Job Discussion Forums

[JOHN H]

I have read with some unease the recent comments about Mazoon College, Muscat.

I taught at Mazoon 2003/2004. My reasons for leaving were nothing to do with the entries posted under this heading. I left because I found Muscat simply too hot!

Now, before deciding to take a position at Mazoon, you should remember that negative postings MAY IN PART be motivated by reasons that have nothing at all to do with the contents of the entry. By this I mean that if a person has not had a contract renewed, or has been dismissed for just cause, the result COULD be a negative posting. Personal agendas maybe play a role.

Second, why not request a draft copy of the standard contract if you have concerns before finally making up your mind about accepting a position at the college.

Third, I found the administration there a little like the curate's egg, but there was none of the aggressive negativity that I have met, for example, in Saudi Arabia. Patience and humor helped me solve the minor problems that I had.

Fourth, the time clock! Sure this is a tad ridiculous, but since I was at the college early and made myself available to my students throughout the working day, it was at best a minor inconvenience, besides we often would circumvent this requirement in the obvious way.

Fifth, the standard of students at Mazoon was mixed. However there were many dedicated, hard-working girls. They needed sensitive leadership, engagement in the course subject matter, and hard work. Seeing you were there to help them resulted in a desire to do well from most of the students.

If you are considering a position at Mazoon and have questions, why not address them to the college. Do not depend totally on the contents of this website, useful though it is.

Teaching in Oman is a joy.

[veiledsentiments]

John H

In the last few days, I have had email discussions with some people (who know people, etc...) in Oman whose opinion of Mazoon matched your response.

The time clock is a bit over the top, but I have found all over the Middle East this management idea that one must be in the office or presumably can't be trusted to plan a lesson or correct a paper. In fact, I have told a few managements that if they want to treat us like factory workers or secretaries, there should be a time clock. I guess the Mazoon management somehow heard me.

I also found the whole contract issue a bit of tempest in a teapot. Personally I never read the danged things as I figured these employers will likely do as they wish and the airport is just down the road if I don't want to deal with it. I mean who would have the time or the patience to take any of these employers to court anyway. Even though those that I know who were able to stay in one of these countries the years required usually won in the courts.

One issue that I found questionable was the holding of money - something like 200 OR - for departing teachers, even after they had supplied releases from the usual places like the phone, electric, bank, etc. I guess we can hardly blame them as under the law they are liable to pay any debts that one of their contract worker leaves behind, but no one seemed to know whether or not everyone eventually received the money. Those who stayed in Oman did, but what about those who left the country? How and when do the teachers get their money?

So, it appears to me that what we have with Mazoon is the usual middle of the road kind of Gulf place. A management that could use improvement, though most people can deal with - but a few will not. Some rules you hate, but most can be dealt with. If you can deal with the heat and a silly timeclock, the Omani students are mostly great and Oman is a fascinating and beautiful country. Another of those entry level jobs that most will handle for a couple of years.

VS

[Integrity1]

On the other hand John H let us not forget that it is logically just as likely for a person to HAVE LEFT MAZOON COLLEGE OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL HAVING HANDED IN THEIR NOTICE. THAT IS, THE PERSON'S NEGATIVE COMMENTS MIGHT NOT BE MOTIVATED BY NOT HAVING HAD A CONTRACT RENEWED OR FROM HAVING BEEN DISMISSED WITH JUST CAUSE. THEREFORE, THE PERSON COULD JUST AS EASILY HAVE LEGITIMATE REASONS FOR WISHING TO SHARE THEIR NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES OF THE PLACE, COULDN'T THEY?

Further, it is worth bearing in mind that Mazoon college refuse to allow the contract to leave the Al Khuwair building, so how could it possibly be seen in advance? No, be very sure that you will be cajoled into their totalitarian ways. Oh there is quasi-democracy on the surface, there are attempts to embrace the egalitarian, but it's tokenism.

And as an aside, criticism of the students is certainly not a part of this, they, after all, are the persons who are really suffering at Mazoon College.

And finally, for now, your comment John H that you never read contracts (or at least the Mazoon contract) based on the rational that "these employers will likely do as they wish" is the kind of QED that an intelligent, conscientious, unsuspecting decent person is going to be influenced by, and unwittingly appreciative of; especially when it comes from someone who, for whatever reason, is attempting to undermine the legitimacy of those who have genuine grievances.

Without prejudice,

Integrity1

[veiledsentiments]

Integrity1

I suspect that your semi-hysterical message above says more about you than it does about Mazoon. You are attacking John H for giving his measured comments based on his experience. Not to mention that you attack him for *my* comments.

It is time that you pulled yourself together and get on with your life. It sounds like the Middle East is not for you.

VS

[Integrity1]

Dear VS,

Thank you for pointing that out, and I do apologise for a perceived ambiguity. I was, however, referring to comments that both you and John H made in your last postings.

On the other hand, there is nothing even remotely hysterical about my messages. My original, and subsequent postings, reflect my genuine experience and disenchantment with some staff at Mazoon College and the general treatment bestowed upon me. I have simply sought to warn others who may be considering a post there of the possible pitfalls.

Integrity1

PS. Calm down dear!

[veiledsentiments]

Fortunately, the readers on this board are quite perceptive. They have probably noted the lack of typing in all CAPS - otherwise known as internet screaming - in my posts.

Good Luck...

VS

[JOHN H]

Thank you "Veiled Sentiments", I think this particular thread has been adequately dealt with.

To anyone considering taking up a position with Mazoon, I am sure you will not regret it. There will be times that you are frustrated, but doesn't that happen in any job and any country. There will also be times that you are reminded of just why you decided to be a teacher, and that for me is the strongest memory I retain from my time working at Mazoon.

If you have any questions, please PM me. I am just going on leave and live in the depths of the country so it may be a few days before I reply, but the offer is there.

John H

[Integrity1]

Dear VS,

You seem to be inordinately possessive of this thread and to imply that you are part of an esoteric coterie of authority who toes a party line according to Mazoon College oligarchal ethos. Further, with this spurious authoritarianism you appear to want to prevent alternative postings, which reflect the reality of others� experiences (albeit for the most part negative), and in the process to prevent the purveying of democracy. Moreover, you and I both know really that, despite your attempts to deflect the content of my postings by inadvertently pointing out the potential ambiguity of a stylistic convention (upper case for emphasis; [or according to the spin of some �hysteria� or �screaming�]), which is, on the one hand used for general emphasis reflecting a change of tone, more often than not of some kind of anger, inherent and in the content and context of the text, from a neutral point of view, or given the semantic �hysteria� by a few adherents who cannot be bothered to think beyond the inanest of definitions, that I certainly have used upper case to emphasise certain points, and specifically to share (how are we to interpret the convention of underlining words for emphasis? No don�t bother, really�) my ANGER at the way I was treated by some members of staff at Mazoon College. However, what I do not accept is your spin that I am being hysteric and therefore unmeasured. Let me make it clear, then, that if you feel challenged by my postings, I simply used upper case to emphasise my JUSTIFIABLE anger. But dearest VS mine is a MEASURED anger as you will continue, to your chagrin, to witness. Fortunately, your lot are not the only readers and contributors to this thread, and I am certain that others will understand your eisegesis. Thus I shall leave it to our �perceptive� readers� (and I assume that when you refer to �perceptive� readers you are only referring to your lot�so no partiality then!)�to decide how to rejoinder to this.

Given the general diversity of opinion held by the contributors to this thread, and this web-site in general, it is apparent that you traverse the bounds of what could be termed the default opinion of freedom of speech and democracy. Fancy telling me that I �need to pull myself together� and to �get on with my life� and that the �Middle East is not for me�. Oh yes you�d like that, wouldn�t you? For me to go away! But let me assure you I am here to stay�and I have moved on and I am getting on with my life, as though that were any of your business any way. So whilst you may pick holes in the differential use of stylistic variation, if you honestly believe that this will undermine my opinions then I think you are underestimating the real perceptiveness of others. Perhaps you do not like the fact that I am hitting a nerve of truth, and anyway really perceptive people are not going to worry about a bit of upper case. They, if they are honest, will sense the meaning and the tone from the content. In addition, they will appreciate the diversity of opinion, and will assess the diversity of that on the pendulum which swings to the extremes of both polarities: from completely for Mazoon to completely against. It seems to me that a gamut of information has been made available to those considering a post at Mazoon, and I would also imagine that those who are will have the presence of mind to realise that the dynamics of an institution will change as the staff do (general ethos prescribed by the oligarchy at all times aside), and that a clash of personalities can cause difficulties. What I would assert, however, is that I know of very few members of the non-oligarchal Mazoon staff who are not disenchanted, disgruntled, disappointed, mismanaged or just plainly unhappy.

Thus VS and John H, minor little errors aside, you cannot impose a normalcy of opinion or create a sort of chummy sense of ownership as the omniscient narrators of this thread. You�ll also begin to realise that neither can you impose your views on this thread as the �norm�. You might, therefore, achieve far more if, rather than trying to undermine me and my opinions about Mazoon College, you actually acknowledge that those with differing views to yours might also be perceptive and genuine. Moreover, you might like to assist Mazoon College in learning how to listen to their members of staff and to opening their eyes up to the reality of the situation there. And rather than adding insult to injury you would do as well to listen to the same advice. Short of physically gagging me, there really is no way that you will prevent me from sharing with this web-site an honest account of my experience of Mazoon College�and there is more, which will be shared in the fullness of time and in the interests of redemption.

So the Middle East is not for me�I mean how assumptive and inanely silly to say this VS. So you think, then, that the untoward-machinations of one insincere Omani College are a fair reflection of the �Middle East�. If that is your stance and you think that their behaviour is justified by this opinion then I would encourage the Arab world to take you to task for tarnishing them with this brush as they ought to understand this comment for the insult it is.

John H. as you have offered to indoctrinate people with private messages I, too, am prepared to receive PMs. However, I would prefer it if all of this remained in the public domain, for the benefit of all, for as long as it is necessary.

Integrity1

[Wander]

Integrity1,

Sorry, but uppercase has long been used for 'shouting' in simple text messages. I you want emphasis, use 'underlining', _just_like_this_!


Wander

[Integrity1]

Oh dear Wander,

Pedantry aside, I'll be generous and assume that by "text messages" you actually meant posting emails? (whoops, we all make little mistakes, don't we?!) But then perhaps you're assuming that the same convention applies across the board. Even if that is so, having defined my terms in my previous posting I am surprised to receive yours. We know the conventions, but we also recognise the inherent limitations and ambiguity with some of them. We could perhaps say that upper-case and underlining are to understanding the written semantic as stereotyping and pigeon-holing are to understanding people. That is, they put us in the general ball-park, but they don't really tell us the detail such as who's playing, or what the score is...Blah, blah, blah...etc., etc., etc., ... Or perhaps there is only one, universal type of shout, anger, an upper-case one-size-fits-all one...that would be convenient really wouldn't it becuase we could then reduce the level of thinking. We could infact introduce our very own NEWSPEAK, I'm sure Orwell would approve. It would certainly appeal to the despotic control freakery kind of person. Not only must one not answer back, there must not be any room for personal interpretation...doh.

Oh and thank you for thinking that my last offering was "simple". May I just confirm though whether you mean that in the godly sense?

Integrity1

PS. you don't have to be sorry ...

[mci]

Yo! Integrity1,

You took the time to post so wordy....At the risk of sounding nerdy...Misconstrued John's addition....Only to show off your erudition?....Any reader can see whose contribution.....Has measured, more objective diction....Don't you see who's really trying to defend....An opinion, one sided, unwilling to bend...The stones you throw might break walls of glass....best advice, take the pickle out of your........


cheers and good luck at your next position,

mci

ps. SPECIAL OFFER - cheap indoctrination at my pm - discounts for Maoists, Jehovah's W. and loquacious wordsmiths with no sense of humor

[sprightly]

[dmb]

WILL YOU PLEASE STOP SHOUTING. I HAVE A HEADACHE.

[Wander]

[official]

Dear All

I have been offered a position with this college and I am trying to have my documents attested. Can someone please help me? I do not understand the process and the person in charge is confusing me.

It sounds like this is an expensive process? And who should pay for this, me or the college?

Officially Confused