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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 12:14 am Post subject: Teach in Georgia program |
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Has anyone ever heart of Greenheart Travel? It is a division of the Center for Cultural Interchange. I am interested in their Teach in Georgia Program. If anyone has any information it would greatly be appreciated. |
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houdyman
Joined: 11 Aug 2010 Posts: 1
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 11:04 pm Post subject: greenheart travel |
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It does not look like anyone replied with information on the forum. I applied and was offered a spot to leave in the next month. Did you find any information out about Greenheart or the CIT program in Georgia? |
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 738
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Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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Hi, JZer,
I don't really know much about Greenheart Travel, but I did have a little back-and-forth about this program with Lauren Bauer, the project manager in Chicago. I had a few questions that were not easy for her to answer--such as whether a specific school (a Waldorf school in Tbilisi) was eligible for their program. When I talked to her on the phone, she was good-humored, enthusiastic about the program, and took all of my somewhat odd questions in stride. She got back to me promptly with more information, as promised. I thought she was straighforward and honest; she did not tell me what I wanted to hear, and certainly didn't seem to sugar-coat the situation.
You probably know that Greenheart is recruiting teachers for the Ministry of Education. The ME's goal is "to help all Georgian children learn the English language and to expose them to Western culture." Footprints also has a contract with them to recruit English teachers for the public schools, so you can apply for this same program through either Greenheart or Footprints. The only other piece I can contribute that you might find of interest (because it interested me!) is that "you will have much freedom in the classroom, so if you would like to take a particular approach towards teaching English, you are welcome to."
This isn't much in the way of hard information, but I thought it might be of interest to hear that in my experience they were responsive and helpful.
Warm regards,
Sharon |
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Sadebugo
Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 524
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Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 12:48 am Post subject: |
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AGoodStory wrote: |
Hi, JZer,
I don't really know much about Greenheart Travel, but I did have a little back-and-forth about this program with Lauren Bauer, the project manager in Chicago. I had a few questions that were not easy for her to answer--such as whether a specific school (a Waldorf school in Tbilisi) was eligible for their program. When I talked to her on the phone, she was good-humored, enthusiastic about the program, and took all of my somewhat odd questions in stride. She got back to me promptly with more information, as promised. I thought she was straighforward and honest; she did not tell me what I wanted to hear, and certainly didn't seem to sugar-coat the situation.
You probably know that Greenheart is recruiting teachers for the Ministry of Education. The ME's goal is "to help all Georgian children learn the English language and to expose them to Western culture." Footprints also has a contract with them to recruit English teachers for the public schools, so you can apply for this same program through either Greenheart or Footprints. The only other piece I can contribute that you might find of interest (because it interested me!) is that "you will have much freedom in the classroom, so if you would like to take a particular approach towards teaching English, you are welcome to."
This isn't much in the way of hard information, but I thought it might be of interest to hear that in my experience they were responsive and helpful.
Warm regards,
Sharon |
To all the posters on this thread,
I have no knowledge of the above program but did teach in Georgia last year through my current (federal government) job. All I can say is, you will love the country and the people if you go there. I had a wonderful experience.
Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/ |
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personis
Joined: 18 Apr 2011 Posts: 5
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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Is this the same as their Reach to Teach program because I haven't heard much info on that either but it has interested me. |
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cks
Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 144
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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I have been living in Georgia for a year and half and I have been discussing this topic on the Russia and former CIS thread. Please check it out. It is very humorous to me that they are called Georgia "Europe". And it is obvious that Greenheart Travel knows absolutely nothing about the program. I am not in the program but I have met many people who are and the experiences vary. It has nothing to do with a Waldorf Institute or language school. They are placing teachers in the public schools and you will be living in a host family with very dated mentalities. Please read my comments on the Russia CIS thread. |
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 738
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2011 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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cks wrote: |
I have been living in Georgia for a year and half and I have been discussing this topic on the Russia and former CIS thread. Please check it out. It is very humorous to me that they are called Georgia "Europe". And it is obvious that Greenheart Travel knows absolutely nothing about the program. I am not in the program but I have met many people who are and the experiences vary. It has nothing to do with a Waldorf Institute or language school. They are placing teachers in the public schools and you will be living in a host family with very dated mentalities. Please read my comments on the Russia CIS thread. |
While most of these comments seem to hit the mark, I have to disagree with cks about Greenheart Travel. In my conversations with them, they were helpful and knowledgeable. And when they didn't know the answer to a question, they told me so, and then got back to me very promptly with an answer. Nobody at Greenheart represented this program as having anything to do with either Waldorf or language schools. (I asked them a question about the Tbilisi Waldorf School only because it happens to be a public school.) They never represented the program as anything other than what it is--a Ministry of Education program placing teachers in the public schools, mostly very rural public schools.
As for the "Teach in Europe" ads, I'm with you--although "humorous" may be a generous description! "Teach in Europe" may be just a tiny bit misleading, unless you spend much time contemplating the European Neighborhood Policy, or the possibility of future accession plans of the Eastern Partnership members.
Last edited by AGoodStory on Tue May 24, 2011 12:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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cks
Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 144
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Hopefully the travel agency is aware of the dangers that women face who join this program. My friend just got groped in the park 3 days ago after I have been ranting about this issue. It is never ending. |
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Kirkpatrick
Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 205 Location: China
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Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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I just came back from Georgia and did resreach on the teach in Georgia program. They are agents that farm you out to multiple schools. You can't even teach at the school of your choice if you find you own job and go down to the Ministry of Education. They won't let the school pay you directly, because they want their cut. |
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cks
Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 144
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Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Exactly! I know several people in the program and they will just dump you wherever they choose. Ideally, you might want to live in Tbilisi, but of course the villages and other towns need and deserve their education as well. My main complaint is that they should not send the women to these villages, it is too dangerous. I live in the fourth largest town in Georgia and have enough troubles. |
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lmsunshine
Joined: 11 Jun 2010 Posts: 7
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Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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I would have to disagree with the previous poster as regards not sending females to the village schools....i was also in Georgia with this program and i was placed in a village and couldnt have felt more safe. Everyone knows you and even if they dont know you they know OF you......cant say the same would happen in a city. Also if you do feel unsafe, you can contact the organisation and they will move you. When you teach in Georgia, you are a co teacher this can be easy of difficult depending on your co teacher-some have limited english or some dont want to change ways, some take full advantage of having a native speaker in the classroom. Again resources between schools vary from nothing(no electric) to whiteboards. |
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DayaM
Joined: 09 Sep 2011 Posts: 9
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BocaNY
Joined: 24 Mar 2009 Posts: 131
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Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:04 am Post subject: |
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They are just a recruiting company like footprints. The gov't of Georgia is in charge of the program. It's a good program and safe. It's fine for females to live in the villages. I've been in the program since last year and am going back for a 3rd term. I am female and feel super safe in Georgia safer then I do in the States. You have got to remember that it is not a western country and you can't just act and dress the way you would back home.
As for the person who said that their friend was groped that sucks but it can happen in any country not just Georgia. You do have to take precautions as a female. The easiest thing to do is say that you have a boyfriend or are married and the men will leave you alone.
Kirkpatrick said: "They are agents that farm you out to multiple schools. You can't even teach at the school of your choice if you find you own job and go down to the Ministry of Education."
It's the Ministry of Education that funds the program and places you in different areas in Georgia.
A fellow volunteer set up an unofficial website about the Teach & Learn with Georgia program. It's set being finished but there is already useful information on there. The articles were written by fellow volunteers.
http://www.tlg-volunteer.com/ |
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CarolinaTHeels
Joined: 03 May 2011 Posts: 130
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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300 dollars a month?!?! wth |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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It's called a 'volunteer' programme openly. 300's generous: at least they aren't requiring their volunteers to pay (much). |
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