate in this programme is because it gives you a taste of teaching, let's you get firsthand experience without the full heft of responsibility for a class. It's a chance to experience Spanish culture and earn yourself a new qualification.

I'm working in a primary school at the moment and I'm really enjoying it. The kids are great, the staff is so obliging, and the hours are ideal. You have plenty of time to enjoy the country and learn the language. I'd honestly recommend the Meddeas language assistant programme to anyone.
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sheikh radlinrol



Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 1222
Location: Spain

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mariano71 wrote:

Meddeas is only 2 years old so not a lot of people have heard about it yet.

Only 2 years old, Mariano? The website says it�s been running for 20!
This sounds like a scam.
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mariano71



Joined: 28 Dec 2012
Posts: 2
Location: Pamplona, Spain

PostPosted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yo sheikh radlinrol! The website states the executive team has 20 years experience in this area of consultancy, staff recruitment and the like but Meddeas, as an organisation in its own right, has only existed for 2 years.
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Venus_de_Milo



Joined: 10 May 2012
Posts: 4
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was a participant in the program of 2012, starting in September and I hate to say it but it was a disaster!

Basically, Meddeas just places you in a school to work, so they're an agent- you're actually working for the school. That's great if you have a lovely school to work for but mine was awful.

As a language assistant you're supposed to just do small group activities to help students practise their English speaking skills. That sounds like a nice job, doesn't it?! Unfortunately, the school I was placed at decided that wasn't what they wanted me to do and so they started putting a lot of pressure on me- what they actually wanted me to be was a type of lecturer- instead of doing speaking activities with the students, they wanted me to spend the entire hours period talking to the class- like a university lecturer! Of course, that's a long way away from being a Language Assistant so I left after the first term...

However, in Meddeas' defence, it was a issue with the school, not with the program itself. I won't say the name of the school on the forum, but if you want to know the school not to go to, send me a PM and I'll tell you.

Overall, they were very supportive (if a little slow at replying to emails) and the online credit Billingual Education Module is very interesting, even if the online account have only just started working Very Happy
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