Job Discussion Forums

[Sally Vaite]

I was wondering if anybody knows anything about private courses in Izmir. I had heard English Academy was a good place to work but now I am not so sure. Has anybody heard anything about this particular place recently? Any advice would be appreciated?

[billybuzz]

Hi Sal
Looks like we are in the same city if you want some advice about places then pm me ,ok?

[Sally Vaite]

Hello Billy
I dont see much point to having an open forum about ESL jobs if all of the valuable information passes privately. One of the important aspects of this type of discussion is that people can debate openly and judge for themselves. However, if all that goes on behind closed doors, then how can any inaccuracies or misrepresentations be pointed out?
On the other hand, if others overwhelmingly agree with remarks made in the open forum then it is true that they would add a certain weight. So without trying to offend, I would prefer to keep them Un-private.


Thanks for your help in any case. Really.

[billybuzz]

Ok Sal,be cool !

[fungus the bogeyman]

I think you are quite cool anyway Sally!

Not many schools in Izmir but interestingly some new ones are opening up which should help cos the existing ones need a bit of competition I reckon.

Specific questions? Let me know and I will try and help!

[thrifty]

I notice Yasar University is advertising -what are they like?

[tinkerbell]

I've met a couple of teachers from Yasar and they don't seem to have hung around. That may say something.

Any Yasar teachers out there, please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Sally Vaite]

[fungus the bogeyman]

According to conversations recently heard in the bars frequented by English teachers I must admit I have heard growing negativity regarding English Academy. Lots of contract complaints, management problems, and bad feeling in the teachers room. Maybe thats normal but cant say i have experienced it that badly since I have been in Turkey. It appears to be a bit of a one man show with a very forceful director. But in saying that it does or certainly did have a good reputation but as we all know a couple of lousy teachers and some poor management decisions can change all that.

[Sally Vaite]

In E.A, how much help and support should a new teacher expect from the dos and other teachers?

[fungus the bogeyman]

Wow what a coincidence - just happened to be browsing when I saw your post come through!

Again a good newbie question and again not sure about EA in particular but your DOS is obviously a very important person and has a big role to play in your experience of any school. I have had mixed experiences with DOSes but of course it really depends on their own ability. What I have generally found is that DOSes (what is the plural!!!) are either picked for their teaching experience or ability which is usually no indication of their management skills and therefore they are not necessarily the right people for the job. They can lack man management skills as can directors because they have never had any kind of management training. Sometime they go out of their way to impress and leave you completely bamboozled and forgetting what your original question was.

Again sometimes you get a team of DOSes in a school and this can lead to problems unless clear lines of responsibilities are drawn up and made know to the teacher. I have had experiences where you can ask a question and get up to three different answers!

As for other teachers usually very helpful but again if your are in a school where there is a competitive element within the teahers' room be careful because this can sometimes effect the way the teachers work together.

[Freddie Miles]

Sally, I had a minimal connection to the school and sadly, I havent heard anything in this thread I would disagree with.

[kparsons]

All the postings I've read lately about schools in Izmir are pretty negative. That said, are there any good places to work there anymore? I hope so! If so, which are recommended? I've noticed no one has said many bad things about Economics University, but beyond that, there haven't been any others I can recall.

[billybuzz]

Lets just say its better than the rest !

[Freddie Miles]

I guess in this forum you rarely hear about the good schools. There are some good places to work in Izmir, but the situation can change from year to year (new ownership and management and maybe just a few changes in policy).

Personally I think tagging all private language courses as "bottom feeders" is a bit much. There were a lot more cowboy outfits operating in Izmir, and Turkey, for that matter, in the past. Also, at that time, there were a lot of "holiday-making" teachers who came to Turkey for a lark without any intention of making any effort. ( Just bragging rights in the local pub back home.) It tended to average out in the long run, I guess.

Some smaller schools are not bad places to work for. Really. It is sometimes a matter of luck but if you have the right qualifications and experience, if you believe you know what you are doing in the classroom and can work reasonably well with others, then I would advise this: Shop around. Think of yourself as a needed commodity and not as a grunt. Dont hang around in a school that you feel isnt treating you well but, on the other hand, dont expect to be treated like visiting royalty either. And above all, dont let yourself be taken advantage of.

And if you do get yourself in a ridiculous situation, dont panic. Breaking a contract is, of course, a last resort, but never feel pressured to re-sign a contract with a school that has not lived up to your expectations. It is too easy to moan about your bad luck and not try to change it.

Kparsons, what is YOUR description of a good place to work?