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English Time (ET) Post Only Here
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erics



Joined: 07 May 2013
Posts: 5
Location: paradise

PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:43 pm    Post subject: ENGLISH CRIME Reply with quote

English time is by far the worse school in Istanbul. Bad managers, bad curriculum, bad pay and bad attitude.
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erics



Joined: 07 May 2013
Posts: 5
Location: paradise

PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 2:57 pm    Post subject: STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL Reply with quote

Please do your research on this school before you make a decision. There are so many negative things written about this school and they are 100% accurate. You can read all the comments on this forum and you can also find a lot of information on the Blacklist on Facebook. ET is currently the #1 school on the blacklist. There is a reason for it.

A few days ago, I have been told that they decided to restructure their management and all of the Head Teachers we ordered to be teachers. They decided to have three area coordinators for all Istanbul branches. I had a really good Head Teacher that was always there for me when I needed assistance and now she has been forced to be a teacher or leave the company. This means that there is little or no support for teachers.

I recently finished a contract with ET. It really is one of the worst language schools I have ever worked at in my 10 years as a ESL teacher. The book is so bad, that the students make fun of it, especially in the listening and speaking block. There is no technology and no recordings for the listening exercises.

Basically the curriculum is based on making the students happy. If the students are happy, then you are considered a hero. I made it through one contract because they always gave hours and paid my money on time. I was promised a work permit and i received it. However, I received the work permit three months before my contract ending date. I took almost 8 months to get it, which means I was working illegally for 8 months, but was told there is no problem because they sent in my paperwork when I first started working. I didn't believe it, but I need work, so I worked without it.

I dealt with the horrible conditions because my Head Teacher was always willing to help; even though, most of the time there was little she could do. I ended up leaving because they didn't offer more money as they have a cap on how much you can make per hour. I was at the maximum, so I left for greener pastures.

I moved on and now work at a Vakif school and the conditions are one thousand times better than what I dealt with at ET. The pay is better, the hours are better, the curriculum is better, basically everything is better.
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Moonshadow_51



Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey

PostPosted: Sun Feb 16, 2014 9:50 am    Post subject: ET Reply with quote

I'm sorry but I need to post something on this topic.

I actually have a friend who works for ET, and she tells me that the new management is making things a lot more comfortable for mature teachers who want a professional atmosphere. I've heard that the younger, rebellious teachers had attitudes, as if they were working for themselves, swearing at the workplace and being rude to students and carrying on like the office was a party all the time. I was told that new management "has been a huge relief," because the rowdy kids tried to intimidate others. At least this is what my friend told me, and she's my roommate.

But to discuss something I know of personally from many years in Turkey, NO school has control over how long the work permit process takes. The residence permit takes a bit of time if the police roster is booked, but once any school submits paperwork for the work permit, all the school can do is wait. It is simply not right to hit on any school because the Department of Higher Education takes awhile to approve the work permits.

Here's a bit of advice from someone who has taught around the world and then some: the people who go out of their way to put down a school are always malcontents. Always. They have problems getting along with authority figures, and they are frustrated because they actually realize they don't know how to teach.

They don't like following a dress code, and they don't like being asked to show up for work on time. They talk about personal things in class and become angry when their students complain about them and ask for a better teacher.

I am not going to respond to anymore posts on this thread because I think it is dishonest. All I can say to new teachers who are looking around at different jobs is don't believe all the negative you read, because the negativity is coming from people with agendas to cause harm.

Sign me, a teacher who can smell sabotage 100 meters away.
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parnett



Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 179
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should be hearing from Teacherdude any second.
You hit the nail on the head as far as the work permits are concerned.
During my time at ET, I would say that 80% of the teachers were totally inept. It was their first time teaching. Their grammar was atrocious. Their classroom management was awful. Many of them had relationships with their students. Some came because drinking, smoking and other vices were cheaper than those at home. I was in charge of 16 full-time teachers at one branch, and I would say that 4 of them were qualified to teach. At another branch, I had to fire a teacher for poor behavior with a student on the roof of the building.
So what am I trying to say? These sort of things go on at every language school in every country in the world, and not only at ET. In all of my years working abroad (16 at last count), I haven't encountered more than 10 qualified teachers. I am presently the head of the English department at a respected international school in China. Some of my "exceptional" teachers couldn't tell you the difference between a present participle and a gerund.
I completely understand the problems at ET. As I stated in prior threads, I worked there for more than 7 years, and was a member of their "family." The books are useless. Ditto most of the teachers. The distinguished chairwoman (or whatever you want to call her) is a power hungry despot who has driven all of the foreign members of the "family" out of the company.
Still, the vast majority of ET teachers (and most read the threads at Dave's), have neither the time nor the incentive to voice their feelings here. I would assume that's because most are content with their situations. Thus, English Time must be doing something right.
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fredyis42



Joined: 16 Sep 2013
Posts: 9

PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:59 pm    Post subject: English Time Update Reply with quote

I currently work at English Time and I wish I didn't. The promise of a full time job at 25 to 35 hours is not true and it all depends on how many hours are given to you by the scheduling department. I know a guy who works only 6 hours at one branch but I am sure a lot more hours at other branches.

As for myself I have worked a 42 hour week which may seem fine on paper but is a joke in real life. My pay is 18 lira an hour but you only get paid when you teach. What ever you do don't buy into the 25 to 35 hours a week because you could be working more or less. My teaching days are from Wednesday to Sunday. Weekdays I teach from 10 am to 2 pm which makes the class a four hour class with a ten minute break in between. Sounds good so far? No, not really. I then have a 3 hour class from 7 pm to 10 pm. Sounds like you might have time to chill out and enjoy some good Turkish food? Nope! During the week and weekends you may be rostered to do an activity class which is a speaking activity for 50 minutes. These are done from 2:30 pm to 3:20 pm at 18 lira an hour. On Sundays I work a ten hour day with no time for lunch and just the 10 minute break to get me by.

If you hang around the office long enough a staff member will ask you to do a level check which you don't get paid for. All teachers are required to be at the school 30 minutes before the first lesson. This is so you can prepare your four hour lesson which again is a joke. The textbook itself that English Time provides for it's students and teachers is a joke. It was in fact written by English Time Teachers who never got one lira for their trouble. The books themselves are full of high falutin English which tries to explain English in grammar terms. It is very dry and boring and full of spelling mistakes and stupid sentences that make little sense. Thanks to English Time teachers get confused about English and are asked to make a note of a mistake when they find one. Sure! As if they are going to go ahead and do a massive reprint which would cost money. Nope, don't see that happening at all. English Time is all about talking the talking but not walking the walk. In other words, a lot is said but not a lot done.

As far as quality down time. I don't get back to the apartment that I live in until 11 pm and during weekdays all I do when I get home is sleep. Then I start all over again.

If you are based in Istanbul as I am be prepared to spend time taking some kind of overcrowded transport system to where you need to work and back again to where you live. I take the city bus from where I live to where I work. Living in a big city is great when it comes to over crowding and traffic jams. If you are into that kind of thing then get a job at English Time and live in Istanbul. You won't have any time to enjoy Istanbul because all you want to do in your weekends is rest and relax so you don't get run down and end up with the flu. I spend an average of 45 minutes one way to get from where I live to where I work everyday. There is the Metrobus which has it own two lanes, one going and the other coming. This means it is really fast since there is no other traffic to get in its way. The only problem with the Metrobus is that many Turkish people love to use it, as it is fast and convenient. Feel like packing yourself into a tin with other people so you will know what it is like to be a sardine? Go ahead and use the Metrobus when there is rush hour. Rush hour in Istanbul can last from 6 am in the morning until 11 pm at night and then some. It's really hard to find a seat on a Metrobus unless you live near a terminal.

More about English Time. If you work for English Time you may work at one branch or two or three. There is one Area Manager in charge of three branches. The one I have is good, understanding and seems to be on my side but is a true believer of English Time and all the is holy. More so the system and the school. I have mentioned to him about lights needing to be replaced in one of the classrooms at the school I work at. He told me he would make a note of it but they still have not be fixed or replaced. If this school was really serious it would do something about lights and exposed wire cables with sockets sticking out in a real hurry, but no one seems to notice these things and we just go on our merry way.

MOD EDIT

Do yourself a favour. Don't work for English Time. It's a joke.
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Moonshadow_51



Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:43 pm    Post subject: ET Reply with quote

I have to step in, I'm afraid. The writer of this previous post works at a school that has repeatedly asked to have him removed from classes because of his rudeness to students and the only reason he's still there is because this person he refers to as the Queen has fought to save his job several times in the short 6 weeks he's been in Istanbul.

How do I know? I know because I know Patricia Love, and she was the last saving grace of the school. everything she attempted was in the name of integrity. She worked her backside off 7 days a week to see if there was any way to make work better for teachers.

The trolls on this site are tiresome. But to shed a little light on what's happening on the side at ET, I can attest that the Director resigned from her position today because she felt the school was overly demanding of its teachers, and refused to make hiring decisions based on race. She got into trouble defending a woman who was being stalked by an ex and for advocating for her safety on school property, and paid for it dearly. She pushed for Smartboards, higher pay, fewer hours, and quality textbooks. She prevented teachers from being fired, and did everything she could to make newcomers feel welcome.

I know this because she and I live in the same house, and I was here when she got hoe at 10 pm and could hear her leave as early as 7 am the next morning. I am personally insulted by the comments made against her because she spent hours worried over letting non-native English speaking teachers go. She was upset that she was told that she could not hire people of color. So don't gripe about the Director who tried to make a good school out of this commercial business.

There is always more to a story than what people want to share, isn't there, S.B?


Last edited by Moonshadow_51 on Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PC Parrot



Joined: 11 Dec 2009
Posts: 459
Location: Moral Police Station

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry ... but, if I remember correctly, you have a habit of writing positively about a place, even going so far as to pooh-pooh any naysers ... Then, when you realise what it's like, you do a 180.

Zirve University, wasn't it?
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Moonshadow_51



Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:57 pm    Post subject: ET Reply with quote

No contradiction at all, Parrot - it is a matter of being wise enough to know that things are seldom what they initially seem.

If I recall, you went to Zirve to satisfy your curiosity, only to escape, though warned.
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PC Parrot



Joined: 11 Dec 2009
Posts: 459
Location: Moral Police Station

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But you were arguing against people who had experience of the place before you even got there! That doesn't sound very wise now, does it?

And no. I haven't worked at Zirve. So no. I didn't escape, though warned.
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Moonshadow_51



Joined: 09 Apr 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Turkey

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:48 pm    Post subject: ET Reply with quote

My, you really do take your Moral Police duties seriously, keeping your little black list of everyone in hand. Was Zirve more than three years ago? And he still keeps tabs on posters.... silly rabbit.
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PC Parrot



Joined: 11 Dec 2009
Posts: 459
Location: Moral Police Station

PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's just as well someone remembers - and there is this great feature, a search function. You may have heard of it. It is a good memory jogger.

It's just as well someone calls you out. Otherwise, people might think what you have to say is credible!
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PC Parrot



Joined: 11 Dec 2009
Posts: 459
Location: Moral Police Station

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the very moving PM.

Moonshadow_31 wrote:
Parrot, do you have a problem with life, in general?

Really, no one shoots down strangers with words to cut to the quick unless he is one extremely unhappy human being. Only miserable people do such things.

If you need to know the facts, and you are probably not at all interested in them, a lot of people who work for schools like ET (and, perhaps Zirve) have their heads on straight and attempt to accomplish worthwhile goals, but there seems to be frequent top management manipulation and dishonesty practiced here in Turkey.

But you seem to spend time tracking people you don't know, writing critically against them in a cowardly way. I feel sorry for you. A person of character does not do such things.


And then ...

Moonshadow_31 wrote:

From: Moonshadow_51
To: PC Parrot
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 6:39 pm
Subject: Re: Problem

... you are anti-social, can't hold a job because you don't work well on teams, tend to be poorly groomed and spend a lot of time on the Internet because, well, it's obvious that you need to police others, because you are hiding some big secret of yours from the rest of the world.


I shall try to live up to your fine example 31.


Last edited by PC Parrot on Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:02 am; edited 1 time in total
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Mr. Kalgukshi
Mod Team
Mod Team


Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 6613
Location: Need to know basis only.

PostPosted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If there are additional insults, personal attacks or other inappropriate content posted on this thread, authors of same will be permanently banned along with their ISPs.

Members are requested to advise the MOD Team by Report Post or PM of any inappropriate behavior on this or any thread.
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Cletus



Joined: 30 Apr 2014
Posts: 48
Location: Qassim

PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2014 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No news from ET or its remaining employees? I miss the drama and lively exchanges. Very Happy
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Roo27



Joined: 06 May 2014
Posts: 4
Location: United States

PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:41 pm    Post subject: Kadikoy ET Reply with quote

Can anyone speak to the branch in Kadikoy? I have read all of the bad reviews about ET but also read the experience for folks differs quite a bit depending which branch you work in. My boyfriend and I are new to teaching abroad and ET is the only offer we have received that comes with benefits and is not a 6 day/week schedule. Really appreciate any advice about the Kadikoy ET.
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