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nickthegreek
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:44 pm Post subject: How do acquire ESL position in Kuwait |
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To begin, I was born in Canada, raised there and educated in English. I have a BA (Poli Sci) and a Post BA Certificate in TESL, both from Concordia University in Montreal Canada. Also, I have one year teaching experience before earning my TESL. What, if any, job can I get. Finally, I am Arab looking, usually I'm asked if I'm Labanese. Will this work against me and also my name is Nick, which I have been told means *beep* in Arabic. All and any help is welcomed.
Thanks Nick |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:33 am Post subject: |
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At this time of year, all you can do is to look for ads online and apply for those that don't ask for advanced credentials. I am sure that you are aware that with what you have, your options are few and the employers will be far from the best.
And I recommend that you do NOT use your first name if you can avoid it. The pronunciation is different, but will still likely cause gales of laughter from your male students. The word 'unique' tends to cause titters too..
Considering the time of the year, you might have to look for something in another country that has lots of language schools that are hiring through the year.
Good Luck
VS |
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Sara Avalon
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 254
Location: On the Prowl
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:59 am Post subject: Re: How do acquire ESL position in Kuwait |
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| nickthegreek wrote: |
To begin, I was born in Canada, raised there and educated in English. I have a BA (Poli Sci) and a Post BA Certificate in TESL, both from Concordia University in Montreal Canada. Also, I have one year teaching experience before earning my TESL. What, if any, job can I get. Finally, I am Arab looking, usually I'm asked if I'm Labanese. Will this work against me and also my name is Nick, which I have been told means *beep* in Arabic. All and any help is welcomed.
Thanks Nick |
Hey there fellow Canuck! 
I disagree with VS in that I've been working for 2 years with half your credentials and I even started out with NO experience. The names we have here from South African teachers are super difficult for anyone to pronounce and no one really cares. I'm also Arabian by decent. That's not a real issue in most schools either. In fact, government schools love to hire Egyptians to teach because they have good work ethics and rarely complain compared to foreigners. You'll most likely be warned not to speak Arabic in or outside of class to students.
So nothing really is an issue. The only thing I do agree with VS about is that hiring usually takes place in January for the rest of the year. So right now there might not be a demand for teachers although I do know that teachers at our school have applied already for other teaching positions. So it wouldn't hurt to get a listing of schools and apply by fax.
Are you in Kuwait right now? If you can go down to the schools yourself then it would probably be best. Without a degree in English, you'll most likely be offered Elementary teaching jobs (KG, Grades 1-6). University requires an MA. But teaching elementary isn't so bad so long as you don't mind tearing your hair out everyday!
I would not recommend coming here if you have no connections or a place to stay before you've been offered a job.
Good luck! |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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Nothing personal Sara, but apparently you are speaking of the primary school hiring? I hadn't interpreted his post as looking for a primary school position.
The fact that they hire people with no credentials is more a reflection of their low standards. And places with low educational standards are very often completely abusive employers. I wouldn't touch any of those employers with a ten-foot pole. But Nick - it is an option - just be forewarned that you may be back on Dave's writing one of the common rants about a lousy experience with a bad employer. Sara points out the hair-tearing-out portion of her job.  (check out these boards for many tales of woe about places like this)
But, that is how life goes in the education trade. Low credentials usually means bad employers.
And, BTW, Nick wasn't talking about the difficulty of pronouncing his name - it is the fact that it is similar to a slang Arabic word for the sex act... one not said in public... 
VS |
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Sara Avalon
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 254
Location: On the Prowl
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:16 am Post subject: |
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VS,
I disagreed with your opinion and offered my own. How about being a little more mature and a little less catty next time when faced with a difference of perspective, hm?
No offense, but the true mark of a bad teacher isn't credentials.. it's their manners or lack there of.
-SA |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 4:16 am Post subject: |
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Yes, and I pointed out the flaws in your thinking. Sorry if it hurt your feelings. But, I can not recommend anyone jumping into these positions that offer 'tearing your hair out every day' as part of the job description. (your words, not mine...)
VS |
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Sara Avalon
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 254
Location: On the Prowl
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| Nothing personal Sara, but apparently you are speaking of the primary school hiring? I hadn't interpreted his post as looking for a primary school position. |
"Post subject: How do acquire ESL position in Kuwait
What, if any, job can I get. "
VS,
If we're going to talk about "flaws" in "thinking" wouldn't you want to explain how a very clearly open-ended post that indicates the desire for an ESL gig can be interpreted as excluding primary school positions? Or maybe you misread the second part too that suggests ANY job information prospects were requested?
What grade level are you teaching again and does it not include reading and reasoning skills as a required asset?
-SA |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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Obviously your job stress is getting you down. Over reaction is certainly a symptom. Perhaps it is time for you to take a break.
VS |
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Sara Avalon
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 254
Location: On the Prowl
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Obviously your job stress is getting you down. Over reaction is certainly a symptom. Perhaps it is time for you to take a break.
VS |
Pretending that you're too smart to respond really doesn't help validate your argument that you're capable of "thinking" or in a position to pass judgment on anyone else who actually does. Since thinking means you have to put some coherent thought in the response process to a certain issue and you didn't respond to any of the direct questions or remotely touch on them, you clearly are suffering from something yourself: denial. Maybe this ailment has arisen because you didn't have a point to exercise and to cover up you fall into the habit of being insulting?
Either way, your response speaks volumes about you. But since you're a doctor as well as a teacher, I think you can analyze it all in-depth yourself. |
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strawberry
Joined: 23 Jun 2004
Posts: 15
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| Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not interested in getting involved in this heated debate but I've got a question about that comment: "government schools love to hire Egyptians to teach because they have good work ethics and rarely complain compared to foreigners". If anyone who reads that has ever lived in Kuwait, then they'll know how absolutely ridiculous that statement is! You should be a comedian, not a teacher.
As for the other points discussed in this stream, I have to agree with VS. I'm an American teacher by profession, and I'm sorry to say... but unqualified and inexperienced Arabian teachers who come over here with a Canadian passport expecting to be respected as English teachers give the rest of us professional teachers a bad name. (And it appears that Nick obviously has the qualifications that Sara definitly lacks. At the end of the day...that's what counts, in addition to a real love of teaching and the desire to make a difference in the lives of your students.)
Here's a complaint for you Sara: "I'm tired of dealing with unqualified idiots who don't know how to teach!" |
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