Job Discussion Forums

Chinesenoodles · Joined: 21 Apr 2015 Posts: 7 Location: Houston

I turned the offer down! Thanks for the reality check. I thought it was a bit odd. I've got a place through airbnb that's in the same neighborhood as IH and when I figure out the job situation I'll look for an apartment.
As far as getting all of the documents in order for a visa...if a school says they will help with this, is it necessary to start the process myself by getting official copies of everything?
On another note, I know this forum is for esl, but does anyone have any information on the Churchill School or Eton? I'm looking to teach primary, but I don't want to be stuck at a school that's run anything like the district I'm in now (apparently Houston thinks giving children over 30 district benchmarks during the school year leaves room for adequate teaching). does anyone know anything about administration or curriculum? I've tried looking at ISR, but there's no up to date info.
Thanks again for the eye-opener!

BadBeagleBad · Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 3:14 pm Post subject:

MotherF · Posted: Thu May 07, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject:

I wonder if that first apartment's roommates weren't looking for someone to subsidize their expenses.

As for Eton and Churchill, I've not heard the horror sstories you often hear about colegios with either of those two names attached, so that's a very good sign.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Eton and Churchill are pretty good schools. Like all private schools, they have their share of brats but admin is in very good shape.

Send me a PM and I can put you in touch with teachers from both schools.

Chinesenoodles · Joined: 21 Apr 2015 Posts: 7 Location: Houston

This will be my first time aiming for a job at an international (or international-like) school and I'm pretty nervous as far as reception goes. I keep reading about how schools only want a white face to represent their schools but I'm afraid I was blessed with the skin tone that tanning salons were conceived for. My mother is Cuban and my father is African American. Will this somehow effect my ability to find a job in Mexico City?
Is this a ridiculous question? Living in Houston, this would definitely be a ridiculous question because this city is currently the most diverse in the USA. But in a homogenous country like Mexico, I feel like it could possibly be a deal-breaker. I honestly don't know though! I've been to Mexico City before and absolutely loved it! The only issue I had was while walking around a market with my Caucasian male friend some rent-a-cop older gentleman mumbled, "blanco y negra!" as he walked by looking all offended.

Please be honest!

wanderingxelmundo · Joined: 25 Mar 2015 Posts: 86

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

There is a fair amount of bias in hiring as you've noted. I've been working in teacher recruitment for some time now for schools of all shapes and sizes nationwide and definitely experience it.

Two things I've experienced on this.

1. Qualifications and experience trump race, particularly in harder to fill positions (ICT, science, math).

2. The higher profile the school, the less a problem race is.

I assume you are an English teacher? Sorry if you wrote your bio elsewhere and I didn't see it...the problem for you will be that there isn't a shortage of well-qualified English teachers at the very top schools. That's not to say that race will be your limiting factor, but rather that you'd simply be swimming in a crowded pool.