Job Discussion Forums

[housecat]

Hi. I'm thinking of moving to Al Ain in a year or so. I'm a single mom with one young son. Does anyone else have any experience as a single mom in Al Ain, or anywhere in the UAE? Know of any? Have any guesses how things might go for us there? Are there any American Curriculum international schools? Also, my son's name is Moses. Will that maybe make him "infidel" number one?

Absolutly any and all advice or suggestions wil be very welcomed.

I'll look to teach at maybe UAEU. I'll have a B.A. English and MA Teaching.

Thanks!!!

[mishmumkin]

To clarify, your MA is a teaching qualification plus Masters, is that correct? Any particular reason why you have chosen Al Ain? There are less k-12 opportunities in Al Ain itself. You would find a better selection of American curriculum schools in abu dhabi and Dubai. I can't speak to the experience of a single mother, but it's certainly feasible w/ the right qualifications and experience. A good employer will offer you an education allowance or tuition discount/free tuition to the school you'll teach at. As for his name, I would not worry. There are many Arabic equivalent names for Joseph (youssef), Jesus (essa), Maryam (mary) and a slew of other traditionally biblical names. If anything, people would be intrigued by the religious basis for the name. In reality, Christianity, Islam, and Judiasm share more in common that is typically shown in the media.

[housecat]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the MA Teaching is an MA and teaching credential 7-12 English.

I was not asking about the international schools for me, but for my son's education. I could stay here in the States to teach hight school, but I'd rather not. I enjoy teaching adults and living outside the States, so I'm looking at a university position.

I understand that most Moslem traditions do not support single motherhood. I was married, but am divorced now. I just worry about cultural biasses. It's nice to hear that many people have more traditional Christian names. Yes, all these faiths are connected if you study far enough back. Sad that we don't all still get a long.

Edit* I forgot to say that I've chosen Al Ain because I've heard it's nice, drier and greener than the rest of the place, and very family oriented.

[mishmumkin]

Do you have any university teaching experience? You should check the job board on this site. I saw an Education Faculty position at the Higher Colleges of Technology. YOu need a k-12 teaching qualification plus a masters. though they said they preferred MA TESOL w/ exp teaching ESL (at a uni level) you might see about that particular post. HCT's website should list it if it has not been filled yet. Depending on what recruitment looks like, you might not be at the top of the ladded w/o the MA TESOL and/or relevant experience at the tertiary level.

As for your son's choice of schools in Al Ain-it's VERY limited. Steer clear of Choueifat/SABIS. Al Ain English Speaking School has a pretty good reputation, though I don't believe it is American curriculum (English national curr., i think). You'd really have to live in the larger emirates to ensure a good choice of schools for him.

The gulf is full of divorcees-male and female. You will likely have to get permission from your son's father in order to get his visa approved. If anything, people from the region you encounter who know that you're divorced will pity your status as a divorced woman, but I don't think you'll find any contempt.

[housecat]

Thanks again.

I have one year of experience in the English language program of NTNU (National Taiwan Normal University). The other seven years are mostly at jr. high and high schools in Taiwan. My ex-husband is Taiwanese and I lived there for a long time.

Which brings me to: my husband and I have absolutly NO contact. He will not speak to me at all and even if I could get him to communicate with me, just to cause problems, he'd deny his permission for me to take my son to UAE, or anywhere else for that matter. So, what sort of permission is needed and how is it verified?

I know my qualifications are not exactly as quoted in that HCT ad, but they couldn't posibly quote all possible acceptable qualifications, right? Or do they simply take only one kind of qualification in order to make their job of finding teachers easier? For example, I can understand wanting a credentialed teacher, but not a requisite for K-12 in order to teach at University.

[mishmumkin]

I'm not sure what the exact procedure is. You might try this section of the Gulf News-submitting your question.
http://www.gulfnews.com/uaessentials/ask_the_law/index.html
I'm sure HCT would tell you once you apply what they'll require for processing his visa.

You could have a shot at that job, IMHO. You won't know until you apply. There are so many MA TESOL around, that many universities don't have to take a non-TESOL MA, but it all depends on how many apply, who's got what...I think it's less common to find the MA TESOL plus the teaching qualification together in one candidate. I do think they're looking for K-12 qualifications so that the new hire can help w/ training students in the Ed programme at various levels, but I can't be sure.

[housecat]

[quote="mishmumkin"]I do think they're looking for K-12 qualifications so that the new hire can help w/ training students in the Ed programme at various levels, but I can't be sure.[/quote]

I just took a look at that ad and was thinking the same thing. So for that postion it makes some sense.

I really appriciate your replies. I do hope someone has had some experience as a single mom there or knows some. It was not big deal to move to a foreign counrty by myself, but with a child to care for, it's a little daunting. I know it's done all the time, but it will be the first time for me!

I'm not ready to leave just yet. I still need another year. Seems like a long time to start planning, but I usually overthink everything and I just can't help it. Better to be over perpared than under, right? So if need be, I can go ahead and earn that TOEFL cetification. I could use it here, too after all, so it's not like it's for nothing if I don't go. So, how long does it take from application to hire to move? Are you working in the UAE now, mishmumkin? When I am ready to go, would you recomend that HCT is a good choice? I've read good and bad about them and UAEU as well.

Thanks!

[mishmumkin]

I am not currently in the UAE, though was there for 3 years and hope to be returning in the next year (at the tertiary level). I think HCT seems to present the most opportunities at the tertiary level, but I plan to apply to Zayed U, UAEU, and American University of Sharjah. Good luck in the job search!

[housecat]

You, too! You've been a great help. Maybe we'll be working together next year!

[veiledsentiments]

I think Mishmumkin has answered most of your questions, but I would add a couple things. I think that adding the ESL certification would be worthwhile for you both now and when/if you come back to the US. Another good idea to make your CV more attractive is to add more university level teaching to your experience. Even just one class a semester at a local community college would help.

There have been a couple of single mothers in the Emirates who have posted here in the past. It is certainly a possibility... and BTW... another common Arabic name is Musa. (Moses)

VS

[housecat]

[quote="veiledsentiments"]I think Mishmumkin has answered most of your questions, but I would add a couple things. I think that adding the ESL certification would be worthwhile for you both now and when/if you come back to the US. Another good idea to make your CV more attractive is to add more university level teaching to your experience. Even just one class a semester at a local community college would help.

There have been a couple of single mothers in the Emirates who have posted here in the past. It is certainly a possibility... and BTW... another common Arabic name is Musa. (Moses)

VS[/quote]

Very cool about the name. Actually, I hadn't even thought of how the local people might feel about the name until I started thinking that if I actually do this, I might finally get to take that trip to Egypt that I've always drempt of.

I'll be teaching High School until I'm ready to go. I might try to get a class or two at a local community college, but it's not exactly like they're clammoring for folks with my qualifications. Actually, getting the MA was a risk because the high schools don't have to hire an MA and pay the slight premium, and there are so many MA's looking for jobs, even at community colleges, that there are a lot of us working in the food service industry. The USA is a very tough economy these days.

[Dedicated]

Just a few words of gentle advice, from somebody who hires teachers :

Please check out your spelling before sending off your application to anywhere - you have a lot of spelling mistakes for an MA holder. This would seriously jeopardize your application, far more than being a single mother.

[housecat]

Yes, thanks for keeping it "gentle." I usually get flamed like mad for my terrible spelling on any forum, but especially by teachers. Spell check is my best bud!

I've met a few other people like me who just can't do it. Can't explane (explaine--who knows!) why I can't spell. It isn't as if every teacher I've ever had from first grade on up hasn't given me heck over it. I honestly (really, honestly) think there is some true cause for this in poeple like me with a good education, or who write for a living, and still can't spell but it hasn't been identified.

Anyway, please just bare with me on the forum and I promise you that if I ever had you a resume or application I will have had it checked by someone who can spell, and by a computer, before giving it to you. I am aware of my problem, after all.

I'll leave you with my favorite quote by Mark Twain: "Never trust anyone who can only spell a word one way!"

[veiledsentiments]

Housecat,

I have had students through the years with the problem, and of course spell check doesn't help in every situation, like homonyms (bear and bare?? I don't think I know you well enough to 'bare' with you..). And some of those students worked so hard at it, that it must be a disorder similar to dyslexia.

To help you out on forums, I would suggest that you use Firefox as your browser rather than Explorer. Firefox has a built in spell check for whatever you type... even here. This site can be hard on poor spellers... naturally.

VS
(The US has always been a tough market for English and ESL teachers... the vast majority of them end up in offices or food services. Now if you are a science or math teacher... different story...)

[housecat]

[quote="veiledsentiments"]Housecat,

I have had students through the years with the problem, and of course spell check doesn't help in every situation, like homonyms (bear and bare?? I don't think I know you well enough to 'bare' with you..). And some of those students worked so hard at it, that it must be a disorder similar to dyslexia.

To help you out on forums, I would suggest that you use Firefox as your browser rather than Explorer. Firefox has a built in spell check for whatever you type... even here. This site can be hard on poor spellers... naturally.

VS
(The US has always been a tough market for English and ESL teachers... the vast majority of them end up in offices or food services. Now if you are a science or math teacher... different story...)[/quote]

Yes, that's my feeling for it, something like dyslexia, and as a matter of fact, I do have MILD dyslexia. I wouldn't be suprized if there's a connection. I've beaten myself up over this for years. I have a B.A. in English for jimmy's sake! I've finally just let it go. I offer bonus points to my students if they find my mistakes. They love it. Many even do not believe that I'm really so bad--they think I'm just being crafty about testing them! Works for me.

And it's true that we arent' close enough to be bare and that spell check would have let me donw on that one. That's why for anything that I have to submit, like resumes and such, I also have a human proof reader!

I also speak Spanish and Mandarine and I do these same things in those languages as well. That's one reason I think it must be some sort of real disorder. (And yes, I realize that one doesn't "spell" Mandarine, but I leave out strokes, or add them, or invert them. I'm terrible.)

Tell me about that P.S.! I have a friend who has an Associates degree in computer tech and started out at what it would take me ten years to work up to, even with the M.A.