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casism
Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 6
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:42 am Post subject: Academic year... |
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Hi everybody,
I just had a (relatively) stupid question:
When does the academic year start in Mexico, and when is the best time to arrive to seek work?
Also, is it possible to save for things llike flights (on an average teaching salary), or is it best to arrange these before leaving?
Cheers,
Cat. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:34 am Post subject: Starting dates |
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casism wrote: |
I just had a (relatively) stupid question |
I don't think that's a stupid question. You'll find some variety on starting dates depending on the part of the country and the type of school. At schools that I'm familiar with, the academic year starts in August, September, or October, and it ends in May, June, or July. If schools run on a semester plan, which most of them do, then the division between semesters is in December, January, or February.
To answer your other question, I'd say it would be wise to have your return flight ticket purchased (or have the money to pay for it tucked away) before arriving instead of counting on saving enough from your earnings to pay for it. |
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ls650

Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia
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Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:04 pm Post subject: Re: Academic year... |
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Our school has an academic year that runs October through June, and summer classes August through September.
In Mexico, it is more difficult than say, Asia, to bank significant sums of money. I would not recommend you come to Mexico without a return ticket and some savings already in the bank. |
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ilovebdt1

Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 46 Location: South Korea for now!
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:42 am Post subject: |
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Hi
Can anyone tell me when the academic year starts for high schools?
ilovebdt1 |
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TheLongWayHome

Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:24 am Post subject: |
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August I think but I'm not sure. |
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geaaronson
Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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Ilovebd2 or whatever
SEP schools just got out last week here in the Yucatan. Last Friday was the last day and the teachers in the Yucatan were required to continue coming to the compound until Wednesday(today). SEP schools are more like junior high and first year high schools,(they are also grade schools) and the secondoria I believe ends either at age 14 or 15.
They have a month off more or less.
The prepatoria school interested in hiring me wants me to show up August 21st or so. I forgot the exact day. Classes begin the following week.
Another prepatoria wanted me to bring in my college diploma on July 27 at which they would give me a contraito if they still want me.
The language school I teach at starts on September 17 for some classes and September 28 for others. They are officially out of the regularly scheduled curriculum but still offer summer classes to those diehard students not obsessed with partying with the dolphins.
The language center however closes its doors from August 14 through September 17. The regular teachers had the last classes two Saturdays ago. Only a few select teachers continued to teach the summer classes.
So yes, as Ben around the bloc indicated, its all over the place and is often confusing.
Do keep in mind that the extreme summer heat starts in the last week of April and continues through August, so if you anticipate going back to gringo land you might want to select a school on that basis. Either that or make sure you have an airconditioned apartment in those areas of mexico with a huge heat factor, such as the Yucatan peninsula. |
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MO39

Joined: 28 Jan 2004 Posts: 1970 Location: El ombligo de la Rep�blica Mexicana
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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One more note about weather in Mexico: the "extreme summer heat" mentioned by geaaronson does not occur in the central and more elevated parts of the country (the DF and surrounding states, the mountainous areas of Oaxaca and Chiapas). In these areas, the summer is the rainy season, when it can be quite pleasant most of the time. When it's not raining, it's warm or cool, with low humidity. |
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geaaronson
Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:57 am Post subject: |
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But keep in mind that the central part of Mexico, especially DF, is very hot in other regards, namely so many criminals with hot fingers.
Yucatan is very crime free. |
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corporatehuman
Joined: 09 Jan 2006 Posts: 198 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:04 pm Post subject: |
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I think a number of language institutes have summer classes, either in the July or August months. I'm looking for a job myself and am getting the impression mid August to September is when most schools begin. However, I believe many might interview or hire a little bit before...
Buena suerte,
Chris |
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geaaronson
Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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yes corporateperson
Hiring should begin in a week or two. |
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Ben Round de Bloc
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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geaaronson wrote: |
yes corporateperson
Hiring should begin in a week or two. |
In these parts, interviewing may happen now for fall term, and some schools do try to fill openings now for the fall, but I think you'll find that with many schools around here the solid job offers won't come until closer to starting dates from mid-August through the first part of September. There are lots of factors involved. Some of them are type of school, whether or not the person doing the hiring knows the school's projected enrollment (many don't,) how much normal teacher turn-over the school usually has, availability of the person/people in charge of hiring (many are on vacation during part of July-August,) and how much a school wants a particular applicant.
It's been my experience and observation that the hiring process goes like this. When a school needs to hire a teacher, the person in charge of hiring checks around to see if there are any established teachers with good reputations who might consider taking the job. His end of the phone conversation usually goes something like, "We need someone to teach x-y-z for us. Would you be interested? Can't do it, huh? Well, is there anyone you could recommend? Please, get back to me if you change your mind or think of anybody." If that doesn't work, then the person in charge of hiring goes through his recent stack of application forms, picks out a few, gets on the phone, and calls them. Then the first person who walks through the door and seems like a potentially good fit for the job gets hired, even if he wasn't one of those from the list of applicants who had been called. Those who show up but don't seem like they'd be a good fit get the keep-checking-back-with-us, we-might-have-something-for-you-later line. |
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