Job Discussion Forums

Nimah · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 36

Hi all,
With a B.A. Honours History and a Post Grad Dip in Primary Education I've been working in Oz for about a year as a primary relief teacher (I'm Canadian). Now that my visa is approaching its expiration (Jan 2008) I'm searching the globe for someplace new to teach and having been giving thought to the Middle East.

With less then 2 years experience it seems that I won't exactly have my pick of places, so would anyone be able to give me any ideas/recommendations on where to look? Or where my qualifications may be actually considered?

Thanks very much!

miski2 · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Kuwait

As you are qualified with degree + teaching qual. you will have no difficulty at all getting a job in Kuwait. There are several US /UK curr. schools and a new Canadian one which has just opened ( but I don't know what it is like). Your best bet is to look up the schools' directory on line and write to them directly- even at this late stage schools are still recruiting. (Avoid Future Bilingual, KNES and KIES tho'). With your qual. and 2 years exp. you should be offered 600KD at least per month
( accept no less) + accom and flight. This is about $1800 US. Good luck.
Check this link:

www.english-schools.org/kuwait/index.htm

stoth1972 · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:41 pm Post subject:

I think you could earn more in the UAE w/ those qualifications. The better schools will want more experience, but decent schools are happy to take NQTs or less experienced teachers. I would think you could start around 8500-9000 dirhams/months plus flights/accommodation/other misc. allowances. That's more like $2300 USD (give or take)-a decent wage since your accommodation will be sorted.

canadashirleyblue · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 162

You should be able to get a job in the middle east no problem - especially now they will be getting desperate!

Just make sure you get a good school. Try to have some contact with someone who has been there before and isn't returning (so they will tell the whole story). Schools are recruiting now for a variety of reasons. Some are crap places and nobody wants to go there. Others are legit.

If you can get a one year contract it is better. Then you will not be tied in if you don't like it. You don't want to be doing a runner and then never be able to get back into anywhere in the gulf states. The longer contracts are not in your interest.

Good luck!

miski2 · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Kuwait

Many schoos are giving 2 year contracts due to visa restrictions .You may have to sign a 2 year contract as your work visa will be 2 years. (It's useful to talk to people who actually LIVE in the country to get your advice!)

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Plus, every contract should have a procedure for resigning mid-contract. It is normally a one-semester or six month notice. You probably won't get a glowing rec letter to take with you though. Laughing

VS

miski2 · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Kuwait

VS -that procedure doesn't happen at my school. They used to hand out letters of intent around January, but neither side was bound by this. This year however, they only handed out new contracts( no letter of intent) to people they wanted back.
Maybe at Uni the procedure is different.

Nimah · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 36

Thanks guys for all the info. The question now is finding specific schools to apply to...or rather a recruitment firm that deals with the Middle East? I'm not quite sure how things are done over there (though I have been checking through the forums.) Also if I'm looking to head over there in Jan (when their school year has already commenced) will I still have a shot at a decent school?

Thanks again!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

That's a renewal of contract, isn't it? Why would there be a letter of intent in the middle of a 2 year contract? (I was referring to resigning in the middle of a 2-year contract.)

I will say that in the Gulf, KU had the weakest university contract system. First year was a one year contract, and if it was renewed, it was for 2 years. And the English copy of the contract was the Reader's Digest condensed version... and who knows what the Arabic one said since we weren't given a copy. Laughing

VS

miski2 · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Kuwait

Sorry VS, yes I was talking about 1 year contracts!

Our Arabic versions tho' are verbatim the same!

stoth1972 · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:39 pm Post subject:

Nimah...I generally would not recommend going over there and looking for work. It's a bit of a crap shoot. It is possible that someone had to leave in January, opening up a position for you, but generally speaking, people in good schools don't do runners.

January is, however, the very beginning of their preparations for the upcoming academic year. Teachers are being asked whether or not they'll be returning. February (job fair season) is the big push. I think you would do better to spend money on a job fair. I've tried to list schools w/ decent reputations based on people that I know working there. Most schools do want at least a 2 year committment. If you end up leaving at the end of 1, it's not the worst thing in the world, but perhaps not a smart move professionally. Ideally, you'd end up in a good school and survive the 2 years w/o issue. These are a mixed-some IB, some American, some British curriculum.

the Gems groups runs LOADS of schools (some of which are mentioned below) Not all their schools have ideal packages for western expat contracts, so you'll want to sift through the list on their web site
http://www.gemseducation.com/server.php?show=nav.001002003
Dubai English Speaking School
Jumeirah English Speaking School
Emirates International School
Jumeirah Primary
Dubai American Academy (can't vouge for this one specifically)
Deira International School
Jebel Ali primary school
Canadian Grammar School
School of Research Science
Al Itihad (possibly less money than other schools, but not bad reputation)
http://www.cis-ad.org/ I'm not sure about this one-I don't know anyone there
The British School Al Khubairat
American Community School (in abu dhabI)
American International School of Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi International School
Sheikh Zayed Private Girls School (i hear this teaches ontario curriculum)
Rashid School of Boys
Latifa School for Girls
Check out this list of IB schools (some of which I've suggested above)
http://www.ibo.org/country/AE/index.cfm

This is by no means complete. There are new schools popping up every years. I just tried to suggest some that are established where teachers have been happy enough.

Are you visiting the UAE in january or going to live based on your spouse's contract? Hope this list gets your started. It's possible that one of these schools will need people at odd times during the year, so there's no harm to sending your CV now and then again in early January in preparation for the job fairs. The TES online tends to have lots of UAE school job listings.

miski2 · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Kuwait

GEMS have just taken over KIES in Kuwait-which nobody in Kuwait would touch with a bargepole,so that doesn't say much!

stoth1972 · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:06 pm Post subject:

You can't paint all the GEMS schools w/ one brush. Some are ok, some are not.

miski2 · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 52 Location: Kuwait

And similarly you can't paint an entire country with the same brush you paint individuals or schools.

stoth1972 · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject: