Job Discussion Forums

[fortytwo]

Hello guys,

I stumbled to this forum through google and I have been trying to read in the last couple of days.

First of all, I guess I should talk about my background. That's what the others on the board do. I have BA (History), BEd, MA (Education) and nearly, 40 credits of Ph.D. courses in Education. My undergrad is from Turkey but all my grad work is from US. I have been working as a teacher in a midle school for the last 2 years in the US. I have licence to teach every subject including Reading and Language Arts from 4th grade to 12the grade. I also got a ESL certification last year. I have worked as a high school teacher for 2 years in an international school in Turkey before coming to US.

Up until couple of months, I was planning to finish Ph.D. and go for academia in US. I came to US with a scholarship from Turkey. A year ago I started to observe the hijab and jilbab (or abaya whatever you wanna call it). I assumed nobody from Turkey would know about it until I graduate. I was mistaken because apparently somebody (another Turk) call my consulate and told them. Wearing hijab is forbidden in any public institutions in Turkey. Right now, I am in a very bad position because Turkish Ministry of Education wants me to pay back everything they paid for me starting December. We are talking about 2000$ a month for 3 years. So, money is very important to me right now.

I cannot continue my Ph.D. right now because of money. I applied to couple of international schools in UAE. Fortunately, I passed through their interviews and I have 4 different jobs offers. The highest offer I got is 2350$ a month. I am planning to come there with my family. This all depends on if my husband can find a job too.

Okay, after all this talk my question is if I apply for a job in an UAE university tecahing English, would I be qualified. Even if I have teaching degrees and experience and even ESL certification, I have never taught at university level (other than being TA). If I got offered a job, will the pay quite different from an international school teacher. I truly enjoy teaching secondary level but I believe I can do university level too. I know you may say it all depends but I think you can say roughly how much I may earn looking at my degrees and experience or you can say I may not be even be interviewed. Money should not be that important but for us it is very important right now because of the monthly payment we have to make.

Thank you for taking your time to read.

Sincerly,

[veiledsentiments]

Because your experience and education are more primary and secondary based, it is likely that you would be able to get your best offers there - though your highest offer is not that great. The only way to know for sure is to apply at some of the tertiary level and see what kind of offers you get.

You will likely run into the problem that at the university levels, they prefer native speakers...

It appears to me that the most important detail is whether your husband can get a job or not as all of your income will be going back to the Turkish government.

Good Luck...

VS

[Buur]

Fortytwo,

First of all, I am really happy how you are sticking with your faith and believe. You have to know that your God will not neglect you.
Regarding your question, I think you can teach tertiary level in the Middle east. You can apply universities and colleges in Saudi Aarbia such as Damam, or in Oman.
If you can afford you should attend TESOL arabia conference in March 2007 in Abu Dhabia where you find many opportunities.

Buur

[NadiaK]

Fortytwo, it's true that the (vast?) majority of English teachers in higher education here are native speakers. However, the HCT (who I work for) for one require teachers with "native-like" proficiency, and I do know a few NNS English teachers.

As VS says, the only way to know is to apply. It's worth a try!
(By the way, the HCT are hiring like mad at the moment.)

[desert date]

fortytwo

Let me get this right: you were outed by a fellow Turk for wearing a hijab in the US because it contravened a rule forbidding Turkish women from wearing head coverings in public institutions in Turkey? Wow!

Are men allowed to wear skull caps or any form of head dress in Turkish public institutions?

I'm a Muslim Arab born and raised in Australia. We have almost unlimited freedom of expression here but some people have taken it to the extremes - covering themselves up with burkhas or appearing practically naked on the streets. But ultimately it's our choice as to how we want to present ourselves. I would never dream of asking my girlfriend or sisters to cover themselves up (not that they would listen to me anyway). My younger sis has taken to wearing the hijab recently (my mum and my older sis don't) and we try our best to give her our support especially in the current political climate. To me, she is exercising her personal right to express her religious beliefs and I will defend that as much as I would defend any other personal right in Australia.

I was going to suggest Malaysia where well-educated Muslims with extensive overseas experience are held in high regard but then I noted your financial requirements - it's unlikely that you'll be able to make that amount there. Nevertheless, check out the International Islamic University of Malaysia. I believe there's an international school attached to it. If you're husband is trained in Islamic finance (a growth area in Malaysia), computers, engineering or the sciences, then your prospects in Malaysia would even be better.

dd