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neverheardofem
Joined: 29 Feb 2012
Posts: 100
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 Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:19 am Post subject: Summer Uni position - help |
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I've been offered a position in a summer school programme run by the language section of the university. They were advertising for general tutors as well as EAP staff for the summer so I applied. Anyway, somewhat to my surprise, I was offered the general English position (I don't have an MA or DELTA for EAP work)
However, now I am nervous about it due to my lack of experience in a HE environment. In fact, I am close to just taking a job in a local language school instead, as I am well used to this. My self confidence isn't great as I haven't worked (in teaching) full time in a few months. I know this sounds a bit pathetic, but I feel like I won't be as good as the other teachers! On the other hand, I would love to go in the university direction career wise, so it would be good experience.
Does anyone have any experience of working in a university summer school?If so, I would love to hear about it! |
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slapntickle
Joined: 07 Sep 2010
Posts: 270
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 10:41 am Post subject: Re: Summer Uni position - help |
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| neverheardofem wrote: |
I've been offered a position in a summer school programme run by the language section of the university. They were advertising for general tutors as well as EAP staff for the summer so I applied. Anyway, somewhat to my surprise, I was offered the general English position (I don't have an MA or DELTA for EAP work)
However, now I am nervous about it due to my lack of experience in a HE environment. In fact, I am close to just taking a job in a local language school instead, as I am well used to this. My self confidence isn't great as I haven't worked (in teaching) full time in a few months. I know this sounds a bit pathetic, but I feel like I won't be as good as the other teachers! On the other hand, I would love to go in the university direction career wise, so it would be good experience.
Does anyone have any experience of working in a university summer school?If so, I would love to hear about it! |
There are a couple of things to think about here. First, don't see the uni position as long term because they only need you for the summer. If the language school offers better long-term prospects, maybe you might want to stay there, especially if you're happier working in that type of environment.
You didn't mention what uni has offered you the position. Uni presessional courses in the UK tend to be run quite differently. At one end of the spectrum, you have a course that has already been designed for the teacher and all you have to do is walk in and teach the materials and jump through the hoops, while at the other end you have those courses which are more loosely structured and you take the initiative. Others I suppose fall somewhere in between. With your lack of experience, I'd say that first choice would be the best, but the problem is that you won't really know how the course is designed until you start teaching. This is why you should name the school offering you the job so that previous teachers can comment.
Teaching uni in the UK sounds like a great deal and maybe good for the resume, but the truth is that many presessional courses are run by amateurs who have no idea about student needs and the importance of good materials. In fact, many of these courses resemble those run by the better language schools and are nothing to write home about. Also, as mentioned above, you are not really qualified to teach at tertiary level, but some universities who don't pay well and who overwork their teachers fail to get the required number of returnees and end up hiring whoever is available. Once the summer has passed, you are jobless, until the following year when the desperate universities start advertising for teachers once again.
I'm not really sure how long this situation can go on because university salaries are falling over the summer yet teachers are required to do more and more. Remember it's not just about teaching, but also grading, doing attendance, attending meetings, and other miscellaneous admin duties, which can mean you are on site for 35+ hours a week. Most well-qualified teachers that I know, myself included, have given up on summer courses because they simply exploit teachers by employing them on inferior short-term contracts that offer no additional benefits. This is the trend now in HE in the UK, especially as many of our universities have partnered with shoddy outfits in the private sector who are bent on squeezing every last drop of juice out of their poor old teachers and then giving them the boot.
So, what's my advice: If you're planning to leave the UK and teach overseas, then go ahead and do the summer presessional and head off to greener pastures around September time when the experience is 'fresh' on the CV. If however you are planning to stay in the UK, then maybe stay with the language school if it's working for you. After all, it's not just about the money . . . job satisfaction is important too. |
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Dedicated
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 972
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 11:09 am Post subject: |
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Please do not confuse EAP pre-sessional courses with general summer school programmes.
neverheardofem specifically stated he/she was engaged for a general summer course, which is just the same as a general course at a language school. Universities are now cashing in on offering general summer courses which bear no relevance to any university course. They merely use the university classrooms and bring in outside teachers. This will definitely not lead to employment at the university afterwards.
Some students, particularly from Japan, Kazakhstan and Russia, like the sound of "studying" at a university-based programme rather than at Joe Bloggs Language School. Often the course consists of teaching in the morning (at pre-intermediate level) then sight-seeing trips/social activities in the afternoon/evenings. Very little, if any, homework is set so no marking involved. |
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slapntickle
Joined: 07 Sep 2010
Posts: 270
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| Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 1:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Dedicated wrote: |
| Please do not confuse EAP pre-sessional courses with general summer school programmes. |
But that's exactly what these crooked universities want ignorant teachers and students to feel - confused. Neverheardofem is here because he/she is confused and needs reassurance from other board members that he/she could actually teach at a university without the "MA or DELTA". Obviously this person is lacking in self-confidence and needs a fillip from the board. What I'm saying is that whether it's a bog-standard general summer course or an EAP presessional job, both will be doable for anyone with a CELTA, a little experience and a smidgen of confidence. I've taught on a handful of presessionals at different universities across the country and I'd say that most of the teaching on EAP courses was routine. In fact, these courses have to be routine because many of the teachers are not qualified to teach them and many of the students don't have the level to access difficult EAP material and the kind of convoluted language that comes with it. Let's face it this is all a big scam and both rookie teachers and IELTS 5.5 students are being sold a course at a university that costs a king's ransom because all involved feel like they are really the bee's knees because they're studying at a prestigious university in the UK. If only they knew the real truth . . . |
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