Job Discussion Forums

Lord T · Joined: 07 Jul 2015 Posts: 285

The Great Toad - how long did you work for them, why did you leave, and why do you think so many teachers walked out on them?

You provide a great deal of detail which I know to be accurate, but your overall assessment of that period feels more like one a manager would give rather than a teacher.

Are/were you part of the AA management team?

The Great Toad · Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2017 1:30 pm Post subject:

I was not a manager. I just think that the American Academy staff were fair with me and others to the point of hurting their pocketbooks paying the full salary and return flight to persons who left before their contract was over. They also were responsive to teachers and tried to cheer them with Baharain trips and dinners.

Like I wrote; I took the choice to have a cush job here in an up and coming nation in asia rather than go for the 2,800 or 3000 a recruiter like American Academy will offer for a very full 5 day work week. I prefer my present lifestlye being minutes away from my school working less than 8 hours a day and only teaching 10-12 hours a week for around 2,500 a month. If you are a prudent person you can check youtube and see what sort of life and students you will teach in S.A. Perhaps part of the reason teachers leave S.A. is because they failed to weigh the extra cash against the class load and Islam centric culture.

I thought it was only fair to list positives about American Academy as the whole 4 pages were negative. They were fair and I might even apply to work for them again some day. I could write a huge list of all the problems I had in any job I worked. Anyway, I will send you a PM so you can see my picture and know me. Then you can get me a 6 class a week all Female University job in SE Asia that pays 6 grand a month when you become a dean there.

Lord T · Joined: 07 Jul 2015 Posts: 285

sammysez · Joined: 20 Nov 2016 Posts: 119

American Academy was fine. It was what it was.

The salary is what it is. But, granted they kept me working.

I, too, lost my contract, but at a different location several years ago. Dave really did his best to find me another position and he did. I really thank him for that.

I'm sure it's not easy losing your contract in the middle of a semester/year, I know it happened to me.

I was also with QEHC and it took them almost 2 months to give us our last paycheck. They can't pay us if they don't have the money from Saudi--which of course no one wants to hear especially when you're waiting on a paycheck. Again, it is what it is. You're on Saudi time.