Job Discussion Forums

mandivided · Joined: 20 Feb 2006 Posts: 15

We, as ESL teachers have got to draw the line somewhere. I've personally turned down several jobs which required me to work Saturdays.

If you insist upon working Saturdays/busting your ass, I'd suggest that you move to the US, get a job in the corporate world for a year or two...take public transport, cut corners etc. and BUY a building and OPEN UP your OWN school, in Poland with the savings.

You'll be much better off in the long run.

Grrrmachine · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Posts: 265 Location: Warsaw, Poland

Of course, there's always the idea that some private students only have time on Saturdays, and pay twice as much for the pleasure, which affords some of us the opportunity to take Mondays off, when the shops aren't crammed with school-kids and all the important places are open to get work done...

It's just a day of the week, like any other, after all. I didn't have to work Saturdays last year, but when the hours were offered I took them because 3 Saturdays out of 4 I was just mooching on my sofa anyway, and knowing that you don't have the time to waste meant that I used every 4th Saturday to do something really worthwhile.

gregoryfromcali · Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:06 am Post subject:

I would add split shifts to where we should draw the line.

I don't know why teachers take them and then complain bitterly through out the year over it.

Pollux · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 224 Location: PL

Working Saturdays is not a problem as long as you have Mondays off.

Wild Bill · Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 37

Only for privates, and NEVER before noon.

bennyr81 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 45 Location: Poland

i dont see the problem with working on saturdays, but then i think it goes down to the person in question.
I have worked saturdays in teaching and in other jobs now for a few years without exchanging it for another day and ive never been bothered.
One day off is more than enough

Pollux · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 224 Location: PL

Thank God for guys like Benny.

And I mean that in a good way.

gregoryfromcali · Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:53 am Post subject:

ktodba · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 54 Location: UK

Hey it's a big wide world.
If you don't want to work on Saturdays then don't - but don't complain about the jobs you miss out on.

If you choose to work on Saturdays and get a day off then be happy.

If you work on Saturdays and get paid overtime then rejoice.

EFL is a business and needs to get customers in order to survive - this will sometimes include saturdays - reach your own agreement with this and live with it.

Personally I've done jobs with Saturdays on and a day off in lieu and with Saturdays as overtime - if I hadn't been happy enough to do it I would have refused.

As always it's down to the individual's choice, make your's and live with it.

Why should we be stopped from working split shifts if we want to? It may fit in nicely with our other plans! It's a big world and we all have different plans - isn't it time we stopped generalising? Your contract should be between you and your employer - if you 'have' to sign a generic contract then you may not have the right to complain.

Make your own choice and reap the rewards / suffer the consequences - if you don't like the contracts being offered you then open your own school and let people complain about you.

caramel · Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 57 Location: London

I thought working on Saturdays would suck but it doesn't because you get more money and you get Monday off which is better than most people who work in normal jobs!!!

gregoryfromcali · Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:48 pm Post subject:

Pollux · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 224 Location: PL

gregoryfromcali · Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject:

I'm a big big girl
In a big big world
It's not a big big thing if u leave me
But I do do feel
That I do do will
Miss u much
Miss u much

Cool

ktodba · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 54 Location: UK

Sorry, I'm not a DoS. I just like being able to make my own choices - I've chosen to do split shifts for the appropriate remuneration and have declined when the offer didn't suit me. I'm currently working '9-5' as much as that is possible as a teacher but it's my choice and I've never been desperate enough to sign a contract I wasn't prepared to honour without whining.

I know I've missed out on jobs which offered split shifts because I wasn't interested but it was my choice and I was happy to make it.

If the school I choose to work for requires split shifts and I am happy to do it then surely it's my business?

joshsweigart · Joined: 27 Feb 2005 Posts: 66

What was the point of the first post anyway? That he doesn't like to work Saturdays? Ok. Neither do I. If you do...ok. We could ban together and refuse to do so, but I'd go behind everyone and work Saturdays for more money. Ha!