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Loads of questions for old lags.

 
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daveryan



Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 10:09 am    Post subject: Loads of questions for old lags. Reply with quote

Cool Hi, my name is Dave and I am currently sat at my desk in miserable Manchester, U.K. Following an untimely end to my career in social work (nothing dodgy I hasten to add), I am trying to reinvent myself as a TEFL teacher and will be qualified in that regard by November. I also have a degree in Applied Social Science and a post graduate diploma in social work.

My immediate ambitions are twofold. First I would like to obtain a teaching post in Turkey, a country that I have visited on several occasions over the years; and second I would like to undertake some reasearch into the Turkish Juvenile justice system. With regard to the latter I have received a so far favourable response from the Turkish Government in the limited discussions that I have already had. As to the former I am hoping that I can pick your brains, as this is very much a new venture for me.

At this point I have no real preference as regards the area of Turkey to aim for although I will need to be near to one of the larger cities in order to carry out the research that I mentioned. I speak very little Turkish although I am learning from a tape at present. I have also spent time in Istanbul, Izmir and to a lesser extent Ankara so to some extent know what to expect, at least in a social sense if not a proffessional one.

So that's enough about me and over to you lot!

1. Although I gather from previous posts that life in a K12 school can be fairly traumatic, given that much of my social work career has involved work with problematic teenagers it sounds interesting and this would be my immediate preference. Am I qualified for such a post and how would you suggest that I go about obtaining one. Unfortunately I will not be available for work until January 2004?

2. Are Turkish state schools an option and if so how does one find vacancies?

3.At forty-one I am certainly no spring chicken and although I enjoy the occasional mad night out am more into a quiet glass of cold beer and a game of backgammon these days. Are their more of us out there or can I expect to fall mainly amongst hedonistic youngsters?

4. Is it possible to apply for posts in language schools on six month contracts? As I am looking to commence work in January this would give me the option of applying for a K12 school to start in September 2004 while in situe. Would this create problems regarding work permits?

Anyway thats all for now. I look forward to your replys and enjoying a cold glass of Efes or two in the new year.

Cheers
Dave

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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
1. Although I gather from previous posts that life in a K12 school can be fairly traumatic, given that much of my social work career has involved work with problematic teenagers it sounds interesting and this would be my immediate preference. Am I qualified for such a post and how would you suggest that I go about obtaining one. Unfortunately I will not be available for work until January 2004?


Yesssssss Turkish K-12s are certainly an exercise in patience and sanity. My previous employment incarnations were very relevant to maintaining my equilibrium: As well as waitressing and pulling pints in pubs, I spent two years as a care attendant in the UK in nursing homes and doing live-in for folks with Alzheimers and strokes, etc. You have no idea how similar turkish children and dementia patients are... Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Actually, the kids can be great (I am going back in 2 days for round 2) but there is definitely a mob mentality- in many cases the kids run the schools because their parents pay the big bucks. If a teacher upsets a kid, the parents might pull them out and the school loses much needed funding. To teach in a k12 you normally need a B. Ed, however this is not always the situation. You DO need a BA and a TEFL. My yabanci co workers had degrees in behavioral psychology, history, special education, and english Lit. The special ed. one didnt have a full education degree so she was as underqualified as we were! If you don't have a B.Ed then you are considered a 'form tutor'-- meaning you dont give grades and you dont get your own classroom. Also, lower pay. As for arriving in January, it may be possible to find work but much more difficult as k12s hire for Sept. in Springtime. I found mine by posting my CV on this site.

Quote:
2. Are Turkish state schools an option and if so how does one find vacancies?


I'm not sure on this one. If they are, the pay wouldn't be very good.

Quote:
3.At forty-one I am certainly no spring chicken and although I enjoy the occasional mad night out am more into a quiet glass of cold beer and a game of backgammon these days. Are their more of us out there or can I expect to fall mainly amongst hedonistic youngsters?


From my experience, the teachers in Turkey that I know and work with, both in kayseri and scattered around elsewhere, are a pretty relaxed, diverse bunch. We tend to be older than the Asian average-- far fewer 20 year olds in a party mood show up here. This year my coworkers at my school will be between 28-50 years old. I'm the youngest at 28.

Quote:
4. Is it possible to apply for posts in language schools on six month contracts? As I am looking to commence work in January this would give me the option of applying for a K12 school to start in September 2004 while in situe. Would this create problems regarding work permits?


Not a problem for work permits, no, but it may be harder to find 6 month contracts. A language school might be more likely to do shorter contracts- I know a fellow who arrived in December and went straight to IH Istanbul. By beingin situ it will be easier to find k12 contracts in Sept because you can meet the employers face to face- important.

God luck. You can PM me if you have more questions. Laughing
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daveryan



Joined: 20 Aug 2003
Posts: 40

PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2003 10:46 am    Post subject: Cheers Reply with quote

Cool Thanks for that....I see you are working in Kayseri. How much could I expect to be paid in one of the more provincial areas, eg Kayseri or Afyon? Although I expect to have to locate myself in one of the big three initially, certainly if looking for language schools.
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yaramaz



Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before

PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2003 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I make 600 pounds in Kyseri per month, with free shared flat and utilities and airfare. We also got $100 US clothing allowance at the beginning of the last school year, hopefully will get it again!! I also do freelance tutoring on the side, charging about 25 million/hour. Currently, I teach 2 doctors. The school kept bringing me adult students, friends of teachers and board members- the guy in charge of the water dept in the city, someone's PhD daughter, etc. I had to narrow it down to just two extra students...

I'm not sure what the pay is elsewhere away from Ist. and Ankara but I can tell you that prices are much lower here. I can live well on under 300 pounds/month (its about 700 mill.) and save the other half. I doubt I could do that in a big city, making a similiar wage---- and I would make a similar wage, as I've looked at several Highschools in Ist. and they offered me about $1100 US--- not much more than what I get.
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learnedwon



Joined: 14 Aug 2003
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Fri Aug 29, 2003 7:40 am    Post subject: Re: Loads of questions for old lags. Reply with quote

daveryan wrote:
Cool
1. Although I gather from previous posts that life in a K12 school can be fairly traumatic, given that much of my social work career has involved work with problematic teenagers it sounds interesting and this would be my immediate preference. Am I qualified for such a post and how would you suggest that I go about obtaining one. Unfortunately I will not be available for work until January 2004?
[/b]


You'll have difficulties getting hired in a State K-12 school. It used to be easier, but they have been looking for people with degrees in education and those who are certified to teach in their home countries. I wouldn't describe Turkish kids as problematic, however. Yaramaz's name is a good Turkish word to learn and applies to a small portion of Turkish kids (although that small portion does tend to stick out in memory). I'm sure you can find kids to work with at any of the dershani schools in Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, or Izmir.

daveryan wrote:
Cool
2. Are Turkish state schools an option and if so how does one find vacancies?
[/b]


As noted above. I hasten to add that many of the dershani schools have contracts with state schools - and it might be possible to work out a deal with the branch manager of a dershani and put your time in at one of the state school. Hey, here's an idea... contact the sales people at Oxford University Press or McMillan Press in Istanbul. Those guys are always traveling to schools trying to sell text books; they might be keyed in on which schools are short staffed and might be able to help you get placed. It's great PR for them, and in the eyes of the school administrators, shows that they are able to feed them more than just expensive text books. However, be prepared for class sizes of 40+.

daveryan wrote:
Cool
3.At forty-one I am certainly no spring chicken and although I enjoy the occasional mad night out am more into a quiet glass of cold beer and a game of backgammon these days. Are their more of us out there or can I expect to fall mainly amongst hedonistic youngsters?
[/b]


Yea. There's more like you/us. Welcome to Turkey!

daveryan wrote:
Cool
4. Is it possible to apply for posts in language schools on six month contracts? As I am looking to commence work in January this would give me the option of applying for a K12 school to start in September 2004 while in situe. Would this create problems regarding work permits?
[/b]


I'm sure this is possible. I've learned that most everything in Turkey is negotiable. Though you probably won't have any leverage from Manchester, in Turkey in the office of the school's hiring manager almost everything (except wages) are negotiable.

Good luck to you and enjoy Turkey!
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