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pr455
Joined: 08 May 2011
Posts: 135
Location: MADRID, SPAIN
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 Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:07 am Post subject: |
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| Nicky_McG wrote: |
<ho Shawn, good post and a perfect example of what you can achieve in Madrid. I have to take issue with one thing you said, though:
You don't see any negativity on the Spain board??? A typical response to someone asking about Spain is
1) You will hardly make any money-Not true as you can start doing well relatively quickly if you have a bit of gumption. In any event, rent aside, living costs are generally lower in Spain than other Western European countries.
2) All schools are cowboys-there are some (IH is my prime candidate) but they're fairly easy to avoid. Also someone's definition of cowboy school might be one that's none to happy about cowboy teachers. For example, when a teacher calls in sick one hour before the class while on the street. I've seen this happen and my boss was right to have a go at the teacher. I imagine she then gave the school a bad press.
3) Your classes will be all over the city and you will take years to get a good schedule-not true if you choose them wisely. One of my bosses basically told new clients that if they were miles away and wanted a class for one hour, the chances were the teacher wouldn't last long. Good boss and she held onto her clients and her teachers.
4)You cannot possibly work in Spain without an EU passport-Certain posters have been saying this forever (at least a few years before I joined). It may be the case now but it certainly wasn't the case three or four years ago. I knew lots of Americans and they got treated pretty well by employers. Why? Because they worked hard and were popular with students. |
Nicky_McG,
Why take issue with what I have written about not seeing negativity? It certainly won't stop people from writing about their own personal experiences on this message board.
I still don't see it as negativity because people are expressing their opinions and these opinions neither bother nor affect me, personally, in any way. Why? Because that has been their experience and everyone has different experiences in life.
Many times what we perceive as something negative strikes a chord with the negativity within us. Don't even take issue with it. Move on doing what makes you happy in life and realize that English teaching isn't for everyone. I certainly have and have done that years ago.
Shawn |
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Dancebiscuits
Joined: 03 Dec 2012
Posts: 63
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| Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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Hello,
Just thought I'd add my two cents as I have a few friends working at IH Madrid (Calle Zurbano, I think) currently
Good points
It's actually fairly professional for a private language school. They offer training and clear points of contact for HR questions.
No gimmicky teaching methods means you have a degree of flexibility and use the skills you've learned from CELTA and experience.
Opportunities for career progression.
Generally a nice lot of people to work with as teaching colleagues.
Free language lessons, (compulsory) training, they're pretty swift at sorting out paperwork for permits etc.
Nice, modern premises (if they've finished doing the building work...)
Good internal transfer system if you want to work at IH in different countries.
Bad points:
Split shifts that take you all over town and eat up your entire day. Last I heard they DO NOT pay for your travelling time but do pay for the travel ticket.
Contract ends over summer holidays = sudden fight for extra hours and summer work.
Salary is pretty crap and the split-shift, changeable working hours deal means it's hard to take on private students.
Stingy holiday/sick leave allowances.
You have to work Saturdays at least for your first year, or be on call to do so.
Hope this helps a bit 
Last edited by Dancebiscuits on Mon Jan 07, 2013 7:56 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Xie Lin
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
Posts: 731
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| Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Dancebiscuits wrote: |
Hello,
Just thought I'd add my two cents as I have a few friends working at IH currently
Good points
It's actually fairly professional for a private language school. They offer training and clear points of contact for HR questions.
No gimmicky teaching methods means you have a degree of flexibility and use the skills you've learned from CELTA and experience.
Opportunities for career progression.
Generally a nice lot of people to work with as teaching colleagues.
Free language lessons, (compulsory) training, they're pretty swift at sorting out paperwork for permits etc.
Nice, modern premises (if they've finished doing the building work...)
Good internal transfer system if you want to work at IH in different countries.
Bad points:
Split shifts that take you all over town and eat up your entire day. Last I heard they DO NOT pay for your travelling time but do pay for the travel ticket.
Contract ends over summer holidays = sudden fight for extra hours and summer work.
Salary is pretty crap and the split-shift, changeable working hours deal means it's hard to take on private students.
Stingy holiday/sick leave allowances.
You have to work Saturdays at least for your first year, or be on call to do so.
Hope this helps a bit |
What a nice summary, Dancebiscuits. Thank you!
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Dancebiscuits
Joined: 03 Dec 2012
Posts: 63
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| Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2013 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Glad to be of service * curtseys * |
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booty
Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 4:27 pm Post subject: It�s not a bad place to work |
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Yes, the pay isn�t very good and the timetable can be bad. For me at the�moment, it�s difficult to get privates as my evenings are here.
However, it�s the luck of the draw in the first year. You can work in a really good centre or you can find yourself running around doing off-site classes. In return, they do give holidays, sick pay and pay for your abono if you are doing off-site four or more hours.
On the downside of working elsewhere, many acadmies only have a limited number of hours, and pseudo-contracts.
The only company I know that pays holidays and more is the British Council. Then, working for them is not problem-free either. |
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Grimace420
Joined: 24 Sep 2011
Posts: 88
Location: Madriz
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Define "bad pay." You mean compared to somewhere like Vaughan Systems? Or worse than your average neighbourhood academy? |
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Dancebiscuits
Joined: 03 Dec 2012
Posts: 63
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| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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Defining bad pay:
In October 2012, IH Madrid was offering teachers with 0-1 year's experience + CELTA 1,000 Euros a month gross.
Could be worse, could be better. Hope this helps |
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