Job Discussion Forums

[james van cleave]

I see that ELS is looking for teachers. I have worked for them part-time around the Middle East and elsewhere. They were occasionally dishonest, but they always paid me on time. The full-time teachers, however, had nothing but misery. Split shifts, extra hours without any compensation, poor housing, tons of office work unrelated to teaching. Every full time teacher I knew was eventually dismissed without reason or warning. This was in the Emirates, but I believe it's the same people running the show in Oman.
Unless you're destitute give this one a miss.

[blues clues]

JVS has it exactly right. ELS is a horrendous place for fulltimers. Split-shifts, whether they like it or not, terrible materials to work with, Ewww, Interchange, Weaving it Together, shall I go on....plus they offer really low housing allowance....and lots of headaches. Head office is in Abu Dhabi, director is an obnoxious Sth American/American ready to tell you all her woes in what she calls a personal interview. I didn't accept a job offering there, as I thought she was off the wall, as most directors of this outfit seem to be. They're advertising their teachers are native speakers, from USA, UK and Canada, however lots of Non-native speakers working with them, which may not be a bad thing, but when one is non-native + no degrees, esl experience, etc...etc, then it makes one think the companies are really getting ripped off. (ELS makes most of their money from petrol companies, and such). I knew a few people who worked at ELS on part-time basis and they were ok with it as they didn't have to deal with what the full-timers do....put it this way...there are much better places to work. If your not really qualified to teach, then I'd say go for it to get the experience and then move on. In'shallah they won't put a "ban" on you once you've finished your contract....