Job Discussion Forums

[yazzy86]

Justcollen you are too funny!

I actually laugh out loud reading your post! I figure that schools will be open even if its till 12pm for registration, and all that good stuff.

The Internet is definitely not working, most of the schools e-mail address just bounce back!

Okay so I'll make a list of all schools and get to walking.

How do you recommend I walk into the school? I'm sure it doesn't work like NY in that department either.

Walk in and say, I'm here for a visit and was looking into apply in your school for a teaching position?

[justcolleen]

You'll want to walk in and ask to talk to someone about a teaching position. When you do get to speak with someone, ask for a tour of the school. What you want to do is listen carefully, and what you're listening for is the amount of Arabic used in the school. Sure, there are some subjects that are in Arabic (religion, Arabic, regional social studies), but that's it. If you hear Math being taught - or students speaking to their Math teacher - in Arabic, leave.

Most of the schools in Alexandria are diploma mills that received accreditation from any one of a succession of accreditation mills and, if you're not careful, you will be taken advantage of and miserable.

[yazzy86]

Thank you so much for all your help.

If I get an interview, any recommendations on what I should say or specify about my teaching, or behavior management? I know schools in that part of the word may be a bit different?

Thank you again!

[nomad soul]

[justcolleen]

If you somehow manage to pass yourself off as non-Egyptian (and I'm not feeling like that's going to work), the fact that you have a pulse will be enough to make you employable and they'll start to woo you. When you know the wooing has started, you'll know the ball is in your court. Cut right to the nitty-gritty and ask about their accreditation.

If the school is accredited by NWAC, leave. True story: A British teacher friend of mine was employed by a non-accredited school (but a candidate for accreditation) and unceremoniously fired. Her salary was, of course, withheld. She complained to CITA (NWAC's predecessor), who determined she was pretty much a victim of human trafficking (by their definition) and barred the school from CITA accreditation forever. NWAC bought CITA and, imagine, accredited the school.

Now NWAC, which was nothing more than a web site, really, is gone and bought out by AdvancEd (which alleviated its logo copy write lawsuit), another accreditation mill, and all of the NWAC schools are simply being moved over to AdvancEd. To be accredited in Egypt is not the same as being accredited in the US; the standards are supposed to be the same but, instead, they are much lower and there is NO oversite.

Also, I'm convinced schools have been sold what I call "School in a Bag" ("Bed in a Bag" ... same idea) by a "consultant" in Egypt who has the title, "Dr." School in a Bag schools are easy to spot: two periods of "English" in a row, "Math" is never "Pre-Algebra" or "Calculus," but always "Math." Even the Lesson Plan forms are the same from school to school (and use the word "hook" so that's how you know). If you want to know if the school you're visiting/interviewing at is a "School in a Bag" school, ask to see the middle school "English" books. If part of the book package includes one green and one red Vocabulary and Grammar work book (circa 1974), you know you've found one.

These schools have paid, quite dearly, for a mold of an American school and spend years trying to clean up the mess. They are always - and I mean always - disasters.

[yazzy86]

Thanks for all your advice.

As for passing as a non- egyptian, I think that will be simple. I don't look Egyptian, and I was born in NY. Even if I'm spoken to in Arabic, I just won't reply back.

I don't even know what the offers are like in schools in Egypt, I guess I'll just have to figure all that out!

[justcolleen]