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Article English Language School
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canucktechie



Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 3:02 am    Post subject: Article English Language School Reply with quote

Does anyone have any experience with this school? There is a rather negative review on the JIJ. I'm wondering if this is a trend or just the odd man out.
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国

PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 4:20 am    Post subject: ******** Reply with quote

********

Last edited by Kent F. Kruhoeffer on Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:33 am; edited 1 time in total
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 7:09 am    Post subject: Article Language school............. Reply with quote

The English girl who wrote the report in the job discussion forum has corrresponded with me extensively about this organisation and her expereiences with them,which were extremely negative and far worse than she put on the bulletin!Because of this,the staff obviously keep leaving,hence the frequent recruiting!The problem stems from the fact that the woman who owns and tries to run the outfit has no idea how to treat people properly and you will realise this from Julias report!I would also add that in one of her schools in Voskresensk,to the south-east of Moscow,you will be delighted by the sight of one of the largest chemical works in that area of Russia,which belts multi-coloured smoke and pollution into the air and can be seen from miles away,perhaps reminiscent of Auschwitz-Birkenau in the years when it was in operation!
One of our old and experienced hands in teaching in Russia had the additional pleasure of being mugged in broad daylight at the railway station when he visited the place,and nobody bothered to even bat an eyelid,even though there were people stanfing around.IF, despite all this you still decide to risk it,and then arrive with the idea of e-mailing your friends etc, forget it because although the school advertises they have internet access etc. you will then discover this is in Moscow-70 km away and about 1 and a half hours by train!
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babbochka



Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2
Location: London

PostPosted: Tue Jun 10, 2003 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please note I am not posting this to be vindictive to the school. I only want to deter others from going and having a bad experience. Perhaps if they have no teachers they will realise that they must treat people better, or at least a little humanely. It's worth re-checking in a year or two to see if things have changed...

Hi,

You asked if anyone else had the a similar experience of this 'Article Language School'.

My experience was of constant negative feedback during the job which led them to withold wages. they also refused to let me go to classes myself to improve my Russian. This is not so bad in itself but grinds you down eventually. So I found a new job and handed in my notice. When I did so they took my visa and passport and told me I must work for them until they found a new teacher. I refused, so they made me sign to say that I would leave the country within three days and not take the new job. They said they 'warned' the new school that I would not turn up there for work, and that my work was poor. I received my documents in time for my flight out, but incurred huge costs. As well as having to leave their accomodation, I was unable to secure anything due to having no documents. In Russia, police check documents all the time, if you have no visa, you can't book rooms for a night, book a train, take a flight and if the police ask you, and you can't produce a valid visa you are in big trouble.

There were three other teachers there at the time. Out of these, one had a worse experience than me, having no flat at all, and another was refused wages and treated badly, too. I heard stories of previous teachers being treated badly, too.

I have to say, however, that the last teacher was treated as part of their family, but she was the DOSS and worked with them to make our lives unbearable. It's possible if you go, you could be treated as well as the DOSS, they may 'take a shine' to you. But on balance, I have only this DOSS to use as an example of any good treatment, and many accounts of bad treatment.

In case you're wondering, I received an A Grade for my teaching study, worked night and day to devise fantastic fun games, enjoyed it all (so did the students) and have never had criticism elsewhere. So I don't think the problem is me.

For your information:
The school is part of Article Language School', run by a couple; Svetlana Kovyazina and Sergey Kovyazina. They run a shool in Voskresensk, 90km South of Moscow, and two in the North of Moscow (both around 25km out of Moscow).

Any other questions, just ask.

from Marie
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rogan



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Posts: 416
Location: at home, in France

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

*************

Last edited by rogan on Tue Jul 08, 2003 6:34 am; edited 1 time in total
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2003 8:08 am    Post subject: ********* Reply with quote

********

Last edited by Kent F. Kruhoeffer on Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:35 am; edited 1 time in total
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babbochka



Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2
Location: London

PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2003 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Marruss,

Were you at this lovely school in Voskresensk? At which time?


Marie
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rogan



Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Posts: 416
Location: at home, in France

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

**********

Last edited by rogan on Tue Jul 08, 2003 6:35 am; edited 1 time in total
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:24 am    Post subject: Voskresensk Reply with quote

Hi Saschka-one visit to Voskresensk was enough to convince me that it's no "holy place", despite thr name!Mind you,there are plenty of worse towns nearby in Russia-how about Orechovo-Zuevo for example?
This is why I always tell foreigners that Moscow is no more the real Russia than New York is the real America-it also explains why so many people there think I am mad to even consider leaving somewhere like Cyprus to live in their country!!

M.
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Snegurochka



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Sat Jun 14, 2003 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you still in Cyprus, Martin?
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 7:39 am    Post subject: Where am I ? Reply with quote

Yeah,I'm still in Cyprus att the moment and it looks as if I will be here until August,for the reasons I mentioned before-the weather is blazing hot of course,unlike Moscow where I hear it's cool,miserable and wet!
The tourist industry here has hit the doldrums,just like many other countries this summer,and the number of people coming from all destinations is way down compared to this time last year-even the Russians are apparently contemplating staying at home in their dachas,rather than coming to Turkey,Egypt and Cyprus etc. this year,mainly because of the costs with the dollar being so low at the moment and because our currency is Euro-linked,this is keeping the Brits away too!
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canucktechie



Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Moscow

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the feedback folks. I have accepted a position with BKC in Moscow which may not be perfection but it seems OK.
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Kent F. Kruhoeffer



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2129
Location: 中国

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:29 am    Post subject: ********* Reply with quote

********

Last edited by Kent F. Kruhoeffer on Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:36 am; edited 1 time in total
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maruss



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 1145
Location: Cyprus

PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 8:13 am    Post subject: The lesser of two evils? Reply with quote

I would agree with Kent in principle,but also bear in mind that Rogan is apparently declining a very good job offer with Oxford Crown for personal reasons,so it might well be worth your while checking it out with him for more details!
If you can persuade B.K.C. to pay you on an hourly basis,rather than signing a contract with them for a monthly salary,you could be much better off financially,even though you will have to find your own accomodation etc.If you do accept theirs,insist it's private and not shared with someine else,unless it's someone you choose of course!Most of all,they have some awful schools in even worse areas-have you any idea where you will be teaching/working??As a general rule AVOID ANYWHERE IN THE SOUTH OR SOUTH-EAST OF MOSCOW,like Prazhkaya,Maryino,Zhulebino,etc. because wherever you live now,I guarantee it's paradise compared to those places!
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sally



Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just to say, as a previous victim of this 'school', if you value your basic human rights chose another school., one that might pay you or provide somewhere to live for example.
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