Job Discussion Forums

[mishmumkin]

[redcliff]

now is the peak of the int. school job fair season. many seasoned vets have their next positions lined up.

however, between now and the end of may you are going to see a lot of international schools scramble to fill positions, so persevere.
If you haven't registered at tieonline.com yet I would reccomend it as you can post your resume. If you really want to work in the middle east, drop the cash and come to the search associates job fair in Dubai.

[Madman]

In no way can ENS be called a good school - it is haemorraghing staff thanks to the bullying and unpleasant management. Staff are leaving in droves and there is no job security and terrible morale. Staff meetings, when they happen, are completely demoralizing and unsupportive. At one the emails of a recently fired member of staff were read out in front of everyone.

Contracts and conditions are changed mid-term and are loaded with penalties against the staff member. In some cases staff had to wait 6 months for a contract and the school behaves as though it is above the law because of its government status.

There is a terrible 'us' and 'them' situation - with management spying on overseas staff - not just at school but even outside school. It is pretty clear that the management has no respect or liking for western staff and is replacing us with cheaper Arabian/Jordanian staff - some departments are already westerner-free.

ENS is a school to be avoided for many reasons.

[redeyes]

"There is a terrible 'us' and 'them' situation - with management spying on overseas staff - not just at school but even outside school."

Unbelievable -- Incredible! How did the spying manifest itself? The liberties some of these places take! It's clear some of these schools see their staff as chattel and objects.

Thank God we have boards like these to warn us of these kinds of school set ups. When I started out in EFL about 20 years ago, it wasn't so easy to get the inside info on which schools played fair and those that didn't -- as many of you will remember, it was very very common for teachers to travel half way accross the world only to be treated with utter contempt, fleeced and ripped off.

I know it still happens of course -- but it happens far less often, thanks to EFL boards like these, and the inside info warnings they offer.


I really hope management from the school are reading these threads.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

[Madman]

ENS Admin staff do check boards and forums such as this - and the MD has told staff he will fire anyone he suspects of writing about the school.

As for spying on staff in and out of school - this also is true - admin staff are sent to creep around corridors and look into teaching rooms. Reprimands are given with no evidence or substance to back them. And it is no secret that management have said they don't want staff to socialize together outside work and this might lead to gossipping!!!!!

[redeyes]

Yes NCTBA, I agree,and you are totally right -- I mean, these people are not going to suddenly develop a conscience,or feel pangs of guilt about treating teachers badly.

No, they are pretty reptilian --

But, most of these so called recruiters/human resources/managment teams from these so called schools -- are also often very vain people, solely interested in business returns -- and at least being shown for what they really are on these boards will prove deeply embarrassing to them, if nothing else,and may effect their staffing levels and student levels.

That has to be worth it. A bad reputation for a school's "management style" -- if deserved of course, and not as part of a resentful agenda ridden trolling exercise -- can, and usually does stick.

That has to be a good service to fellow EFL teachers in my book.

On those lines too, NCTBA, your expose of that Saudi school was a fantastic job. I am sure their management team squirmed on reading your analysis of what goes on there. A job well done.

[Madman]

How does ENS spy on staff?

Admin goons partrol the corridors looking through the windows of teaching rooms;
offices and teaching rooms are routinely rifled at the weekends;
there is an admin person who was appointed to routinely check up on staff;
management sneaks and rat-finks among teaching staff seem remarkably well informed about the comings and goings of staff outside work. (Sad to say there are some western staff here who are happy to play the nasty games the school management plays with the staff here for their own advancement).

[Ergo Sum]

Strange about the ENS that it 'discourages staff from socialising outside work' . . . and yet has an apartment block it puts many of them in? Sounds like a severe case of mania to me.
I think with the appointment of new principals, a lot will improve from this September.

[carlen]

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[Ergo Sum]

Yes, there have been problems: I read all the posts on all the forums, then accepted a job with ENS. There have been mistakes and they've held their hands up to them - I really believe they're prepared to learn from their mistakes. I landed in Abu Dhabi a week ago and things were NOT right eg with accommodation; however they have been put right and I'm being supported a lot. I'm ok with being here at the moment; I'm not blinkered, I have experience in international schools in many places. We'll see what happens, shall we?

[carlen]

edit

[hihowareya]

Ergo Sum I am sorry you didn't listen to the others who have posted here. ENS is an organisation that will get a lot worse before (if ever) it gets any better.

The admin will be the death of the school, which is unfortuante because the school does have a lot of potential.

New principals will come this year, they will try and do their best, but unfortunately if they are ethical preofessionals, they will leave as quickly as they have arrived. You can't be associated with such an institution for long if you are an ethical educationalist, sad but true!

Good luck, you'll need it!

Say G'day to Majed for me! Haha!

[LaydeRogue]

Hi Ergo Sum,

I was just curious to know how your experience at ENS is going. Has the school gotten any better or has it lived up to all of the negative posts?

[tashidelek]

i met a teacher from ENS and he told me that he has no intension to stay in this school and he would rather take another job with lower pay. he did not tell me what exactly happened there, but it sounds a bit scary