Job Discussion Forums

[Yasuke]

In .general how have you found students and administrations in Saudi? What is your advice for dealing with both in the most sane and harmonious way?

Thanks.

[nomad soul]

Do your best job and act professional as you would in any employment situation whether on home soil or abroad. It's a no-brainer.

[jobsworthjohn]

Come now don't let a bit of banter put you off! Put it up in public - that's the whole point of this forum right?
I for one am eager to learn from everyone's experience positive or negative. And I'm quite sure I'm not the only one.

[nomad soul]

[Captain Willard]

Students are usually in the classroom at the start of the term and for tests. Otherwise there is no need to go find them. However, they will still want to be marked present even if they were not in class, or wandered off to the toilet and could not find their way back to the classroom for 45 minutes. Since they are usually paid based upon their attendance record, this is an important power you have.

If the administrators are not Saudis, then they are normally found in their offices or nearby on the campus. If they are Saudis, they are frequently not found anywhere after lunch.

When teaching Saudi males, you will do well to remember that the local culture is one of generosity. Being too strict with these students may well result in accusations that you defamed the prophet or denounced the king. Job security is far better if one does not take the administration's rules too seriously. This is colloquially known as dealing with "ambiguity".

[Yasuke]

thanks gamba and cpt. williard.

[Gamajorba]

I agree with Captain Willard on what he said about it all as well. Summed it up quite nicely actually.

[akoo1]

Yes the captain in generally correct if not a bit exaggerating and generalizing/stereotyping about Saudis. Basically, just take it easy.

[scot47]

If you make it clear, by word and deed, that you do not like your students, they will not play ball.

A basic rule of Pedagogy is that the educator has to understand things from the perspective of the student. Paulo Freire and all that trendy stuff - some of it is true !

[nomad soul]

Ditto Scot47's comments. Add to that Dornyei and Czizer's 10 Commandments for Motivating Language Learners, if you're looking for strategies to motivate your students:

1. Set a personal example with your own behavior.
2. Create a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere in the classroom.
3. Present the tasks properly.
4. Develop a good relationship with the learners.
5. Increase the learner’s linguistic self-confidence.
6. Make the language classes interesting.
7. Promote learner autonomy.
8. Personalize the learning process.
9. Increase the learners’ goal-orientedness.
10. Familiarize learners with the target language culture.

Source: http://www.zoltandornyei.co.uk/uploads/1998-dornyei-csizer-ltr.pdf

[Gamajorba]

[Yasuke]

Gamajorba

How would you describe your interactions with students and admin over your time in Saudi? What were your tricks to stay sane?

[johnslat]

Dear Gamajorba,

Most of them worked for me - and I guess all of them worked for nomad soul.

I suppose it's safe to say that none of them worked for you.

But then, everyone has their own private Saudi - and it's always a mistake to think that "one size fits all."

New arrivals can't always "prepare" for their work environment, what the interactions with admin/students will require, what it will be like. There are simply too many variations.

Perhaps the only constant is you'll need patience - and a sense of humor usually helps.

Regards,
John

[rollingk]

Apparently, not pulling your head out of your backside seems to help too. I wish I had such beautiful scenery up my own.

[johnslat]

See what I mean? So many people apparently think that their personal experience of Saudi is the only valid one for everyone else.

Regards,
John