Job Discussion Forums

[megan81]

[Sashadroogie]

Hi megan81

I don't think there are any violations here. So, in answer to your question, you may find it hard to start up in Russia without a basic TEFL cert of some description. Most schools require a Celta or equivalent, especially if they are recruiting from abroad. I'd advise getting something before coming over here. But don't waste your time and money on an online TEFL course - most are just barely legalised daylight robbery.

Another point to consider is that Russia is a fairly expensive place to live - foodstuffs, clothing etc. Expect to pay over the odds for many basic staples. Therefore low pay should be a concern. Do not accept a subsistence job: that would waste everybody's time, including the students, who will no doubt be paying through the nose for lessons.

Perhaps you'd consider doing the Celta in Moscow? You'd have a proper cert, and learn something of the TEFL scene here, how to manage local learners. And maybe even make a few useful contacts for securing a job. Whatever you decide, the summer is a very quiet season here, so do not come for an August start, at least.

Best of luck to you.

[Sashadroogie]

Now, where is Teacher X? Search parties have been dispatched, but so far nothing has turned up. Except for one of the dogs who sniffed out a bloodied copy of Kaplan TOEFL IBT...

[teacher X]

Have no fear, I still live!

I appear to have struck lucky with the LL franchise I signed up to.
Plenty of hours at a higher rate than most other LLs. They're flexible and happy to organize my classes around any privates I may have. I don't have any right now, but my colleagues who do have privates generally have their schedule organized around the privates.
My apartment is 15 minutes from the school, so split shifts are not really any problem for me.
Currently I am in a different apartment whilst they redecorate my place, but this one is also 15 minutes away, so again, no problem.

Of course, we're currently in summer where there's a lull in students, so all this flexibility is possible. We'll see what happens when it all kicks off in September.

I'm working in another school on the weekend for a bit of extra cash, not that I really need it as my outgoings are relatively low.

It takes roughly 20 minutes for alcohol to take affect on the body. So I pre-drink to hell before going out. This generally means that I still appear sober when I reach club security and have so far not had any problems getting in places (apart from the odd bouncer who simply wanted to act the big man before letting us in)
On average, I can get pretty wasted on only 1500rub if I knock back the vodka before leaving the apartment. I'm still refining the process, but I think I have a pretty good system.

But here's the thing; While I seem to have ended up in a good LL, I have heard that some other franchises are really not nice at all.
Interestingly, a colleague of mine used to work for EF and actually rates them as worse than LL. His stories about working in EF are pretty bleak.

Really, I think it all comes down to luck of the draw.

I'm amazed at how many job offers I have had since being here. I can't go 5 days without someone offering me more work.

Ahaha, my favourite one was a few weeks ago when I was offered work at an international school. I've worked in international schools in Germany and I know how much these guys charge for tuition fees. These schools are loaded! So when I asked what the pay was, I was somewhat shocked when I was given a price of 400rub per a/h. I told them there was no chance they'd get a native speaker for that much.

I'm obviously still in the honeymoon period, but right now I am loving Moscow! We'll see how much I love it when winter draws in and we get long cold days and nights.

[Sashadroogie]

Dear respected Teacher X

Welcome back. The Party was worried about your prolonged absence. Also of worry is the propensity to drink vodka before going out clubbing. As all civilised comrades should know, we must only share a stopka of vodka or three over a meal with friends - preferably washed down with caviar. Using it as a booster for a night of carousing is against Party ideology and will lead to strict sanctions.

Another worry is the apparent susceptibility to the brainwashing techniques of LL. Please be aware that many posters have been swallowed up and spat out by the remorseless murder machine that is the recruitment department, despite the initial fair weather.

With Communist greetings

Sasha

[teacher X]

Slightly off topic; I just had my first encounter with the police.
I was walking back to my apartment when suddenly I see an officer chasing after me down the street, shouting at me.
I stop to let him speak to me and notice that a second officer had appeared.

With my limited Russian ability all I understood was lots of Russian sounds, but nothing I could recognise.

I gave him the usual Не понимаю. Я английский язык. Я говорю очень плохо па-русский.

He then shouted at me some more and I heard the word passport. By this point I was already looking for my documents. My passport is currently at the consulate having the visa issued. Luckily I had the official document from the passport office in my bag.

The officer clearly had no idea what this piece of paper was and took a great amount of time reading it. Or perhaps he just wasn't a very skilled reader. He looked at me with a pissed off expression, handed me back the document and they both walked off without saying another word to me.

I'd love to know what the problem was.

I'd like to think that he was just trying to offer me some sound life advice, such as always having a pen to hand on the off chance that you may need to write something down. Yeah...I'm sure that was what he wanted to tell me.

[RoscoeTX]

PM'ed you Teacher X...

And nice to hear some positive tales from the "indentured servants", I mean teachers working at the McSchools.

But as our favorite tovarish Sasha commented, newbies beware and tread carefully when joining the ranks of McSchools, as experiences can vary widely.

While I am not toeing the party line as Red Sasha, I can agree that the language mills in Moscow are in it for one thing.

[ryfl34]

Ok so I just got my TEFL for 60 hours. 100 hours done by the end of the week. I have a BA, I've been working for one year (in a completely unrelated field to teaching), and I'm American, 23 years old.

Since Language Link is British, do they usually take Americans? I'm guessing they don't.

Should I even bother?

[Sashadroogie]

They take any nationality. The real question is whether you should bother... hic!

[Sashadroogie]

Dear respected Teacher X, that was one of my operatives, who had been out with the search parties. He was trying to tell you that you need to report to your local Party headquarters regularly and to carry your Party card with you at all times.

The Central Committee has been observing you for some time, apart from your recent disappearance. There is growing concern over various infractions of the Party's disciplinary code, of which the incorrect and non-social consumption of vodka is chief. Please bear this in mind, comrade.

With Communist greetings

S

[spiral78]

[Sashadroogie]

Not as limited as you might think. I'm not so sure that every teacher working at Missing, ahem! Language Link has a proper certificate...

[teacher X]

[Sashadroogie]

Yes, the choices that potential learners make can sometimes be dubious at best. How I despise the phrase 'чистый английский'. Especially from Beginner students, who wouldn't know a Canadian accent from a Scottish one. And it is usually the weaker and lower level learners who make such preferences known. Actually, that is not a bad litmus test to detect which learners will be successful ones and which will get bogged down in needless trifles.

[kittymiaz]

Teacher x I am interested to know which branch you work at, or what you may know about the specific branches as I'm interviewing with them at the moment.
Please PM me if you can