Job Discussion Forums

anyway · Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 109

I've done the search but not found much. Why are they hiring now? I was hoping someone would have some info. Please post it here or send me a PM. Any info at all would be nice. Cheers!

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

Most of the website appears to be "under construction." Classes supposedly started on 9/2. Since this seems to be their first year, there may not be anyone here who knows anything yet. And I expect that their hiring was controlled by the fact that they didn't know how many teachers that they would need, so they waited until the last minute...

They offer something called a PGDE? Is that their own creation or is that something from the UK system?

Here is their website: http://www.ecae.ac.ae/index.html

VS

anyway · Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 109

Thanks VS. Yes, I found the totally lame website (with the exception of the calendar). And that's about all I found on the whole web besides a couple of threads here from months ago. I have a PM into the fellow whose wife seemed to have an offer but went to RAK instead (forgot his ID already!)

So I guess now they are looking for someone extremely qualified
who will just drop everything and show up in a couple of days? So, you figure they DO have students? Quick, find some teachers...

Yes, if I recall the PGDE is the teacher licensure program in the UK.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

Yep, PGCE is the Post Graduate Certficate in Education, PGDE: the diploma.

MTelmar · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 63

Not to be mean or anything, but their 'mission statement' (if it can be called that) does not give me the warm fuzzies at all - I seriously could have written a better one while going into anaphylactic shock this Saturday morning!
Granted, not everyone is good at writing mission statements, but come on, there are people you can pay for that, so that at least it looks like you're trying.
(unless, of course, mission statements and vision are not all that important in the UAE as they are in the US, in which case I sincerely apologize for my lack of cultural sensitivity on the subject)

Another thing that wouldn't make me feel warm and fuzzy if I were considering employment there is that their entire 'gallery', save a few official handshake pics, is composed of artist's conception of the premises. They have students, right? They must have buildings then too, right? Even a mid-construction picture would make me feel better than what I can see right now.
Also, is it just me, or is the location unknown?

It's probably just me - I'm a little cranky and exhausted today Confused

anyway · Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 109

Yes, you're right. Real pictures of unfinished buildings would be better than drawings. And you probably are cranky today. Personally, I think mission statements are a dime a dozen, but some say that about EFL teachers too!

It is said that 'it's easy to poke holes'. Crikey, the website is nothing but holes! and a few job openings. I can understand why they might want to hide the buildings, but you can't hide a website! For me, that speaks much louder than an empty rhetoric mission statement.

They must have something going. Now who is going to step up and fill us in on all the murky details? How about some of them? Some gossip? For prospective applicants, SOME news is better than no news...

kiefer · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 268

I interviewed (unsuccessfully) with them last year and feel I dodged a bullet. The school is in the old MLI if that means anything to you. Give it three - five years before the taking the place seriously.

MTelmar · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 63

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

Does anyone actually READ mission statements?

Even I have better things to do with my time than that...

I always felt that they were a make-work project for management drones.

VS

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

The PGDE is Scottish, the PGCE is the equivalent in England and Wales.

MTelmar · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 63

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

I remember when 'THE mission statement' first appeared... in business. Education adopted the idea later. From day one, after reading the first one, my response was 'what a crock!" Laughing

And my opinion of them has only gone downhill since then.

VS
(I must admit that the one on this website made me laugh out loud.)

Iamherebecause · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:38 am Post subject:

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

The only reason that I read it was because it was like one line. I think it was the shortest mission statement that I have ever seen. If it had been the usual multi-paragraph drivel I wouldn't have wasted my time. Cool

There is reading... and there is taking seriously. I read them only for the laughs they can provide.

VS

anyway · Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 109

So, I've heard there are 30 odd staff at ECAE and not a single one comes here to have a peek? I find that odd. Perhaps they're lurkers and can't be bothered to get an account. If anyone has any info about ECAE, please send it to onlineenglish at hotmail.

Kiefer, why do you feel that you dodged a bullet?