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PeterParvo
Joined: 18 Dec 2011
Posts: 103
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 Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Had an MA in Linguistics and was a direct hire. Overall a good experience, but it had its rough spots. This is so overused, but 'it is what it is'. |
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MahaGala
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Location: Shenzhen, PRC
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| Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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| EnglishDoYouSpeakIt wrote: |
While a direct hire job might indeed be difficult to acquire, you can easily get a job with a contract company. Thousands of teachers do this and survive in Saudi. The benefits that offset working here are typically one of the following:
Religion. By that I mean Islam. Many many teachers come here to teach because it is the land of Mecca and Medina , it's a good country to work on Islamic studies and whatnot.
Money. Salaries here are very good, for direct hires and otherwise. The problem with not being a direct hire is you might get yanked around a little bit, but remember those unhappy are the ones that are the loudest, where as the majority of teachers are getting paid on time and in full.
That's really about it. If you see salaries here are better than what you're offered elsewhere then come, keep your head down and you can easily bank ten to twenty grand in the course of a year, more or less depending on your commitment and situation
To actually answer your question: I've been here awhile and I like it. If you're young and not a humbug you'll do fine. |
So, HOW much could a teacher realistically save in 1 year, with a salary of, say, $3K per month? Providing the accomodation cost is covered by the company, that is.
Would it be possible to live in KSA on around $500 p/month and save the rest?
Cheers |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| For a single person 2000 SR should be enough. That is a bit more than US$500. Don't try to live TOO modestly. That way lies insanity. When you find yourself stealing the toilet rolls and teabags from work - it is time to leave and get therapy ! That is SERIOUS. I have come across this phenomenon from members of the 500 Club. (Those who try to live on 500 SR a month) |
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MahaGala
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Location: Shenzhen, PRC
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| For a single person 2000 SR should be enough. That is a bit more than US$500. Don't try to live TOO modestly. That way lies insanity. When you find yourself stealing the toilet rolls and teabags from work - it is time to leave and get therapy ! That is SERIOUS. I have come across this phenomenon from members of the 500 Club. (Those who try to live on 500 SR a month) |
Thanks, Scot47 - that makes sense i suppose 
Stealing teabags and toilet paper doesn't sound fun indeed.....
From the job ads for KSA that I've come across so far, the employers seem to ask for MA Ed/App.Ling. or DELTA . I'm studying Grad Dip in Education (major:English) at an Australian university at the moment, graduating in few months, which would make me a 'qualified teacher' here in Oz. However, I'm interested in giving it a shot in KSA! Do the employers in Saudi like/recognise Grduate Diploma ( with no experience teaching POST-graduation, though I taught English for 3 years in China and Thailand BEFORE i embarked on the course).
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanx.  |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:04 am Post subject: |
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| MahaGala wrote: |
| From the job ads for KSA that I've come across so far, the employers seem to ask for MA Ed/App.Ling. or DELTA . I'm studying Grad Dip in Education (major:English) at an Australian university at the moment, graduating in few months, which would make me a 'qualified teacher' here in Oz. However, I'm interested in giving it a shot in KSA! Do the employers in Saudi like/recognise Grduate Diploma ( with no experience teaching POST-graduation, though I taught English for 3 years in China and Thailand BEFORE i embarked on the course). |
I don't think Saudi employers---direct hire and contracting companies---will view your Grad Diploma in Education as adding much to your qualifications because it's not a masters degree. That is, they still may only see you as someone with a (related?) BA + 3 years' experience (+ CELTA/equivalent TEFL cert?), which would pretty much only interest contracting companies.
Do you plan to continue on to a masters program? |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:40 am Post subject: |
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They will see your Grad Cert as just another CELTA. You could apply to the universities. Word is that they are having problems getting suitable teachers.
Last edited by scot47 on Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:28 am; edited 1 time in total |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:11 am Post subject: |
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MahaGala:
What are your specific academic qualifications? Does your grad diploma include a practical component? |
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MahaGala
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Location: Shenzhen, PRC
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
MahaGala:
What are your specific academic qualifications? Does your grad diploma include a practical component? |
Well the GDE (Graduate Diploma in Education) is the Australian equivalent of the British PGCE, and as I assumed should hold the same value in the ME, or am i wrong??... It is a 1-year post-Bachelor's degree, after completing which one is considered fully - qualified to teach ful-time in Australian government and private schools. My major is English. I also have a non-teaching BA degree. No ESL certificate of any sort. The Diploma does include 3 month total of practical teaching at an Australian school. There is also some micro-teaching, done on campus whereby I taught my peers, solely for the purpose of experimenting with different teaching styles.
Upon graduating, one can go on to pursue MA Ed. or even move straight on to PhD Ed.
I'd like to save some money prior to that, as well as doing some travelling  |
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MahaGala
Joined: 09 Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Location: Shenzhen, PRC
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| They will see your Grad Cert as just another CELTA. You could apply to the universities. Word is that they are having problems getting suitable teachers. |
Scot 47,
I strongly doubt they would see GDE as another CELTA, unless they have complete amateurs working for them in the HR department. GDE, unlike CELTA, takes a year to complete, it is very intense and some go straight into doing their PhDs after graduating. It is also internationally recognised.
Have you come accross any teachers in KSA with a GDE/PGCE or equivalent?
Regards,
MG |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Several - including some teaching at KFUPM now. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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I would expect that they would see it as equivalent to a US education BA/BSc ... so it would just be making your first degree an education degree to allow you to teach in your national school system. You said that it was in "English" which isn't the same as ESL/EFL. I haven't seen a PGCE or equivalent asked for except in the international school system. (you need your national teaching cert/license in hand) So, this would not be equal to a CELTA, it would something pre-CELTA.
Most employer would want to see your new teaching degree PLUS a CELTA or something that adds ESL/EFL to your credentials if this is just a standard English degree to teach your own locals.
VS |
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